“Okay. Text me when it’s ready. Bye.” Without waiting for him to continue the conversation, she ended the call. There was too much to do for her to waste any more time listening to Barney.

Tossing the phone back in Cara’s direction, Molly took a deep breath and met her sisters’ appalled expressions.

“Didn’t we just have this conversation?” John’s voice was low and rough, raising goose bumps on Molly’s arms for some reason she didn’t want to think about. “I thought we agreed that it’s suicide to chase after Zarver.”

“I don’t remember agreeing to that. You lectured, and I pretended to listen.” For some reason, it was a hundred times harder to meet John’s furious gaze than it had been to look at her sisters. The main reason for that was because she knew it was stupid to take the job. There just wasn’t any other option right now, not if they wanted to have time to track down Jane. When John made a sound low in his throat and started to say something else, she snapped her head toward him and glared. “It’s done. You don’t get a say.”

Although his glower was just as fierce as hers, he stayed quiet, and she was grateful for that small mercy. She didn’t want to hear—especially from John—how idiotic she was being. Turning toward her sisters, she hid a wince. Maybe it wouldn’t be from John, but she knew she was about to hear all about her poor life choices.

“Nancy Lehry is Mom’s public defender,” she blurted out before any of her sisters could say a word. “If I didn’t agree to track down Sonny, Barney was going to have her push to move up the preliminary hearing.”

“That would be bad,” Charlie said, and Molly gave her a look. Of course it would be bad. They all knew that would be bad. Apparently ignoring Molly’s silent duh, Charlie continued talking. “Fifi and I did the rounds. None of Mom’s friends have seen her—or will admit to seeing her, at least—since she was released.”

“So, if she’s not staying here, and she’s not at any of her usual crash spots…” Cara trailed off, but Molly didn’t need her to finish to make the logical leap. Jane had skipped town, just like Barney had said she would.

A thick silence settled over them. Molly glanced around their group, seeing worry in her sisters’ faces. Even John looked concerned under his stalwart poker face. The tension made her stomach twist, and she forced herself to think constructively. Wallowing in her anger and frustration and helplessness wouldn’t save their house.

She clapped her hands together once, breaking the brittle quiet. “Okay. I’m on Sonny duty. Norah and Cara, see if you can get a lead on where Mom might’ve gone. She had her car fixed, so she either sold it or is driving it—same with my car.” Her belly lurched again at the reminder that her beloved Prius was gone, but she pushed away the thought. There wasn’t time for moping, no matter how much she’d loved her car. “Give any information you find to Felicity and Charlie.” She looked at them. “You two are okay with chasing Mom down?”