“He looked at me for a long time before he answered. Then he said, ‘Don’t talk to it,’ he said. ‘Don’t entertain it with talk or looks or any form of attention. Remember, it can’t do much to you without your helping it. Just maybe it can’t do anything to you without your helping it. Take the ghost of Hamlet’s father, for instance. Suppose Hamlet had never gone to meet it and spoken to it. Suppose he had never given the ghost an opportunity to put a story of murder into his mind. The result was pure destruction for innocent and guilty. Think on it. What if Hamlet had refused to speak to that ghost?’

“ ‘You mean the ghost was evil?’ I asked.

“ ‘The play tells us so,’ he said. ‘It could be named The Damnation of Hamlet.’

“I nodded.

“He left the room and I lay there, getting sleepy and woozy and thankful that Goblin now took the chair by the bed, and I took his hand in mine.

“I thought of the malicious stranger. ‘Who was that bastard, Goblin?’ I asked. ‘How did he get in my room?’

“When I heard no telepathic answer I turned and looked at him, and I saw that same grave expression on his face that I had remarked down in the cemetery, after I’d buried the remains of Rebecca.

“ ‘Can’t you talk to me, Goblin?’ I said. ‘Listen, I’ll have them bring me paper and crayons tomorrow—a big sketchpad, you know—and we can write to each other.’

“He shook his head. He almost sneered. He did sneer. He looked cold and then angry. Computer, Quinn, bring a computer here.

“ ‘Of course,’ I replied. ‘Why didn’t I think of that? I’ll get a laptop, I’ll tell them I have to have it.’

“I was getting sleepier and sleepier. He sat there, my guardian, and then he spoke to me telepathically again. Anger makes me strong, Quinn.

“ ‘Anger’s bad,’ I murmured. I was drifting off. I woke with a start, then reminded myself that I was safe. Aunt Queen came in. I heard her telling the nurse that I was falling asleep. They had to wake me up.

“I heard Jasmine at my ear:

“ ‘Little Boss, listen to me,’ Jasmine said, ‘we’re booked solid at the Manor for the next two weeks. I have to go on back home again and so does Mamma. We have no choice. But Miss Queen is all set up. And the guards are outside. Don’t you worry on that account. I’ll be back when I can.’

“ ‘Kiss me,’ I murmured. I was falling asleep.