Page 28 of Obscurity (Pros and Cons Mysteries #5)

T here was no way Olive was turning back—Jason either.

Instead they moved closer and closer to the mine.

As they did, Olive saw clear evidence that people had been ignoring those warnings to stay out—just as she suspected.

Fresh footprints marred the dirt around the entrance. Tire tracks from some kind of small vehicle. And most telling of all, a heavy-duty extension cord ran from a generator hidden behind a pile of old mining equipment into the depths of the tunnel.

“This is definitely not abandoned,” Jason murmured.

Olive pulled out her phone and began photographing everything. The photos might be crucial evidence.

As they moved closer to the mine entrance, she spotted something that made her heart stop.

“Jason.” Her voice was barely audible. “Look.”

Caught on a piece of rusted metal near the entrance was a small piece of fabric—expensive-looking material in a distinctive shade of coral pink.

The same coral color Chloe was wearing in the promotional video.

Olive carefully freed it, her hands trembling. The fabric was high-quality silk, exactly the kind of thing a wealthy young woman like Chloe would wear.

“This could be proof that she was here, just like Connor mentioned.” Olive’s fingers closed around the material. “She may have gone inside the mine.”

“The question is whether she made it back out.”

Before Olive could respond, the sound of voices echoed from deep within the tunnel—male voices, speaking in low tones.

Olive and Jason froze, every instinct screaming at them to run. But the voices were their first real lead.

If Chloe was down there, if she was still alive, this might be their only chance to find her.

Jason’s hand found Olive’s in the darkness, squeezing gently. When she looked at him, his expression was resolute but worried.

They stepped closer to the entrance, closer toward whatever secrets Grayfall was hiding in its depths.

Olive and Jason were about to step into the mine entrance when the distant rumble of an engine made them both freeze.

Headlights from a small vehicle—an ATV—swept across the town, growing brighter as they approached the festival grounds.

“Someone’s coming,” Jason whispered.

The sound was getting closer—definitely headed their way.

If they were caught at the mine entrance, there would be no explaining what they were doing there in the middle of the night.

“We have to go.” Olive pocketed the piece of fabric. “Now.”

They melted back into the shadows just as an ATV rounded the corner, its headlights cutting through the darkness where they’d been standing moments before. Two figures were visible on the vehicle—one driving, one riding behind.

Olive couldn’t make out their faces in the glare.

She and Jason crouched in the bushes.

As the ATV paused nearby, she heard a man say, “Make sure no one gets in here. We can’t take that risk.”

“Got it.”

Olive was fairly certain it was one of the guides/guards. Maybe even Max.

The ATV moved farther down the trail.

“Security patrol,” Jason breathed.

“We can’t go back there tonight.” Olive didn’t bother to hide the frustration in her voice. “They’ll be watching now. We got here a few minutes too late.”

They waited until the ATV’s engine faded before starting back to their tent. But as they moved through the shadows, something caught Olive’s attention.

A warm glow emanated from beyond a cluster of pine trees behind the town.

“Look.” She nodded toward the light.

Through the trees, they could see a large house. No, not just large. It was practically a mansion. Three stories with floor-to-ceiling windows that blazed with warm light.

It was around a bend in the mountain, which made it out of sight for anyone in town.

If she had to guess, this was one of the original houses in Grayfall—maybe where the owner of the mine had lived. Someone had restored it.

“We need to find out who’s staying there,” Jason said.

“I say we take a closer look.”

Remaining low, they hurried toward the house. When they got close enough, they ducked behind some bushes, hoping to take in more details.

As they watched, a familiar figure appeared in one of the illuminated windows.

Brad Kellerman.

He gestured as he spoke to someone out of view, holding what appeared to be a glass of wine.

Olive’s stomach tightened with disgust. While festival attendees were sleeping in threadbare tents with no running water, eating granola bars, wrestling with mosquitoes and flies, and dealing with nonexistent cell service, Brad was living like a king in what looked like a million-dollar vacation home.

“All that money people paid for tickets . . .” Anger tinged her voice. “And this is where it went.”

“Not into the festival, that’s for sure.” Jason’s voice hardened.

They watched another minute as more figures moved through the house—people who clearly weren’t festival attendees, judging by their expensive clothing and casual demeanor.

Could Chloe be inside? Had the local police even searched the house? Had they talked to Brad?

That house was where the real party was happening, while everyone else suffered through the nightmare Brad had created.

“We need to get back.” Reluctance filled Jason’s voice. “Before anyone notices we’re gone.”

Olive took one last look at the mansion. Whatever was happening at this festival, Brad was profiting handsomely from it.

But her gut told her there was more to this story than just one man wanting to get rich.

What she wasn’t sure about was what.

As Olive walked back to their tent, she checked her phone one more time, hoping against hope for even a single bar of service.

Her phone showed full bars, but every attempt to send a message or make a call failed immediately.

“Still nothing,” she whispered to Jason, slowing her steps. “I need to talk to Tevin, but there’s no way to contact him. I’m not sure what tent he’s in.”

“Maybe we can find him somehow.” Jason paused by their tent. As he examined the entrance flap, he frowned. “Olive.”

Her back instantly went straight. “What is it?”

“Someone’s been in here.” He pointed to the zipper.

It was partially open. She was certain they’d closed it completely.

Jason’s muscles stiffened as he turned toward her. “And whoever it was, I think they might still be inside.”

Olive’s hand moved instinctively toward the small knife hidden in her pocket.

The stakes were too high for them to be naive.

Whoever was inside their tent could be dangerous. Someone could be onto them and waiting to strike.

Jason nodded, signaling he was going to open the flap.

They both crouched as if it might contain a wild animal. Every sense was on high alert as they braced themselves for danger.