THE SHRILL of the alarm at 7:30 am irritated Evelyn as she struggled to switch it off. It had been barely four o'clock that morning when she'd managed to doze off. Her head throbbed from exhaustion but her constant feeling of nausea seemed to be mild today, though she was pretty sure the détente was only temporary.

She groaned as she pulled herself out of the bed, shuffling toward the bathroom. In the shower, Evelyn mentally tried to sort out her to-do list as hot water pelted down over ...