“Sue? You still there?”
“Um, yeah.” Her voice had weakened and quivered like an icy shiver had run through it. “I’m going to let you talk to Rick.”
That sense of panic flapped its wings in one great and powerful burst and took flight. Peter’s palms went wet, and a cold sweat beaded on his brow. “What? What is it?”
“Here’s Rick.”
Another pause, then Rick Greer’s voice. He’d be leaving for work in a few minutes. “Hey, man, what’s going on?”
“Hey, Rick, I’m not sure. Do you know where Karen and Lilly are? Are they okay?”
The pause was there again. Awkward and forced. Seconds ticked by, stretching into eons. In another part of the house, Ava continued to holler for Allison. Peter wanted to scream into the phone.
“I’m . . . I’m not sure I understand, Peter.”
Irritation flared in Peter’s chest. What was there to not understand? “I’m looking for my wife and daughter. Where are they?”
“Man, they’re not here. They’re . . . gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean, gone? What happened?” The room began to turn in a slow circle and the floor seemed to undulate like waves in the open sea. Peter pulled out a stool and sat at the counter. The clock on the wall ticked like a hammer striking a nail.
Rick sighed on the other end. “Are you serious with this?”
“With what?”
“What are you doing?”
Peter gripped the phone so hard he thought he’d break it. He tried to swallow, but there was no saliva in his mouth. “What’s happened to them?”
“Pete, they’re dead. They’ve been gone almost two months now. Don’t you remember?”
Acknowledgments
Every time I write one of these acknowledgment pages, it reminds me how much work goes into a novel and how I could never, ever do it alone. There are people I need to thank. If I forget anyone, forgive me please. So many people play a role in the making of a book like this it’s difficult to keep track of all the fingerprints sometimes.
My wife, Jen, who supports my writing efforts, promotes my books, and listens to my rants from time to time.
My daughters, who give me all the motivation I need.
My parents and family, who tirelessly encourage me.
My agent, Les Stobbe. Without him I’d be lost. Truly.
My editors, Jan Stob and Caleb Sjogren. The patience they show and the encouragement they give is priceless. I am truly blessed to be able to work with such fine professionals and people.
Everyone else at Tyndale who makes these books possible, from Shaina Turner and the marketing team to Mike Bachman and the rest of the sales team to the designers and the finance people and the rest of the editorial staff. They are a great bunch to work with.
There are two heroes who did not want name recognition but need to be thanked. Two soldiers, Rangers, gave advice and answered questions about some of the military aspects of this novel. Their input makes it all the more realistic. Anything that is off or inaccurate is strictly my fault.
Dan Grove, who gave input on the technical and computer aspects of the story. He, too, answered a bunch of questions, and his input was invaluable to completing the story.
Lastly, but always most importantly, thank you to my heavenly Father, my Dad, and my Lord, Jesus, for giving me life, hope, and a reason for doing all of this.
Discussion Questions
In the first chapters, Jed learns his new life may not be the opportunity to start over, as he hoped it would. When have you been disillusioned? How did you respond when faced with a new or unpleasant reality?
Do Jed and Karen make the right choice when they part ways? What would you have done?
In his attempt to rescue Lilly, Jed finds himself in a weak position—no leverage, no information, nothing to do but follow the path laid out for him. In what ways are you in control of your own life? In what ways are you at the mercy of events and situations you cannot control? How does Proverbs 16:9 apply?
When Tiffany discovers something wrong in the financial accounts, she risks her career and breaks the law to dig deeper. Is this the right choice? What determines whether a choice like this is right or wrong? Why does she not simply report the discrepancy to her superiors?
During Jed’s time beneath Alcatraz, Murphy exposes him to numerous stimuli in an effort to convince Jed about the assassination mission. Which of Murphy’s tactics were effective or convincing? Which should Jed have been more suspicious of?
Have you ever felt compelled to act contrary to your conscience? What were the circumstances? If you could return to that situation, would you do anything differently? When does the precept in Romans 14:23 come into play?
One of the main factors that convinces Jed to act is Karen’s counsel. When have you faced a difficult choice and relied on advice from others? How can a person discern good counsel from bad?
Tiffany takes a risk and trusts Jack with the incendiary information she finds. Have you ever extended unproven trust to someone? Did that person keep your trust, or were you burned as a result? How do Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:21-22 relate to such situations?
Think of a task you’ve faced that pushed your capabilities to their limit. Were you successful? What did the attempt teach you about your own abilities?
Which of the plot points in Kill Devil took you by surprise? Which ones did you see coming?
About the Author
MIKE DELLOSSO is the author of nine novels of suspense, an adjunct professor of creative writing and popular conference teacher, a husband, and a father. When he’s not lost in a story or working or spending time with his family, he enjoys reading and dabbling in pencil sketching. Mike has a master’s degree in theology and serves with his wife in their local church. He is also a colon cancer survivor and health care worker. Born in Baltimore, Mike now resides in southern Pennsylvania with his wife and four daughters. Besides Kill Devil, his other books are Centralia, The Hunted, Scream, Darlington Woods, Darkness Follows, Frantic, Fearless, and the novella Rearview.
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