No more than a few minutes after the pocket watch was thrown out, the phone in the room rang, like the ominous chime of a cursed bell. Winnie jumped in fright, picked up the receiver without speaking, thinking it might be some creepy, obsessive fan.

Startled by the sudden ring, she heard a low, cold voice on the other end, "Actually, you could have just told me directly this way."

"And then?" Eric asked, barely holding back a laugh.

"She said okay, and next time she'll know ...