Molly went over to the satchel she had been carrying last night and dug around in the bottom. “I only have forty dollars. That’s how much I had the day I arrived. It won’t go far.” She looked up at Skye. “Do you think you could loan me enough money to catch a bus, maybe enough to last a few days?”

Skye lightly squeezed the young woman’s arm. “We aren’t going to abandon you, Molly. We’re going to take you somewhere safe and help you get back on your feet. But you’re going to have to talk to the sheriff.”

Molly’s head jerked up. “No. The sheriff is a friend of Daniel’s. I won’t do it. I-I can’t.”

A light knock sounded at the door. “It’s me,” Edge said.

Skye walked over to let him in. No matter how much time she spent with him, the first sight of his gorgeous face and brilliant blue eyes was always a jolt.

“Sheriff Akins is on the way,” he said.

“Oh, my God!” Molly grabbed her satchel and ran for the door.

Edge stepped in front of her. “Take it easy. We’re not going to let anyone hurt you. You really need to trust us.”

Molly was trembling. “Please . . . this . . . this is my chance. If they find me, they’ll make me go back—or worse.”

“Talking to the sheriff is your best chance of staying safe,” Edge said. “You need to tell him about Sarah and what it’s like out there for you and the other women.”

Molly shook her head. “You don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand.”

She released a shaky breath. “Henson gives money to the town, he helps local businesses, donates to the Blancha Springs church and the school. The town needs the money. He might even be paying the sheriff.”

She looked ready to bolt any second. Her fear was contagious, and Skye found herself on the other side of the argument.

“You don’t have to run,” she said. “I’ll take you somewhere safe.” Skye flicked a challenging glance at Edge, whose mouth looked hard, but she was doing this with or without his permission. “Maybe in time, you’ll change your mind.”

Molly’s pale blue eyes filled. “Where can we go? Daniel knows people. I need to be somewhere far away.”

“Denver,” Edge said, giving in, at least for the moment. “You’ll be safe in Denver.”

Skye cast him a look of gratitude. “Molly can stay at my place until all this gets sorted and she can get back on her feet.”

“Henson won’t look for you there,” Edge said. “If he does, he’ll be damned sorry.” A faint smile curved his lips. “Skye will kick his ass.”

The words broke the tension, and Molly relaxed. She smiled. “Okay, that sounds good. But what about Callie?”

“I’ll work on the problem while Skye drives you to Denver.”

“If we get on the road,” Skye said, “I can be back this afternoon.”

“Better idea. I’ll call Trace and ask him to meet you halfway. He can bring the gear we need and take Molly to Denver while you come back here.”