The Girls in the Snow (Nikki Hunt #1) - Stacy Green Page 0,37
isn’t the reason for our visit.”
“He’s supposed to be here this morning.” Ricky grinned. “I know who you are. You sure you want to be around when he shows up?”
“I’ve already spoken with Rory, actually. I’m here to talk to you.”
Ricky looked her up and down, his lips curled into a hateful smirk. “I read that article. How soon you think it’ll be before the Todd family is suing the county and maybe even you? Like I said, I got nothing to say.”
Nikki resisted the urge to unzip her coat and make sure he knew she was the one carrying a gun and badge. She’d dealt with dozens of Rickys, and almost all of them used misogyny to mask their own insecurities. They weren’t used to women calling their bluff and wound up running away with their tails between their legs. “Did Kaylee ask you for money after she found out about the deal you and her mom made?”
Ricky’s jaw tightened. “What are you talking about?”
“Jessica told us about blackmailing you for painkillers,” Nikki said. “Did Kaylee try to do the same thing?”
“You’re delusional.”
“Okay,” Nikki said. “So, you don’t mind if I search your truck then?”
“You don’t have a warrant.”
“I actually do.” Nikki held up the warrant. “Judge’s signature is still drying. See the blue vehicle behind Sergeant Miller’s? That’s a senior FBI crime scene specialist. She’ll be conducting the search. If she finds anything, we’ll have the truck impounded and dig deeper.”
“You’re not going to find anything.” He shoved his hands into his pockets.
“If you went to Kaylee’s house, we’ll see you on the neighbor’s security footage,” Nikki said.
“I didn’t.”
“You met Jessica the day the girls went missing,” Miller said.
“And I was there for over an hour. Then clocked in at work. Alibied, so back off.”
Nikki closed the distance between them. “Was Kaylee alone when you saw her?”
Ricky gritted his teeth.
“My instincts tell me you’ve been selling prescription drugs on job sites. It’s hard to imagine you only sold them to Jessica. But I’m not really interested in that, I’m trying to find a murderer and I know there’s something you’re not telling me.”
“And I’m supposed to believe this guy won’t haul me in if I talk?” Ricky pointed to Miller.
“He’s more concerned about finding a killer.” Nikki played her trump card. “I, however, will call your parole officer if you don’t answer my questions. He’ll look at your phone, and they’ll find out all of your dirty secrets.”
“You were a cold bitch in high school and you’re still one.” Ricky crossed his thick arms over his chest. “She showed up at my job site a few days before she disappeared. Gave me the same spiel her mother did. But I told her I wasn’t giving her money for whatever she was trying to buy.”
Nikki had a hard time imagining Ricky as the type to care about Kaylee’s well-being.
“You’re lying,” Nikki said. “She left here with something. Either you tell me what it was, or I call your parole officer.”
Ricky looked more nervous than ever, and Nikki could tell she was getting somewhere. “I gave her fifty bucks, okay? Jessica barely makes ends meet and Kaylee’s phone was going to get shut off. She didn’t need to be going around without a cell phone—” Ricky drew an unsteady breath. He ducked his head and rubbed his eyes. “I thought her phone would protect her. Did she suffer?” Ricky asked.
“We won’t know anything until after the autopsy.” Nikki softened her tone. The sadness in his voice was real. He’d actually tried to look out for her. “How did Kaylee get to your job site that day?”
“Some guy in a van.”
“You get a look at him?”
Ricky shook his head.
“License plate?”
“Wasn’t paying attention. It was a plain grey minivan and had a Stillwater High School bumper sticker.”
“You’re certain?” Miller asked.
“Yep. Got no more to say.”
“Don’t leave town,” Nikki said.
Ricky huffed and disappeared into the half-built house.
“Drew Hanson drives a grey minivan with that bumper sticker,” Miller said. “His father-in-law owns Grinnell Farms. They raise cattle and pigs for farm to table.”
“Industrial freezer access?” Nikki said.
“I would assume so. They slaughter their own animals and sell the meat locally to grocery stores. And farmers’ markets during the summer.”
“You think we could find a judge to sign a warrant to search?”
“No way,” Miller said. “No judge is going to piss off a business like Grinnell Farms without strong evidence. Hanson doesn’t work at the farm, and he says he was home all evening with