“And also!” Steven said with a wide smile. “Now that we’re all together and you didn’t die again, Henry and I have figured out that the money hasn’t been coming and going from just one client or company but from several. The main links are the Seychelles and Russian banks. We’re looking at an organized crime syndicate. Our adversary is the head of a prominent Russian crime family.”

Maria looked down at her clasped hands. She murmured, “I keep going over and over everything. He might never have been here until the night of the battle. What I was picking up might have been family members the whole time, but we kept looking for an individual.”

Josiah reached across the table to cover her hands. “I remember it differently. We kept looking until we found him.”

When she looked up, tears glittered in her eyes. “I was so sure.”

“You weren’t wrong,” Anson said gently. “We just didn’t have the whole picture.”

Sitting back, Josiah clasped Molly’s fingers and held her hand against his thigh. He drank some coffee, relishing the rich black brew.

“I’m out,” he said. “Officially, as of right now. We all knew this was coming. As long as Molly agrees with it, I’ll keep funding the coven’s efforts. I’ll be glad to strategize with any or all of you, and I would like to provide shelter if any of you need it. But I will not actively choose to go into battle again.”

Molly’s grip tightened, and a sigh went through the group.

“He may not let you just walk away now that we’ve played our hand,” Anson said. “But yes, we all knew this was coming, and it’s about time it did. You’ve done enough.”

“I’ll do whatever I have to, to protect my family, but I won’t initiate anything.” He shook his head as he replayed his memory of what had happened. “He was right there. I almost had him.”

After a moment, Molly stirred. “I have another suggestion. I’ve been talking with Sarah, the leader of the coven where I now live. A long time ago, she created Everwood as a kind of sanctuary for people who needed one. She has authorized me to offer each of you up to a year’s probation. You may come and live in Everwood to rest and recover while you decide what you’re going to do next—because taking on a large, powerful crime syndicate is a hell of a thing, and you’ll want to consider carefully how you choose to move forward. If this appeals, there would be ground rules you’d need to follow.”

Maria stirred. “That’s very generous of her to invite so many of us. What are the rules?”