Page 55 of Chain Reaction

“You want to take her with you?”

Did he want to? No. Jake wanted to keep her as far as possible from harm.

But her insight could be invaluable.

“I’m sure she’d be more than happy to assist.” Jake forced the words out.

“Perfect.”

“Is Cassidy here?” Jake asked. “I was trying to reach her.”

“She is. She’s inside helping coordinate things.”

Relief washed through him. “Good. I just needed to know she’s okay.”

Ty handed him a radio. “This is the only way we can communicate right now.”

“Got it.” Jake clipped it to his belt.

“We’ve been searching inside the building,” Ty continued. “If you could search the perimeter, that would be huge.”

“I’m on it.” Jake turned to head back to the SUV, not wanting to waste any more time.

CHAPTER 25

More than anything, Raven had wanted to step in and help. So she was thankful Jake had included her.

Side by side, they began to walk the perimeter of the property, looking for anything that could signal trouble. They’d been assigned the forested area on the north end of the property.

The maritime forest around them was a dense patchwork of live oaks and loblolly pines silhouetted against the starlit sky. Their gnarled branches, sculpted by decades of sea winds, formed a protective canopy overhead.

A slight chill hung in the air, carrying the complex perfume of the coastal woodland—salt-tinged breeze mingling with the sweet fragrance of flowering wax myrtles and the earthy aroma of decomposing leaves on the forest floor.

Moonlight filtered through the twisted limbs, casting lace-like shadows that danced with each gentle gust. The distant rhythm of waves breaking on the shore provided a constant backdrop to the forest’s own nocturnal symphony: the soft hooting of barred owls, the rustle of small creatures navigating the underbrush, and the occasional splash from the nearby salt marsh.

Spanish moss swayed like ghostly curtains in the breeze, and their footsteps released the peppery scent of crushed pine needles. In clearings, the pale yellow-green glow of fireflies punctuated the darkness, drifting like embers among the shadowy trunks.

Thankfully, Raven and Jake had flashlights with them.

The trip to Emerald Isle had taken nine hours of their day—nine hours that someone had wanted them to be away from here.

Just what was someone plotting and why?

It made no sense to her.

Not yet at least.

She shone her light along the fence. So far, they’d found nothing.

“I don’t like this,” Jake muttered.

“I don’t either. The stakes are too high. And I don’t understand what someone wants to accomplish or why that man had a picture of me or why a picture from Syria was found at another scene.”

“You’re clearly a link here—I just don’t know why.” Jake continued to walk slowly, carefully. “Is there anyone you’ve upset lately? Someone who might want revenge?”

“Who might want this kind of revenge? It would be over the top. The only people I’ve made mad lately are a couple of collectors who couldn’t believe they’d purchased forged artifacts and one of my bosses who thought I was vying for his job.”

“You’re right. That doesn’t seem like enough motivation.” He frowned and paused. “What about your dad?”