Page 97 of The Girls in the Snow

“Probably,” Nikki said. “People love it for some reason. We always came up in the summer.”

“You and Tyler?”

The image of Tyler trying to endure the relentless mosquitoes and cleaning fish would have made Nikki laugh if they weren’t racing to save a kid’s life. “God, no. My parents and me. We always came up the last two weeks in August.”

“What about school?”

“Minnesota schools start later because of the lake season,” Nikki explained. “Why do you think the state fair is in September?”

“Makes sense. Where did you go?”

“A little family-owned place called Satkos on Fawn Lake. My dad went there as a kid, and he knew the owners.” Every year, as soon as August started, Nikki’s mother began to stress about packing and planning for the trip. What should they take from home, and what should they buy from the stores up north? Having enough fish for multiple dinners was never a guarantee, so meals had to be planned ahead. By the time they actually left for the trip, Nikki was so irritated with her mother’s fussing she wanted to scream. They were going on vacation. Why did so many things have to be planned?

But she understood now. Taking Lacey anywhere for two days meant planning, let alone spending two weeks in the boonies. Nikki wasn’t sure she could manage it.

“I waited all summer for that trip,” she said. “The same families usually went at the same time every year and stayed in the same cabins. I have a lot of good memories from that place.”

They’d stopped going the summer before high school. Money was too tight, and the crops weren’t doing well. Nikki had told herself she was too old to go fishing, but she’d secretly been heartbroken. Starting high school had been scary enough, but losing one of the last rites of her childhood made it even worse.

“Yeah, well the signal through here sucks. I can’t even access public records.”

“Call the office—”

“I texted Courtney.”

“Does she have access?”

“I gave her my user information.” Liam paused. “Don’t you want his head on a platter? I mean, this guy, he’s done terrible things to you, if he really did kill your parents… How are you so calm?”

For some reason, Rory’s face flashed through her mind. “I just want justice,” she said. “For my parents. And for Mark.”

Lake Mille Lacs stretched over 132,000 acres, and most of the private property was only accessible by dirt roads. The lake had only a handful of public access points, and most were shuttered for the winter. The majority of the resorts were owned by people who didn’t live in the area during the winter, but a few, like the one Nikki’s family went to, lived on the property year-round. Just the thought of being shut up and at the mercy of the ice and terrain made Nikki anxious.

“The county isn’t plowing the roads that lead to private access. Which means John had to barrel through big snow to get to the cabin. That’s why he took the Tahoe instead of his car.” Nikki pointed to the tire tracks cutting through the deep snow covering the private road.

Nikki parked as far onto the shoulder as she could. “We’re walking from here. Otherwise we’re likely to spook him.”

She and Liam checked their weapons, expecting to have to confront John, and gathered extra ammunition. Bitter cold made her bones ache, but Nikki left her heavy coat in the car, opting for a lightweight jacket she could easily move in. She pulled her wool hat low on her forehead and tightened the scarf around her face.

Liam pocketed his phone. “Courtney said John’s the sole owner now. She left the Cities about an hour ago. And she double-checked property records—the cabin’s the only address on this road. It’s a dead end.”

At least they wouldn’t have to worry about not having a signal to contact her. She and Liam trudged through the heavy snow along the edge of the road.

“There’s only one set of tire tracks,” Nikki said. “Whoever made them is still at the cabin.”

The cabin’s peaked roof emerged through the bare trees. No smoke came from the chimney. Most of the places up here had gas furnaces, but Nikki had no way of knowing if John had lit the pilot light.

Her maternal instincts flared at the thought of poor little Bailey being stuck in a freezing cabin, terrified of the person who was supposed to protect him.

The Tahoe was parked in front of the cabin, blocking their view of the door. They crouched behind the vehicle, and Nikki motioned for Liam to stay put. She inched around the right side, ready to shoot if John ambushed her.

Her teeth chattered with cold, yet her scalp prickled from sweat beneath the wool cap. Her breath unfurled in wispy clouds. She clapped her hand over her mouth. Had the blinds in the single front window moved?

She held her breath. The blind shifted again, a space appearing between two of the plastic slats.

“He knows we’re here.” Nikki shifted into a better position, ready to take a shot if she needed to. She took a deep breath. “John, it’s over.” Her voice sounded fragile in the freezing emptiness. “I’m not up here alone. I’ve got backup, with more cops on the way. Amy told us everything.”

If John realized he’d broken his wife’s jaw, Nikki’s bluff might piss him off enough to open the door.

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