Page 24 of Lost Hours
“I can’t think of any other reason for the mayor to be in the locker assigned to me or for a trophy with my name on it.” He clamped his hands on his knees. “Although I have to say there were trophies from other of our teammates too. Not that I’m throwing them under the bus because I know none of them are guilty.”
She took a long breath, pausing as if regrouping. “Do you know why anyone would have motive to kill the mayor?”
“Like I said, I didn’t know the mayor, so I wouldn’t have a clue as to why someone would want to kill him. His daughter spoke highly of him, and it was clear that she respected him.”
“If there’s anything else you would like me to know about your involvement in this murder, now would be the time to tell me.”
“I have nothing else to say.” Jude stood. “I didn’t kill the mayor, I had nothing to do with this night at this place, and I’m innocent of all charges.”
He strode toward the door without waiting to be dismissed.
“You can go,” Mina called after him. “But don’t leave the area without letting me know.”
Jude snarled and exited the room.
Nolan pushed off the wall. “You honestly don’t think Jude killed the mayor, do you?”
“Put on your law enforcement hat, Nolan. You would see that he has to remain a suspect until proven otherwise. So whether I believe in what he has done or not done is irrelevant.”
He didn’t like that answer. Not at all. “You know we’re going to do our very best to prove his innocence. To prove the innocence of our entire team.”
She locked gazes with him. “I can’t have you go off half-cocked and interfere with my investigation.”
Nolan wouldn’t be told what to do when it came to defending his family. Sure, many people thought the team members were just friends, but they were more than that. More than most families. Connected. Caring. Protective. A strong unit. One that couldn’t be destroyed. No matter their circumstances.
He pulled his shoulders back. “Unless we break the law, I can’t really see how you can stop us.”
She looked down and ran a hand through her hair. He recognized her expression. She was thinking, and he imagined thoughts pinging through her brain. She suddenly looked up. “I have a proposition for you. Something that will benefit both of us.”
“I’m listening.”
“You served as a deputy before the Secret Service and are familiar with the proper investigative procedure. I can deputize you, and you can work directly with me.”
He almost sputtered and had to work hard to keep his mouth from falling open. “I can see how that would benefit you. After all, you can keep tabs on me and boss me around, but I sure don’t see how it would benefit me or my team.”
“Of course it will. You’ll have access to all of the information and reports about the investigation. Official law enforcement officers will have your back, and you’ll have the right to make arrests.”
She was right. Thatwasappealing, but appealing enough to give up his independence and work for her? Work for the woman who he’d never wanted to see again? Despite the fact he still had feelings for her, was this the way to move forward in the investigation?
He just didn’t know.
He needed to clear Jude’s name and, because of their association with him, the team’s reputation so people would continue to hire them. Just having any whiff of impropriety connected to the team could be the end of the business they’d just started—sunk all of their money into. Being officially connected to the investigation gave Nolan a stamp of approval, and they could likely clear their names faster.
But he wouldn’t just roll over and let her use him. He held out his hand. “As long as you promise not to stonewall me or keep me out of pertinent details of the investigation, you’ve got a deal.”
She grabbed his hand. “I promise. And you promise too. No going behind my back with your team. Before you do anything, you’ll discuss it with me.”
“Then we have a deal,” he said and hoped he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of his life.
7
In the hallway outside the escape room, Mina watched Harmony’s expression as she and Nolan questioned her about the rental. She said she’d worn noise-cancelling headphones to watch television in the second-floor sitting room and had been oblivious to the events on the first floor. It was only when she saw the patrol car lights strobing in the window that she came out to investigate. Or so she said.
“And you’re sure you didn’t leave that room?” Nolan asked.
“Why would I?” Harmony’s surly tone grated on Mina. “My contract with Palmer says I have to be present when the building is leased, but it doesn’t say I have to babysit the occupants.”
Harmony was known to have an attitude. Which is why Mina had been surprised when she learned Cody Palmer had hired her to manage the leasing business. She could certainly do the cleaning and organizing, but when it came to being pleasant to customers, that wasn’t the woman’s forte. Hopefully for Palmer’s sake, she was pleasant with customers, and if she copped an attitude, she didn’t do so until after the contracts were signed.
