Page 138 of First Chance

“Yes,” I utter, turning towards one of the volunteers. He’s wearing a firefighter’s helmet and coat, and it’s dark enough that I can’t quite see his features. I have to lean in closer to hear him speak because of all the chatter around us.

“I was parking my truck when I caught my eye on a little girl. She’s hiding in the woods and was too scared to come out when I called for her. I reckon she belongs to you.”

I gasp. “Take me to her.”

“She’s right through here.” He leads me a few feet down one of the paths that takes us away from the house, but it isn’t until I shout Emory’s name a few times that I realize how far we’ve walked. “I don’t see her.”

He doesn’t respond, and I spin around, but my chest tightens…

He’s removed his helmet, and he’s looking at me with an amused grin on his face. It’s creepy Jerry from the junkyard.

“What are you doing?”

“Luring you away was like dangling candy in front of a toddler.”

“Luring me away from what?”

“Not from anything, but towards something.” He chuckles, lunging for me and gripping my bicep forcefully before I candodge him.

“What do you want from me?”

He yanks my arm, pulling me further down the path until my feet are stumbling over themselves. Every worst-case scenario is filtering through my mind…

Is he going to hurt me?

Did he hurt…

“Where’s Emory? Is she okay?”

“Kid’s fine.”

Thank God.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Not too much farther.”

His responses are so calm, as if what he’s doing is at all rational.

“Lochlan will know I’m gone.”

“He’s out on a wild goose chase looking for that girl. I made sure of that.”

My blood chills in my veins. This isn’t a spontaneous impulse he’s acting on, he planned to take me…

“You started the fires? And the barn fire a few months ago?”

“Fraid so, sweet cheeks.”

“Let me go.”

“No.”

My panic increases as we get closer to the bear enclosure fences.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I was paid good money, and that’s how the world works.”

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