Page 13 of Little Child Gone

The idea made Nikki’s blood run cold. “The Hendrickson place has been closed up until Matt bought it,” Nikki reminded her. “He said Spencer, the grandson, kept an eye on the place and would have noticed a break-in.” She wasn’t sure which was scarier—a serial child killer or multiple child killers operating on different levels. “And we don’t know anything about the remains in the trunk.”

Nikki flinched as a gust of wind rattled the windshield wipers, already working overtime against the sleet. The massive buck came out of nowhere, emerging from the ditch to Nikki’s right, unconcerned with the weather or the headlights bearing down on him.

She knew better than to swerve not to hit an animal, especially in conditions like this. But she couldn’t bear the thought of killing the deer—or worse, maiming it so it was in misery, and she’d have to put it down. “Hang on.”

Nikki double tapped the brakes in an effort not to slam them down and slide on the slick road, pulling the wheel toward the empty left lane. The big Jeep had almost come to a stop, but her front tires connected with a patch of black ice. Nikki threw her arm out in front of Courtney, cursing as the vehicle nose-dived into the deep ditch. Somehow, Nikki managed to stop the slide before the new Jeep slammed into a snowbank.

Courtney clung to Nikki’s arm for a few moments, both trying to catch their breath. The Jeep’s headlights made the snowbank a few feet ahead of them glow. The massive buck meandered down the ditch, crossing in front of the Jeep without any clue he’d almost been hit.

She and Courtney looked at each other for a minute before breaking out in nervous, relieved laughter. Thankfully the engine was still running, and she had plenty of gas, so they didn’t have to worry about freezing. “Do you know how many times Rory has reminded me to just hit the deer, never swerve?”

“I would have done the same thing. Killing it would have haunted me.” Courtney smirked at her. “But do put the call on speaker.”

Nikki rolled her eyes, Rory’s cell already ringing. “Hey, babe. How close are you? The roads aren’t getting any better.”

“Um, I’m still on Manning Trail,” Nikki said.

“What’s wrong?”

“We’re fine,” Nikki said. “But we’re in a ditch.”

Rory sighed. “How did you end up in the ditch with that Trailhawk, honey?” Suspicion rose in Rory’s voice. “I’ve seen you drive on solid ice and not slide.”

Courtney snickered.

“You swerved to avoid a deer, didn’t you?” Rory demanded.

“He was a beautiful, majestic buck who deserved to live,” Nikki said defensively. “I don’t think we’ve got much damage, but I have a feeling we’re going to need to be pulled out of here.”

He sighed. “Text me the location, dingus.”

While they waited for him to arrive, Nikki and Courtney went over everything they’d learned today. “I need to talk to Stephanie and Patrick.”

“Is Karl a suspect?”

“The bodies would have to be a few years old at least, I think,” Nikki said. “Karl was ninety when he died. I have a hard time seeing a man in his eighties overpower two people. But who knows? It sounded like he bolted up the apartment at some point. Did he do something and try to hide it? The anthropologist might tell us the bodies are older than we think.” Nikki loved working cold cases, even though she didn’t get a chance to do so very often. “Hopefully Garcia is okay with my working this case, at least until something urgent emerges.”

“He won’t tell you no,” Courtney said. “He rarely does.”

Nikki had been at Quantico with their boss, Henry Garcia, and their interactions hadn’t always been friendly. She’d been apprehensive when he was assigned to be their SAC, but he’d proven to be a good leader with an open mind.

“Liam’s been gone for ten days, so I’m sure I’ll be on my own,” Nikki said. “He’ll have reams of paperwork to catch up on.”

Rory’s F-250 arrived a few minutes later. Lacey jumped out of the passenger seat in her bright-pink snowsuit and half-slid down the ditch, flashlight in hand. Nikki climbed out of the Jeep to hug her, snow stinging her eyes, but Lacey shook her head like a disappointed parent.

“Mom, you’re supposed to hit the deer, not the ditch.”

FIVE

2005

Rebecca shivered, clutching her brother’s small hand in hers. Mama held Rebecca’s other hand while she sobbed into Aunt Elena’s shoulder. She watched the beautiful mahogany casket being prepared to be lowered into the ground and thought about a conversation she’d had with Daddy after church a few weeks ago.

She’d asked him if he really believed people went to heaven and, if so, did they recognize people they’d known in life? Daddy had smiled and pulled Rebecca onto his lap.

“Of course,” Daddy answered. “Heaven is supposed to be peaceful and happy; I think we all have our own versions of heaven, with all the people we loved waiting for us.”

“But how do they stand to wait so long?” Rebecca asked. “Don’t they get bored?”

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