We witnesses have been escorted back to our waiting room because a time-out was called in the trial. Thelma, though, is off in the restroom with Sandy, who offered to scrub the apple gook out of her cornrows with a handkerchief.

Esther is arguing with Ringo, who wants us to sit and wait in silence. Esther wants to question Albert Schmidt, the asylum manager, who is waving Thelma’s hand fan in front of his face and muttering, “Dear me.”

“No way did Johnny push Willa,” Esther shouts at Ringo. “I saw that chick jump. She was bonkers, wasn’t she, Albert? She was always threatening to kill herself. She was completely out of her mind!”

“Dear me,” Albert repeats.

“For a little person, you sure got a big f*cking mouth,” Ringo says to Esther, his arms crossed over his chest.

Esther goes almost as purple as a do-good armband. “I’m reporting you, assh*le. I’ll get you fired.”

“Yeah, get me sacked. You’ll be doing me a favor. I’m tired of this bloody job anyway. I should be a tailor rather than a jailer. Much less headache.”

I tell Esther to come sit with me. “It’s not worth getting riled,” I say, even though I am riled myself and feel sick to my stomach.

“Oh, Esther,” I whisper, my voice cracking as though I am finally going through puberty. “Johnny wants to redie.”

“What are you talking about?” she says, but by her anxious look, I can tell she knows exactly what I am talking about.

“He wants the redeath penalty.”

Redeath, I realize, may be the portal he thinks he has found.

Esther shakes her head. “What kind of game is that imbecile playing? He’s so calm and collected even though he’s saying the craziest things. It’s like he wants to appear sane so that he seems even more dangerous.”

“Sane?” Czar scoffs. “As sane as Jack the Ripper.”

Esther shoots back, “Too bad you aren’t still in a coma.”

“For shame!” Benny Baggarly says. “Czar almost redied.”

“Dear me!” Albert Schmidt repeats, waving his fan frantically. “A patient was murdered on my watch. How will I ever forgive myself?”

Ringo cries, “I’ll murder somebody if you all don’t shut the f*ck up!”