Page 54 of Obscurity (Pros and Cons Mysteries #5)
B efore Olive could formulate a response, Tevin slipped behind the building, heading toward them. His expression was grim as he assessed their faces.
“Sorry to interrupt.” His tone, however, suggested he wasn’t entirely sorry to break up what looked like an intense conversation. “But I needed to check in with you both. The security situation is escalating.”
A mixture of relief and frustration twisted inside Olive at the interruption. The conversation with Jason would have to wait—again.
“What kind of escalation?” Jason shifted into professional mode despite the personal tension still hanging between them.
“More search teams are being deployed. They’re looking for someone who was in an unauthorized area this afternoon.” Tevin’s gaze moved to Olive. “Someone who might have accessed sensitive information.”
Olive’s heart thumped harder. Her. They were looking for her.
Her only hope was that no one could identify her. She’d kept her eyes open for security cameras, but she hadn’t seen any.
“How much trouble are we in?” Olive asked.
Tevin leveled his gaze with her. “Depends on what you found and whether they can prove you were there.”
Olive briefed Tevin on her discoveries in Brad’s house.
Tevin’s expression grew darker with each detail. “This is so much worse than we thought.”
“Can you find out more about who’s funding this?” Olive asked. “The government connections?”
“I’ll see what I can dig up, but it’s going to take time. And given the security situation . . .” Tevin shook his head. “What’s our next move?”
“I want to find out what those tents were there for,” Olive said. “I can’t help but feel like they might provide some answers. Then I want to see inside the mine. We need evidence of whatever is happening there.”
“Going into the mine is not just dangerous, it’s suicide,” Tevin rushed. “We don’t know the layout, the security measures, or what’s going on down there.”
“It’s a bad idea,” Jason agreed, though Olive saw the conflict in his gaze. “There has to be another way.”
“What other way?” Olive’s voice carried her frustration.
Tevin let out a sigh. “First, check out those tents. I’ll set up a distraction so you can get away.”
“A distraction?” Jason asked.
Tevin frowned but nodded. “I’ll get Maya to help. She’s really good at doing things to draw attention.”
Olive tilted her head, sensing there was more to his words. “What do you mean?”
“I caught her today. She was in the middle of hiding some speakers around town—speakers that would play ghostly sounds. She confessed to me that she’s set up a few things.”
“Like what?” Jason asked even though they all probably knew the answer.
“She planted that dead bird on her car, for starters. And she left that blood—which wasn’t really blood, of course, on the rocks on the hiking trail when no one was looking.
And, of course, she made up the story about her tent being ransacked and the glowing red eyes.
She’s doing it all for views. The more drama, the more people watch her videos and the more income she gets. ”
Olive shook her head at the audacity—and desperation—of some people. “I should have known.”
“Are any of us really surprised?” Tevin raised his brow.
“No, we’re not.” Olive paused. “Are you sure you want to cause a distraction? It’s going to bring attention to you, and I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“I can handle this. Believe me. Just give me fifteen minutes. When I do that, you guys can go and check out those tents. The festival is over tomorrow so we don’t have much more time.”
Before Tevin walked away, she grabbed his arm. He looked back at her, his pupils growing larger.
“Be careful,” she murmured. “Please.”
He stared at her another moment before withdrawing his arm. “I will be. You too. I’m not leaving this assignment by myself. The three of us came in together, and the three of us are leaving together.”
Olive nodded as she heard the worry in his voice. “It’s a deal.”