Page 52 of Silent Neighbor

Still, she had to make sure she was completely alone—no sense taking risks. She fumbled in her pack for her headlamp, clicking it on to illuminate the space before her.

The beam of light revealed a surprisingly spacious interior. The cave extended back several meters, its walls smooth and dry. There were no signs of recent habitation—no litter, no scuff marks on the floor. As far as she could tell, she was the first person to discover this hidden spot in quite some time.

Jessica stepped inside, relishing the immediate drop in temperature. The cool air was a balm on her sun-warmed skin, and she found herself breathing more easily in the sheltered space.

As Jessica set down her pack, a flicker of movement caught her eye. She whirled around, her hand instinctively going to the gun in her chalk bag. But there was nothing there—just the play of shadows from her headlamp on the uneven cave walls.

She let out a shaky breath, chuckling nervously at her own jumpiness. "Get it together, Jess," she muttered to herself. "You're seeing things now."

Still, the moment of fear had shaken her more than she cared to admit. It was an unpleasant reminder of the danger she had willingly placed herself in. The killer was out there somewhere, and sooner or later, they would come for her.

Jessica moved back to the cave entrance, positioning herself so she could see out without being easily spotted from below. She settled in to wait, her eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of movement.

As the minutes ticked by, Jessica found her thoughts drifting once again to her friends. She wondered what they would think of her plan. Would they approve of her taking such a risk? Or would they tell her she was being foolish, that she should leave this to the authorities?

She shook her head, banishing the doubts. It didn't matter what they might have said. They were gone, taken by a killer who struck with impunity. If the police couldn't stop the killer, then it was up to her to do whatever it took to bring them to justice.

Then, the sound of an approaching vehicle pulled her from her reverie.

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