That might just be anger and outrage in the wake of the beating speaking, but Jennie didn’t think so. This woman knew Rod Calligan as well as anyone could. This was probably experience talking, not anger. The bruised face looked determined; the hands clenched on her tissue spoke volumes about her feelings.

“It’s going to take two days before I can get the kids out of here,” Toni continued. “Maria says that I should be very cool and very meek, try and stay out of his way as much as possible, and act as if I thought I deserved all this, so he doesn’t suspect that we’re about to run.” Her jaw tightened, and tears started up again. “Anyway, I’m going to be so busy with the—taking care of—I think I can keep myself and the kids out of his way.”

“Good,” Jennie said, but Toni wasn’t through.

“You’ve done so much to help,” she continued. “I don’t know much about what Rod’s been doing, but maybe I can find out something for you in the next two days.”

“Don’t do anything that puts you at risk,” Jennie warned, a little alarmed. She did not want Toni hurt worse than she already was! “You’re going to be at risk enough from Rod, and then there’s the mi-ah-luschka. I have no idea what they’ll try next, or when!”

“Can’t you do something for her?” David asked, his own eyes dark with concern. “You got them to leave me alone.”

But she had to shake her head. “You came into their territory, and I was able to bluff them into thinking you were with me.”

She turned to Toni. “I wish I could do something. If I could protect you from them, I would, but while you live in this house, under this roof, they will not believe me if I try to tell them that you are not a lawful target. It will have to wait until you have filed divorce papers; that act will resonate into the spirit world, divorcing your spirits as well as your marriage. Then I—or better still, my grandfather—can perform a purification ceremony for you that will take you completely out of Rod Calligan’s sphere, so far as the spirits are concerned.”