under control. “I can get you new identification, a new birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, social security number—the works—by Wednesday or Thursday. Everything you need to start up somewhere else.”
“You can do that?” She stared at him, then shook her head. “Even so, it’s still not going to be easy. I need the money from my checking account… And I just bought a car, but I haven’t had time to get it titled yet. Then there’s my house. My real estate agent thinks she can get high six or low seven figures for it. And there’s the retirement accounts. I won’t be able to access those without either the finalized divorce papers or Austin’s death certificate.”
He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. “Molly, you’re about to become a person of interest in a murder investigation. You can’t tie up those loose ends without running the risk of being found, either by the authorities or by whoever committed the murders. You’ve got to walk away from everything. I can have your estate held while an investigation is ongoing, and I’ll order a detailed audit. That will buy you some time, but you need to come to terms with it now—you’re not going to get out of this financially unscathed.”
She calmed as she listened. “What if I get a cashier’s check for what’s in the checking account?”
He frowned. “How much is in there?”
“Over forty thousand. I took what we had in our savings and checking accounts, and then I sold my jewelry, and after I switched cars there was still some money left over from the sale of the Escalade. That should be enough to at least get me started.”
He thought it over. “It’s too much of a risk.”
She jerked her hand away. “Maybe it’s a risk I’m willing to take. The police won’t be moving fast enough if I get to a bank branch first thing tomorrow.”
He snapped, “This isn’t about the police. I might know something about who could be hunting for you, and believe me—that’s not a risk you should be willing to take.”
Her eyes widened. “You know who’s behind this?”
“There’s evidence to suggest that my reason for being in Atlanta coincides with Austin and what has happened to you. The fact that you’re an awakening witch just complicates things.” He could no longer sit still and pushed to his feet.
She had drained his mug. He grabbed it and went to heat more water. This time he put two mugs in the microwave.
She followed him. “How do you know everything’s connected?”
He might have compromised his safe house for her, but he wouldn’t share anything about Maria without Maria’s express permission. “I have sources.” When she opened her mouth, he glared at her. “That’s all I’m saying. If you get caught, you can’t give away details you don’t know.”
She drew herself up. “I wouldn’t betray your confidence.”
He gave her a grim look. “I might trust your integrity and good intentions, but anyone will talk sooner or later if they’re tortured long enough. You’re going to have to trust me.”
“Wow.” She paled even further. “But you’re asking me to walk away with nothing. How do I disappear without resources? I wouldn’t even have a car. Even bus stations have security cameras these days.”
He spooned instant coffee into one of the steaming mugs and shoved it in her direction. “I’m working on it.”
Wrapping her hands around the mug, she took a sip, then said bitterly, “And why the hell you have this god-awful instant coffee boggles my mind. You spent thousands of dollars on the contents of that monitor room, and you couldn’t even buy a Keurig?”
He rounded on her. “It’s caffeine. It’s fuel. Shut up for a few goddamn minutes and let me think.”
She slid sideways, mouthing at him silently, Fine. Just fine.
He glared as she limped up the stairs carrying her mug. When the floorboards overhead creaked, he opened the fridge. She hadn’t touched any of the food since she vomited, and that had been hours ago.
Stalking over to the foot of the stairs, he roared, “And eat something with that coffee! How can you expect to heal if you don’t fucking eat?”
Blistering silence roared back. Great job, asshole, he told himself. She just learned she lost her husband and her lawyer. She’s losing her entire life, and you had to bite her head off.
She was a time suck. A disaster. And now she was probably going to become a money pit. Women like Molly Sullivan were