0aeaa1e36e6f2e625b6ba8d48f773062

There was a modest little waiting area, where a few chairs had been placed, and a curtained-off area where she assumed the fortune teller conducted her business.

“Um, I guess we’re supposed to wait here,” she said, and took a seat.

“Oh, darn,” said her mom. “I forgot to bring cash. I hope she takes Visa.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” said Odelia, glancing around. All along the wall testimonials had been framed, and she read a couple of them. ‘Madame Solange predicted I’d become a millionaire before my nineteenth birthday, and I did!’ one read. ‘Madame Solange said I’d marry my childhood sweetheart, and guess what? I’m getting married next month!’ another excited testimonial read. “This Madame Solange sure has a high success rate,” she said as she read a few more messages.

“Do you think she’ll take a check?” Mom murmured as she rummaged around in her purse. “Looks like I forgot to bring my credit cards, too.”

Odelia placed a hand on her mom’s arm. “Relax, Mom. You were here before, weren’t you? So you know the drill.”

“Yeah, but your dad took care of everything. We should have asked him to come along.”

“It’ll be fine,” Odelia repeated, though she was feeling a little nervous herself. She’d never been to one of these fortune tellers before, and didn’t know what to expect. “So does she work with cards or a crystal ball or what?” she asked.

“Crystal ball,” said Mom with a nod. “Though she hardly even looked at the thing.”

Just then, the curtain was shoved aside, and Madame Solange appeared. She was younger than Odelia had expected, and prettier. Somehow she’d thought a fortune teller should be an old crone, with a hook nose, a big fat wart, and looking like an evil witch.

“Come in,” said Madame Solange, giving both women a warm smile, and so Odelia took a deep breath and walked into the inner sanctum of the teller of all fortunes.

They took a seat at a small round table, and Madame Solange adjusted her robe, which was a nice brocade with gold thread, and must have cost her a pretty penny.

All around, the walls were papered with an expensive velvet wallpaper with the same gold thread, and on the floor a thick carpet lay. Subdued lighting lent the small room an intimate atmosphere, and the lack of windows made Odelia feel slightly claustrophobic, which was probably intentional. They’d clearly entered a completely different world.

“Now what can I do for you?” asked Solange, still that faint smile playing about her lips. “Oh, and before we begin, I have to warn you that this session is being filmed.” She gestured to a camera that was mounted against the wall behind her, and which Odelia only now saw. “I’m being followed for a whole year,” Solange explained, “as part of a documentary. They’re doing a six-part series on me and the fairground in general—but me in particular,” she said with a touch of pride. “So I hope you have no objections?”

“No, that’s fine,” said Odelia, who didn’t care. “My uncle has gone missing,” she said. “And I was wondering—my mom and I were wondering if you could help us find him.”

“Your uncle…” said Solange, nodding, and revealed a neat crystal ball by pulling away an intricately stitched doily. She touched the ball with her hands and closed her eyes. “Name?”

“Alec Lip,” said Odelia. “He’s our chief of police, and he went missing two nights ago.”

“Kidnapped,” said Mom, glancing intently at Solange and drinking in the woman’s every move.

“Yeah, three men took him,” Odelia explained, “from the home of his girlfriend, Hampton Cove’s mayor Charlene Butterwick.”

Solange nodded imperceptibly, her eyes still closed, then murmured,“I see him… large man, imposing… humble and well-liked in the local community…”

“Yeah, my uncle is pretty popu—”

“He’s gone,” said Solange abruptly, opening her eyes and adopting a more prosaic tone as she covered up her crystal ball again.

“Gone?” asked Odelia, surprised by this sudden change of demeanor. “What do you mean, gone?”

“Just that. He’s gone. And he doesn’t want to be found. Your uncle,” said Solange with a sigh, “wasn’t happy with the life he lived, so he decided he needed a break and took off.”

“Took off?” asked Mom, alarmed. “Where to?”

“I can’t tell you,” said Solange. “Your brother doesn’t want me to.”

“But… you know where he is?” asked Odelia.

“Oh, sure. Madame Solange knows all. But I have to respect your uncle’s wishes, so I can’t tell you where he is. That’ll be fifty bucks,” she added, holding out her hand.

The moment they were ushered out of Madame Solange’s camper, Odelia shared a look of shock with her mother. “He took off?” she said.

“I don’t believe this,” said Mom.

“Something’s not right,” said Odelia. “Obviously Solange doesn’t have a clue what happened to Uncle Alec and she’s inventing some crazy story about him taking off.”

“But she was right about the lottery,” Mom pointed out.