Page 14 of Chain Reaction

His throat tightened. If he’d been any closer . . . he might not be alive right now.

He blinked more gritty sand out of his eyes and peered beyond the crater. The man was gone.

That guy had come prepared. He’d planned the perfect getaway if things went south.

Jake’s gut tightened at the realization.

Had that man been the one to plant the second bomb?

Jake needed to find out who he was. Even if Jake wasn’t on this case officially, he’d make it his goal to find answers. The man had almost killed him, after all.

“Are you okay?” Cassidy paused in front of him, narrowing her eyes as she studied him.

Meanwhile, Officer Leggott skirted the detonation site, going after the man.

In Jake’s gut, he knew the officer wouldn’t catch the perpetrator. There was too much distance between them.

“Yeah.” Jake frowned, not liking the fact that guy had gotten the upper hand. “I’m fine.”

But his voice made it clear he wasn’t fine. Well, physically he was—other than the ringing in his ears.

Now he was just angry the man had gotten away.

“What happened?” Cassidy stood with her hands on her hips and her body tense as she stared at him.

He could only assume she’d already radioed for backup.

Jake glanced at the people gathered around, his gaze lingering on Raven. If he wasn’t mistaken, concern filled her eyes.

Don’t think too much of it, Laudner. Raven is simply compassionate.

“I saw a guy watching us from the dunes, and I knew he was up to something,” he explained, determined to keep on point. “When I went to confront him, he ran. I assume you saw the rest of it.”

“Did you recognize the man?” Cassidy squinted against the late afternoon sun as she turned toward Jake.

“Never seen him before,” Jake said. “And I didn’t get a good look at him. He was too far away, but if I had to guess, he was in his early thirties, just under six feet tall, with light brown hair and an athletic build.”

Cassidy nodded slowly. “I called my other officers, and they’re going to keep their eyes open for him. I wish I could say I think they will find him, but I don’t. The guy knew what he was doing.”

Jake agreed. That fact made him even more uncomfortable.

Who exactly was behind today’s events?

Someone was playing a deadly game, and he didn’t like it.

Because the next time this guy struck, there might be more collateral damage in the form of more human lives.

Raven was glad Jake was okay. But she didn’t like this situation.

Right now, all she wanted was to get back to the site of the detonation so she could examine everything. But she knew the wreckage still needed to cool off after the last explosion.

She thought her trip to Lantern Beach would be quick—one night at the most.

Now she wasn’t so sure. She wouldn’t leave until she found some answers.

Leggott returned from his chase, winded as he shook his head.

He hadn’t caught the guy. No one had really thought he would.