The mayor slowed. "Speaking with security about what?"
"I don't know yet," Lena admitted.
Nora glanced past the mayor toward the oak tree and saw Ryan standing in front of Angela with his arms folded. She recognized Angela's posture, the same measured stillness she used when a meeting had stopped making sense. Nora knew enough about her to be concerned. She asked two aides to remain with the delegation while the mayor crossed the remaining distance, and the group continued toward the bench rather than the stage.
Several people nearby understood that something had shifted. Reporters who had expected a short welcome walk turned their cameras toward the approaching officials. Volunteers stopped carrying chairs long enough to see where the mayor was going. A man at the coffee stand leaned over his counter to follow the movement, and a woman pushing a stroller moved to the side of the path. The attention was not yet excitement; it was the collective uncertainty of people watching an ordinary scene become unexpectedly official.
Ryan noticed the delegation and finally stepped back from Angela's bench. He adjusted the front of his uniform and looked toward the mayor, preparing to offer a respectful greeting. He assumed the approaching officials would appreciate his care in managing the area and that Angela would take the opportunity to leave quietly. His mind had not yet entertained the simplest explanation for why an event organizer, a mayor, and several department directors might be walking directly toward the woman he had been questioning. He was still trying to fit the new facts into the old story.
Angela stood as the mayor approached, gathering her portfolio and smoothing the edge of her jacket. She had not rushed to identify herself or gestured dramatically toward the officials arriving behind Ryan. She merely offered the same small smile she had given strangers on the path. It was a smile born of recognition, not triumph. The mayor reached her and extended his hand.
"Angela, there you are," Thomas Reynolds said warmly. "We've been looking for you."
"Good morning, Mayor Reynolds," she replied. "I got here early. I wanted a little time before the program."
"Well, you've chosen the best seat in the park," he said. "I hope we've left you enough time to breathe before the speeches."
"There's plenty of time," Angela answered, though she could feel the schedule moving rapidly now. "I've been learning something about the morning."
The mayor gave her a questioning look, then noticed Ryan standing beside the bench. He knew Ryan's name from the event roster but not his personal work history. He offered a brief nod, respectful and unassuming. "Officer Keller, thank you for helping with the event today."
Ryan straightened. "Of course, Mr. Mayor. I was just checking credentials near the staff area."
"I see," Reynolds replied, looking toward the open path and the hedge. "I hope everything is all right."