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Dare stared. “My favorite: ‘Night and Day’!”

Freeboard moved toward the doors.

“That you in there, Doc?” she called out.

“Miss Freeboard?”

The voice from within was deep and pleasant and oddly unmuffled by the thickness of the doors. Freeboard opened them wide and stepped into the Great Room. All of its lamps were lit and glowing, splashing the wood-paneled walls with life, and in the crackle of the firepit flames leapt cheerily, blithe to the longing in the strains of “Night and Day.” Freeboard breathed in the scent of burning pine from the fire. The sounds of the storm were distant.

“Yeah, we’re here!” she called out. She smiled, moving toward the piano, while at the same time removing her dripping sou’wester. Behind her came Dare and, more slowly, Anna Trawley. Freeboard’s boots made a squishing sound. They were soaked.

“Ah, yes, there you all are again, safe and sound,” said Gabriel Case. “I’m so glad. I was worried.”

He had strong good looks, Freeboard noticed. The firelight flickered and danced on his eyes. She saw that they were dark but wasn’t sure of their color.

“This storm is amazing, don’t you think?” he exclaimed. “Did you order this weather, Mr. Dare?”

“I ordered Chivas.”

Dare and Freeboard had arrived at the piano and stopped. Anna Trawley hung back beside a grouping of furniture that was clustered around the fireplace. She was glancing all around the room with a vaguely uncertain and tentative air.

“Are you a ghost?” said Dare to Case.

Freeboard turned to him, incredulous, her eyes flaring.

“What crap is this?” she hissed in a seething undertone.

“That’s how they show them on the spook ride at Disneyland,” said Dare, not lowering his voice: “a lot of spirits dancing while a big one plays piano.”

Abruptly Freeboard put a hand to her forehead. “This has happened before,” she said, frowning.

Case raised an eyebrow. “What was that?”

“I’m having déjà vu,” Freeboard answered, troubled.

“This is neither the time nor the place,” snapped Dare.

Freeboard put her hand down and looked at him oddly.

“Jesus, Terry. I knew you were going to say that.”

“How could you?”

“And I knew what Dr. Case was going to say.”

“That’s incredible,” said Case. He lifted his hands from the keyboard. “Déjà vu reflects backward, not forward,” he said. He turned his head slightly and looked past Freeboard. “Ah, here—”

“Comes Morna.”

Dare and Freeboard had said it together with Case.

Case stared. He glanced to Morna for a moment—she was standing close by—and then stood up, looking mildly puzzled.

“How on earth could you have known Morna’s name?”

“I don’t know,” said Dare. He looked perplexed.

“It’s all happened before.”

At the quiet voice, they all turned and saw Trawley in a chair by the fireplace. Her haunted stare was on Case.

“You too?” Dare asked her.

The psychic turned to him and nodded. “Yes.”

Freeboard lowered her head into a hand.

“Hey, wait a minute, guys. I’m getting weirded out.”

“Yes, it truly is amazing,” said Case. “Awfully strange.” He continued to stand behind the piano, but his arms were now folded across his chest. He seemed somehow not a part of the group, but an observer, detached, as if watching the unfolding of a play.

Freeboard put a hand to her head, walked sluggishly over to a sofa and sat on the back of it. “I’ve got to sit down,” she said weakly. “I’m feeling so tired all of a sudden.”

“Now that you mention it,” said Dare, “ditto.” He headed for the furniture grouping. “What is it?” he wondered aloud. “I feel utterly drained for some reason. And I’m feeling disconnected from things.”

Freeboard nodded. “Yeah, me too,” she said softly.

Dare sat down on the sofa behind her.

“What is it, Joanie? What could it be?”

“I don’t know.” Abruptly Freeboard winced, as in pain. “Jesuspeezus, my head!” she complained.

“Is this house playing tricks with us already, Dr. Case?” Dare asked. “I mean, presuming there are tricks to be played.”

Inscrutable, Case glanced over at Trawley and asked, “What’s your read on all this, Anna? What do you think?