Page 21

CHAPTER 21

R aven watched, barely breathing as Jake paced toward the bomb.

She really wished he wouldn’t do this. Wished the sheriff’s office had access to a robot to check the bomb.

She knew that suit would offer Jake little protection in the event of a powerful blast.

But she’d also known she couldn’t change his mind.

Her lungs froze as he knelt beside the bomb. Slowly, he reached for the device to better inspect it.

“You said he’s an expert at this, right?” Sheriff Williams asked beside her.

Raven nodded, trying to keep the emotion from her voice. “He’s the best.”

She meant the words. Whatever Jake set his mind to, he excelled at it, whether it was protecting her or dismantling a bomb.

She’d always admired that quality about him.

Just then, a new thought hit her.

Not just a thought. A terrifying possibility.

Quickly, she glanced over her shoulder. Scanned the crowd.

It was mostly first responders, a news crew, and a few onlookers.

What if the perpetrator was here? What if he was watching right now—maybe even delighting in this moment?

Or worse. What if he had a remote detonator?

Tension crept up her spine, and she continued searching for anyone suspicious.

No one caught her eye. But her lungs didn’t loosen.

What had happened to the man from the ferry? What had he wanted from them? Where had he gone after he jumped overboard?

She didn’t have those answers.

The ticking noise kept replaying in her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, she could hear the countdown. Could imagine a deadly explosion. Could feel the heat from it. Smell the smoke.

She didn’t want a replay of yesterday.

She pressed her eyes closed. Please, Lord. Protect Jake. Watch over him.

When she opened her eyes, she turned back to the scene. Jake had opened a compartment on the back of the device.

Like the bomb on Lantern Beach, this one definitely wasn’t a relic. Someone had recreated the device to look like an historical artifact when it wasn’t. Ordnances from that time period wouldn’t have a compartment like that.

As Jake reached inside, Raven held her breath. What was in there? Was this a trap?

This would be the true moment of reckoning . . . but she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.

Maybe she should have had that conversation with him earlier.

Because what if they never had another opportunity?

Jake held his breath as he opened the compartment.

The ticking continued, and he fully expected to see another digital countdown inside the device.

He was right.

Red numbers stared back at him.

Numbers that proclaimed he only had forty-two seconds to get this dismantled.

His heart pounded harder in his chest as he stared at it.

Then he squinted.

Something didn’t look right. There were no wires or explosives.

Carefully, he reached for the glowing numbers.

When he lifted the timer device, he realized another cell phone had been stashed inside the cannister.

Was this some kind of new bomb tactic where someone used a cell phone? He tried to keep up-to-date with all the latest methods. He’d never heard about this one.

Cautiously, he hit the screen, praying his action didn’t trigger some type of accelerated countdown.

Instead, the screen changed.

The numbers disappeared.

Jake held his breath as he wondered exactly what would happen next.

A message spread across the screen.

A message eerily similar to the one he’d found on the cell phone in Lantern Beach.

Except this one read, “ Boom. The countdown is on. ”