Page 71 of Chain Reaction

“Anything?” Raven asked.

“This guy’s definitely home, he just doesn’t want to answer.”

“Let me see.” Raven started to look.

Then a noise came from the other side of the house.

A door slamming.

She and Jake looked at each other, and Raven blurted, “He’s running.”

Jake sprinted down the stairs, taking the steps by twos. He had to catch this guy.

Just as he reached the driveway, he spotted the man, who was already halfway to the street.

“Stop!” Jake yelled. “We just want to talk.”

The man didn’t slow down. Of course.

Thomas Logan clearly didn’t want to be caught.

Jake pushed himself harder, but this guy was fast—he was running as if his life depended on it.

As the man reached the highway, he paused and glanced behind him, probably to see how close Jake was.

Jake knew what was going to happen a split second before it did.

He watched it all as if in slow motion.

Thomas stepping into the road.

A car coming.

Brakes squealing.

Thomas trying to dive out of the way.

But it was too late.

He was already directly in front of the car.

The vehicle smashed into him, and he flew into the air before landing on the road with a sickening thud.

CHAPTER 34

An ambulance had arrived on the scene about five minutes after the accident, along with Cassidy and another officer. As soon as the paramedics had gotten a look at Thomas, they’d known he needed more help than what they could offer in Lantern Beach.

He was now on his way to Raleigh, the closest hospital with a trauma center.

Raven watched as the medivac helicopter carried the man away. Sand stirred in the air, and her hair whipped around under the influence of the copter’s blades.

As the aircraft disappeared on the horizon, she frowned.

Who was this guy? And what was he up to?

The chances anyone would actually get any information out of him were iffy. His injuries had been severe—fractured ribs, a broken femur, and a head injury. Possible internal bleeding.

But there was one other way they might get some information . . .