A rapid phone call to Callahan allowed Jack through the line of police that blocked the road into the Molalla neighborhood. He pushed past the cops who’d stopped him and sprinted through the fresh snow. Two blocks away the detectives and SWAT were readying to raid a house farther around the corner. Thankfully, Lacey had agreed to wait in his truck. She’d been shaken to the core by the news about Melody the entire two-hour drive. Jack was shook up too. Twice he’d nearly rear-ended vehicles on the highway.

“They found him,” she’d muttered over and over in the truck. “It’s over.” Her head had shaken back and forth as she leaned against the headrest. “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.” Her eyes clenched shut.

“Do you think he knows what happened to Suzanne?” she’d whispered once.

Jack had nodded. “I think he knows exactly what fucking happened.”

“What about the…” Lacey had turned her head toward the window, but Jack had spotted the tears and read her mind.

“We’ll find out where the baby is.”

She’d nodded, unable to answer.

Not a baby. A child.

Please, God, let Melody be OK.

Jack had parked the truck and leaped out his door. He jogged round to her door and opened it, but Lacey sat still. Her hands were in a knot in her lap. She wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“I don’t want to watch. I don’t want to see…where he kept her. I can’t.” Jack hadn’t asked any more questions. He’d understood perfectly. For the past two hours he’d been sick to his stomach about what the police might find. Fishhooks and broken bones had haunted him as he’d driven off the mountain. But now they’d found the sick bastard’s home. He started to help Lacey out of the warm truck, but she’d shaken her head as he reached for her. He’d paused and glanced around at the dozen cop cars lining and blocking the street. He relented.

“Lock the doors,” he said firmly.

Anger flowed through him and he pumped his legs harder as he ran down the street. The bastard had his sister. If he’d done anything to hurt her…Jack wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.

Melody had to be alive.

He spotted Callahan and Lusco in a group of cops and headed their way. “What’s going on?” Their attention was directed toward a small ranch-style house at the end of the street. A newer Toyota Camry sat in the driveway with fresh tire tracks in the snow behind it.

Lusco glared at him, but Callahan answered. “SWAT is getting ready to pull up front. They’ve got snipers already in position. They’re going in through the front door with the back entrance to the house as their plan B. This could be a hostage situation if he’s home, so stay the fuck out of the way.” His sharp eyes repeated his words as he gave a tug at his hat brim.

Jack nodded and moved twenty feet away into a position where he could see the house. Callahan abruptly turned back to him. “Where’s Dr. Campbell?”

Jack gestured back the way he’d come. “Back at the roadblock in my truck.”

Relief crossed the detective’s face and he turned back to the group of cops.

Jack watched, unable to keep his feet still, wanting to get in the house and beat the crap out of the man. He closed his eyes and concentrated on Melody. She’s got to be here. If he’s hurt her, he’s a dead man.

He tensed as the big military-looking SWAT vehicle roared up to the front of the home and hit the brakes. A dozen armored men poured out and divided. Half going to the front of the house, and half streaming to the back.

A horrific crash jerked Melody awake. She pushed up from the tub with her hands, and then cowered back down. Sounds of shouts and threats filtered through her door. A man’s high voice screamed and heavy footsteps sounded, running through the house.

She leaped out of the tub and beat her bruised fists on the door, ignoring the sharp glass that sliced her feet. Loud booted steps came closer.

“Let me out!” What if the boot steps left and let her rot in this damned prison? “He locked me in! Let me out of here!” She pounded frantically on the hard door.

“Who’s there?” A muffled masculine voice came through the door, and she leaned her cheek and chest against the wood.

“I’m Melody Harper. He kidnapped me and locked…” More shouting interrupted her words. The man outside the door was yelling at others in the house, but she couldn’t make out the words. His voice grew fainter.

She pounded on the door and shrieked, “Don’t leave!”

“Stand back from the door.”

She stumbled back and tried to squeeze between the toilet and wall. Was he going to shoot?

The door rattled and shook as something hammered the outside. She watched the crack she’d created lengthen. The door shook again and splintered by the knob. One more hit had it flying open and a man in a helmet abruptly stepped around the corner with a gun pointed at her. Her legs gave out and she collapsed against the toilet in relief. She didn’t need to see his face. The body armor was reassurance enough.

“Damn it.” The SWAT vehicle had blocked his view. Jack was moving to where he could clearly see when the front door crashed open and a mass of loud voices shouted to get down. His teeth clenched. Every voice inside his head urged him to get over there and find his sister.

A rumble of voices accompanied a group of SWAT members back out of the house. At the front of the group, a man with his hands behind his back stumbled across the white yard. SWAT shoved him onto his stomach in the snow. Two heavily armored officers stood over him, guns aimed at his head.