sir. But that madman will kill my daughter if he thinks we’ve brought in a whole passel of law enforcement. We’ll call for backup when the time comes.”
“Or when it’s too late, like last time,” Wilson retorted. “But then I shouldn’t have to remind either of you—”
“Grandpa, it’s okay. We’ll alert the kidnapper if we set up a command post anywhere near these woods. The Tyler Police Department and the FBI have a task force in place, right, Jake?”
Jake nodded. “Set it up late last night. They know where I am and they’re working on every angle and waiting to hear, but right now, I need to get out there and see what I can find.”
“I still don’t like it,” Wilson said. “You’re using my granddaughter as a decoy again. It’s too dangerous. Same as what happened last time.”
Edna went to him and patted his shoulder. “Shhh. Jake’s got enough to worry about without you bringing up things we can’t change.”
Jake lowered his head. Ella’s granddaddy had a right to blame him for Ella’s ordeal. He’d been the lead investigator since the killer had taken the last girl into his territory. But Ella had been called in to help because she’d worked two of the other cases and because she knew these woods. Who could have predicted that the killer knew these piney woods, too? The Dead Drop Killer had set a convincing trap for Ella by having the girl call her for help and because she wanted to save a life, she’d walked right into it.
They’d have to keep that in mind and be diligent this time, not only for Ella’s sake but to keep Macey alive, too.
“I’ll be smart,” Ella said, her tone not so convincing, her big eyes wide. “I’ll be with Jake.”
“I won’t leave her side,” Jake said, hoping he sounded a little more confident than Ella. “This time, I’ll make sure she stays safe. I promise.”
At least Ella had given him a vote of confidence. He needed her to trust him and in this case, he needed her to lead him. He was too distraught to think straight. Ella would help him snap out of that so he could focus on finding Macey.
His little girl. She was a blossoming teenager now but she was still his baby. Images of lacy party dresses and dainty diamond earrings seared through his raw nerves, only to be followed by other images he had to get out of his head. He glanced at Edna Terrell and saw the compassion in her eyes.
It almost brought Jake to his knees. “Can you do me one more favor, Miss Edna?”
“Of course,” the gray-haired lady replied.
“Pray,” he said.
Edna nodded then stood up and hugged him close. “Of course we will.”
It took a few more minutes of persuasion but finally, Ella called her aunt and explained that the farm was having safety problems. The restaurant would be shut down for the next few days and possibly longer.
Apparently, her aunt hadn’t questioned her. When Ella hung up, she turned to her grandparents. “She’s looking forward to having y’all over. I know we live only an hour or so away, but she misses y’all so go and rest and I’ll check in as often as I can.”
“You’d better,” Edna said, her gaze on Jake. “I’ll go pack a few things while Wilson puts away the groceries.”
Ella explained to Jake that the restaurant was only open for reserved private dinners on request and closed on Mondays, so she called the handful of employees who worked at Caddo Country and explained that she’d decided since they didn’t have any bookings till later this month, she was shutting down the kitchen for a break before the holidays.
Jake knew the excuse she’d concocted would have to be enough for now, but word got out quick in the country and people would be asking questions. No matter the excuse, this had to be done and now. Each minute they wasted was another minute his daughter was in danger. Closing his eyes to the horror playing out in his head, Jake said his own prayer again.
After seeing her grandparents off, Ella turned back to Jake and he watched as she braced herself for what was to come.
“Let’s go,” she said. Then she hurried out the door before he could tell her to run, just run.
He followed behind her. “Ella, I...I should never have come here. I panicked and I’m sorry.”
“You did the right thing,” Ella replied, her backbone as straight as a carpenter’s level. “What else could you do? He’s obviously here and he wants another go at me. Now let’s get on with things.”
Too late for him to stop her. Jake figured she wouldn’t back down now, no matter how scared she was. But if anything happened to her, the guilt that swirled inside his gut would become an even heavier burden on his heart.
He’d have to do his best not only to save his daughter, but this time he needed to keep Ella safe, too.
* * *
Ella was headed to her old, beat-up pickup when Jake stopped her. “Let’s take mine.”
Frowning, she turned to his vehicle. “Don’t like my driving?”
“I’d feel better taking my truck.”
Ella didn’t believe that but she followed him to his vehicle. She tossed her rucksack in the jump seat but held her rifle close. “Do you think he’s watching my house, Jake? That maybe he’s put something in my truck?”
Jake nodded. “He has to know you’re here. He wanted me to come to you and I played right into his hands. I should get you to a safe place and take care of this myself.”
“Don’t go doubting yourself now,” she said, her hand on his arm. The touch of her fingers on his skin singed her enough to make her draw back. “I want to help. I need to help.”
She pointed at her old Chevy. “Let’s check a few spots around here before we go off on a wild goose chase.”
Jake couldn’t argue with that. Her truck didn’t have any hidden notes or clues. It might be old, but Ella kept it clean as a whistle. Next, they checked the barn, making sure all the animals were accounted for. Again, clean and tidy and without any sinister reminders.
“I didn’t think about tending the stock,” Ella said as they walked around the fenced corrals. “Maybe I can call a neighbor to help with that.”
After they’d done a quick check on the perimeters of the yard and barn area, he glanced at the restaurant. “So today’s Monday. It’s closed?”
“Yes.” Ella started that way. “I haven’t even been there to check on things today.” She held her rifle down and did a visual of the yard and woods.
Jake followed her with his own rifle, his gaze taking in the lighted garden path leading to a huge square pavilion-type gazebo surrounded by tall pines and bald cypress trees. It was screened in but he could see an enormous fireplace at the front of the big open building and a long wooden table with high-backed chairs centered in the space in front of the fireplace. The whole place was gussied up for a cozy Christmas. A wooden sign over the double screen doors stated, Welcome to Caddo Country.
Rustic, beautiful and isolated.
He took a long look at the nearby woods, noticing paths down to a wooden dock out over Caddo Lake.
“So...you opened a restaurant?”
Ella did the same visual, her eyes moving over the trees and then to the woods that lifted away from the shoreline.
“Yep, sorta. We cater to parties up to fifty at a time, but we like doing small groups to make it more intimate.” She shrugged. “More of a meal for friends who pay than a real restaurant.”
Jake gave a surprised grunt. “Never figured you for a gardener or a cook.”
Her left eyebrow lifted in a graceful curve.