And terrified Henson would come for her. Skye had assured her again and again that they wouldn’t let anyone hurt her, but the sooner they left Blancha Springs, the safer Molly would be.
While Skye waited for Molly to finish her shower and get dressed, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed her stepmother’s number. Margaret answered on the second ring.
“Skye! Thank God you called. I’ve been worried sick. Did you talk to Callie?”
“Not yet, Margaret, but I’ve seen her. We know she’s in the compound, and we’re going to get her out.”
“Maybe she won’t want to leave. You know how stubborn Callie can be. What if she refuses to go with you?”
It was possible, but Skye couldn’t imagine her headstrong half-sister following Henson’s rules. Or obeying a demanding husband.
“I have a feeling getting Callie to leave won’t be a problem. We just have to figure out the best way to handle it.”
“Are you sure she’s all right?”
“Until we talk to her, there’s no way to be absolutely certain, but we’re setting a plan in motion. Be patient, Margaret. We’ll get her out as soon as we can make the arrangements.”
Margaret’s relieved breath whispered over the phone. “That’s very good news. I can’t thank you enough, Skye.”
The shower went off in the bathroom.
“I need to go. I’ll keep you posted.” Skye ended the call, and a few minutes later, the bathroom door swung open, and Molly walked out. She was taller than Skye and probably a year or two younger than Skye’s newly turned thirty.
Wearing the ankle-length printed blue cotton skirt she’d had on last night with a clean blue knit sweater, Molly had brushed her straight black hair so it curled under above her shoulders. It gleamed like a raven’s wing.
“I have to go, Skye,” she said. “Breakfast is at seven. When I don’t show up, Daniel will send someone to check on me. As soon as he figures out I’m gone, he’ll come after me.”
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.”
