Jolynn’s missing soul had proved to be a moral blank slate. Her parents inscribed goodness on it, and she became good. She married a good man, a doctor many years her senior, and followed him into the wilds of Africa, bringing medicine to the afflicted. But when she contracted malaria, her husband sent her home to recuperate, not with her aging parents, but in a California sanitarium. Freed from the watchful eyes of parents and husbands, the truth about Jolynn’s soul became clear. It was indeed a slate, and could be erased just as easily as it had been written.

Jolynn had never returned to Africa. She found a job, took a lover, and fell into a crowd that valued a good martini over a good deed. But, after five years, she was growing bored. When the Nix had been looking for potential partners, she’d stumbled on Jolynn and, seeing what the woman was contemplating doing to ease her boredom, the Nix had offered her help.

Now Jolynn sat on the porch behind her apartment, mentally prattling on about what she was going to wear to the party that weekend, who she hoped would be there, and so on, the trivialities streaming from her empty head like bubbles. The Nix felt herself drifting with those bubbles, becoming weightless with weakness and tedium, fluttering—

“Can we do it after the party?” Jolynn asked. She didn’t speak the question, just thought it, directing it at the Nix, who’d taken up residence inside her.

The Nix roused herself with a shake. “Yes, that should give us time to plan. How do you want to kill them?”

A pout. “I thought you were going to tell me that.”

“I could…and I will, if you’d like, but you’ll derive more satisfaction from it if the method has some meaning to you.”

From the mental silence, the Nix knew she was talking over Jolynn’s head…again. She bit back a snarl of frustration. Patience, she told herself. Take her hand and show her the way, and she will reward you for it.

“We’ll work on an idea together,” the Nix said. “It might help me plan if I knew why you want to kill them. They’ve been your friends for years. Why now?”

Jolynn brightened. “Because now you’re here to help me.”

“No, I mean why them. What have they done to you?”

“Done to me?”

“Never mind,” the Nix said. “Let’s just—”

“No, I should have a reason. It’s only right.” She squinted up at the bright sky. “Ummm, they’ve been sleeping with my man, and I’m jealous.”

“Of course you are. That must have come as a horrible shock.”

“Oh no, I’ve known about it for years. I don’t mind—heck, I introduced him to them.” She paused. “But it’s a good excuse, don’t you think?”