she would begin to slip into that world where alma st george was being pursued by her psychotic admirer , peterson , and then be hauled out of it by one of the voices from last night : anna 's , telling her that her ex-husband , the man who had sent her to daughters and sisters , had been murdered , or bill 's , sounding panicky and bewildered as he asked her what was wrong , or , worst of all , her own , telling him to stay away .