Page 72 of Chain Reaction

Before Raven could ask Cassidy the question, Jake beat her to it. “Can we take a look inside the rental where this guy was staying? And inside his car?”

They’d already given her their statements.

Cassidy pressed her lips together in thought before finally saying, “I’ll need to take a look first, just in case. Then I can give you an answer.”

That sounded fair to Raven.

She and Jake waited on the driveway while Cassidy and Officer Dillinger went inside. But as Raven stood there, her mind raced with possibilities. What if they found another bomb?

She prayed that wasn’t the case.

Jake crossed his arms, his gaze still scanning everything around them. “Not exactly how I thought this would go.”

She scanned the houses in the distance also but saw nothing suspect. “Me either. That guy was desperatenotto talk to us.”

“Yes, he was—which indicates he’s guilty of something.”

“The question is, what?”

They stood in silence, letting the question hang between them.

Finally, Cassidy stepped from the house and gave them a nod. “You can take a look. Just don’t touch anything.”

“What about pictures?” Raven asked. “Can I take some?”

“That should be fine as long as you’re discreet, which I trust you will be.”

“We will.” Jake gave an affirmative nod. “Did you see anything of interest?”

“I did.” Cassidy’s expression remained stoic. “No bombs—thank goodness. But I’d like you to take a look at everything before I give you my thoughts.”

Raven’s pulse pounded harder.

Now she really couldn’t wait to get inside.

Maybe some answers waited there.

Jake stepped inside the house first, Raven behind him.

He scanned the interior, which looked much like most of the beach houses around here.

Yellow-tinted wood paneling covered the walls. Nautical decorations were scattered about. A well-worn navy-blue couch and matching chair were arranged around the TV.

Jake walked into the kitchen first. Cassidy had said they couldn’t touch anything, and he wanted to honor that. This room wasn’t where information would most likely be found, but he wanted to be thorough.

“Anything in the fridge of interest?” He glanced back at Cassidy, who’d come inside with them.

She shook her head. “Just milk, orange juice, and eggs.”

He gave her a nod before striding into the living room and surveying that area. There didn’t appear to be any personal possessions in here, only some Outer Banks advertising magazines, a TV remote, and a candle.

Jake continued down the hallway, Raven behind him, until he reached the primary bedroom.

If this guy was keeping anything in this cottage, Jake assumed it would be in this room.

He and Raven stepped inside.

Various items were spread on the blue comforter stretched across the bed—notebooks, papers, drawings.