Page 22 of Lost Hours
Mina slumped back into her chair. “I had no idea.”
“That wasn’t all. After a week, he called the clerk back. The clerk told him you tore up the note and said you wanted nothing to do with him. But Nolan didn’t stop at that either. He came back to town as soon as he could get leave from his job and located your parents. He went to their house. They said you no longer lived there, and he’d hurt you badly. They wouldn’t tell him where you went.”
“I’d moved to Portland to get some experience in city policing, but they never mentioned that to me.” And the first moment she got, she was going to ask them about it.
“He did everything he could to tell you where he’d gone and why he had to leave so abruptly.”
“Why didn’t he tell me any of that?”
Abby shrugged. “Only he knows that. But maybe he wondered what the point was. Too many years have passed. Or maybe he thought he looked too desperate, and if you’d wanted to be with him, you would’ve found a way to tell him.”
Mina didn’t know what to think now. She’d like to race to her parents’ house and question them, but how could she? Her top priority had to be finding Mayor Sutton’s killer, and she could talk to her parents in her downtime.
But then, was there any downtime when hunting for a killer? She’d never had to find one before, but she was certain her every waking moment needed to be spent on bringing the killer to justice.
Nolan had no idea why he was being summoned along with Jude to speak to Mina again. Sure Jude still had to give his statement, but Nolan didn’t need to be there. Maybe something the others said made her want to clarify his statement.
He entered the room behind Jude. She had her back to them, facing the window. Perfect. She wasn’t looking, and he took a moment to study the curves of her body evident even in the nondescript county uniform.
She rested her hand on her sidearm, and the manicured nails painted a delicate lilac were a contrast to the weapon. To her rough and tumble personality too. Reece was the only other woman he’d seen so at home in both the tough law enforcement environment and as a feminine single woman. He hadn’t just seen it in Mina, but he loved it. He’d always been a sucker for a woman with a gun.
She turned and ran her gaze over them. “Have a seat, Jude.”
“You want me to sit too?”
“That’s up to you.” She stepped to the table. “I thought since Jude’s the only one without an alibi, he might want you with him for the interview.”
Jude’s eyes flashed up. “Am I a suspect?”
“Yes, until I can rule you out.”
“Come on, now.” He narrowed his eyes. “I’ve only met the guy once at our grand opening. Why would I want to kill him?”
“Maybe he didn’t like you dating Becca.”
“Seriously?” Jude blinked at her. “We only went out twice. I don’t think he even knew about me.”
“Were you planning on a third date?”
He shook his head.
Mina’s eyebrow rose. “Why not?”
“No spark.” He held up a hand. “Before you think she was upset by that, it was a two-way street. A mutual decision.”
“So if I ask her about it, she’ll tell me the same thing?”
“Absolutely.”
Nolan took a step. “Do you want me to hang out here, Jude?”
He crossed his arms. “Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea since it seems like Mina has forgotten everything she knows about me.”
Mina lifted her shoulders. “That’s not fair and you know it. If you were still an FBI agent and handling this investigation, you would be doing the same thing. Even if you knew and respected the primary suspect.”
Nolan leaned against the wall. “She does have a point. I think we’d all be doing the same thing and should give her a break. And be honest with her, as I know you will. The more you tell her, the sooner she can rule you out.”
Jude eyed Mina. “What else do you want to know?”
