Prologue

PROLOGUE

THEN

Ginny Styles figured it couldn't get any worse—and then it did.

Sunday started off as normal, a boring hour not listening to the pastor in church, and instead watching dust motes dance in the sunlight pouring through the stained-glass windows. Her brother Dax sat beside her, tugging at her braids and undoing the ribbons just to annoy her. She pushed him away and then her mom glared at her to sit still. She couldn't wait to get home but the moment she stepped inside the house, her mom told her to change clothes and take Dax down to the river. He wanted to fish. It was always about Dax. She liked to read and he ran through the house playing soldier, shooting at everyone and rolling on the ground to crawl through the house on his belly.

The walk to the river was nice. Dax strolled beside her, fishing pole over one shoulder, looking at the three hooks and lures her dad had stuck into his hat, deciding which one to use. At eight years old, he could already shoot and fish well enough to feed himself. Dax was the favorite. An all-American boy, baseball crazy and big for his age, he excelled at everything he did. Her dad told her not to worry too much that she wasn't like him and that a pretty girl had an advantage.

They walked along the dusty trail, winding through the trees. The shadows formed leopard spots across the dry ground and the scent of wildflowers filled the air. She loved summer and couldn't wait to kick off her shoes and dip her toes into the cool flowing river. A rustle came close by and she gripped Dax's shoulder and looked all around for wildlife. A shadow moved and then blended into the trees. Under her palm, Dax shrugged her away and dashed for the river's edge. She kicked off her flip-flops and ran after him but lost him on the winding path. "Dax, stop. You know what Mom said about running away. Come back now or I'll tell her."

As usual, he didn't reply. She reached the river's edge. His fishing pole was lying on the bank, but Dax was nowhere to be seen. Panic gripped her, and turning a full circle, she searched the bushes, and seeing a movement run through the trees, she stopped dead at the sight of a man with his back to her. As she stared at him, he turned around slowly and smiled at her. She swallowed the fear. Not a stranger but a cop. She could trust cops. Couldn't she? Mom said if ever she needed help, she should call the cops. Taking a deep breath but keeping her distance, she lifted her chin and waved absently toward the forest. "Have you seen my brother?"

When the cop ran his gaze over her, the sudden need to run gripped her. Heart pounding, her legs refused to move as the cop came closer. "My brother? He's eight and ran away from me."

"What's your name?" The cop took her by the arm and his lips formed a thin line.

"Ginny Styles." She looked up at him. "My brother is Dax. Did you see him?"

"My partner has him. He's safe." The policeman looked down at her and his mouth turned down. "I was looking for you, Ginny. I have some bad news. Your parents are dead. Before your mom died, she said you'd gone into the forest. So we came looking for you. Come with me now. I'll keep you safe."

Shocked, Ginny burst into tears. She'd only seen them less than an hour ago. "What happened?"

"You don't need to worry about that now, but you're not safe. Come with me and I'll look after you." The policeman handed her a bunch of tissues but didn't release his hold on her arm. "Be a good girl now and don't make a fuss."

Indecision crossed her mind. The need to run away and search for Dax gripped her and she tried to step from his grasp. His hand tightened on her arm, and she couldn't escape him. This man was a stranger, and she shouldn't go with him, should she? She looked at his uniform. He had a badge on the sleeve of his blue shirt. A cop was safe, wasn't he? Reluctantly, she went with him, looking all around for Dax. "Where is my brother?"

"He's been taken somewhere safe. Hurry now, the men who killed your parents might be close by. My truck is just through there." He led the way to his vehicle and opened the back door.

Trembling, Ginny peered inside. It wasn't a police cruiser; it was a pickup. Terrified, she pulled hard against him. "I'm not going with you. This isn't a cop car."

"That's because we had to sneak into the forest after your mom called 911." He lifted her up and tossed her onto the back seat. "You need to keep down or the bad men might see you and come after us."

Shaking, Ginny looked at him. "Why would they want to kill me?"

"Because of your dad." The cop stared at her. "Would you rather I left you here? They'll kill you for sure. I heard them calling your name just before I found you."

Very afraid, Ginny brushed tears from her face. "No, I'll come with you." On the back seat was a pillow and blanket. "It's too hot for a blanket."

"We have a long way to go and you might get sleepy." He took a juice box from the front seat and handed it to her. "Have a drink. It will be dark before we get there."

Frightened, Ginny gripped the juice box and stared at him uncomprehending. "Where are we going?"

"To your new home." The policeman smiled at her and cupped her chin. "I'm your new dad."