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money?"
    She looked at me and grinned. "I'm a poor little rich girl. I thought you knew that."
    The phone rang and Hannah got up to get it. "Don't talk without me," she said over her shoulder.
    Of course, we did.
    "Maybe it's my imagination. Maybe none of this is happening. Perhaps it's a coincidence. I swear, when I ran into you this morning and I fell, I thought, God please, not again. I expected to see your car race down the road away from me, but when I saw you and you looked so concerned I knew you weren't part of whatever this is."
    "Was anyone with you during any of these attacks?"
    "Why, do I need a witness?" she asked.
    "No," I said. "But if there was someone with you, maybe they saw something you didn't."
    She sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm a bit jumpy."
    Hannah came back into the room. "You're talking without me." She got no farther then five steps before the phone rang again. "Jiminy Christmas!" She turned on her heels. "No talking," she called over her shoulder.
    I leaned over at put my hand on Maggie's, not surprised to find it freezing. "Don't worry, we'll figure this out."
    "I'm not sure what it is. Sometimes, I think I'm going nuts. I mean I'm a reasonably intelligent woman and I can't figure out why this is happening much less who is behind it." She looked at me then. "You do believe me, don't you?"
    I looked into the scared blue eyes. "Yes, I do."
    Hannah came back in the room. She looked disapprovingly at both of us. "You talked without me. I could hear you in the other room. So, now you have to tell me everything. Go on." She sat down.
    Maggie looked at her. "Who was on the phone?"
    "Stan," she said, not looking at me.
    I waited for her to tell me what he said. Then I waited some more. Finally, I took a deep breath. "Okay, what did he say?"
    She sat there, dusting off her dress or picking lint or something. I have no idea.
    "Hannah?" I asked.
    "Well, do you want the good news or bad news first?"
    "Bad news? There's bad news? How can there be bad news?" I asked.
    She smiled and gave me an inquiring look but wouldn't say a word. I wasn't sure who was more infuriating, her or her niece.
    I took another deep breath and caved. "Okay, give me the good news first."
    "I knew you would be a good-news-first person!" she said triumphantly. "Shows you're an optimist. I always say, show me a person who is a good-news-first person and I'll--"
    "Christ, Aunt Hannah, will you please give her the good news," Maggie said.
    Here we go again, I thought. I said nothing. I was not in control with these two.
    "Oh, all right. Well, the good news is that your car will cost next to nothing to fix." She smiled broadly.
    I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. "And the bad news would be?" I was so frightened.
    "He had to get a part for the bumper and it won't be ready for two days," she said as her voice trailed off to a whisper.
    I leaned back on the couch and looked at the ceiling. The ceiling was beamed in beautiful, dark oak that reflected the warm light from the fire and made the room feel cozy and peaceful. It belied the bedlam in which I found myself.
    The fire needed stoking. I dutifully put another log on, and it started to blaze again. I returned to the couch and was actually quite comfortable. I looked over to see both of them looking at me, with more than a little anxiety.
    Hannah said in a voice as low, deliberate and calm as a doctor who was about to put a straightjacket on you, "We would love you to stay the night. We have plenty of room. Don't we Margaret?" She looked to Maggie for help.
    "Of course we do, Kate." The straightjacket was coming as she continued, "It's pouring and Chance seems to be having fun."
    I looked at my cur sprawled in front of the fire. "True, true. She does look comfy. That is important," I said.
    "And it's getting late and you haven't eaten supper. And you two never told me what you were talking about when I was on the phone," Hannah added with a hopeful smile.
    "And Aunt Hannah