“Why don’t we summon Solano instead?” Nitro offered as a solution to their dilemma. Elizaveta suspected he, like everyone else with the exception of Rosa, was playing along for Pita’s benefit. “He died here too.”

Pita seemed to contemplate that, then shook her head. “No, I want to summon the girl. We’ll just call her…Candelaria. Is that okay, Pepper?”

“Sure, Pita, why not?” he said. “Candelaria’s fine.”

“You okay, Peps?” Jack asked him. “You’re not looking all that great.”

“I’m just tired. I might lie down after this. Okay—we’re ready?”

“Ready,” Pita said.

“Ready!” Rosa said earnestly.

Pepper offered a short prayer and a request for protection, told them to repeat after him, and said in a theatrical voice: “Spirit of the past, move among us.”

They repeated: “Spirit of the past, move among us.”

“Be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us.”

“You couldn’t miss that light,” Jesus mumbled.

“Quiet, Jesus!” Pita said.

“People!” Pepper said. “Negative energy will dissuade the spirit. And try sounding a bit more respectful, like you’re inviting someone into your home.” He started from the beginning again: “Spirit of the past, move among us.”

“Spirit of the past, move among us.”

“Be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us.”

“Be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us.”

“Beloved Candelaria, be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us.”

“Beloved Candelaria, be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us.”

“Now close your eyes,” Pepper instructed them softly. “And wait.”

Elizaveta closed her eyes. She half expected someone to scream, to try to scare them, but no one did. One minute stretched into two, then three.

Finally she opened her eyes to peek at the others. Jesus and Nitro both had their eyes open as well. Jesus was screwing up his face, trying to make Nitro laugh.

“Did you feel that?” Pepper said suddenly.

“What? Pita breathed.

“I felt a presence.”

“I think I did too!”

Elizaveta hadn’t felt anything. She closed her eyes again.

“I think Candelaria’s spirit is with us,” Pepper said. He adopted the theatrical voice: “Our beloved Candelaria, thank you for joining us on this cold and wet evening. We are honored by your presence. We seek answers from the world you inhabit beyond the grave, and if you so choose to reply, please use one rap for ‘yes’ and two raps for ‘no.’” He whispered: “Okay, Pita. Ask your questions, but keep them simple.”

“What should I ask?” She sounded unsure of herself.

“How about next week’s lottery numbers?”

“Jack!”

“People!” Pepper said.

“Our beloved Candelaria,” Pita said loudly, mimicking Pepper’s mannered intonation, “did you drown on this island fifty years ago?”

There was no response.

“Ask again,” Pepper said.

Pita repeated the question.

They waited in silence until Pepper whispered, “Did you hear that?”