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fax everything by midnight.
    Sure enough, at 11:45 p.m., the fax came through.
    Ed poured himself a glass of whiskey and set to the task of learning about the man who wasn’t good enough for Ella Emerson.
    The information about Brandon Andrews was just as shocking as the information about Ella had been. On the surface, Brandon had everything: good looks, money, a job with his parent’s business, and a master’s degree in business.
    But his court records were troubling. He had one DUI arrest, two dismissed cases of rape, one expunged charge of assault, and he was currently being sued for slander. Maybe Ella knew about these things, and maybe she didn’t. But the truth was, the thought of Ella Emerson marrying Brandon Andrews made Ed’s stomach turn.

    * * *

    The next morning at breakfast, Ella quietly avoided his gaze. My fault, he thought, wishing he hadn’t been so harsh last night before locking her bedroom door. He watched her push eggs around on her plate. The only thing she seemed interested in was the coffee.
    When they were finished, Ella gazed at the table, at the ceiling, at the wall, everywhere but at him. He half hoped she would offer to clean up just so he could teasingly explain how the dishwasher worked.
    Before he could think on that further, the phone rang.
    It was Randy. Ed excused himself to take the call in his study.
    “What’s up?”
    “The reward has gone up, Mr. Peters. It’s at $15,000 right now. Just one day made a big difference,” said Randy, sounding chipper and sleepy at the same time.
    Somehow, this didn’t faze Ed. All he could think about was the sad girl pushing eggs around in his breakfast nook. Thinking about money seemed…dirty.
    “You there, Mr. Peters?”
    “Yes, yes, thanks Randy,” Ed answered. “Keep me informed.”
    Ella wasn’t in the kitchen when Ed returned. But the dirty dishes were waiting. Ed hurriedly cleaned up, resolving to find the girl afterward. Living in awkward silence for the next few days just wouldn’t do. Except in six days, Ella would be gone, and he’d be a whole lot richer. The idea of turning the girl over for reward money made his stomach turn, just as it had last night when he’d discovered the truth about Brandon Andrews.
    Being a cop for twenty years had left Ed with little room for personal time, especially the time to forge a meaningful relationship. At the age forty-three, he was still a bachelor. While his feelings about Ella were conflicted, he wished to become better acquainted with the young lady.
    Ed found her in the guest bedroom, staring out the window at the never-ending forest.
    “Ella?”
    Startled, she stood up anxiously. “Yes?” She brushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear.
    Ed stared back, and longed to reach out and run his hands through that smooth brown hair. “I’m about to take a walk around the lake. Would you like to join me?”
    For a moment, Ella’s eyes looked hopeful. But when she said, “No, thank you.”
    Ed’s anger flared. “Suit yourself,” he said bitterly, and locked the door behind him.
    A solitary jog around the lake might help clear his mind. The idea of accepting $15,000 or more for Ella’s safe return didn’t turn his stomach as much as it had moments ago.
    Just as Ed reached the other side of the lake, his cell phone buzzed. It was the alarm company. The guest bedroom window alarm had been tripped. The spoiled brat . “Would you like us to inform the police?” the operator asked.
    Ed suppressed a chuckle. “No thank you. My brother is staying with me right now,” he lied. “I’m sure it was just an accident. I’ll be home in about fifteen minutes to reset it.”
    Ed Peters tucked his cell phone away and sprinted toward home. Ella had treated him coldly this morning, but he never imagined she would attempt escape while the alarm was set. Though the only window in the guest bedroom wasn’t nailed shut, Ella knew well enough not to open it. Ed figured she would be running