Page 13 of Obscurity

“You think it was staged?”

“Don’t you?”

His nod was almost imperceptible. “It seems the most likely scenario. But why would she do that?”

“For attention,” Olive suggested. “Or as a distraction from something else.”

“You think Maya might actually be involved in this?”

“I’m saying, we should keep an open mind. At this point, anything is possible.”

CHAPTER 7

Back inside the lodge, Elias was already directing guests toward the dining room, his hospitality mask firmly back in place.

Olive made mental notes of everyone present: Dr. Z checking his phone—probably the stock market, Maya being consoled by Connor Walsh as he showed her photos on his camera, and several other guests whose stories she hadn’t heard yet.

What she didn’t see was any sign of Tevin.

Her colleague should have arrived by now, using his cover as a podcaster documenting underground festival scenes for his music website, “Off the Beaten Track.” The plan was for Olive and Jason to maintain their distance from Tevin. They needed to appear as if they didn’t know him so they could gather more intelligence.

Speaking of which . . . she was wasting valuable time right now.

She needed to explore more of this lodge. She wanted to get a feel for the layout—just in case. She had no proof Chloe had ever been there. And though Elias was allowing people to stay here and others to simply park here before heading to Grayfall, she was unsure about his exact involvement in things.

“Excuse me,” Olive murmured to Jason. “I’m going to run to the restroom.”

Code: I need to investigate something.

“Take your time,” he told her.

She headed toward the restrooms, located down a narrow hallway away from the lobby area. But as she approached the door leading to the ladies’ room, voices from somewhere nearby made her pause.

“I can’t keep doing this,” a man muttered. “People are starting to ask questions.”

“Questions are fine. Questions keep them distracted.”

The voices came from outside, probably near a service entrance or loading dock.

Olive pressed closer to the wall, straining to hear more.

“Three people, Leif. Three. How long before someone connects?—”

“They won’t. As long as we stick to the plan, they won’t.”

Leif. Elias’s assistant. Was he talking to Elias?

“But if some of these people start poking around Grayfall?—”

“They won’t get the chance. But keep your eyes on them. Especially that husband and wife who just arrived. There’s something about them I don’t trust.”

Ice formed in Olive’s veins.

They were talking about her and Jason. She was certain of it.

Was her cover already blown? She prayed that wasn’t the case.

Olive edged closer to what she realized was a service door. She needed to hear more of that conversation. Needed to see who Leif was speaking with.