At the first shrill note, David looked at Steve. The two men, best friends since high school, were momentarily shocked into statue-like immobility. They stared at each other across the work table separating them, not completely sure they'd heard the terror-filled screech.

Steve recognized the scream. He had heard it countless times, only not in such abject terror. It was that utter, stark terror shattering the recently placid air around him that touched his soul. The icy fingers of dread held him firmly rooted; made it virtually impossible to decide to take action . . . or if any action was in fact even needed.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Paulette, Steve's wife, rushed in followed by Stephanie. The looks on their faces validated their husbands' dread.

Having just kicked out Jody's fledgling flame, Ryan folded her arms across her chest. Her smug expression dared him to retaliate. If Jody had even grumbled, he would have surprised not only his raven-haired nemesis, but himself as well. It was an unwritten rule, "Jody never opposed Ryan."

Fear did not govern his lack of action. Non-aggressive behavior was as much a part of Jody's personality as his charming, spontaneous smile. His easy-going manner, amazingly, always seemed to defuse Ryan's rash out-bursts when even her parents found themselves at a loss in controlling her playful, challenging nature.

Absently, Jody brushed the bit of sand, courtesy of Ryan, from his shirt. "We'll have to go in soon. The storm was supposed to reach us by midnight, but I think they miscalculated it by a couple of hours or so. But, what else is new, huh?" he said, his infectious smile reaching the warm-brown eyes, making them gleam in the moonlight.

Then, fog rolled in off the ocean, the swiftly rising wind ruffling his wavy dark-brown hair. A few feet away, Ryan stood, knotting her long black hair as the gale threatened to snatch it from her nimble fingers. As usual, Jody was right. The storm was putting in an early appearance. Bending to pick up her beach towel and water bottle, Ryan rose to stare into the face of a complete stranger. Before she could alert Jody, a pair of strong arms encircled her, imprisioning her within.

Jody had not heard the approach of the two men dressed in dark clothing similar to Ryan's captor. His first warning was Ryan's ear-shattering scream when she saw the additional two uninvited guests closing in on her friend.

Knowing the encroaching storm had nothing to do with the scream both sets of parents recognized as Ryan's, only increased the dread whose icy hand gripped their hearts. Something frightening enough to make Ryan utter such a piercing wail meant major trouble. On a deserted strip of land like Trawmon's Landing, few unwanted callers dropped in. And with the impending storm on their doorstep, cut that number by half.

What--or who--ever caused that unceremonious shriek, had come here with a purpose. The Trawbergs and Monferts had unexpected visitors. They had better greet them in like manner . . . with the unexpected.

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