Hello. You did not say what or how the sound effect to which this question refers, so it is impossible to provide a concrete answer to your question. However, we can consider that all the sound effects established in a radio play represent a situation, which depends on the listener's interpretation.
A sound effect only represents a situation of suspense, if you hear it interpret it that way. So, to get the answer to your question, you must hear the sound effect, or have a very detailed description about it.