‘‘I’m . . . I’m not finished with this. I’m not done.’’

The click of the disconnect was loud. ‘‘Maybe not,’’ Grace said in a soft and dangerous voice. ‘‘But neither am I.’’

‘‘Gloria DeLauter,’’ Anna murmured. She stood just on the other side of the screen door, where she’d been for the last two minutes.

‘‘I don’t think she’s human. If she’d been here, if she’d been in this room, I’d have had my hands around her throat. I’d have choked her like an animal.’’ She began to shake now, fury and reaction crashing against each other inside her. ‘‘I’d have killed her. Or tried.’’

‘‘I know how it feels. It’s hard to think about someone like her as a person and not a thing.’’ Anna pushed the door open, her eyes on Grace. She would never have expected to see that white-hot rage in such a mild-tempered woman. ‘‘I see it all too often in my work, but I never get used to it.’’

‘‘She was foul.’’ Grace shuddered. ‘‘She thought I was you when I answered the phone. I tried to tell her at first, but she wouldn’t listen. She just shouted and threatened and swore. I couldn’t let her get away with it. I couldn’t stand it. I’m sorry.’’

‘‘It’s all right. From the end of the conversation I could hear, I’d say you handled it. You want to sit down?’’

‘‘No, I can’t. I can’t sit.’’ She shut her eyes, but still only saw that blinding red haze. ‘‘Anna, she said she’d come back and get Seth if you didn’t give her money.’’

‘‘That’s not going to happen.’’ Anna moved to the refrigerator, pulled out a bottle of wine. ‘‘I’m going to pour you a glass of this. You’re going to drink it, slowly, while I get my notebook. Then I want you to try to tell me what she said, as close as possible to exactly what she said. Can you do that?’’

‘‘I can. I can remember.’’

‘‘Good.’’ Anna glanced at the clock. ‘‘We’re going to want to document everything. If she does come back, we’re going to be ready.’’

‘‘Anna.’’ Grace stared down into the wine Anna had given her. ‘‘He can’t be hurt anymore. He shouldn’t have to be afraid anymore.’’

‘‘I know it. We’ll make sure he’s not. I’ll only be a minute.’’

ANNA TOOK HER through the conversation twice. As she went through it the second time, Grace found herself unable to sit. She rose, leaving her glass of wine half full, and got a broom.