Page 47 of Obscurity (Pros and Cons Mysteries #5)

O live rushed through the underbrush, branches tearing at her clothes and scratching her exposed skin.

Her cap was knocked off by a low-hanging branch within the first fifty yards.

A few seconds later, her sweatshirt caught on a thorn bush.

She abandoned it rather than wasting precious seconds trying to free herself.

The sound of pursuit was getting closer.

Max crashed through the forest behind her with the subtlety of a bulldozer, and at least one other person had joined the chase. They shouted coordinates to each other, trying to predict her route and cut her off.

Olive had some distinct advantages: She was lighter and faster than her pursuers, and she’d memorized the terrain during her approach to the house. She knew exactly where she was going.

The festival sounds grew louder ahead of her—music, voices, the general noise of a crowd gathered for a performance. Safety was within reach, but she had to get there before these men caught up to her in the woods where no one would witness what happened next.

Twenty more feet through the trees and she’d be at the edge of the crowd.

Fifteen feet.

Ten.

Five feet.

She burst from the trees and immediately forced herself to slow down. She had to transition from a desperate sprint to what looked like a casual jog as she approached the back of the crowd gathered around the makeshift stage.

One misstep could seal her fate.

Olive pushed herself through the outer edge of the festival attendees, trying to control her breathing and appear like someone who’d simply been taking a nature walk rather than fleeing for her life.

Her heart hammered against her ribs and sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool mountain air.

She spotted Jason near the center of the crowd, standing with Tristan and a few other festivalgoers as they watched what appeared to be another terrible performance by local musicians.

Moving carefully through the assembled people, she made her way toward him, forcing her expression into something that looked bored rather than terrified.

“There you are,” Jason said when she appeared beside him, his voice casual but his eyes sharp with concern. “I was starting to wonder where you’d wandered off to.”

“Just needed some air.” Olive hoped her voice sounded steadier than she felt. “This music is . . .”

“Painful,” Tristan finished for her. “I’ve heard better performances in London subway stations.”

But even as she tried to engage in normal conversation, Olive’s attention was focused on the trees behind them.

At any minute, her pursuers would catch up.

When they did, would they identify her? She prayed that wouldn’t be the case.