Mom made Silver wait outside in the cold until she phoned Dad to find out if they needed a lawyer. Dad said it was enough if Mom stayed in the room, since Rose could hardly be under suspicion of murder, but they could always phone Diana Cambrick if anything got out of hand. Mom was resigned and tight-lipped, and curiously reluctant to ask Rose for more details about her sudden psychic powers. She seemed, more than ever, to be fervently wishing it would all go away. “Daddy said to cooperate,” she told Rose. “Because we may need the police’s help.”

Rose was considered too weak to come downstairs, so Silver came up to her room, with his hat in his hands, looking tired and awkward. Detective O’Hara came in behind him, snappily dressed and decorated with jewelry, but even she looked subdued. There were only two chairs. Silver’s bulk overflowed on the narrow desk chair.

Detective O’Hara took the comfortable armchair and regretted it. It was too casual and low and after a moment she shimmied forward and sat perched on the edge.

Mom stood next to the bed, and Rose could feel the tension in her body. She was ready to protect her daughter of course, but she seemed upset in some other way Rose didn’t understand.

“We’re ready to accept your … visions,” Silver said with difficulty. “We know you were home, sick in bed, when the murder was committed.”

Mom snorted. “You’re not seriously suggesting my daughter needs an alibi?”

“I’m only suggesting that, hard as it is for a man of facts to accept, I’ve accepted that your daughter has some kind of clairvoyant powers.”

“I don’t know if that’s accurate,” Mom said. “I’m not sure that’s the right term.”

“Does it matter?” Detective O’Hara asked from her corner.

Mom turned to her. “Yes, it does. Because it’s what will be spread all over the newspapers.”

“We’re doing our best to keep this quiet, Liz,” Silver said.

“I’m sure you are.” Mom seemed undecided. “I don’t want Rose’s name mentioned in connection with these murders.”

“No one is mentioning her,” O’Hara said.

“But it could come out, couldn’t it? You’ve got to prevent that.”

“We can try,” Silver said soothingly. “Now, if we — ”

Mom interrupted. “Your car is in my driveway for the second time in less than two weeks,” she said to him, as if explaining things to a child. “And next door … next door lives the biggest gossip in Bethboro.”

“Yes, well,” Silver said edgily.

“So don’t give me any of your sweet talk,” Mom spat at him, surprising Rose.

“Nobody is going to think less of Rosecleer if they find out she’s had some dreams.”