Page 57 (2/2)

"Brava Brava, " Emily applauded "You saved the boy" She turned to face ro of yours"

The joy that had reached my heart ran cold "What have you done to Mother?"

"That darky is not your uess maybe even never What did you do to Jilo?"

Ele "We dosed her"

"You and Joe drugged her?"

"Oh no Not Josef and I You and I The ic you asked her to collect for you It had a little bit of soer’ would never notice it," she said and laughed "All right, it’s true that puns are the lowest form of humor, but I couldn’t resist Your Jilo, your ‘Mother,’ I knew she could never resist tasting thespecial just for her She was dead within seconds of touching the power I do hope her passing was peaceful"

The word no sooner escaped her lips than a loud bang sounded on the door Emily turned, surprised As soon as she lost focus, out of the corner ofHe launched himself across the room and placed himself as a protective barrier between Emily and--bless his heart--Peter and Ellen

Another bang Emily shot a look at Joe, and he took a step toward the door, but halted in his tracks as a third bang rang out, sending a reverberation through the entire house A final bang sent the black-and-red door bursting open with such veheh the air, justJoe’s head as it flew over hi over to Emily on his hands and knees When he rose to stand, he positioned hi her shield him

"Next time you’ll open the damn door when Jilo knock" Jilo crossed the threshold into the entranceway, her walking stick still held high As she stood fra ripped across the sky, backlighting this fury in a purple turban, lilac floral-print housecoat, and crocheted slippers

"You are as hard to end as the cockroach," E the rooht, Jilo a cockroach" Jilo lowered her cane to the floor and leaned her weight into it as she bent toward Eone"

E at her fingertips She screa the ball at Jilo, who dropped her cane and opened her aruished face showed that it hurt like hell, but in a ed froether, and as the energy danced on her fingertips, it transformed in color from red to royal blue She pulled her hands apart and shot the ball right back at Eed hair rose up around her, but she reonna have to do better than that if you want to take out Jilo" The old wohter caused E power all her life, and now she ready to learn you a thing or two for round, and her cane popped up into the air She grasped the stick between both hands as a delighted gleam lit up her eyes "Coot"