Jake hoped he would find Persephone in the shop this morning. He knew they had séances on Saturdays, but probably not this early. He needed to see her alone, if possible. It would be hard to work his charm on her if she insisted Madame Ophelia be included in their conversation.

The shop door was unlocked, and when he stepped inside, the waiting room was empty and the séance room door was open, so he knew no business was being conducted here yet. “Hello?” he called.

As he’d hoped, Persephone came out of the other room, the one where they obviously kept the equipment they wanted to conceal from the customers.

“John, I’m so glad you came by. How is that poor man?” Persephone asked. She seemed genuinely concerned.

Jake had snatched off his hat as he entered and now he worked the brim nervously. “I don’t even like to think about it, but I thought you’d want to know. He . . . he didn’t make it.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said quickly and with apparent sincerity.

“So am I, but the doctor said . . . We took him straight to a hospital, you see—but he was already dead when we got there. The doctor said there was nothing he could’ve done anyway, but I can’t help feeling bad about it.”

“Of course, you do, but if the doctor couldn’t have helped him, there’s nothing you could have done, either.”

“I could’ve stopped him from crossing the street,” Jake said glumly.

“Could you really have stopped him?” she asked in surprise.

“Well, no, I don’t think so, but I keep thinking that if I’d been just a minute sooner, maybe I could have.”

“You mustn’t torture yourself over it. You had no idea what would happen, and you did all you could. Not many people would have gone with him to the hospital.”

“I don’t even know why I did. I think I was afraid the driver might just dump him into the street as soon as he was out of sight, not wanting to be bothered. It wouldn’t be right to leave a man to die alone in the gutter.”

“You’re very kind,” Persephone said, giving him a sweet smile.

“I don’t know about that.” He really didn’t, either, but he was willing to take her word for it.

“Well, I do, and I think you are. Now you said something last night about coming to see us because you’d gotten a sign, I think.”

“Oh yes, I almost forgot in all the excitement. Madame Ophelia told me I’d get a sign from my mother.”

Persephone’s sweet smile bloomed again. “I believe your mother’s spirit told you that, not Madame Ophelia.”