Her Frozen Heart: A nail-biting and heart-pounding crime thriller (Nikki Hunt Book 6) by Stacy Green

Author:Stacy Green [Green, Stacy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803146959
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2022-10-12T18:30:00+00:00

Danny Stanton lived outside of Marine on St. Croix, a tiny village in northeast Washington County and only a short drive from the lake. The craftsman-style house had seen better days, its wooden siding badly in need of a fresh paint job. The property was at least two acres, with the house, a detached garage, and a big yard with a rusting swing set. A tire swing hung forlornly from the oak tree in the front yard.

A red Honda Civic was parked in the driveway, but Nikki didn’t see the minivan Mrs. Stanton had been driving. She took a photograph of the Honda’s plate with her phone just in case they needed to run it later. Walking to the front door, the quiet struck Nikki as odd. The Stantons had three kids under ten on holiday break, so she would expect to see some sign of them.

She knocked, trying not to wrinkle her nose at the heady scent of weed seeping from underneath the door. The door swung open, and Danny Stanton stared at her with bleary eyes. He hadn’t bothered to put a shirt on before he answered, and his thin sweats didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“Uh, hi, Agent Hunt. I thought the sheriff was going to call me when I could have my truck back.” He wedged himself between the door and its frame, blocking Nikki’s view inside.

“We’re still working on processing the evidence,” she said. “I have some follow-up questions.”

He glanced over his shoulder, his teeth digging into his lower lip. “This isn’t really a good time.”

“It never is,” Nikki said, keeping her voice pleasant. “It will just take a few minutes.”

He sighed. “Let me put a coat on and I’ll come outside.”

“Actually, can we talk inside?” Nikki asked. “It’s just so cold and windy.”

Stanton hedged, reminding Nikki of Lacey when she’d been caught in a lie.

“I assume your wife and kids aren’t here?”

“They’re at her mom’s for the next few days. My wife hasn’t seen her mom in months, so I told her to take advantage of a few extra days off.”

Nikki gestured to the red car she’d parked behind. “At least you have a third vehicle so you aren’t stranded while we process your truck.”

Stanton nodded. “You sure we can’t do this outside?”

“Look, Danny.” Nikki had grown tired of dancing around the obvious. “If you’ve got another woman in there, I don’t care. It’s none of my business.”

His face turned red, his eyes looking furtively between her and the car. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Agent.”

“Danny?” A younger-sounding female voice drifted from inside the house. “I have to get back to work.”

He flinched.

“Who is that?” Nikki asked.

“You just said it wasn’t any of your business.”

“I changed my mind once I heard her voice.”

A pair of dark brown eyes peered over his shoulder. “I’m eighteen. He’s not my authority figure, so we aren’t doing anything wrong.”

“I’m going to run your license plate, so the two of you might as well let me inside.”

Defeated, Danny opened the door and walked down the hall, his head hanging and the girl staring at Nikki.

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