“Well, far be it from me to leave a defenseless creature to fend for himself,” Helen said. She scooped the ferret up and tucked it in against her neck and chest, palm stroking along the length of his body.

“We’ll just look for Ravi and then come up for a name for you once we’ve found him, all right? You’ll like Ravi. He’s got an open mind too. It’s part of the reason I like him so much.”