Page 23 of Chain Reaction

The sounds had stopped.

But why? Had the person outside decided this wasn’t the best way to breach the house? Had he moved onto another door or maybe a window?

Her pulse pounded harder.

She glanced around, not knowing where to search next.

Keep listening, she told herself.Gather evidence then act.

She forced herself to move, to slip into the shadows. All while keeping the knife held in front of her.

Then she waited to see whatever this person would do next.

Her pulse pounded out of control.

The minutes seemed to crawl by.

She pulled the phone from her pocket and tried to call Cassidy again.

Still, the call wouldn’t go through.

Could the timing be any worse? Was cell service out over the entire island?

It didn’t matter. Dwelling on those details wouldn’t help her now.

Instead, she continued to listen.

Maybe this guy had left. Maybe he’d been someone who simply came to the wrong house. Or maybe someone working maintenance for the rental company wanted to drop off something and then realized the place was occupied.

Raven wanted the justification to make her feel better. But she knew none of her theories were most likely true.

She tried not to think. Just to listen.

How much time had passed since she’d last heard anything? At least five minutes, right?

Then another terrible thought hit her.

What if the person outside decidednotto try to come inside? What if he decided to . . . detonate a bomb instead?

This time she couldn’t stop the panic racing through her.

If that were the case, then she needed to get out of here.

But leaving the safe confines of the house presented challenges of its own.

Raven pressed her eyes closed.Lord, what am I supposed to do?

Then she saw it again.

The shadow in front of the door.

The man was back, she realized.

Her lungs tightened with fear.

What would his next move be?

Jake pounded on Raven’s door.