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“Why should she?”

“Stripping up linoleum, scraping off wallpaper …”

“Most likely she will be doing that while I am away at work.”

“Yeah, but she looks …”

He cocked his head, his black eyes as inquisitive and direct as those of a wary crow. “Yes? Looks? How does she look?”

“Noisy.”

He studied me over his raised teacup, as he tilted it and took a sip. Then he said, “You do not mean noisy.”

“I don’t?”

“You do not.”

“Then what do I mean?”

“I await the revelation.”

“Nasty,” I said. “Maybe a little crazy. She’s a little nasty-crazy.”

He put down his teacup and leaned forward. “I met this woman on the stairs yesterday. I said good afternoon, but she did not.”

“What did she say?”

“She made a suggestion I will not repeat. Nasty—I am sorry to say, yes. Crazy—maybe.” He leaned forward even farther. “May I share this with you, Jonah Kirk, and be certain you will never quote me?”

I raised my right hand. “Swear to God.”

“The best word to describe her is dangerous. I have known dangerous people in my life. Please believe me that I have.”

“I believe you, sir.”

“If you are intrigued by this Eve Adams, resist your curiosity. She is only trouble. We must hope she will be gone without damage.”

For a moment, I considered sharing my experience with the woman, but it seemed that if I told him about her threats, I’d have to tell him also that I had seen her in a dream, strangled and dead. I didn’t want him to think that the best word to describe me was nutcase.

I allowed myself to say only, “I think maybe she’s a witch.”

He raised his eyebrows. “How extraordinary. Why do you think this?”

“Sometimes she just … appears.”

“Appears what?”

“You know, sort of like out of thin air. In places where she couldn’t be.”

“I myself have not observed this.”

Having said too much, I rose to my feet and added only, “It’s freaky. Anyway, if you hear anything funny up there … I mean anything suspicious …”

“I expect to hear many suspicious things, Jonah Kirk. But I will not listen.”

“Huh? Won’t listen?” I tried to puzzle out his meaning. “Don’t you care if she’s up to no good?”

“I am concerned. But I want no trouble. I have had enough of trouble, you see. More than enough.”