"Did you hear all the things she's talking about?" she asked when they were out of earshot.
Maria nodded. "A lot of what your mother said is true. It was very strange. At the time she acted like she didn't understand him. Now I realize she did. Or maybe it all just came back to her."
"What do you think is really going on?" Ally was studying her, hoping to get at the truth. "She seems a lot better today."
Maria paused a moment. "Miss Hampton, I don't believe your mother is going to be with us much longer. I saw my own go through much the same thing. There's always a glimmer just before ..." She looked down and stopped.
"You said Grant asked her something about me. What—"
"I don't think she remembers. He was asking her about your blood type. It seemed a very strange question."
Ally couldn't think of any reason why he would be asking that.
"Maria, what was your impression of him? Overall?"
"Just that he seemed very nervous. Very uneasy." She hesitated, as though uncertain how to continue. "He wanted something, Miss Hampton. That much I'm sure about. But
this doctor he wants to take her to. It sounded to me like he does things that are against the laws of nature."