Page 79 of Lost Hours
“Or somehow we figure out Smythe’s real identity,” Nolan added. “More than ever, he’s got to be our prime suspect now.”
“Still no luck on the burner phone he used to make arrangements with Harmony,” Abe said. “Cell providers like to stonewall.”
“Maybe Dylan will find something.” Mina frowned. “Or we’re barking up the wrong tree altogether, and there’s someone we don’t yet know about.”
“It’s time to look at the city records to see if someone might be embezzling money,” Nolan said.
She nodded. “To that end, you can find me at the inn, where we’ll work on reviewing the city’s financial reports for the past six months. See if we can find any irregularities.”
Abe nodded, but cast a suspicious look in Nolan’s direction.
Nolan ignored him and left with Mina to go to her vehicle.
He wasn’t eager to review boring financial records, but if they were successful, they might find another suspect, could track him down, and finally, finally locate the elusive killer before he harmed Becca.
21
Mina pointed her vehicle down Main Street, where business owners hustled around in the bright sunshine, decorating for the Founder’s Day festival on Saturday. The first Founder’s Day in a long time without Mayor Sutton. A wave of sadness hit Mina, her reaction stronger than she’d expected.
She shot a quick look at Nolan as he silently peered out the window. What was he so intently thinking about?
At a red light, she searched his face to see if something was troubling him, but he just seemed genuinely interested in the preparations and busy people around them.
“Looks like everyone is getting into a festive mood,” he said.
“Founder’s Day is a big deal here. People really come together to make it special.”
“This will be my first year.” A wistful tone crept into his voice. “Other than fireworks over the harbor on Saturday night, what can I expect?”
She gestured at Main Street. “This street will shut down to vehicle traffic. We have carnival rides, games, food, music, entertainment—you name it, we have it—for the whole weekend. I’m sure, as a local business owner, you’ve been asked to participate.”
“Yeah. We’re hosting kids arts and crafts at the inn.”
She flashed a look his way. “No offense, but who on your staff has experience with children?”
“Does being a child at one point in life count?” He laughed.
She rolled her eyes as the light changed. She pulled into the intersection, careful of eager pedestrians ignoring the crossing signals. “I’m serious.”
“Okay, in all seriousness,” he said, “Reece has a younger sister—ten years younger—and has some experience, but mostly we looked things up on the internet. If we have any real issues, we’ll be counting on parents to step in.”
Made some sense. “At least she has more experience than I do. Or you, only having an older brother.”
He swiveled to look at her. “You remembered.”
“How could I forget?” She played it down, but she remembered every second they’d spent together. Especially their long talks at night, the moonlight showering them on the cliff as the ocean crashed on the rocks below. “It’s because of him you’re who you are. Or more like how your parents treated both of you, is how you’ve become who you are.”
He sat silently for a moment. “It was really hard to live up to an older brother who achieved everything your father wanted him to achieve when you follow your own path—one your dad doesn’t care anything about.”
“I don’t know how you lived under his thumb for as long as you did.”
Nolan grimaced. “It’s all in the past now. I haven’t seen either of my parents in years. Not really since college. My team is my true family.”
She’d witnessed that very thing back in the day. Each team member had a reason for doing life on their own and had come together to form a kind of adoptive family. Not officially. But in all the ways that counted.
She’d even been a bit jealous until she thought about her almost idyllic upbringing here in Lost Lake. She glanced at him. “I’ve always been thankful to have what some people would say is a normal family and childhood. My parents always wanted me to do what I wanted to do. What fulfilled me. Even when I went into something as dangerous as law enforcement, they supported me.”
But if Nolan was to be believed, they didn’t support her in her relationship choice when they’d sent him on his way. She so didn’t want to have that conversation with them. Not at all. She sighed.
