Charlie nodded vehemently. “Let’s change the locks and pretend we’re orphans—well, except for when Lono comes to visit.”

Although it was more a huff of air than an actual laugh, it was the closest Molly had come to smiling since she’d discovered the theft of her car. “I like your plan.” She held her fist out, and Charlie bumped it with hers. “Cara? What are your thoughts?” She braced to hear her sister defend their mom, ready to deflect the automatic guilt and stand strong. After Jane’s latest stunt, Molly did not want her mother in their house—or their lives—anymore. She was done.

“We’ve let her stay too long already,” Cara said, surprising Molly. “She’s almost fifty and a mother of five grown kids. She needs to learn to make it on her own, without us propping her up.”

Everyone looked at Felicity, who simply said, “Agreed. Mom’s out of the house, even after she gets herself out of her current situation.”

Despite the horrendous day she’d just had, Molly felt a slight easing of the tension banded around her lungs, making it easier to breathe. “Good. That’s decided, at least. Now let’s talk about work.” Picking up the folders, she waved them at her sisters. “Until we get reimbursed by the bank, things are going to be tight. The more skips we can bring in, the less ramen we’ll be eating.”

“Do we need to reconsider taking Barney’s job?” Cara asked with a preemptive wince.

Without having to consider the question, Molly immediately nixed it. “Tracking Sonny? Nope. We’re not that desperate yet.”

“Sonny?” Norah repeated, her eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

“Edison Zarver.” Just saying the name made Molly’s stomach twist. She’d only met him in person once at the courthouse, but his soulless eyes had left a definite impression—and not a positive one. “He skipped, so Barney’s trying to convince us to track him down.”

“Ugh.” Charlie’s screwed-up face showed exactly how she felt about Sonny. “I’d rather eat ramen every day than get mixed up in Zarver’s slimy business.”

“That’s basically what Cara told Barney when he called.”

Her eyebrows shooting up, Charlie stared at her twin, looking impressed. “Really? You said that?”

Always meticulously honest, Cara rolled her eyes. “Not really.”

“Pretty close.” Molly refocused on what they’d been talking about before they’d gone off on their Sonny tangent. “Anyway, it’s a no to Sonny, but all of these are yeses.” She held up the folders and extended them toward her sisters. Felicity and Charlie each immediately took one, and Norah extended her hand but didn’t touch the folders as she looked at Molly, her expression anxious.

“Do I need to help out more on the actual bounty-hunting front?” she asked, her tone telling Molly how very unappealing she found that thought.

“Thank you,” Molly told her sincerely, giving her arm a squeeze, “but you stick with research and fixing our tech.” Pausing, she shot Charlie a stern glare. “Whenever possible, that is. If someone, say, runs over her brand-new laptop with her car, then it’s probably hopeless, and we won’t judge you for not being able to fix it. We will judge the person who ran over her brand-new laptop with her car, however. We will judge that person harshly.”