This time it was Rory who had to clamp down on a spurt of irritation. He was already admitting his ignorance and asking for help ... but Abby knew what she was talking about, so he kept his frustration behind his teeth.

"I'm trying not to make too many assumptions, Abby," he replied, "but she has said that she just wants to get away from everything that reminds her of what happened. Thanks to that damn CD, that includes my voice. God knows I can't blame her."

He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "She can have all the time in the world, as far as I'm concerned. Whatever she needs to recover. But I'm not sure how much time she's willing to give herself."