Page 66 of Obscurity (Pros and Cons Mysteries #5)

“ Y ou were a mole this whole time . . .” Jason snarled, immediately positioning himself between Connor and the rest of the group.

Connor’s expression was almost apologetic as he clipped the radio back to his belt. “I’m sorry. I really am. But this operation is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and there are powerful people who won’t let a few witnesses destroy it.”

“Witnesses to what?” Olive demanded, though she was already calculating distances and options for disarming him. “Environmental crimes? Kidnapping? Murder?”

“To the future of American energy independence,” Connor stated, as if that justified everything. “Do you have any idea how much lithium is under this mountain? How much our country needs those resources?”

So it was lithium . . . everything started to click into place.

“So you sell out innocent people for money.” Becca’s voice shook with pain and betrayal.

“I document the truth.” Connor straightened his shoulders. “And the truth is that sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good.”

The sound of approaching vehicles echoed through the forest—multiple engines, getting closer fast. Whatever containment teams were responding to Connor’s call would be there within minutes.

“Jason,” Olive said quietly, her eyes never leaving Connor. She silently urged him to act.

“What are you two up to?” Connor snapped.

Jason moved faster than Connor could react, tackling him to the ground and wrestling for the radio. But Connor was stronger than he looked, and the two men rolled across the forest floor, fighting for control.

The radio went flying into the underbrush as Connor managed to break free from Jason’s grip. But instead of running, he reached for something at his belt—a pistol that glinted in the filtered sunlight.

Chloe gasped and drew back.

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Connor panted, backing away while keeping the gun trained on the group. “The containment teams will be here soon. If you cooperate, maybe they’ll make this quick.”

“Like they did for the Guardian?” Olive remembered the old man’s body in the mine tunnel.

Connor’s expression flickered with what might have been genuine remorse. “He shouldn’t have interfered. None of you should have.”

That moment of distraction was all Jason needed.

He launched himself at Connor again, this time going directly for the gun. The weapon discharged harmlessly into the trees as the two men struggled, but Jason’s military training gave him the advantage he needed.

Within seconds, Connor was unconscious on the forest floor, and Jason was checking the pistol’s ammunition.

“Six rounds,” he reported. “Not much against whatever’s coming for us.”

The sound of engines came closer now and, through the trees, Olive saw flashes of headlights as vehicles maneuvered the forest roads.

“This way,” Carl said suddenly, his voice stronger than it had been since their rescue. “There’s an old logging road about a quarter mile north. If they left vehicles there . . .”