Without turning, Allie threw out her most irritated command. “Leave it on the table. I’ll get to it first thing.”

She had spent almost forty-eight hours straight searching for Bernardo and Vivian Prado, and she had nothing. If she didn’t go home soon and take responsibility for her son, her babysitter was going to quit.

So far, all she had found was the name of the drug company where the Prados worked and the fact that they were friends with a professor at U.R.I. The company, Pharmacan, had confirmed that four of their scientists had been killed in the Amazon, but they had no idea where the two remaining were located, if they weren’t in their home in Providence.

The team of scientists had worked in the Amazon to isolate some plants – some cultivars, she was told – to bring back to the U.S. and utilize for new drugs. So far, they had a drug for diabetes, a cancer drug, and a skin treatment for eczema.

When she went to the house, it looked empty. Allie hadn’t yet received a warrant to enter the premises, and she saw no sign of immediate danger to justify entering. Of course, someone had called in a tip, but Allie couldn’t find the someone, and she kept running into walls when she searched. Luciano Lopez, who apparently didn’t exist. The name was not particularly unusual, but she should have been able to trace the phone number. No such luck. The phone was a dummy line – highly suspicious.

As far as the professor, she had spoken to him. He seemed thoroughly closed off, as if he didn’t want to say a word about his friends. As if he feared that they would get in trouble. Of course, that fact made Allie wonder if the Prados were somehow involved in getting their teammates murdered – cartel business? A payout or something? She had lots of suspicion but no actual theories.

“I don’t want to fill out a report, Allie.”

She knew the voice, and her heart dropped when she heard it. Blowing out a breath, Allie slowly turned around to face her friend – she hated to disappoint people she actually liked. “I’m sorry, Tommy. I have nothing. I have hardly slept in two days.”

“Well, maybe I can help.”

Despite the encouraging content of the words, his tone was somber. She peered into his face. “Why do you sound like you’re about to give me bad news then?”

Tommy sighed. “Because, honestly, I hate to tell you. It’s…sad. Especially for people like us who have little kids.”

Ouch.

“So, came to you because I’m friends with the CEO of Pharmacan, Abena Sello. She was concerned about her people, understandably. I told you this had to do with public corruption. I didn’t really give you anything else, and frankly, I was a little surprised that you jumped on the case so easily.”

“I have my own reasons.” I don’t want to go to Peru.

“What I didn’t tell you – because it sucks, and I was hoping you could find something else – is that I have a suspicion about a state senator. It is a really huge leap, honestly, but it hasn’t gone away. You have four dead scientists, so if there’s a chance in hell that this is involved…”

“Just tell me, Tommy,” Allie pressed. “I’m not going to go try to arrest someone without insane amounts of evidence, so your speculations won’t do anything but maybe give me a siderail to travel down for a while. I’ll probably even put Talbot on it because I have my own tracks to follow.”

“Okay. There’s a state senator who has been stirring the pot regarding his daughter’s cancer drug. Pushing to get it declared an orphan drug, etc. That protects it from discontinuation. The guy is a piece of work, poor sap. Slept around on his wife both before and after their daughter came down with cancer. Gives definite preferential treatment to cronies, though nothing that could be called criminal. He’s an ass, but not a criminal so far. Abena told me that his daughter’s drug was slated to be retired, and that the scientists who died were working on the drug that was going to take its place. Think about it, Allie. This guy is not a big risk taker – he’s too greedy to consider getting in too much trouble – but if he thought he was protecting his daughter? I mean, you and I might even be tempted to break the law if we thought it would help our kid, but a guy like that? Who thinks of the law as an impediment and irritation to be stepped around whenever possible?”

“Wow…” Allie blinked at her friend for several seconds. “To be clear, you’re not making an accusation.”

“An accusation is way too strong a word. I wouldn’t even say I have a suspicion. I honestly just thought the coincidence stronger than nothing. It…bothered me. I didn’t want to tell you because I felt sorry for the guy. I would understand why he stepped over lines. But I also had to think of the scientists, of their families. At what point does grief or desperation stop justifying your actions? If there is a line, it is definitely before murder of innocents.”

Allie nodded. “You’re right, Tommy. This is less than a suspicion, but definitely more than a coincidence. I’ll put Talbot on it – lightly. If something looks suspicious, we’ll investigate further. If not, I’ll keep looking for the remaining scientists.”

“And I now feel like a horrible person, but I also think I’ve done the right thing.”

“It’s okay, Tommy. You know me.” Allie actually gripped his hand in reassurance. “I always want the guy to be innocent – I’m a weird fed.”

“You’re the best fed,” he smiled. “Say hi to that cute kid of yours for me.”

“I will. When Jamal gets back into town next week, you and Ignacia should come cookout. Have her give me a call.”

Standing to his feet, Tommy nodded. “Will do. Thanks for managing this.”

With another smile, she turned back to her computer and began clacking keys before he had shut the door behind him. She quickly shot off a message to Talbot, shut off the computer, and headed out the door. She needed to sit down to eat dinner with Owen tonight, no matter how pressing the case. Cancer, she sighed. She would show her gratitude for the good by not taking it for granted.

+++++++++++

“What do we do now?” Sebastian wondered as he watched Molly and Piper trek up the sidewalk to the bed and breakfast. “We can't exactly walk up to the door.”

“No, we need to contact Piper. Maybe get a place in Jersey to stay the night. Somewhere nearby. But first, call Piper.”

“How?” Sebastian scoffed. “She doesn't have her phone. You want me to email her? She has her laptop, if she cracks it open.”

Luke pulled out his phone. “Give me a sec,” he commanded. After about two minutes, he nodded his head. “She got a new phone. Same number.”

“That's just creepy, cuz,” Sebastian shivered. “Tell me you've never spied on me like that.”

Instead of answering, Luke just shrugged a grin and punched in Piper's number. “No answer,” he mumbled after several failed attempts.

“Probably a little suspicious,” Sebastian figured.

“So, you'll have to try,” Luke insisted. “Call her.”

Sebastian sucked in a breath. “She's not going to answer me,” he complained. “She's convinced herself I'm some kind of low-class gang lackey.”

“Ha!” Luke sneered. “If she thinks anything about you, it's that you're a high-dollar gang toady.”

“Not funny,” Sebastian leveled.

“Just call her.”

When the line went silent, Sebastian glanced down at the phone to see if Piper had refused his call. The seconds ticked slowly away. “Piper?” he queried.

“I can't do it,” he heard her say, and a second later, Molly's voice murmured into the receiver.

“Hey, Bash,” she smiled, plopping down on the bed in the warm, comfortable room.

“Molly,” Sebastian hummed, “it is incredibly good to hear your voice.”

“Thanks.”

“So, has Piper turned you against us yet?” he wondered.

“Not possible,” her voice grew stronger, and Sebastian managed a breath of relief.

“What happened to you?” he prompted.

“Well, I haven't told Piper yet – I mean, we just got here – but basically, some guys jumped me. I had stopped at a drug store on the way back to my apartment, and when I reached to open my door, they were there. I – nothing really bad happened to me, but I don't really want to talk about it.”

Piper stared at her friend, empathic pain clutching her chest. “Then don't talk about it.” Sebastian and Piper spoke in unison, and Molly turned a grin at her friend.

“Thank you both,” she smirked. “I'm sorry Piper's been an idiot.”

“Molly!” Piper complained.

“It's okay,” Sebastian replied. “Luke says that she's suffered a trauma and can give in to her less intelligent and more emotional impulses.”

“That's my Piper,” Molly laughed. “Less intelligent and more emotional. Stop!” she punched Piper lightly in the arm when Piper started to pout. “What have I told you from the first time I met you? You make most of my Brown friends look like simpletons.”

“Then stop letting Sebastian talk about me like that,” Piper glared.

“So, I need you to convince her to let us come see you,” Bash urged.

“We're pretty far away,” Molly replied skeptically.

“Not as far as you think. We've been following you since Newark. Don't tell Piper yet!”

When Molly blew out a breath, Piper stared over at her friend. Something had happened in the past few seconds. “What is it?” Piper demanded.

“If I'm going to do that, I need to get off the phone for a minute,” Molly insisted.

“Fine,” Sebastian agreed. “Call me back when you have an answer.”

Molly pressed the end button, and when she peered back at Piper, Piper looked angry.

Peering down at the bed, Molly feigned nerves while she turned the phone back on.

“What did Sebastian want?” Piper demanded, her voice hardening into near ice.

Molly opened the text messages, typing in Bash's name. “He wants to talk to us,” she shrugged, tapping on the square to type a message.

“I just don't know how to trust them,” Piper complained. “I mean, I certainly have some reasons to, but I also have reasons not to.”

After typing in the address of the bed-and-breakfast, Molly instructed Bash to head to see them immediately. “Well, I trust them, and I am not inclined to trust people,” she insisted. “I think we should see them.”

Piper chewed her lip. “You haven't been here,” she mumbled.

“No, I haven't.” Molly stood to her feet. “I've been with the real bad guys. Can we go to the little kitchen downstairs?” she queried abruptly. “I don't want to stop talking, but I'm hungry. That lady said we could grab a snack from the pantry or the fridge. You haven’t ordered the pizza yet, and I don’t want to wait.”

Huffing with frustration, Piper followed Molly out the door. “Okay, we'll get a snack, but I am not comfortable with this Sebastian thing. I know he looks all upper-class and suave, but he has some kind of history.”

“Who doesn't?” Molly shrugged as she headed down the stairs. “Sure, my father is Mr. Rich and Cultured, but my grandfather had to deal with the New York mafia on several occasions. I can't exactly claim blue blood.”

“That was your grandfather, though – not you.”

“But do you think my grandpa was a bad guy? He wasn't,” Molly insisted. “Here,” she handed Piper the peanut butter and bread and then headed to the fridge for the jelly. “If he hadn't played some games with the mafia, I wouldn't exist. Once he left the neighborhood where my father was born, my grandfather began to fight the mafia with everything in his power, but he didn't have a death wish. He had to protect my grandma and my dad.”

From the other room, Sebastian breathed a terse breath. He had never considered how similar his situation ran with New York in the early twentieth century. In truth, it made him a little less judgmental of his own past.

Molly spread peanut butter and jelly on a slice of wheat bread and then placed the other slice on top. “You want one?” she queried.

“No, thanks,” Piper shook her head, heading over to the fridge and grabbing a couple of drinks. “I don't have much of an appetite.”

If Sebastian waited for her to see him, Piper would probably run away before he could stop her. Ever since he had seen her aim her car at the goons in Newark, a sick pit of anxiety had churned in his stomach at Piper’s unpredictability. She was literally going to get herself killed. Bash peered through the little window in the kitchen door and spied Piper as she backed her way out into the shared living area.

Molly peered at him for only a second, quickly shifting her eyes to the food that she needed to replace in its correct locations, a silent instruction to wait. “I'm kind of surprised that I'm hungry, honestly,” she chuckled nervously. “I mean, I didn't eat for over twenty-four hours, but I usually lose my appetite when I'm under stress.” Ready, Molly nodded at Bash.

All at once, Piper screamed, and Molly guiltily averted her eyes as she grabbed the drinks from Piper’s hands.

“Good thing the owner lives in a different house,” Luke grinned, and Piper glared at him as she tried to squirm away from Bash's firm grip on her arms.

“Molly!” she accused, “I can't believe you did this.”

“You're going to hurt yourself,” Bash chastised. “Stop fighting me, and I'll let you go.”

“I'm going to hurt you!” she hissed, twisting so violently that she knocked them into a table.

Though he had tried to hold her lightly, not wanting to seem threatening, Sebastian now wrapped his arms fully around her waist and both arms, lifting her off the ground. Even though her anger distressed him, a small part of his mind smiled at Piper’s reaction. Hadn’t he celebrated how powerfully she had rejected Mitch Parkington? Her response to Sebastian followed in the same vein, and he was glad to see she was consistently strong.

“Luke,” Molly offered casually, as if Piper weren’t fighting to free herself from an assailant, “would you come help me with something?”

She actually took Luke by the hand and led him into the kitchen, leaving Piper in the adjacent living area where she struggled to free herself. Though he peered with concern at Piper, hating to leave her to Bash, he let Molly lead him away.

“Let me go!” Piper screeched, twisting futilely in Sebastian’s arms.

“Stop being a baby!” Molly yelled from the kitchen, no doubt having heard the voluminous protest.

Of course, Bash couldn’t continue to distress her as much as he had, but he also didn’t want her to run as soon as he let go. He spun her away from the kitchen door and released her toward the couch, hoping she would not just sprint away.

Instead of running, she rushed at Bash, pummeling her fists into his chest in rapid-fire motion.

“Ouch,” He complained lightly, though the fury brought a smile to his face.

“Uh,” she scoffed. “You are not smiling at me!”

“I’m sorry, Piper.” He gripped her wrists, stopping her attack.

The heat of the moment had stirred his accent, and despite her adrenaline, Piper had to work not to let herself react. “Not sorry enough!” she spat, trying to yank her arms free.

“Look, Piper, I’ll let go of your hands. Just don’t attack me again.”

“You attacked me!” she accused.

“I didn’t attack you,” he soothed, lowering his voice to his most persuasive. “I restrained you. I’m sorry. You would not listen to me. You kept running into danger. I – ” He didn’t know how to finish the sentence.

His apparent upset more than his words stilled Piper’s struggling. “You completely overstepped proper bounds,” she finished for him, glaring into his face as he lowered their hands.

“I did. I…Piper, why did you run away?”

No matter what, Piper would not let that puppy dog distress soften her and buy her trust. As much as she wanted to caress his face, to wipe away the wrinkles of anxiety, there must be some manipulation going on. She did not act this way with men.

“You said it yourself.” She finally pulled her hands away, and Bash did not hold on. “I’m smart not to trust you.” Turning her back on him, she stared at a small painting of flowers that stood above the little sofa. She did not let herself react when Bash stepped up behind her, forcing herself to breathe through her rapid heartbeats. He was so warm…

“I know. You’re right. I would rather you trust no one than trust the wrong someone. I just – you can’t keep running into danger.”

Spinning on him, Piper stared unwaveringly into his eyes. He was so close. “I had to get Molly back. No one else had managed it, and I did. She’s here, and she’s safe – unless Luke is dangerous.”

Bash licked his lips. She stood so close – all he would need to do was slip his arm behind her waist and pull her in for a kiss. To avoid that temptation, he stared at her shoes. “I – I don’t think he is. I’m sure he’s fine. He took care of me when I was a kid, all the time. He was amazing. But it’s been a long time. I don’t see him causing serious problems, but he’s not the same.”

“Bash,” Piper prompted. Sebastian seemed almost to have forgotten her, as if he spoke to his own thoughts. “Are you okay?”

With her question, Bash calmed. His struggle with her followed by her questions, his concern for her, his confusion at how to protect her while letting her keep her skepticism. His mind had frozen in anxiety, and her voice pulled him out.

“Um, I’m fine. Luke is fine, I’m sure.”

“Well, you have to know you’re not doing yourself any favors with my trust by restraining me.” The petulance had returned to her tone, and with it, the smile to Bash’s lips as he stepped back from her, creating space to lighten the mood.

“Understandably. Again, I’m sorry. Will you not run away?”

“Just your saying that makes me want to go jump in my car and drive.”

“No.” He reached a hand toward her, and she actually jerked away as if from a scorpion, gripping her own wrist as in protection from his trying to grab it again. “Just, why don’t I get Molly and Luke, and the four of us can talk.”

Piper rubbed her hand on her wrist. “Fine. But if I don’t like the conversation, or if I have a hint that you two are trying to maneuver us into a position of disadvantage, I will be out before you can move.”

Her bravado popped a fully smile onto Bash’s face, and Piper actually glared at his dimples. I will not relax around him! she chastised herself.

Fortunately for her desire not to swoon, Bash turned to the kitchen and pushed the door open, surprised as he did to encounter Luke and Molly in very close quarters, Molly leaning back against the kitchen counter and Luke standing much closer than usual propriety. When Bash took in Molly’s knowing smile, he decided that she was as much in control as Luke was. Behind Bash, he heard an intake of breath as Piper had obviously followed him to the door.

“Piper thought we should all talk,” Bash informed, his eyes dropping to the floor. He felt Piper move out of the space behind him. Probably as embarrassed as I am, he smirked.

“Of course,” agreed Molly, flashing a manufactured smile to the doorway. Bash didn’t miss the brush of her fingers on Luke’s arm as she said, “Let’s talk, Luke.”

Molly Pollard could give the best of them a run for their money when it came to seduction, not that Luke would be lured in against his will. If he were, it would be willingly.

When Bash turned back to the room, Piper sat on the couch, arms crossed, legs crossed, and jaw set in defiance of something, whether against Bash or against what had occurred in the kitchen, he could not know. Whatever the cause, she was all fire, and Bash reined in a laugh. Instead, he crossed slowly and carefully to sit beside her, approaching her as he would an unknown animal.

Molly and Luke stepped out from the kitchen, her arm hooked through his as if he escorted her to a ball. They whispered and murmured, and Molly laughed. Surprisingly, Luke peered nervously at Piper, as if to gauge her reaction. You just keep flirting with that one, Bash commanded silently. Stay away from this one.

“Okay, Piper,” Molly leveled, slipping her arm out from Luke’s and crossing her across her chest in mimicry of her friend. “Let’s talk.”

Bash smiled at Molly, too. He bet the girl gave Piper a run for her money in stubbornness.

“Luke?” Bash prompted, peering up at his cousin’s nervous visage.

“I just explained all this to Molly. Kind of everything that happened up to this point, how Bash had been worried about Molly, used Piper to try to find her. How Piper slipped away from us, but we caught up with her before she came to get Molly.” Luke studied Piper’s face, watching for any hint of softening.

Sebastian tilted his head at his cousin. Used Piper? Of course, Bash had considered Molly’s danger, but he had actually rushed to the Prados’ out of fear for Piper. Luciano didn’t need to be speculating out loud about motives, because he had given Piper the wrong impression. In fact, Piper switched the cross of her arms so that she now leaned away from Bash.

“Yeah,” Molly interrupted the thoughts, “the guys figured out pretty quickly that I wasn't involved. They had no idea what to do with me, so they let me go. I just don’t know why they came back.”

“Most likely, when they called their bosses, they were instructed not to leave any witnesses,” Luke explained as if he had special knowledge. “They realized that letting you go was a mistake.”

“And then I showed up and saved you,” Piper asserted, her voice crackling with irritation.

“You ran away from us,” Bash chastised. The memory of the man pointing a gun at her car sped his breath. “You put yourself in danger.”

Piper turned on him, facing him with a glare. “If you keep being so overbearing, I just might run away again.”

“So, Molly,” Luke prompted, ignoring Piper's squabbling with Bash. “Did you hear anything while you were there that could help us?”

“Help us what?” Piper inquired, suddenly interested despite herself.

“We still want to help you find the Prados,” Luke explained. “I mean, Lily is going to be missing them soon, and now that you've left her, she's going to feel it sooner.”

“And you need someone to help you with that,” Sebastian upbraided Piper. “You had no business going to the middle of the barrio to rescue Molly by yourself.” He wanted to put his arms back around her, to counteract the image his mind supplied of her rushing into some ambiguous darkness after the Prados.

“If I hadn't, Molly wouldn't be here.” Piper scooted a few inches away from him, leveling him with a petulant glare.

“She has a point,” Luke smirked. “Piper is a very capable person.”

“But she could have gotten herself killed!” complained Bash.

“But I didn't, and I saved Molly,” Piper sassed.

Molly couldn't help herself. “I don't know what you did to her, Bash,” Molly guffawed, “but Piper is not usually quite so contrary.” Piper’s eyes wrenched to Molly, incensed, and her mouth popped open in silent protest.

“So, you were going to tell us if you heard anything.” Luke returned the attention to Molly, not liking the tension growing between his cousin and the girl Luke was supposed to seduce. Of course, he still needed to confront Isaac about why he was in the coffee shop with her in Armonk – certainly, she did not need two men pursuing her.

“Well, if I did hear anything, I didn't comprehend it because it was in Spanish. - I took French,” she smiled at Bash. “But I kept hearing something about the Paracudas or something.”

“Barracudas?” Piper wondered.

“No, Piper. I'm not stupid. Not the fish. They definitely said Para-something.”

“Could it have been Peru something?” Sebastian wondered.

“Well, yeah. Perucada maybe?”

“Or Perucaña?” Luke corrected.

“Actually, yes. I think that was it: Perucaña.”

Sebastian and Luke exchanged a look.

“Well, it proves you were right about the tattoos,” Sebastian shrugged. “And it also proves,” he insisted to the back of Piper’s head, “that you were crazy to try to save Molly alone. At least you had the sense to leave Lily behind.”

“Somebody had to -” Piper halted mid-protest. “Wait, Lily! Jennie! Oh, my gosh she is going to kill me,” Piper whined.

“What happened to Jennie?” Molly demanded.

“I just – I left her the most horrible message, and then I haven't contacted her after. She probably thinks I'm dead!”

As soon as Piper's screen lit up, she recognized the icon that showed several new messages. Most just begged her to answer, but by the late evening, Jennie had started threatening. Finally, her last message warned: if I don't hear from you by morning, I'm calling the police, and Lily will just have to deal with temporary custody.

Panicked, Piper opened her sister's contact and started to press her number.

“Wait,” Bash arrested her hand in his. “Use mine. I don't want anyone tracing your call.”

She peered over at Luke. “I thought the trace was linked to my actual phone, not my phone number.”

“At this point,” he acknowledged, “it's possible that these people have access to high level equipment.”

“These people?” wondered Molly, lowering her hand.

“The Perucaña. They're a huge gang.”

“Why would a gang have access to advanced technology?” Piper begged.

“A gang wouldn't, but the Perucañas are not just a gang. They are an international organization run as an arm of a powerful South American cartel. The cartels possess technology that rivals the FBI – though not the CIA,” he grinned proudly.

“I am so confused,” Molly shook her head. “Why would a drug cartel care about the Prados?”

“I can’t know for sure but, either the Prados are not what they appear-” Luke offered.

“No way,” interrupted Piper. “The Prados are awesome people.”

“Or,” he continued, “it has to do with their research. Where did you say they were studying?”

“Somewhere in South America,” Piper admitted.

Luke lifted his hands in an expression of confirmation. “Which is where the Perucañas center their operation. Whichever country, if the Prados found something too close to the headquarters, it might affect the security of the cartel.”

“Yeah,” Sebastian agreed. “Discovery brings development: marketers, infrastructure, industry. Before long, the location provides no secrecy, and the cartel has to pick up and move or start an all-out war. It’s basic economics.”

“But in South America,” Molly contradicted. “Not in Rhode Island. Surely they don't just ride into the suburbs and attack nice academicians like the Prados – or their sweet little girl.”

At the mention again of Lily, Piper's stomach clutched in anxiety. She raised Sebastian's phone to him, waiting for him to enter the pass code. “My sister! Lily! I didn't call!”

Sebastian obediently entered the passcode, handing the phone back to Piper who immediately tapped in her sister's number. After a few rings, the ringing stopped. “Jennie?” Piper queried hesitantly. When she heard no sound, she peered at Molly with confusion. “Hello?” Piper asked again.

“Piper Jessalyn Hayes, what do you have to say for yourself,” Jennie's voice demanded before adopting a more conciliatory tone. “It's okay, sweet Lily. Auntie Jennie won't leave you like meanie Auntie Piper did.”

“I'm so sorry, Jennie. So sorry. I…I got a message from Molly, and I had to go get her before it was too late.”

“You had to go get her?” Jennie offered in the sing-song voice of a child, but Piper could hear the angry tension beneath. “And leave your sister with an extra baby? What, did she lock her keys in her car?”

Piper paused, glancing across at her best friend. “She was kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped?” the sing-song left Jennie's tone. “Then why didn't you call the police?”

“I don't know,” Piper moaned. “I just – I was just over an hour away. Who knew how long the police would take to move into action? It had been less than twenty-four hours, so I didn't think they would even acknowledge that she was missing. I just had to save her!”

As he listened, Sebastian softened a little in his judgment of her rash decision. With the information she possessed, what other choice could she have made? Besides finally letting me help her, he corrected.

Jennie, too, seemed moved by Piper's predicament. “Of course, Pip, I understand. I just wish you could have found a way to give me the information without giving me a heart attack, too.”

With Jennie's understanding, a deep tension washed out of Piper's body, and she leaned her head against Sebastian's shoulder, not quite able to sit erect anymore. Sebastian stared at his cousin helplessly, not sure whether to comfort her or pretend not to notice. Irritated, Luke shrugged.

“So,” Piper continued, her voice breathy with the release of her emotions, “I can be up there to get Lily tonight if you want, though I would prefer to stay here and get a good night's sleep – if it doesn't inconvenience you too much.”

“Are you done with all this?” Jennie demanded.

Piper chewed her lip. “I don't know,” she replied as honestly as she could. “I mean, I guess I'll know tomorrow if the Prados send their promised email.”

“Well, look. Lily is just a sweetheart, and she has been no trouble at all. Why don't you leave her here with me tonight, then if the Prados email you tomorrow, come get her. If not, leave her here with Paulina and me while you try to figure out what happened with the Prados. I don’t need you to get her until Brian is home.”

“I can’t thank you enough, Jennie.”

“No, you can’t. But someone has to take care of the babies while other people rush off to save the world. Guess I’m just cursed.”

Piper huffed a pained laugh, knowing that her sister intended levity. Piper, though, felt the weight of the task before her too heavily to take it lightly. As she cut off the call, she glanced up at Bash, her expression miserable, and Bash had to work not to wrap his arm around her in comfort. Despite her expression of familiarity, he wouldn’t risk that she would interpret the gesture as his trying to “restrain” her again.

Piper sat up and peered around the room, suddenly self-conscious that she had leaned against him. “I’ll check with the police in the morning,” she informed her sister, “so, that would be unbelievable if you are okay with it.”

“We are just fine with it, aren't we?” Jennie brought back the sing-song voice, and Piper knew that the conversation had ended.

“Thanks again, Jenn,” Piper poured into the phone with as much warmth as she could manage.

“It is our pleasure,” Jennie sang again. “I love you, Pip,” the regular tone returned.

“Love you, too. I'll let you know as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, and be careful.”

“I will,” Piper promised before disconnecting the call. She stroked the phone gently after she had said goodbye to her sister, and the room remained silent. For some reason, there seemed a gravity in the course to which Piper had just agreed.

“If you're going to try to find the Prados, you can't do it by yourself, Piper,” Sebastian chastised. “You don't have any resources, and you have a target painted on your back.” His accent thickened as he tried to persuade her, and Piper couldn't quite contain her smirk. If he spoke to her in such a voice all the time, he wouldn't have to work so hard to convince her.

She looked up at Molly, figuring that “alone” wasn’t quite accurate if Molly helped her.

As if called, Molly glanced up into Piper's eyes, and Piper noticed there an uncharacteristic solemnity that did not bode well for Piper's expectations. “So, I'm thinking you need some time to recover,” Piper prompted her friend, still hoping against hope that Molly might surprise her.

“Actually, I think I do,” Molly shrugged. “I'm not sure where to go, though. I can't exactly go back to Providence until someone figures out what's going on with the Prados. It doesn’t seem safe.”

“I'm sure Jennie would take you in. I mean, you're great with kids and super energetic and helpful. Why don't you go stay with her tomorrow until we contact you?”

With a tired relief, Molly caught Piper's eye and offered a silent thanks. “Either that or go to my mom’s. I’ll let you know.”

“And you'll let us help you?” Sebastian pushed Piper.

“Let me sleep on it,” Piper breathed. “I'll run my concerns by Molly and try to reason it out.”

Sebastian peered over at his cousin, unsure what to say.

“Sounds good,” Luke answered, reaching his hand down and helping Piper to her feet. Sebastian narrowed his eyes at his cousin, but Luke ignored the sick pit in his stomach as he placed his hand comfortingly on Piper’s arm. “We’re going to take care of you, Piper. We’re going to find the Prados, and we’re going to get Lily back to her parents.”

With more relief than she should feel, Piper nodded at Luke as she infused a steeling breath. “Thanks, Luke.”

She tried not to notice the eager look in his eyes – it confused her. Had she misread Bash? Had she misread the situation in the kitchen with Luke and Molly? Though Piper had noticed Luke’s approving glances several times, she did not think them particularly significant. As Bash rose to stand behind her, she grew very aware of Luke’s touch on her skin, and the desire that tugged at her to explain to Bash how the touch meant nothing. Dropping her eyes to the Persian rug beneath her feet, she pulled back from Luke, sure not to lean to close to Bash in the process. She slid away from them both and headed up the stairs, grabbing Molly’s hand as she passed by.

“Piper.” Molly started once they reached the privacy of their room, “I can’t believe I never knew how good you were before tonight. You’re like a distressed damsel on a mission – it’s pretty irresistible.”

Utterly confused, Piper stared at her friend in deep perplexity. “What in the world are you talking about?” Her heart hadn’t stopped beating from the exchange with the men she had left downstairs.

“I mean, I’m used to having all the guys fawn over me, and though I think they are all crazy for not paying you more attention, they usually don’t notice you all that much when we go out together.”

“Molly, I could be insulted, but besides the fact that you are totally right about that, I have no idea what you are talking about right now.”

Molly raised one eyebrow at her friend. “You cannot be that oblivious.”

“How oblivious? How am I being oblivious?”

“I knew that Bash was way more into you than he was into me, which was pretty humbling, but Luke is as enamored with you as his cousin. I see some cousin rivalry in your future.

Sputtering, Piper stood agape as she processed her friend’s words. “No,” Piper scoffed. “No, that is not right. First of all, I saw you and Luke in the kitchen. He was…” Piper wouldn’t admit that she had registered a guilty look on Luke’s face when she had seen him in conference with Molly. “…he was definitely into you. And have made it clear to Sebastian that his attentions are not welcome, not after today especially.”

“That stuff in the kitchen was flirtation. He flirts different than Bash – not that I would know from experience, because I’ve only ever seen Bash flirt with you. But Luke is just all about being smooth and forward. Bash is subtle and hinting. I think Luke was just plying me for information about you. And, if I’m honest, I was trying a little to attract him.” She grinned at her friend. “But then we get in the room with you, and he’s all…‘We’re going to take care of you, Piper,’” she mimicked in her best masculine voice. “Oh, that look he gave you before you came up the stairs! Not to mention how he kept throwing aggravated glances toward Bash when you were leaning on his shoulder.”

“You are totally imagining things,” Piper assured her, completely unconvinced of her own words. Suddenly, the walls of the room, the presence of the men in the room beneath her, they stifled her, and Piper wanted to run again.

“Okay, Piper, of course. I have no experience with this kind of thing. I’m sure you are a way better judge than I am of how guys act when they like someone.”

As Piper’s cheeks burned, she raised her hands to her face to cool the heat. She felt herself panicking at the thought of both cousins pursuing her – of anyone pursuing her. “Pursuing” is a bad thing, her fight or flight response told her, and she had no plans to ignore that voice.

“Take a breath, Piper,” Molly commanded. “Your lips are turning blue.”

When Piper opened her mouth, air rushed in as if in confirmation that she had been holding her breath.

“I promise, this is perfectly normal, and it’s a good thing,” Molly asserted with a smile, but Piper could not agree. Overwhelmed by the what Molly had said, Piper lay down on her bed and rolled to face the wall. Whatever plans she had wanted to discuss with Molly would have to wait.