The Girls in the Snow (Nikki Hunt #1) - Stacy Green Page 0,14
she was no longer the girl who’d found her parents murdered? Nikki had clawed her way to success in the FBI despite the obstacles. She knew that people expected her to fail, for her grief and her anger to overwhelm her. But she didn’t let it.
“John Banks doesn’t have anything to do with you wanting to stick around?”
Nikki stared at him. “Are you serious?”
“He was your first love—”
“Twenty years ago. I haven’t thought about him in forever. I want to find their killer because it’s my job. Madison and Kaylee’s killer has to be held accountable.”
“Why does it have to be you, though?”
She smiled faintly.
Tyler held up his hands in defeat and reached for his heavy parka. “Okay, sorry I mentioned it. Just… watch yourself. If people are protesting and that reporter is around, you’re going to be a target.”
“I can handle it, but I’m probably going to get a room in town while we’re working this case.” In the lightest of traffic, the drive to Stillwater took at least forty-five minutes. As much as Nikki looked forward to quiet evenings with her daughter, she had a job to do. And she wanted to keep her as sheltered from that as possible.
“Lacey can stay at my place as long as you need her to,” Tyler said.
“Thanks for being so flexible.” Nikki stifled a yawn. “You sure you don’t want to crash in the guest room?”
“Early meeting tomorrow. I’ll pick her up from school.”
Nikki walked him to the front door. “Be careful driving. Roads are still drifting over.”
“I will.” Tyler kissed the side of her head. It would be so easy to melt into his arms and let him distract her for a while, but she wouldn’t use Tyler like that. He deserved better.
Nikki secured both dead bolts and the doorknob’s lock before going to check on her sleeping daughter.
Lacey sprawled in the middle of her bed, blankets on the floor, her favorite stuffed animal on her face. Her wavy, dark hair and blue eyes resembled Nikki’s, but her smile and lighthearted personality came from Tyler. They hadn’t made their marriage work, but they’d definitely made a perfect kid. She considered snuggling up with Lacey, but that always ended in a sleepless night for Nikki. Lacey had been a bed hog since before she could walk.
Nikki took a long shower, letting the hot water massage her tight shoulders and nearly falling asleep. She checked the locks and security system one more time and then crawled into bed with Miller’s case file, along with sticky notes and a pen. She combed through the file, adding a note about anything she needed clarified or wanted to investigate further. It was well into the early hours of the morning when she finally turned off the lamp and tried to sleep.
Her mind still felt wired, but her body quickly succumbed to exhaustion.
She could hear male laughter, followed by a strange buzzing sound and angry shouting.
She was so sick and scared.
Thirteen steps, blood on the stairs.
Nikki, you did this.
Five
Lacey’s boot-clad feet bounced rhythmically against the leather seat of the car, spraying sand and grit everywhere. Lacey sang along with the radio, at least a key higher than the song playing, but at a much louder decibel. “Mommy, this is my favorite song.”
Nikki smiled at her in the rearview mirror. “I thought ‘Uptown Funk’ was your favorite song.”
Thank God for before- and after-school care, she thought, already going over everything she needed to start the investigation today. Lacey had asked why she was going in so early. “You’ve come this early before. A couple of your kindergarten friends will be there,” Nikki had replied.
“Carly and Logan,” Lacey had said. “They have to come early every day.” Lacey shook her head as though that were the worst possible situation. “Mommy, are you really going to be gone all week because of a bad guy?” She knew what Nikki did, that both her parents were the good guys.
“Yes, but we can FaceTime every night,” Nikki had answered.
“I don’t like it.”
“Me either, Lace. But I have to do my job, and it makes more sense for me to stay in town. Besides, you know Daddy will let you eat way more junk food than I do.”
Lacey had grinned. “I already thought of that.”
Nikki stopped in the drop-off lane and then hurried around to help Lacey out of her booster. “Backpack?”
“Check.”
“Hat and gloves?”
“On my head and hands.” She proudly displayed the mismatched gloves. At least they were both wool.