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Ida’s hand treht flickered over the walls and corners Ida had coe, and now she knew Knew beyond a doubt that she faced a terrible evil There was no screaan And just as Ida found the screaed into darkness

THE HOTSY TOTSY

It had been a thudding bore of a day; rain had kept Evie inside at thethe books on one shelf according to a taxonoht she’d lose her h the boredoht that--if she survived the afternoon--she’d enjoy what pro out with her friends Now the evening had coh every ensele-bead dress that shi of pearls wrapped twice around her neck On her feet were a pair of gray satin Mary Janes with curved black heels and saucer-shaped rhinestone buckles She painted her lips deep red, ringed her eyes in black, and topped it all off with a black velvet coat with a fur collar She slipped twenty dollars of her dwindling reserves into a mesh tile purse, spritzed herself with a blast from her atomizer, and breezed into the parlor Jericho sat at the kitchen table, painting miniatures for a battle-scene model Uncle Will sat at his messy desk by the bay s, surrounded by piles of paper and books

Hearing Evie, he raised his head for a second, studied her, and went back to his work "You’re rather done up"

Evie pulled on her opera-length, fingerless lace gloves "I’htclub"

"Not tonight, I’love "But Unc, Theta’s expecting o, it will pos-i-tute-ly be an insult She’ll never ask ain!"

"If you haven’t heard the news, there’s a brutalthe streets of Manhattan"

"But Unc--"

"I’m sorry, Evie It simply isn’t safe There’ll be another time I’m sure Athena will understand"

"It’s Theta And no, she won’t" Evie could feel the tears threatening She’d spent ages dolling up her eyes, and she blinked hard to keep the "Please, Unc"

"I’m sorry, but my decision is final" Will bowed his head over his book, final judgment, case dismissed

On the radio, the announcer extolled the merits of the Parker Dental System, "Because your dental health is too important to leave to chance"

Jericho cleared his throat "We could play cards if you like Or listen to the radio There’s a ne co on at nine"

"Swell," Evie said bitterly, stor back to her room She slammed the door and threw herself on the bed Her new faux-pearl headpiece shifted down over her brows and she had to push it back up Why of all nights had Will chosen this one to act just like, well, like a parent? They couldn’t live in fear behind the walls of the Bennington, never venturing farther than theout herat the world beyond the fire escape

The fire escape

Evie sat straight up She blotted at her eyes with her fingers and pulled on her gloves again She opened her door a crack "I’," she announced Very carefully, she pushed open herand stepped out onto the fire escape If there was one truth Evie had learned in her short life, it was that forgiveness was easier to seek than permission She didn’t plan to ask for either one

Several floors below, Mabel screa, "Pipe down It’s only ht be the Pentacle Killer, come to slit my throat"

"You and Unc Sorry to disappoint you" Evie s, what’s the matter?" Mrs Rose called fro, Mother! I thought I saw a spider, but I wasyou upstairs," she whispered to Evie

"Change of plans Unc’s forbiddenjust like a parent!" Evie scrutinized Mabel’s plain white organza dress "Gee whiz, did you lose your sheep, Pie Face?"

"What’s wrong with it?"