‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Well, I don’t see any other way.’

‘An exorcism,’ Father Dominic murmured. He said the word like it was distasteful, like mucus, or something.

‘Look,’ I said, beginning to regret I’d said anything. ‘Believe me, it’s not a method I recommend. But I don’t see that we have much choice. Heather’s not just a danger to Bryce any more.’ I didn’t want to tell him what she’d said about David. I could just see him jumping out of bed and hollering for a pair of crutches. But since I had already let spill what I was planning, I had to let him know why I felt such an extreme was necessary. ‘She’s a danger to the whole school,’ I said. ‘She’s got to be stopped.’

He nodded. ‘Yes. Yes, of course, you’re right. But Susannah, you’ve got to promise me you won’t try it until I’ve been released. I was talking to the doctor, and she says she might let me go as early as Friday. That will give us plenty of time to research the proper methodology—’ He glanced at his bedside table. ‘Hand me that Bible there, would you, Susannah? If we can get the wording correctly, we just might—’

I handed him the Bible. ‘I’m pretty sure,’ I said, ‘that I’ve got it down pat.’

He lifted his gaze, pinning me with those baby blues of his. Too bad he was so old, and a priest, besides. I wondered how many hearts he’d broken back before he’d gotten his calling. ‘How could you possibly,’ he wondered, ‘have gotten anything as complicated as a Roman Catholic exorcism down pat?’

I fidgeted uncomfortably. ‘Well, I wasn’t really planning on doing the Roman Catholic version.’

‘Is there another?’

‘Oh, sure. Most religions have one. Personally, I prefer Mecumba. It’s pretty much to the point. No long incantations, or anything.’

He looked pained. ‘Mecumba?’

‘Sure. Brazilian voodoo. I got if off the Net. All you need is some chicken blood and a—’

‘Mary, Mother of God,’ Father Dominic interrupted. Then, when he’d recovered himself, he said, ‘Out of the question. Heather Chambers was baptized a Roman Catholic, and despite the cause of her death, she deserves a Roman Catholic exorcism, if not burial. Her chances of being admitted into heaven at this point aren’t great, I’ll admit, but I certainly intend to see that she gets every opportunity to greet St Peter at the gates.’

‘Father Dom,’ I said. ‘I really don’t think it matters whether she gets a Roman Catholic exorcism or a Brazilian one, or a Pygmy one, for that matter. The fact is, if there is a heaven, there’s no way Heather Chambers is getting in there.’

Father Dominic made a tut-tutting noise. ‘Susannah, how can you say such a thing? There is good in everyone. Surely even you can see that.’

‘Even me? What do you mean, even me?’

‘Well, I mean even Susannah Simon, who can be very hard on others, must see that even in the cruellest human being there can exist a flower of good. Maybe just the tiniest blossom, in need of water and sunlight, but a flower just the same.’