"Everyone knows something," you say. "If you don't tell us what you know, you're not going to be happy with what happens next...and no one you know will be, either." The thug stiffens. Then he bolts, looking like he had this planned since before you even got started. Apparently driven by his fear, he's running fast enough that you know you can't catch him. "Looks like we got ourselves a real 'whodunit' here, rookie," says Laine. "It looks like the locals aren't willing to talk, and the clues we got are damn near worthless, so we're going to have to initiate plan B...Be on the lookout for Two-Shoed Lou. He's an old confidential informant of mine who makes his home at the farm to the west. Head there and find out what he knows. If he gives you any guff, tell him that Horatio sent you."
Go find Lou and talk to him. Check for clues in the area. You can do better than this. Ask if anyone here knows someone who knows about this past that the "fiction" might be about. That might give a clue.