“Then it could be anyone. But surely the ones who have been cheated have already confronted you about it,” Elizabeth said. “You’d know who was most angry.”

But neither Madame Ophelia nor Persephone would quite meet her eye.

“You mean, they haven’t confronted you about it?” Anna asked in amazement.

“They . . . they don’t know yet,” Persephone said.

“They don’t know they gave this man their money?” Elizabeth scoffed.

“They don’t know that . . . that they’ll never see it again,” Persephone said, earning a scowl from Madame.

“When will they find out?”

Persephone opened her mouth to speak but Madame beat her to it. “Not until after we have left the city.”

“Is that what you’re planning to do, leave the city?” Anna asked.

“What do you think they were doing when we arrived?” Elizabeth asked. “They’re packing.”

“Yes, we . . . After Mr. Miller’s unfortunate accident, we decided that was the best course of action to take,” Madame said.

“Mr. Miller’s death was hardly an accident, but I can certainly understand your desire to get away from the city,” Elizabeth said. “If you really think that will help you escape your . . .”

Elizabeth dropped her gaze and quickly released Madame’s hand, which she was still holding.

“Escape her what?” Persephone asked. “What were you going to say?”

“Her fate,” Elizabeth said ominously. “Anna, we should go.”

She started to stand, but Madame cried, “No! You can’t leave. I can’t spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder and wondering who is going to try to murder me.”

“From what Elizabeth saw, they did more than try,” Anna said helpfully.

“But what can you do if you don’t know who it is?” Persephone wailed.

Color flooded Madame’s pale face. “I will do what Miss Vanderslice suggested. I will give back the money.”

All three of the other women gaped at Madame Ophelia for a full minute in stunned silence.

Finally, Persephone found her voice. “Give it back?”

“Yes. Today your father is going to collect far more than we have in our safe, so we won’t even miss it.”

“But won’t the person he’s stealing it from also want revenge?” Anna asked logically.

Madame Ophelia glared at Anna. “He is not stealing it. He is conducting a legitimate business deal, so no one will be seeking revenge for that.” She rose, once again the Madame Ophelia who commanded her séances with authority.

Persephone was shaking her head. “But . . . but . . .”

“Don’t quibble. We have to take care of this before he gets here.”

“But he’ll be furious,” Persephone said.

“And I’ll be alive,” Madame Ophelia said, ending the argument. “Come along.”

Persephone followed her obediently out to the waiting room.

Elizabeth and Anna exchanged a startled look before getting up and following them. It had worked! Elizabeth couldn’t believe it and Anna seemed pretty amazed as well.