Page 26 of Burning Truth

Unfortunately, as she glanced around the crowd, she spied several people she knew.

One of the editors at the Columbus Dispatch was handing out free papers, trying to drum up subscribers. And she thought she recognized one of the interns from her own station. He was tall, with red hair, so pretty identifiable. She mentioned both of thosepeople as she ate her treat, knowing that Gabbie was recording everything they said over the air.

Addie talked about inconsequential things with Severn, but in the back of her mind, she knew her performance was being watched.

Suddenly, Gabbie’s voice crackled in through their earpieces, interrupting the conversation. “The head of security at the ISP got back to me, and he gave me a tag to follow. The phone is in the festival. Less than a hundred yards away from you.”

Addie gasped. She couldn’t help it. And it took everything in her not to spin her head around, looking wildly around for the stalker. There was no way she knew what the man looked like, though. Or hell, it could even be a woman. Highly unlikely, but not impossible.

Severn leaned down toward her, cupping her face. “Hey,” he said softly. “You’ve done good so far. Don’t let him rattle you now. Gabbie is recording everyone in this place. We’re going to figure it out.”

Then he leaned down further and brushed a kiss against her lips. It was just a quick kiss, but he did it very easily, like it was habit. And it served to bring her out of the panic.

Addie blinked, firming her spine. “I just hope he didn’t bring anything with him today.”

Severn’s mouth tipped up on one side. “He didn’t. He likes to work from the shadows, remember? More than likely, he’ll do something tonight. So, all of these people are safe today. I believe that.”

His reassurance fed her own, and she nodded. The words made sense.

“Keep acting casual, but let’s move toward the edge of the crowd,” he instructed, standing up from the concrete stair. “We don’t need to draw attention to ourselves, but we can stay close enough to keep a lookout.”

As they moved through the throngs of festival-goers, Addie centered her gaze ahead, though her mind raced. Her arm was wrapped around Severn’s waist, her hand resting below the gun, and she thought they both appreciated the touch. Was she putting them both in even more peril?

They wove through the crowd, passing food trucks with aromas that danced in the air. Severn occasionally glanced down at her, his jaw set in concentration. It was more than just the thrill of the hunt for him; she could see the genuine protectiveness in his posture, the way he kept her close, as if daring any unseen threats to come out.

“Keep your head up and your eyes open,” he murmured, tactfully shifting their route, guiding her toward a quieter side of the festival grounds that still provided a vantage point to the bustling main area.

Addie’s heart raced not only from the excitement of being so close to Severn but from the looming threat hanging over them like a dark cloud. “What if we can’t find him?” she whispered, the weight of anxiety tightening her chest.

Severn stopped and turned to face her fully, his expression intense yet gentle. “We will. Gabbie is tracking the signal, and if he’s in the crowd, we’ll flush him out. Just stay with me, okay? We have backup circulating through the crowd. One of us will get a lock on him. We may not catch him tonight, but we’ll do our damnedest to identify him.”

Every fiber of her being wanted to feel secure in that promise. She nodded, pushing aside the nagging dread. Together, they walked to a spot slightly obscured by tall tents and fabric canopies.

“Do you think this guy has ever had deep-fried cookies?” Addie attempted to lighten the mood.

Severn smirked. “I doubt it. He seems more like a cold, lonely shadow than a guy who indulges at food truck festivals.”

“Consider that a blessing, then,” she said, rolling her eyes playfully, yet her body remained coiled with tension. “I’d hate to be responsible for ruining cookies for some poor dude hiding behind a screen.”

“Focus on the laughs, not the lurking,” he reminded her gently. “We’re right where we need to be.”

They wandered on through the crowd.

Just then, two men caught their attention. They were obviously talking, arguing, about Addie and Severn. One of the men strutted up to them. Severn stiffened and subtly shifted her behind his arm.

“Hey, aren’t you the weather girl,” the man said, squinting and smiling.

Addie snorted. “Nope, not me,” she said, laughing.

The two men looked at each other, confused. “You said it was her,” one groused.

“No, I said I thought it was her. Not my fault you jumped the gun and rushed up here. Wait,” the man said, focusing on Severn, “you are the guy she was dating. I recognize those scars. You are her!”

Addie shook her head. “I don’t do the weather, guys. I report news.”

The first man waved a hand. “Oh, whatever. You’re on TV, that’s why we recognized you. Girl, that is quite a hunk you’ve got there,” he said, eyeing Severn up and down. He reached out for a high-five from her.

Addie smacked his hand with her own. “I know, right?”

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