The Girls in the Snow (Nikki Hunt #1) - Stacy Green Page 0,25
paperbacks from thrift stores. Nikki carefully sifted through the books in search of a phone. Mystery and science fiction dominated the collection, but a dog-eared copy of The Outsiders was full of sticky notes.
Two storage containers under the bed held sweaters and other winter gear. Nothing beneath the mattress or jammed inside the rickety nightstand. A portrait-sized mirror was propped on the dresser. Hairbrush, several hair ties, along with drugstore foundation, blush, eyeshadow. Nothing over the top.
A couple of Polaroid pictures had been taped to the mirror. How in the hell were those things popular again? Their picture quality had improved but was nothing like cell phone or digital camera pictures. But the instant gratification of the Polaroid probably appealed to an impatient teenager.
Both pictures featured Madison and Kaylee, smiling and happy, with Kaylee making the silly “duckface” in the second. The expensive Polaroid probably belonged to Madison.
Dresser drawers contained the usual items, but Nikki removed the slats just in case. She’d kept notes from John hidden from her nosy mother in the small crevices between drawers. No such luck with Kaylee.
There was no shelving in the small closet, and nothing hidden in the flooring. These cookie-cutter condos didn’t have the same kind of hiding places as an old farmhouse.
Nikki’s mother’s voice rang in her head. “I found your stash, Nicole Ann Walsh. How did you get the weed? Was it that boy?”
Instead of answering the question, Nikki had railed on her mother for not trusting her. The pot had been hidden beneath a loose floorboard under Nikki’s bed. Her mother had to search long and hard to find it.
Nikki swallowed the knot in her throat and stood, her groaning knees reminding her that forty was bearing down quickly. She hadn’t expected to find the phone. Kaylee had no doubt had it on her—if she actually had one.
A memory slivered on the edges of her consciousness: a strange buzzing, a command: Stop taking pictures. Sweat beaded on Nikki’s forehead. The phantom taste of vodka swilled in her mouth.
She went to the dresser and stared at her reflection. Her dark hair was messy from the hat and the sweat, her face pale despite feeling hot. Fear glowed in her dark eyes, but of what?
Nikki took a deep breath and pulled herself together. She’d had so many nightmares after the murders and being back in town must have triggered them again.
She looked again at the pictures taped to the mirror, willing one of the girls to give her something to work with. The pictures had been taken on the same day, in front of a brick storefront with a large bay window.
Mahoney’s.
Mahoney’s in downtown Stillwater.
But who took the picture?
Nikki yanked one of the pictures off.
The window reflected a tall male with a stocking cap and a dark hoodie, the camera covering most of his face. He looked to be a few inches taller than both girls, close to six feet. Wide shoulders but not overly muscular. The window wasn’t big enough to reflect his shoes, but his jeans were well-worn, either from use or style.
Nikki grabbed the second picture and put the two side by side. Was that a tiny grin on the visible fraction of the boy’s mouth?
Kaylee’s outstretched arm was blurry and in a weird position, almost in front of her. She’d been moving when the picture was taken.
Kaylee hadn’t been making the face. She was going to blow a kiss at the boy taking the picture.
Back downstairs, Kaylee’s mother knew nothing of the boyfriend. She’d never asked who took the picture, she’d just been glad her daughter was hanging out with Madison. Nikki told her not to blame herself, even though she knew the woman would do exactly that.
She followed Miller outside. “Are you going to charge Jessica?”
Miller shook his head. “Not unless you push the issue.”
“No, but she has to stop.” Nikki’s breath crystallized in the frigid air. “I don’t care how pure Ricky says the stuff is.”
“She will. I’ll make sure of it. I did come up with one thing.” He held up a small black object. “Kaylee’s flash drive for school stuff. Her mother made her keep it in the kitchen junk drawer, so it didn’t get lost.”
“Mind if I take it?” Nikki asked.
“Once I bag it and mark it as evidence, it’s yours.”
“Thanks.” Nikki pointed to the condo adjacent to Kaylee’s house. “Is this the security camera you looked at to confirm that Kaylee left that day?