Page 21 of Lost Hours
Mina didn’t disturb her with questions. No reason, when Abby was recounting the same thing as Nolan, though she did add a bit more of a nostalgic feel to speaking about her academy days.
“That’s it.” She let out a long breath. “This was my first escape room, and I never want to do one again.”
“That’s understandable.” Mina set down her pen. “Can you tell me where you were between three and five p.m. today?”
“Ah, you have an approximate time of death, I see.” Abby’s eyes narrowed. “I was in a meeting with the rest of the team. We were debriefing from our most recent investigation. Everyone was there but Jude.”
“And where was he?” Mina asked.
“On his way back from Portland, but he was on the phone with us the whole time. And before you ask, we had burgers delivered, so you can check with the Submarine delivery guy. He can confirm five of us were present.”
“Did you know the mayor very well?”
“Not at all. I’d only met him once when he and his daughter came to our open house.” She smiled. “He seemed like a real friendly guy. His daughter too. So friendly that she had a date with Jude before she left.”
“That was fast,” Mina said, but took a moment to link Jude to several parts of the crime. His locker held the body. He didn’t have a solid alibi. He’d dated the mayor’s daughter. Could be coincidence, but like most law enforcement officers, she didn’t believe in coincidences.
“Yeah,” Abby said. “I don’t know anything about her, but Jude’s a real charmer.”
“Have they gone out yet?”
“Two times, in fact, but I don’t get the sense from Jude that it’s very serious. He’s not really looking for a steady relationship.”
“Did she seem upset by that?”
“Not that Jude has said.”
“Is there anything else you can tell me about the mayor or about who might want to harm him?”
“That’s all I know. I joined the team later than the others, so maybe they have more information about him than I do. Nolan has been here the longest, so if you haven’t asked him—which I suspect you have—you should do so.”
“Do you remember the Smythe fellow well enough to be able to provide a description for an artist?”
“Oh yeah. He treated me like a princess during dinner, and I’m not about to forget any man who treats me that well.” Abby laughed.
“I don’t have any further questions. Is there anything I haven’t touched on that you think I need to know?”
She sat up straight. “About the investigation, no. About Nolan, yes.”
Mina took her time closing her notebook and laying her pen on top of it. “What exactly do you think I need to know about Nolan?”
“He told us that you never got the note he left you that spring break.”
Mina didn’t expect this to be personal, and she wanted to shut it down. “That’s really between Nolan and me.”
“I agree, but when Nolan won’t stand up for himself, I’m going to do it for him.”
“What do you mean stand up for himself?”
Abby crossed her arms. “We all know he left that note for you.”
“How do you know? Were you there when he did it?”
“No, but he told us immediately after he did.”
“He can tell you anything, but that doesn’t mean he did it.” Mina folded her hands on the table. “Besides, even if he left a note, that didn’t have to be the end. He could’ve followed up.”
“And that’s what he didn’t tell you. He did follow up. A week later he called the desk clerk to see if he gave you the note. He said he couldn’t find you, but would keep trying. So a week later Nolan called the clerk, and he said he’d given you the note. Nolan asked how you reacted to it. The clerk said you just took it and left. So Nolan asked him to find you again to ask if you’d read it. He promised to do that.”
