“Ready?”

“What’s with your knocking deficiency?” she demanded, although most of the heat in her voice was gone. She was already learning to pick her battles with John, and they’d only been partners for a very short time—not even partners. It was more like they were acquaintances who’d stumbled over the same case…acquaintances who liked to bicker a lot. Recently, that bickering had felt like it bordered on flirting. Wrinkling her nose, Molly made a mental resolution to nip that in the bud. There’d be no living with her sisters if they found out that they’d been right all along about John Carmondy’s more-than-friendly feelings toward her…not to mention her own confusing emotions.

“Sorry.” He thumped his knuckles against the doorframe. “It’s me, John Carmondy. Ready?”

She just rolled her eyes silently at him as she squeezed by him into the hall. Although she managed to squeak by with just the lightest brush of fabric and exposed skin, her traitorous pulse still thumped in double time from his proximity. “I’m just going to check in with Cara first.”

The twins’ bedroom door was closed, so she tapped on it, waiting to be invited in. When she was met with silence, she stuck her head in, taking in the unoccupied room. Backing out again, she closed the door behind her and typed a quick text to Cara, asking where she was and if she was okay. After a short pause, she sent a check-in message to Felicity and Charlie’s phones, too. Everything that had happened was making Molly twitchy, and she didn’t like not having her sisters safely within sight. It was silly, since they were just as proficient at taking care of themselves as Molly was—well, most of them, at least—but she still couldn’t quiet the instinct to keep her younger sisters safe.

“Is she supposed to be home?” John asked, drawing her attention away from her phone. His expression had grown serious—worried, even—and she blinked at him, a little surprised by how much he seemed to care. Her phone’s text alert sounded, pulling her out of her distracted thoughts. It was Felicity, confirming that both she and Charlie were fine—frustrated by a lack of leads, but otherwise fine. John shifted closer, reminding Molly that he’d asked a question about Cara.

Holding out one hand, she turned it side to side. “She’s an adult, so she can go where she wants, but I just need to make sure she’s okay. That car outside…” She let her voice trail off, not wanting to admit that she was spooked. Her phone beeped again, saving her from having to complete her thought. “She’s fine.” Molly frowned at the text. “Weirdly cagey, but fine.”

“Weirdly cagey how?”

“She’s not admitting where she is exactly.” She typed as she spoke.

What animal would you be?

“What?” John asked. “That’s a random question.” He’d moved closer so he could read her phone. Without looking up at him, she put one hand in the middle of his chest and pushed until he took two steps back. Her fingers wanted to linger and explore the rock-solid planes of his upper torso, but she forced her hand to drop.