“He said he wasn’t going to be scared by any ‘ghost,’ Mac. Or rather roared it. And here’s a clue to someone from his past and, apparently, Leander Hill’s. ‘For you and for him...’ Laurel, what do you know of your father’s background?”
“Not much. He’d led an adventurous life, I think, but whenever I used to ask him questions about it ― especially when I was little ― he’d laugh, slap me on the bottom, and send me off to Mad’moiselle.”
“What about his family?”
“Family?” said Laurel vaguely.
“Brothers, sisters, uncle, cousins ― family. Where did he come from? Laurel, I’m fishing. We need some facts.”
“I’m no help there. Daddy never talked about himself. I always felt I couldn’t pry. I can’t remember his ever having any contact with relatives. I don’t even know if any exist.”
“When did he and Priam go into business together?”
“It must have been around twenty, twenty-five years ago.”
“Before Delia and he got married,” said Crowe. “Delia ― that’s my mother, Mr. Queen.”
“I know,” said Ellery, a bit stiffly. “Had Priam and Hill known each other well before they started the jewelry business, Macgowan?”