Page 4 of Her Frozen Heart

“I’ve got hat, gloves, all of that in the jeep,” Nikki told him. Her winter hiking boots were the best choice for walking on ice, and even then, Nikki would be lucky not to fall on her face. “Someone caught human remains on Big Marine Lake and identified them as that high school student who disappeared from the Mall of America on Black Friday. No official ID, though, so that’s between us for now.”

Big Marine Lake was about twenty minutes from Stillwater, in the northern part of Washington County. It was one of the largest lakes in the county, near the tiny community of Marine on St. Croix. The lake was popular year-round, but its location at the Big Marine Park Reserve, a large nature area, gave the lake an isolated feel.

“Jesus,” Rory said. “Is that the one—”

“That I could have offered assistance with and didn’t? How’d you guess?”

“Babe.” Rory trailed behind her as she gathered her things. “That’s not your fault. You didn’t have the manpower.” He wasn’t wrong. Nikki’s team was a small, elite unit within the major crimes division of the Minnesota FBI office, utilizing her training and experience as a profiler on the area’s most complicated cases. If Nikki’s team accepted every case that came across her desk, none of them would ever sleep.

“I still should have offered,” Nikki said. “It may not have made a difference, but we’ll never know, will we?” She yanked a brush through her dark waves, trying to ignore the deluge of crushing blame currently washing over her. Every good cop struggled with guilt over decisions in their career, but Nikki knew what it felt like to be on the other side. Her first experience with death had been her parents’ murders, and over the years, the blame and guilt Nikki carried from that night infiltrated every murder she worked. That’s probably why she remembered the names of every murder victim she’d encountered since her first day on the job.

“Big Marine Lake.” Rory stood in the doorway, looking worried. “I built a couple of houses there several years ago. I bet the road out there won’t be cleared. Our road isn’t great right now. But the main highway should be fine.” Rory lived in the house he’d grown up in, its rural property adjacent to the farm Nikki had lived on until her parents died. The road used to be all gravel, but the county had finally put down concrete this past summer. “The roads around the lake probably won’t be very good.”

“My jeep can handle it.” Nikki glanced out the window where Lacey had been playing in the snow and keeping an eye out for cardinals. “I’m going to tell her the sheriff needs my help because he doesn’t have enough people, but I’ll back in time for our Christmas Eve dinner at your folks’.”

Rory looked doubtful. “I’m all for fudging details but do you really think you’ll be back? Normally a case like this means you’re working around the clock.”

“It’s Christmas Eve afternoon,” Nikki said. “The FBI office is closed, and Courtney’s team has the day off since Christmas falls on a Saturday this year. She’ll come in on Sunday, but I don’t know about her team. The medical examiner’s office is probably operating with minimal staff too. Whatever the situation is at the lake, our options are limited right now.”

Nikki remembered her mentor at Quantico scolding her when she’d wanted to work a case on Christmas Day. “The victim is dead, the family informed, and we’re working on the case file. Even workaholic profilers need to take the holiday off, Nicole,” he’d told her.

“I’ll keep you posted on when I’ll be home.” She’d already made the hash brown casserole, and the pre-cooked ham wouldn’t need more than an hour or so in the oven. “You might have to heat up the casserole, though, and take it to your parents’.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Rory said. “I can take care of it.”

The back door slammed open as Lacey rushed into the kitchen. “Mommy, I saw a cardinal! A fat, red one. He looked straight at me and sang his song. I asked Daddy to show me he was still here, and he did. He is watching over us.”

Relief washed through Nikki. “That’s wonderful, Bug. I knew he’d find a way to show you.”

Lacey’s grin faltered. “Why are you getting ready to leave?”

“Sheriff Miller needs my help finishing up paperwork,” Nikki lied. “Everyone in his office has left, so I told him I’d come help.”

“When will you be home?”

“As soon as I can,” Nikki said.

Doubt lingered in Lacey’s eyes. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

TWO

Nikki cursed and turned the windshield wipers on high. Fat snowflakes poured from the sky, and the pickup truck in front of her churned up even more off the road. What should have been a twenty-minute drive had turned into thirty, and she still had a few miles to go.

She glanced in her rearview mirror and spotted a dirty, white SUV coming up fast behind her. Nikki gripped the steering wheel as the SUV cut over into the left lane and sped up, easily passing her and the truck in front of Nikki, despite the looming curve. “Idiots,” she muttered to herself. “God forbid they worry about anyone else on the road.”

Nikki turned the radio to a local affiliate for Minnesota Public Radio and one of the few stations that played something other than top-forty music. The station also provided frequent weather updates during winter storms.

“In breaking news, a body believed to be the remains of Kesha Williams, missing since late November, has been discovered at Big Marine Lake in Washington County. The sheriff’s office and Department of Natural Resources have closed the area off, and divers have been spotted on site.”

“What the hell?” Nikki couldn’t believe the information had leaked so quickly. “How does the media have that information already?” Miller had told her that only he and Reynolds, along with select members of the dive team, were aware of the remains, along with the DNR who’d been working on site.

She slowed and turned right onto an even more narrow two-lane road that bordered the northwest side of the big nature reserve. Nikki thought she could see the lake through the bare trees, but the blowing snow made it impossible to see how many cars were in the parking area. She nearly missed the turn, but she’d been driving so slowly the jeep barely fishtailed as she righted the wheel.

“Are you kidding me?” she shouted to the empty jeep.

News vehicles filled the small gravel parking area at the north entrance of Big Marine Lake. Local network affiliates had sent reporters, who, along with their camera people, had taken up position near the mouth of the lake, all vying for the best visual. As soon as her tires hit the icy lot, every head swiveled in her direction, and like seagulls desperate for their next bit of free food, they headed toward her.

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