"All right. I can think of some other ways that are even better."

He studied her a moment, frustrated. "Why are you so angry?"

"Don't you know? I thought you were supposed to be such a great doctor. He's marrying a woman with a three-year-old daughter. What's going to happen to that little girl, Mr. Famous Doctor? I'll tell you what. The same thing that happened to us. Well, I'm going to stop it!"

"I'd hoped we'd gotten rid of all that hate."

"Hate? You want to hear about hate?"

It was raining, a steady downpour of raindrops. .h.i.tting the roof of the speeding car. She looked at her mother sitting at the wheel, squinting at the road ahead, and she smiled, in a happy mood. She began to sing:"All around the mulberry bush,The monkey chased-"Her mother turned to her and screamed, "Shut up. I told you I detest that song. You make me sick, you miserable little-"After that, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The curve ahead, the car skidding off the road, the tree. The crash flung her out of the car. She was shaken, but unhurt. She got to her feet. She could hear her mother, trapped in the car, screaming, "Get me out of here. Help me! Help me!"And she stood there watching until the car finally exploded."Hate? Do you want to hear more?"Walter Manning said, "This has to be a unanimous decision. My daughter's a professional artist, not a dilettante. She did this as a favor. We can't turn her down... This has to be unanimous. We're either giving him my daughter's painting or we don't give him anything at all."She was parked at the curb, with the motor running. She watched Walter Manning cross the street, headed for the garage where he kept his car. She put the car in gear and slammed her foot down on the accelerator. At the last moment, he heard the sound of the car coming toward him, and he turned. She watched the expression on his face as the car smashed into him and then hurled his broken body aside. She kept driving. There were no witnesses. G.o.d was on her side.

"That's hate, Dockie! That's real hate!" hate, Dockie! That's real hate!"

Gilbert Keller listened to her recital, appalled, shaken by the cold-blooded viciousness of it. He canceled the rest of his appointments for the day. He needed to be alone.

The following morning when Dr. Keller walked into the padded cell, Alette had taken over.

"Why are you doing this to me, Dr. Keller?" Alette asked. "Let me out of here."

"I will," Dr. Keller a.s.sured her. "Tell me about Toni. What has she told you?"

"She said we have to escape from here and kill Father."

Toni took over. "Morning, Dockie. We're fine now. Why don't you let us go?"

Dr. Keller looked into her eyes. There was cold-blooded murder there.

Dr. Otto Lewison sighed. "I'm terribly sorry about what's happened, Gilbert. Everything was going so well."

"Right now, I can't even reach Ashley."

"I suppose this means having to start the treatment all over."

Dr. Keller was thoughtful. "Not really, Otto. We've arrived at the point where the three alters have gotten to know one another. That was a big breakthrough. The next step was to get them to integrate. I have to find a way to do that."

"That d.a.m.ned article-"

"It's fortunate for us that Toni saw that article."

Otto Lewison looked at him in surprise. "Fortunate?"

"Yes. Because there's that residual hate in Toni. Now that we know it's there, we can work on it. I want to try an experiment. If it works, we'll be in good shape. If it doesn't"-he paused and added quietly-"then I think Ashley may have to be confined here for the rest of her life."

"What do you want to do?"

"I think it's a bad idea for Ashley's father to see her again, but I want to hire a national clipping service, and I want them to send me every article that appears about Dr. Patterson."

Otto Lewison blinked. "What's the point?"

"I'm going to show them all to Toni. Eventually, her hate has to burn itself out. That way I can monitor it and try to control it."

"It may take a long time, Gilbert."

"At least a year, maybe longer. But it's the only chance Ashley has."

Five days later Ashley had taken over.

When Dr. Keller walked into the padded cell, Ashley said, "Good morning, Gilbert. I'm sorry that all this happened."

"I'm glad it did, Ashley. We're going to get all of our feelings out in the open." He nodded to the guard to remove the legirons and handcuffs.

Ashley stood up and rubbed her wrists. "That wasn't very comfortable," she said. They walked out into the corridor. "Toni's very angry."

"Yes, but she's going to get over it. Here's my plan..."

There were three or four articles about Dr. Steven Patterson every month. One read: "Dr. Steven Patterson is to wed Victoria Aniston in an elaborate wedding ceremony on Long Island this Friday. Dr. Patterson's colleagues will fly in to attend..."

Toni was hysterical when Dr. Keller showed the story to her.

"That marriage isn't going to last long."

"Why do you say that, Toni?"

"Because he's going to be dead!"

"Dr. Steven Patterson has resigned from St. John's Hospital and will head the cardiac staff at Manhattan Methodist Hospital...."

"So he can rape all the little girls there," Toni screamed.

"Dr. Steven Patterson received the Lasker Award for his work in medicine and is being honored at the White House...."

"They should hang the b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" Toni yelled.

Gilbert Keller saw to it that Toni received all the articles written about her father. And as time went by, with each new item, Toni's rage seemed to be diminishing. It was as though her emotions had been worn out. She went from hatred to anger and, finally, to a resigned acceptance.

There was a mention in the real estate section. "Dr. Steven Patterson and his new bride have moved into a home in Manhattan, but they plan to purchase a second home in the Hamptons and will be spending their summers there with their daughter, Katrina."

Toni started sobbing. "How could he do that to us?"

"Do you feel that that little girl has taken your place, Toni?"

"I don't know. I'm-I'm confused."

Another year went by. Ashley had therapy sessions three times a week. Alette painted almost every day, but Toni refused to sing or play the piano.

At Christmas, Dr. Keller showed Toni a new clipping. There was a picture of her father and Victoria and Katrina. The caption read: THE PATTERSONS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN THE HAMPTONS. THE PATTERSONS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN THE HAMPTONS.

Toni said wistfully, "We used to spend Christmases together. He always gave me wonderful gifts." She looked at Dr. Keller. "He wasn't all bad. Aside from the-you know-he was a good father. I think he really loved me."

It was the first sign of a new breakthrough.

One day, as Dr. Keller pa.s.sed the recreation room, he heard Toni singing and playing the piano. Surprised, he stepped into the room and watched her. She was completely absorbed in the music.

The next day, Dr. Keller had a session with Toni.

"Your father's getting older, Toni. How do you think you'll feel when he dies?"

"I-I don't want him to die. I know I said a lot of stupid things, but I said them because I was angry with him."

"You're not angry anymore?"

She thought about it. "I'm not angry, I'm hurt. I think you were right. I did feel that the little girl was taking my place." She looked up at Dr. Keller and said, "I was confused. But my father has a right to get on with his life, and Ashley has a right to get on with hers."

Dr. Keller smiled. We're back on track. We're back on track.

The three of them talked to one another freely now.

Dr. Keller said, "Ashley, you needed Toni and Alette because you couldn't stand the pain. How do you feel about your father now?"

There was a brief silence. She said slowly, "I can never forget what he did to me, but I can forgive him. I want to put the past behind me and start my future."

"To do that, we must make you all one again. How do you feel about that, Alette?"

Alette said, "If I'm Ashley, can I still go on painting?"

"Of course you can."

"Well, then, all right."

"Toni?"

"Will I still be able to sing and play the piano?"

"Yes," he said.

"Then, why not?"

"Ashley?"

"I'm ready for all of us to be one. I-I want to thank them for helping me when I needed them."

"My pleasure, luv."

"Miniera anche," Alette said. Alette said.

It was time for the final step: integration.

"All right. I'm going to hypnotize you now, Ashley. I want you to say good-bye to Toni and Alette."

Ashley took a deep breath. "Good-bye, Toni. Good-bye, Alette."

"Good-bye, Ashley."

"Take care of yourself, Ashley."

Ten minutes later, Ashley was in a deep hypnotic state. "Ashley, there's nothing more to be afraid of. All your problems are behind you. You don't need anyone to protect you anymore. You're able to handle your life without help, without shutting out any bad experiences. You're able to face whatever happens. Do you agree with me?"

"Yes, I do. I'm ready to face the future."

"Good. Toni?"

There was no answer.

"Toni?"

There was no answer.

"Alette?"

Silence.

"Alette?"

Silence.

"They're gone, Ashley. You're whole now and you're cured."

He watched Ashley's face light up.

"You'll awaken at the count of three. One...two...three..."

Ashley opened her eyes and a beatific smile lit her face. "It-it happened, didn't it?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She was ecstatic. "I'm free. Oh, thank you, Gilbert! I feel-I feel as though a terrible dark curtain has been taken away."

Dr. Keller took her hand. "I can't tell you how pleased I am. We'll be doing some more tests over the next few months, but if they turn out as I think they will, well, we'll be sending you home. I'll arrange for some outpatient treatment for you wherever you are."

Ashley nodded, too overcome with emotion to speak.

Chapter Twenty-eight.