He shifted in his chair, as if mention of his financial situation was uncomfortable. “I do have a good job, and I make a good salary, but . . .” He shrugged.

“I understand completely. You are a young man, just starting out in life. I understand you work for some sort of bank.”

“A brokerage house. We help our clients invest their money.”

She smiled her understanding. “So they are wealthy enough to afford many séances.”

“I never thought of it like that, but yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“And if your clients do well, you do well, too. Is that not right?”

“Yes, I . . . I get paid a commission on what they invest.”

She nodded. “And suppose you knew confidential information about what investments would be especially profitable?”

He hadn’t really expected this, so he didn’t have to pretend to be surprised. “Are you saying you can . . . ?” He caught himself before blurting out the unvarnished truth and chose diplomacy instead. “Where would I get this confidential information?”

Madame smiled benignly. “If you are thinking the spirits would reveal it, you are mistaken. The spirits take no interest in such things.”

“Why not?”

She blinked in surprise but quickly regained her composure. “Perhaps I spoke too bluntly. The spirits are interested in helping their loved ones, but they do so by sending emissaries to them.”

“What’s an emissary?”

“A representative, someone who can advise them in certain matters.”

“Somebody like you, you mean?”

“I do not give that kind of advice. As I said, the spirits do not know these things. But they send the emissaries to their loved ones. My task is only to announce them.”

“And how do you do that?”

“I see you do not understand how these things work. The spirits speak through me. They send messages to their loved ones. They tell them that someone will enter their lives and present an opportunity to them.”

Jake shook his head, as if none of this was making sense. “What does any of this have to do with me?”

Madame reached over and patted his hands where they were folded on the table. “You, my boy, may be an emissary.”

Jake frowned. “You mean the spirits could tell me how to advise my clients?”

“Yes, the spirits would tell you through me.”

“So they do know these things,” he concluded.

Madame waved that thought away. “In a manner of speaking. It is all very mysterious. All I can tell you is that if you will advise your clients to see me, the spirits will benefit them and you as well.”

Jake rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t understand any of this.”

“As I said, it is all very mysterious. I can tell you only what I have seen. Others have made themselves available, and they have profited from it.”

“I didn’t come here to find out how to make more money,” he protested.

“Why did you come?” she asked gently.