Free Framed to Death (A Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery Book 4) by Christina Freeburn Page A

where I saw Hannah waiting for him.
    My foot almost slid out from under me. I had stepped on something near where Chad had stood. I picked up a business card. Using the light from my cell I took a look at it. The words Vulcan Catering were framed by wisps of curling smoke, and the edges had a distressed finish. An open grill was in the left corner. I pocketed it.
    Cheers and boos shook the stadium. I wandered out of the alleyway, turning my attention to the game.
    “You don’t miss those,” Coach Rutherford yelled.
    One of the Eden players on the field shrugged.
    The cheerleaders moved closer to the bleachers and formed a human pyramid. Their chants were almost loud enough to drown out the taunting and barbs being slung to and from Coach Rutherford.
    I backed up a few paces to get some shots of the pyramid. The girl on the top was still just out of my viewfinder. I took a few more backward steps.
    Someone careened into me, knocking me onto the field. A whistle blew. Two helmeted players were charging each other, readying for a near-the-sidelines tackle, and I had stepped between them. Placing my hands over my eyes, I screamed, knowing it was going to hurt.
    A hand wrapped around my arm and dragged me backwards into a hard chest.
    I was scooped up and set down on the spectator side of the football field. The whistle blew again and again. Someone was getting a time-out, and I had a feeling it was me.
    “Your water guy needs to be more careful,” Ted said.
    “It’s her own damn fault,” the coach said. “Spectators shouldn’t be that close to the sidelines.”
    “Coach, the ref is coming over here,” a player said.
    A very unhappy referee gestured at me.
    “Keep your photographer off the field. Next time, Eden will get a penalty.”
    “She’s not ours,” Rutherford said.
    “Trust me, a penalty is the least of her worries.” Ted took hold of my arm. “I’ll see to it that she finds a spot away from the field.”
    I didn’t want to create any more of a scene, so I didn’t argue and followed.
    Ted escorted me away from the sidelines and out the front gate.
    “I didn’t do anything wrong, and I paid to attend the game.”
    Ted pulled out his wallet and handed me five dollars. “Go home and try not to stir up any more trouble.”
    “I wasn’t.”
    “Please, give me a break and go home.”
    “I was actually taking photographs.”
    “With no other ulterior motive for showing up at a football game? Good night, Faith.” Ted stood right at the gate and watched me walk past the baseball field connected to the football field and into the parking lot.
    Grumbling unflattering things about Ted under my breath, I dug my keys out of my pocket. They slipped out of my fingers, falling onto the asphalt. I leaned over to pick them up, my camera clunking against me. I’d left my camera bag near the bleachers where the football players entered the stadium.
    I could either risk Ted’s ire and go back into the stadium, or call Charlotte and see if Hannah could grab my bag for me. For once, I went with the better, and least likely to contribute to Ted’s bad mood, choice. She answered on the first ring.
    “I’m here. I’ll get it for you.”
    “Then I’ll forgive you for partnering me with Felicity.”
    “I was trying to help you. If Felicity had new information to go on, she’d stop ranting to the cops about you.”
    “I don’t think it worked out for me.” I ended the call, shuffling along the parking lot. The dim light made it hard to see any ruts. Crickets chirped and then stopped. I paused, squaring my shoulders and looking around me. Cheers carried over from the stadium. Steve announced the score: Eden 21, Hazard 10. I kept walking.
    Coldness pricked my scalp. I glanced over my shoulder toward the ticket booth. I couldn’t see anyone there, but it was possible Ted was still watching. I turned on the flashlight app on my phone. It settled my nerves. A little.
    The strap of my camera dug into my chest and