“No,” I said sharply. “No police. Not yet.”
Everyone stared at me.
“Jake, that’s my daughter,” Ella said, her voice breaking.
“I know. And if Caleb is working for whom we think he is, bringing in the police will only make him desperate. Desperate people make mistakes.” I ran a hand through my hair. “He took her without hurting her. That means he needs her alive and unharmed.”
“For what?” Connor demanded.
Declan pointed at me. “He’s right. Caleb knows what he’s doing.”
“But why?” Ella asked, tears pooling in her eyes.
I looked at her. “For leverage. To get you to go with them willingly.”
Understanding dawned in her eyes. “A trade. Me for Nora.”
“Possibly.” I turned back to the laptop, pulling up a map of the area. “And I think I know exactly where he’s taking her.”
I grabbed my keys and headed for the door. Ella was right behind me, her breath coming in quick, panicked gasps.
“Where?” she demanded.
“The old Miller cabin,” I said, already climbing into my truck. “It’s remote, defensible, and has only one road in. Perfect place to set up an exchange.”
Kane stood on the porch, looking torn. “I should come with you.”
Declan shook his head. “Stay here with Connor and Scout. If we’re not back in two hours, call the cops,” he said as he and Rory walked over to their truck.
Ella slid into the passenger seat beside me, her face set in grim determination. As I started the engine, she reached into the glove compartment andpulled out my handgun.
“You know how to use that?” I asked, surprised. “Didn’t you want me to teach you how to shoot a gun?”
“A rifle. I know how to shoot a handgun,” she said, checking the magazine with practiced ease. “Drive faster.”
The old logging road was treacherous in winter—all hairpin turns and ice-slicked gravel. I took it as fast as I dared, each second stretching into an eternity. Beside me, Ella stared straight ahead, her knuckles white around the gun.
“I should have seen it,” I muttered. “All the signs were there. The way he kept asking about you, how he conveniently showed up right when the threats started.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Ella said, her voice steady despite everything. “He’s your brother. You trusted him.”
“That’s exactly why it’s my fault.” I gripped the wheel tighter as we hit a rough patch of road. “I knew something was off, but I ignored my instincts because he was family.”
The trees grew thicker as we climbed higher into the mountains, branches heavy with snow forming a tunnel over the narrow road. Dusk was setting in, the light fading fast. I switched on the high beams, illuminating the swirling snowflakes thathad begun to fall.
“We’re getting close,” I said. “The cabin’s just over this ridge.”
“What’s the plan?” Ella asked.
I realized I hadn’t thought that far ahead. All I knew was that my brother had taken Nora, and I needed to get her back.
“I’ll go in first,” I decided. “You stay hidden until I can assess the situation.”
She shook her head. “No way. That’s my daughter in there.”
“And that’s exactly why you need to stay back,” I argued. “If this is a trap to get you, walking right into it won’t help Nora.”
Ella looked like she wanted to fight me on this, but after a moment, she nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But if anything happens to her...”
