THREE

      Ella opened the front door but Zip rushed past her, the big dog’s light bark alerting Jake and Ella that someone had arrived at the Terrell farm.

      “Who is it?” Jake asked as he automatically moved in front of Ella to shield her.

      “My grandparents,” she replied, purposely stepping around him. “If it had been a stranger, Zip would have barked loudly and knocked us over getting to them.”

      “Good dog,” Jake said. He brushed a hand over the big dog’s chocolate-brown top coat. At least he could rest easy that Ella had set measures in place to protect herself.

      But this killer had been known to get around any type of security measures. As far as Jake could tell, Ella had only the dog and her few weapons scattered around to keep her safe. Far too vulnerable.

      “What are you gonna tell them?” he asked, his anxiety at top level. He had to get out into those woods and find Macey before he went stark-raving mad. Once that task force showed up and the killer found out, Macey could be dead before nightfall. This man would savor the attention but he could be pushed too far, too fast if they weren’t careful.

      “The truth,” Ella replied. She set down her rucksack and her rifle. “I’ll hurry. I know you’re anxious to get on with it.”

      Jake nodded. It didn’t take much to see that, but Ella had always known how to read his moods. Swallowing back the deep pit of fear that had clutched his gut since he’d gotten the call last night, Jake continued the silent, screaming prayer he’d been reciting since he’d realized just who might have his daughter.

       Protect her, Lord. Protect my baby girl. And help me to do my job to the best of my ability. For all of our sakes.

      Ella stepped forward to help her elderly grandparents with the groceries. Jake did the same.

      Grandpa Terrell stared through his bifocals. “Edna, we got company for our noon meal.”

      Edna Terrell’s smiling face greeted Jake as he reached to take a bag from her. “My, my, is this Jake Cavanaugh I’m seeing here with my own eyes?”

      “It’s me,” Jake said, shooting a glance toward Ella. “How you doing?”

      “We’re just fine as frog hair,” Edna replied with a laugh. “What in the world brings you all the way out here on this chilly day?”

      Ella stared up at her granddaddy with solemn eyes. Wilson Terrell was a shrewd, smart man. He nodded at Jake as if he knew something was up. “Good to see you, Jake.”

      Ella held a sack of groceries and guided her grandmother up to the house. “We were about to leave,” she began. “Jake needs my help on...a case.”

      She went on inside and waited for Jake and her grandpa.

      Now even cheery Miss Edna had gathered something was wrong. She took off her glasses, her gaze darting between the two of them. “What kind of case, honey?”

      Ella put a hand on her grandmother’s arm. “Listen, Granny. I need you and Grandpa to take Zip and go into Gilmer for a few days. You can stay with Aunt Rosalyn, okay?”

      “Why?” Edna asked, her blue eyes moving from Ella to Jake. “What is it?”

      Ella’s look of fear cut Jake to the core. He didn’t want to put her through this again but he had no choice. He had to save Macey. He’d lost so much in his life—first Ella after their breakup, then Natalie had died and a few years after that both his parents had gone on to heaven just two years apart. Macey was the only good thing he had left. And Ella was the only woman who could understand what he and his daughter were going through.

      Ella tried to speak, then glanced over to him, a look of panic and doubt clouding her heart-shaped face.

      “We have reason to believe the Dead Drop Killer is back on the loose, Miss Edna. He’s taken another girl.”

      Edna put a hand to her heart. “Oh, no. I thought he was dead and gone.” She grabbed Ella by the hands. “You can’t go back out there, honey. You’re not prepared for this. Let Jake take care of it.”

      Ella gave her grandmother a wistful glance. “I have to help, Granny. Jake needs me.”

      Wilson stepped forward to put his arm around his wife’s shoulder then scowled at Jake. “Why would you come here and put her through this again? That man is dead. You don’t need her for anything else.”

      Jake held up a hand then let it drop. This time Ella had to do the talking.

      “He has Macey, Grandpa,” Ella said, her voice cracking for the first time since he’d told her. “He has Jake’s daughter. And he’s already left clues in this area. We think he has her somewhere on the lake.”

      Edna sank down on a chair. “Mercy me, I can’t believe this is happening again.” She gave Jake a look full of understanding. “What can we do?”

      “Do what Ella has asked,” he said through the lump in his throat. “Go somewhere safe.”

      “We can defend ourselves,” Wilson said, his backbone straightening. “Got guns and Zip. And I’m still a pretty good shot.”

      “You can’t protect yourselves from this, Grandpa,” Ella said. “Please do this for me. I can’t help Jake if I’m worried about the two of you. Call Aunt Rosalyn and tell her...tell her you need to stay with her for a few days.”

      “But she’ll wonder—”

      “No one else can know what we’re doing for now,” Jake said, shaking his head. “No police except for the team in Tyler that’s already involved. They’re doing what they can but I’m off the grid for a while. Just me and Ella on this one for now.”

      “I