“Are you serious?” she croaked when she finally saw the time. Apparently, the visitor was serious, because the pounding on the door continued. “Five fourteen in the morning?” She also noticed that she had a whole slew of texts and calls, several from unknown numbers, and she realized that she’d managed to sleep through all the notifications. The latest text was from her mom, and Molly climbed out of bed, now fully awake. Of course Jane was the reason someone was trying to break down their front door at dawn. Of course.

Suddenly, the knocking stopped, and the faint sound of voices—one male and one female—took its place. Someone else must’ve been faster getting out of bed than she’d been. Now that some of the resentment of being woken so early had faded, curiosity was worming its way into Molly’s brain. She debated whether she should get dressed or not and finally decided not to miss any more of the action than she already had.

As she rushed downstairs, she skimmed through her new texts, and her apprehension grew at the same rate as her irritation. Her mom’s messages were typical of Jane, starting two hours earlier and ending forty minutes ago.

Need help. Car died. Pick me up in front of the parking ramp at 3rd and Josephine. Hurry.

In Cherry Creek.

Hurry.

Why aren’t you answering?

I can’t believe you’re going to abandon me in my time of need!

After refusing to let me use your car, too.

You’re a selfish child, Molly.

I can’t believe you’re ignoring me.

If you were in trouble, I’d immediately run to your rescue, no questions asked.

Pausing at the base of the stairs, Molly stared at her phone. Why had her mom been in Cherry Creek, an affluent section of Denver, at three in the morning? She kept reading but just got more and more confused with each text.

I had to move. Now in front of the mall.

This is your fault, you know.

I need you to call Lono. He’s ignoring me.

He’ll pick up if you call. You’ve always been his favorite.

Molly had to roll her eyes at that. Her dad was a smart guy, but he could be incredibly gullible when it came to Jane. After marrying and divorcing her twice, Lono had finally realized that he needed to put some space between himself and his ex-wife and moved back to Hawaii. Now he was married to someone else and had two small kids. Molly wasn’t exactly sure what help he could’ve offered to Jane an hour ago. After all, it wasn’t like he could swing by and pick her up when he lived a seven-hour plane trip away from Denver.

There were a few other texts from a different number, but Molly assumed Jane had switched to a friend’s phone.

Molly, call me.

Call me. It’s important.

“Molly.” Cara’s voice pulled her attention off the screen. When Molly glanced up, her gaze fell on the man hulking behind Cara, and she almost dropped her phone.