Page 15 of Obscurity (Pros and Cons Mysteries #5)

O live gave the window one more try.

Something gave way, and the window slid up with a soft scrape.

Finally!

Olive climbed through the window frame, dropping into the flower bed outside just as voices erupted in the office.

She pressed herself against the lodge’s exterior wall, her heart pounding so hard she was sure they could hear it from inside. Instead, she heard Elias say, “Can’t leave this window open.”

She held her breath as footsteps moved toward the window.

Would Elias peer out? Would he see her?

Instead, she heard the window squeal as it was shoved back in place.

The air left her lungs as relief filled her.

That had been close. Really close.

As she glanced at the office, she saw shadows moving inside, hands rifling through the very files she’d been photographing moments before.

She’d gotten some of the Northwoods information, but not nearly enough.

Who was the person with Elias? Did the owner have a confidante? If so, that person could be a valuable source of information.

If Olive could just get a little closer and peek inside . . .

But voices sounded in the distance. Being here was too risky.

Heart still racing, Olive hurried around the side of the building toward the front entrance where the hiking group was gathering. She spotted Jason scanning the area, probably wondering what was taking her so long.

“There you are,” Elias called out as Olive approached.

He’d made it out of his office quickly.

His tone was friendly but his eyes sharp with suspicion as he observed her. “We were about to send a search party.”

“Sorry.” Olive prayed her voice sounded steadier than she felt. “I’m a sucker for wildlife, and I thought I saw a deer.”

Elias’s gaze traveled from her face to her phone, which she realized she was still clutching, then back to her eyes. “Did you?”

Did he suspect she was the one who’d been in his office?

Her muscles tensed, though she was careful not to show her apprehension.

“I did, but he ran away before I could snap a photo.” She met his stare without flinching. “I’m ready to see what these mountains have to offer.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

As they moved toward the group of hikers, Olive prayed Elias wasn’t onto her.

The incident reports she’d photographed burned in her phone’s memory like evidence of crimes not yet committed. She couldn’t wait to dig into them.

Whatever was happening in these mountains, the lodge staff knew more than they were saying.

She needed to find out what.

The morning air carried unmistakable anticipation as festivalgoers gathered in front of the lodge.

Olive figured there must be around a hundred people clutching coffee cups and checking their phones one last time before venturing into what the promotional materials had promised would be “the music experience of a lifetime.”

Everyone had been given specific departure times. Thankfully, Olive, Jason, and Tevin were in the first group.

“Welcome, welcome!” Elias appeared in front of the crowd, his smile bright. “I hope everyone’s ready for an adventure. You’re about to experience something truly special—a music festival in one of the most pristine wilderness locations on the East Coast.”

Cheers rippled through the crowd.

“As you know, I’ve partnered with the organizers of Grayfall to make this a once in a lifetime experience. This music festival will be like nothing else you’ve ever done.”

That’s exactly what scares me. Olive kept her expression neutral as the crowd cheered again, effectively getting hyped.

“Now, I’d like you to meet your guides for today’s journey.” Elias gestured toward three men who’d positioned themselves near him. “Max, Sorrel, and Tom will be ensuring your safety and helping you navigate the trail system.”

Olive studied the so-called guides. All three were built like bouncers. They had broad shoulders, watchful eyes, and alert postures.

Max carried himself with the arrogant swagger of someone who thought intimidation was a personality trait. He kept flexing his hands and cracking his knuckles, clearly hoping someone would give him an excuse to use those muscles.

Sorrel was the opposite—wiry and nervous, constantly checking his phone with the twitchy intensity of someone monitoring multiple security feeds at once.

His eyes never stopped moving, cataloging every detail around him as if he were expecting trouble from every direction.

Everything about him screamed “tech surveillance.”

Tom looked bored with the whole operation, leaning against a tree like someone who’d done this routine too many times to find it interesting anymore.

Unlike his companions, he had the weathered look of actual mountain experience and kept checking his watch as if he had somewhere more important to be.

“Are they certified wilderness guides?” Maya asked. “My followers are always asking about safety certifications for adventure experiences.”

“They’re experienced outdoorsmen who know these mountains better than anyone.” Elias’s words almost sounded rehearsed.

Jason caught Olive’s eye, his slight frown indicating he’d also noticed how these men moved like security personnel, not hospitality staff or wilderness guides.

“Now, I do have one small update about today’s logistics.

” Elias’s tone remained overly cheerful.

“Originally, we were supposed to have shuttle service to the trailhead. But the shuttle is experiencing some mechanical issues this morning. Nothing serious, but it means we’ll need to start our hike from here at the lodge instead. ”

A collective groan sounded from several attendees.

“How much extra distance are we talking about?” A man who looked like a frat boy with his backward baseball hat and polo asked.

“Just a few extra miles.” Elias offered a dismissive wave. “Five miles, maybe six. Really, it’s a blessing in disguise. You’ll get to see parts of these mountains that most tourists never experience.”

Five or six miles on top of what was already supposed to be a challenging hike to reach the festival grounds?

If they departed by ten, this hike would probably take five hours, plus they’d stop for lunch.

They wouldn’t get to Grayfall until close to four.

The first concert was scheduled to start at eight.

It was going to be a long, long day.

Olive watched the faces around her as the reality sank in. Several people were already struggling with the weight of their packs, and they hadn’t even started walking yet.

That was when all the questions erupted.