POV characters must be important ones. Don't EVER tell from the POV of a minor character, even for a paragraph. The reader will automatically assume the character is important, and will wait for him to reappear in the story to do something crucial to the storyline. If a minor character is thinking something that the reader has to understand, do a quick rewrite where you figure out a way to have the character say the thought aloud. Doing this will prevent the reader from expecting him to become integral to the story.
Conflict is crucial to a good story.
Equally important is that the conflict escalate. The stakes must get higher and higher. Go see Fatal Attraction if you want a lesson in escalation. An excellent first novel with gut-wrenching escalation is A Simple Plan by Scott Smith. Rewrite until it does.