No part of this work may be reproduced in any fashion without the express written consent of the copyright holder. *** Everybody knows that Dorcas Mortag burns everything she touches. If you want your house to still be standing you wouldn't let her set foot in your kitchen. She could burn water if given the chance. But she was never a bright woman—not thick mind you, just not brilliant. I don’t say this to be mean. I say it because it’s true. I found out how true it was when I made a foolish promise to her over forty years ago. Secrets are hard to keep. I know. I've never been able to keep one, which is why people don't tell me things and I don't want them too. I have plenty of my own business in which to manage and I don't have time for someone else's mess cluttering up my mind. Promises are also hard to keep, but, unfortunately, easier to make. That's what got me into trouble. I’d made a simple promise a long time ago, never thinking much about it until I was asked to honor it.
