Becca was still staring at Old Bess. The strangest of expressions flitted across her face. Old Bess stared back at her calmly, not even blinking.

Karl looked from one woman to the next, not fully comprehending. But something told him that Old Bess had done it again. That woman was like a voodoo priestess or something; one way or another, you’d end up under her spell. And Karl spoke from experience: he’d been frequenting the Houdini Bar for ten years now.

“Nobody has ever stood up to Sassy before,” Becca whispered, with something akin to respect in her voice.

“And lived to talk about it, is that it, Becca?” Old Bess said with a guffaw. “Oh, it was about time the girl got a dose of her own medicine. She needs to face the facts about herself and realize how she hurts those around her.”

Becca sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted. “You’re right, Old Bess. Sorry I said those things about you. I just got jealous, I guess.”

She turned to help Karl support Sassy’s weight. “Come on, Cinderella’s carriage awaits.”