Page 38 of Her Frozen Heart

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. She looked younger than she claimed to be, but so did most high schoolers in Nikki’s opinion. But she was more concerned about the girl’s physical appearance. Her skin tone and wavy, dark hair were reminiscent of Kesha’s.

“What’s your name?” she asked as she entered the hallway.

“Maria.” The girl thrust out her license. “I turned eighteen in October.”

Nikki studied the license. “I see that. How did you meet Danny?”

“I don’t have to tell you that,” Maria said stubbornly. “He’s a good man, and I’m not going to get him in trouble with his wife.”

“I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but I can do enough digging and find out if you were having sex with Danny before you turned eighteen. So, I suggest you cooperate.”

“You mean when I was seventeen, which is the legal age of consent in Minnesota?” Maria smirked.

Nikki tried another tactic. “You really want me poking around in your life?”

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