“Everything,” said Tony. “And then some.”

It was ten o’clock before Angie even thought about John. All evening they had been sitting reading parts of the manuscript out loud to each other, sometimes just to hear the rhythm of the words, other times because the story dragged them along as surely as dogs on a leash.

“Why hasn’t she ever published anything?” said Tony, more than once. “She writes as well as her sister.”

At some point Angie had dug out her binder and started to take notes. They discussed strategy at first, how to bring Miss Zula into the conversation about the autobiography and how to handle the information it revealed.

“Voice-over narration,” said Rivera. “It’s the only way to do this.” Tony liked Anthea Bragg’s voice, which was low and a little husky; Rivera thought her sister would be a better choice.

There was an energy in the room, words sparking in the air.

“Do you think Maddie would have held it back and never given this to us if we hadn’t raised the subject of Abe and Anabel?” Tony asked, when they had settled down a little.

“I’ll bet it was Zula holding it back,” Rivera said. “It was a test, and we didn’t even know it until we passed and the gates opened.”

“It was a bet,” Angie said. She sat up straight. “She and Maddie had some kind of bet. Zula lost and she had to let Maddie give us the manuscript.”

That sounded exactly right, but what were they betting on? Angie looked at a quote she had copied down from the manuscript: Not every woman is suited to motherhood. Our mother was one such woman. “Without Maddie’s manuscript, whatever we put together would be only part of the story. Miss Zula knows that, but she would have let it happen.”

“It’s going to be an interesting discussion,” Tony said. “But it will have to wait until tomorrow. I’m hungry. Anybody want to go out while we can still get dinner someplace?”

“Thomasina’s,” said Angie, bolting up from her chair.

“Thomasina’s stops serving at ten,” Tony said, looking at her with some alarm. “It’s quarter after.”

Angie closed her eyes. “Tony, this is going to sound so rude, but could you go away? I need to talk to Rivera. Right now.”

“’S okay,” he said, pushing back from the table. “I’ll head on down to the Hound Dog and dine on Vienna Sausages.”

The doorbell rang.

“Too late,” Angie said. And to Rivera: “I’m really sorry, I wanted to tell you about this before. Caroline is back.”

Rivera’s face lit up, with excitement and with hope.

Tony looked at her with a new understanding. He said, “Oh.”

The doorbell rang again, and Angie went to get it.