Beth backed away, hands out. “You weren’t to get involved in this, any of you. The cottage was supposed to be empty. I was—no one should be here. But you are, which means you’ve interfered, as you always do. Where are they?”

Mabena tried not to bristle at the accusation, given that it had a bit of truth to it. “Where are what?”

“The deliveries. If I wasn’t here to receive them, they were to drop them for me at—but nothing was there. I need them, Benna, and Treasure Island too. Where are they?”

At the thump-scrape from her left, Mabena looked over, saw that Libby had put the stool down and sat upon it. And that her ridiculous cat was even now jumping into her lap, the black cap Beth had been wearing between his teeth like a prize.

She turned to Beth again, seeing no reason to give her anything but the truth. “Ollie has it all.” He’d insisted on taking it all home and putting it in his safe, and it had seemed the wisest plan. Let her sneak in there if she wanted them back.

“No.” Beth squeezed her eyes shut, pain flashing over her face like lightning. Then her eyes sprang open again. “You have to leave. All of you. And Mamm-wynn and Tas-gwyn and—everyone. Get them, get them out of here. Quickly. Go anywhere—just make sure it’s random.”

“Why? What in the world—”

“Can’t you just trust me? These people . . . they’ll stop at nothing. They proved that with Johnnie.” Her voice cracked.

So did Mabena’s patience. She lurched forward. “What does any of this have to do with Johnnie?”

Beth jumped away before Mabena could grab her. “Just go. Please. I’ll take care of this, I’ll—”

“We’re not leaving you to handle it alone! We’re family!”

Beth shook her head and ran toward the front door, still half-open from where she must have slipped in. Mabena wondered fleetingly how she’d gotten past the lock but just as quickly realized she must still have a key.

All of which served only to distract her long enough that she didn’t see the kitchen chair Beth tipped down behind her as she ran. It tripped Mabena up, tangled with her arms and legs and shouts. And probably inflicted a few bruises in the process.

Beth, blast her, was already gone by the time she looked up and out the door.

Hands landed on her arms, helping her up, but they weren’t Beth’s, as they should have been. Libby. “Should I go after her?”