Her knock sounded loud in the stillness, and the sounds from inside died quickly, but no one answered the door. “You can either let me in or sit and wait for whoever Nicola sent to get your brothers back. We have trying to get your cousin out of our lives in common.” She glanced at her watch and decided on five minutes before she walked away. They wouldn’t leave, but they’d have to wait Linda out and save her from herself.

“Who are you?” Linda asked through the door.

“My name is Cain Casey. I’m not sure if you’ve ever heard of me, but I’m from New Orleans, and my cousin is marrying Abigail Eaton. I know you’re familiar with Abigail. All I want is a conversation, and if you want me to go, I will.”

There was a pause, but the door opened with the security chain still on. “Are you alone?”

Linda Bender was a smallish woman with soft brown eyes and full lips. “People like me never travel alone, but I don’t want to overwhelm you, so they’ll wait outside. No one will bother us if you let me in.”

The door closed again, and she heard the chain sliding off. Linda appeared wary when she opened the door but stepped aside. “How did you find me?”

“I have a friend in Chicago who specializes in helping people disappear. He used his talents in reverse, and here I am. The problem is that Nicola found her own friend, and I think she found you as well.” She looked past Linda, and the two teenage boys standing there, looking scared and ready to bolt, made her want to hustle them all out to safety, but she couldn’t force someone to take the help she was offering. “Whoever she sends isn’t going to be offering you the same deal I am.”

“What’s that?” Linda said, sounding tired. “Work for you or you’ll kill me?” The boys came closer and stood by their sister. “That’s why I ran. I don’t have it in me anymore, and I want better for my brothers.”

“Ms. Bender,” Cain said, standing away from them so she didn’t crowd them. “I’m as different from your cousin as two people can be. All I want is your help, and for that I’m willing to share my friend with you. If you accept, this time when you disappear, it’ll be permanent, and you can go anywhere you want to.” She took her hands out of her pockets and placed them at her sides so Linda could see she wasn’t armed. “If you help me, maybe the day will come when you don’t have to hide behind a fake name and a fake life. Do you understand what I’m saying?”