“Hold on now,” Henry interjected. “We have the arrival of unknown magic users, Josiah’s been attacked, and now Molly’s here. It’s all got to be connected. I think we should take turns keeping watch in her vicinity. And Josiah shouldn’t be left alone either, not until he’s back on his feet.”

“I agree on both counts,” Anson said. “Josiah and Molly are our two known hot spots. If things are reaching a boiling point, it’s likely they’re going to boil over in either one of their directions.”

Steven pushed his glasses up his straight nose and smiled. “And also! Since we’re all together and Josiah didn’t die, I have news too. I broke the encryption on the data we stole. We now have a full client list from Sherman & Associates.”

Chapter Twenty-One

They all turned to stare at him.

“You couldn’t lead with that?” Richard snapped.

As Steven’s clever gaze touched on their expressions, he shrugged. “Everybody had a lot to say, and we’ve been busy.”

Anson rubbed his face. “True enough. Do you have it with you?”

“Yep.” Steven held up a flash drive. “I also have their financial records.”

“That settles it,” Henry said. “I’m staying here. I need to comb the data to see if I can find matches between clients and the financial activity we’ve uncovered.”

“And you need to get me another phone, activated to my old number,” Josiah said to Steven. “ASAP. I want it functioning and in my hand whether I’m awake or not.”

“Right,” Steven replied.

Anson, Richard, and Maria looked at each other. The whole coven knew it was better to keep Richard and Josiah separate when possible. Maria said to Richard, “You and I can take turns keeping watch on Molly.”

Anson added, “I’ll stay here with Henry until Steven gets back. Then I can run interference between you and bring you what you need.”

Josiah felt the weight of decision fall away. The coven had sorted themselves out without him. Frank and Rubio had given him the address where Molly was staying, so he passed that on to them and pushed to his feet. “Looks like I’m not needed for now.”

“Yes, you go to bed,” Maria said.

Like Molly when she had been injured, what he really needed was a couple of weeks of good nutrition and rest, but he didn’t think he was going to get it.

What the hell, he’d settle for his Power returning. He could rest when he was dead.

“Wake me if anything breaks loose,” he told them.

Limping to his darkened bedroom, he stretched out his aching body with care. He didn’t remember when his head hit the pillow as unconsciousness washed over him in a dark tide.

*     *     *