“She’s just having a little fun,” Alice said. “You don’t actually believe in it, do you?”

“Of course not, but Katie probably does. What are you doing?” she asked as Alice bent down.

“I’m picking up the hair, so we don’t ruin her spell.”

“This is crazy. I’m not putting the Bible back in the freezer.”

“Do you really want to be responsible for the spell not working?” Alice asked.

“It’s not going to work,” Lina said.

“Well, then there’s nothing to worry about, is there?” She took the Bible from Lina and put the envelope back in place. “Trust me, Lina, if it doesn’t work out with this boy, you don’t want her to think it’s your fault.”

Adele arrived in the late afternoon. As Katie, who appeared outwardly unfazed by her father’s departure, assisted Alice with dinner preparations, Lina checked on Logan, who hadn’t budged from his gaming console since Phil left. Then she joined her sister for a glass of wine in the family room.

“You need a lawyer,” Adele said.

“He’s been gone less than six hours.”

“The sooner the better. As time goes on he’s going to get less generous. You want to keep this house, don’t you? And first thing Monday, you need to open a bank account in your name and transfer twenty-five thousand into it. That way—”

“I’m not doing anything,” Lina said, her face heating. “He would never hurt me like that.”

“Yeah, and he wouldn’t take his mistress to your home in Steamboat, would he?”

“He took her to Steamboat?” Logan asked.

“Logan,” Lina whispered, looking up at him as he stepped farther into the room.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Adele said. “I didn’t know you were standing there.”

“Did he? Take her to Steamboat?”

“You weren’t supposed to hear that,” Lina said.

“I hate him.”

“No, you don’t.” Lina shook her head. “You don’t hate your father.”

“Yeah, I do.” As he stood before her with his chin tilted up and his jaw clenched, she knew her innocent boy was gone.