Page 56 of Her Frozen Heart

“Who’s asking?” A woman wearing a hairnet stuck her head out of the window that connected the kitchen and cashier’s counter.

Nikki flashed her ID. The woman immediately scowled. “The police are done trying to railroad my son.”

“Ma’am, with all due respect, this is a federal investigation now. I need to speak with your son and get his side of the story. We can talk now, or I can have him brought into the Washington County sheriff’s station.”

“I’m right here.” A twenty-something man with a blue mohawk and neck tattoos appeared next to the woman. “If this helps find Parker, I want to help.”

His mother glared at him. “They want to pin this on you. You shouldn’t talk to them without a lawyer.”

Colton ignored her, his eyes on Nikki. “I’m innocent. We can talk at the break table if you want.”

“The break table?”

He pointed down the narrow hall to Nikki’s right. “Go through that door, it’s the little two-seater table off of the kitchen.”

Colton disappeared, and Nikki did as he’d directed. The compact dining made private conversation difficult, even if the table was near the kitchen.

“You sure you want to speak out here?” Nikki scanned the customers. None seemed to be paying any special attention to her. “I have to ask some tough questions.”

“It’s basically our only choice unless we go out back to the smoking area. It’s cold so I wasn’t sure if you’d want to do that.”

Nikki patted her warm coat. “I think that would be better.”

Colton shrugged and motioned for her to follow him down the hall. He grabbed a coat off the hooks mounted near the back door and they went outside. He lit his cigarette before Nikki could shut the door.

“I know who you are,” he said.

She smiled. “Well, I did show my ID.”

“Yeah, but my mom only saw ‘FBI.’ She doesn’t know whoyouare.” He took a long drag and blew out thick, white smoke. “Thank God you’re here. Forest Lake police are asshats.”

Nikki managed not to laugh. “They still consider you a suspect.” She made sure to emphasize “they,” instead of saying “we.” Colton needed to trust her.

“I might be a stalker, but I’m not a kidnapper.” He puffed some more. “I don’t think I’m a stalker. I just love hard.”

Nikki leaned against the building and waited for him to continue. He wanted to talk, and she was happy to let him.

“Parker told all of his friends that I wouldn’t let go, but it’s a two-way street. He texted me to come over less than a week before he disappeared.”

Nikki tried to remember everything she’d read about the case. “You refused to show the police your phone, so they got a warrant for the records. He asked you to bring him something he’d left at your house, and he would get it when he came to work.”

Colton flushed. “That was code. My mom didn’t want me to see him because of the TRO.”

“Well, that is the point of a restraining order,” Nikki said.

“I know, but Parker and I had talked a couple of days before he sent that text and decided to try again. I came up with the code.”

“I don’t remember seeing that in the detective’s notes.”

“Because I didn’t tell them,” Colton said. “Mom told me to keep my mouth shut, that they’d pin it on me if I didn’t. Because of my history.”

“Right,” Nikki said. “Did you see Parker the day he texted about the personal items?”

“I went to his apartment that night and we did our thing,” he said. “Then Parker starts in about how it’s just sex, and I’m a stalker, yada yada. I’m seriously standing there with my mouth hanging open like an idiot and feeling like I got whiplash. He’s the one who wanted to hook up and ‘try again.’ His words, not mine. Then he changed his mind. And that wasn’t the first time, but I told him it was damn sure going to be the last.” Colton’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s the last time I spoke to him.”

“Did he ever mention anyone following him or snooping around?”

Colton shook his head. “And like I told the police, as far as I know, he wasn’t seeing anyone else. But what do I know?” He lit another cigarette.

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