Chapter 35
Dottie sat quietly in a large wing-backed chair in the calm serenity of Madame Toulescent’s solarium. The herbs Madame Toulescent had given her had done the trick. She could feel herself calming down. She could hear the rushing of the James River in the distance and she was mesmerized by the cattle grazing in the field in the distance. Perhaps all was right with the world. She supposed she’d know soon enough.
Madame motioned her to a simple wooden table on the side of the room. Dottie arose from her chair and took the seat facing the psychic. Madame Toulescent's eyes glazed through the glass window out into the fields. Dottie wondered what she was seeing but sat quietly and watched.
"Countess Borghase, you know I'm a psychic. Generally, when we meet, I do psychic readings. But, I also function as a spiritual medium. Would you like for me to see if I could talk with your friend, Camilla?"
Dottie's stomach knotted up and she felt nauseous. She stared at Madame Toulescent and said, her voice hesitant, "I... I don't know. I've never done that before. Will it help?"
Madame Toulescent could sense her hesitation. "You seem frightened to talk with your friend or at least have your friend communicate with us. Let's see what else we can do."
“I didn’t know you talked with spirits,” Dottie said. “Can you tell me how that works?”
“Well, there are quite a few things I can do,” Madame Toulescent said gently. She could see Dottie was upset about channeling Camilla. “We’ve mostly done psychic readings when you’ve visited. The psychic readings are about getting advice, guidance or direction around things that are happening in your life. There’ve been a couple of times when you’ve been here in crises and you wanted some help or direction. It is my belief that a reading is getting confirmation on what our own intuition is already telling us. Most of the time, I’ve simply confirmed what your intuition had already suggested. I’ve validated what you already knew. Often as a psychic, I only teach and help people confirm their own wisdom.
Dottie nodded, “Yes, I agree with that. Most of the time you’ve validated what I’ve thought and believed and have helped me decide what to do next.”
Madame nodded. “Yes, this is true.”
“But, Countess," she said taking Dottie's cold hand into her warm one, "I also work as a medium and I can contact your friend Camilla and we can learn about the last few moments of her life."
Dottie's eyes filled with tears, "But I don't know if I want to know about Camilla’s last few minutes. She looked so horrible and I think she was scared and in pain,” she ended with a choked sob.
Madame Toulescent nodded. "I understand what you are saying. I just want to tell you that it's possible we can learn from Camilla. Perhaps she can help us solve the poisonings."
Dottie was silent for a moment as she considered the possibilities. Certainly, she could be uncomfortable and upset for a few moments, particularly if she could help Michaela and the police solve these horrible murders. Besides, that would prove to Mic that she wasn’t old and helpless... although she really didn’t think Michaela thought that. That was her insecurity popping up. "Um, okay. I'll do it. But first, could we just look at the murders in general. Could you tell me what you see and perhaps give me some direction that I can share with the authorities?"
"Of course I can, Countess. In no way do I want to upset you or frighten you, but I’m sure your friend wants to send us a message. I can feel her trying to get though," Madame Toulescent said. “In the meantime, let me focus on the poisonings. Give me a few moments to think and commune.”
It was a lovely day. The birds were singing, the cattle were grazing contently in the field. Dottie smiled and focused on a mother deer and her fawn that grazed in the grass about twenty yards from the back window. They were beautiful. The fawn was young and still had its spots. She watched as the mother nudged her and encouraged her to eat the grass, but the fawn just wanted to play. She smiled as she saw them frolic in the sunshine.
She heard a low moan come from deep in Madame's throat. The sound sent shivers up Dottie's back. She wondered what Madame Toulescent saw in her vision. The moaning became worse and Dottie could hardly sit still. Her eyes returned to the view outside. The mother and fawn were staring into the window. The birds were no longer chirping. I think they know something is about to happen here.
Madame Toulescent was in a trance and her body swayed from left to right as she moaned and said ‘no’ over and over. She had a conversation with someone, smiled gently and said, "Yes, yes. I will."
Dottie's eyes returned to the bucolic scene in front of her. Everything was okay now. The mother deer and her baby were gone, and she could see several cardinals feasting on the seed in the birdfeeder. She could hear other birds chirping in the distance. The cows chewed their cud contentedly in the fields and the sun was bright on the early spring wild flowers. Something must be right with the world, she thought. Yes, all is right with the world, at least for a moment.
It seemed forever before Madame Toulescent rose from her trance. She looked at Dottie and asked, "Are you okay?"
Dottie shrugged her shoulders and said, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. Can you tell me what you saw?"
A dark shadow flashed across Madame’s face and she said, "I saw a lot. I felt the fear of Camilla and the three young women at the bar. I could feel the pain the women endured as the poison struck their internal organs."
Dottie nodded and waited for more.
"Regrettably, I heard the screams and felt the fear of the school children. I talked with the children that had died and wiped their tears."
Madame Toulescent paused for a moment to rest. Dottie watched as her shoulders relaxed and her breathing returned to normal. She went into the living room and returned with the teapot. She refilled their cups and said, "There are two men who are killing these people. One man has an agenda to kill, but the other man kills for sport. They are evil and will stop at nothing to reach their goal." Madame Toulescent was silent for a moment and sipped her tea.
Dottie waited patiently which was one of the most difficult tasks ever for her. She was simply not patient and wanted what she wanted the second she wanted to have it. As she waited for Madam to continue, she found herself replacing the bobby pins in her hair and picking at her nails. She crossed and uncrossed her legs several times until Madame Toulescent reached under the table and put her hand on Dottie's knee to quiet her.
"Please stop that, Countess. I can't focus. I'm trying to remember things. We’ll talk in a moment."
Dottie fell like a child in kindergarten. She hung her head in shame because she had interrupted Madame. A couple of minutes later, Madame said, "The two men will continue to kill as they have for a few more days. Then they plan to poison a large number of people, possibly thousands at a major event. I don't know where but it is coming soon."
Dottie's heart jumped into her throat. She was so frightened she could hardly speak and beside herself with anxiety and fear. She stared at Madame Toulescent until she found her voice.
"But wait… when and where will they attack?"
Madame Toulescent repeated, “I do not know when the attack will be. Perhaps the men have not planned a date and they do not know.”
Dottie could feel fear and anxiety creep up her spine and she asked, her voice quavering, "What else, what else is there that you won't tell me?"
Madame Toulescent stared into Dottie's ice blue eyes and said, "Camilla said to tell you the poison was in the tea. She said when she drank the tea she began to feel sick and then she couldn’t talk or see anymore. She also said to tell you that she is okay now. She wants you to tell the General she’s fine and not to worry."
Dottie nodded slowly and said, "I guess that's good, if you have to be dead, right?"
Madame Toulescent nodded as she watched Dottie pull herself together and gather her purse. She stood up and offered the Madam her hand. "Thank you. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I truly appreciate it."
Madame Toulescent nodded and said softly," There's one more thing, Countess. Do you want to hear it?"
Dottie nodded and said, "I suppose so."
"Michaela is in grave danger. You must watch out for her carefully."
Dottie's spine stiffened and she stood even straighter as she looked down at the psychic, "Danger how? What kind of danger?" Dottie’s heart fluttered in her chest and she held on to the back of the chair for support. She couldn’t let anything happen to Michaela.
Madame shook her head and said, "I don't know. I could not see her danger but I can feel it and it's real. Please watch out for her. These men are cruel and evil. They will stop at nothing."
Dottie said simply, "I will. I always do."
“And, Dottie,” Madame Toulescent, “I believe you are in danger as well. So I urge you to take no chances and to stay safe.”
Dottie grinned and flashed Madame Toulescent her favorite aristocratic smile. “I’ll be fine, Madame. I’m always in danger. After all, I’m eighty-two years old.”
Madame smiled, “I am serious, Dottie, please watch yourself and stay safe.”
“I will, I promise, thank you.” Dottie’s voice sounded a lot stronger than she felt as she left Madame’s modest home and walked the short distance to her car. She opened her door and sat down, grateful for the softness of the plush, soft leather cushions. She closed her eyes and a million rays of light invaded her head. She was stressed, deeply scared and worried. These were different feelings for Dottie who usually only feared forgetting something or losing her memory. I’ve got to take care of Michaela.
Madame Toulescent watched Dottie back up her big car and continue carefully down the deeply rutted road. She felt intense fear for the Countess but she feared mostly for Michaela McPherson. These were evil men.
Madame motioned her to a simple wooden table on the side of the room. Dottie arose from her chair and took the seat facing the psychic. Madame Toulescent's eyes glazed through the glass window out into the fields. Dottie wondered what she was seeing but sat quietly and watched.
"Countess Borghase, you know I'm a psychic. Generally, when we meet, I do psychic readings. But, I also function as a spiritual medium. Would you like for me to see if I could talk with your friend, Camilla?"
Dottie's stomach knotted up and she felt nauseous. She stared at Madame Toulescent and said, her voice hesitant, "I... I don't know. I've never done that before. Will it help?"
Madame Toulescent could sense her hesitation. "You seem frightened to talk with your friend or at least have your friend communicate with us. Let's see what else we can do."
“I didn’t know you talked with spirits,” Dottie said. “Can you tell me how that works?”
“Well, there are quite a few things I can do,” Madame Toulescent said gently. She could see Dottie was upset about channeling Camilla. “We’ve mostly done psychic readings when you’ve visited. The psychic readings are about getting advice, guidance or direction around things that are happening in your life. There’ve been a couple of times when you’ve been here in crises and you wanted some help or direction. It is my belief that a reading is getting confirmation on what our own intuition is already telling us. Most of the time, I’ve simply confirmed what your intuition had already suggested. I’ve validated what you already knew. Often as a psychic, I only teach and help people confirm their own wisdom.
Dottie nodded, “Yes, I agree with that. Most of the time you’ve validated what I’ve thought and believed and have helped me decide what to do next.”
Madame nodded. “Yes, this is true.”
“But, Countess," she said taking Dottie's cold hand into her warm one, "I also work as a medium and I can contact your friend Camilla and we can learn about the last few moments of her life."
Dottie's eyes filled with tears, "But I don't know if I want to know about Camilla’s last few minutes. She looked so horrible and I think she was scared and in pain,” she ended with a choked sob.
Madame Toulescent nodded. "I understand what you are saying. I just want to tell you that it's possible we can learn from Camilla. Perhaps she can help us solve the poisonings."
Dottie was silent for a moment as she considered the possibilities. Certainly, she could be uncomfortable and upset for a few moments, particularly if she could help Michaela and the police solve these horrible murders. Besides, that would prove to Mic that she wasn’t old and helpless... although she really didn’t think Michaela thought that. That was her insecurity popping up. "Um, okay. I'll do it. But first, could we just look at the murders in general. Could you tell me what you see and perhaps give me some direction that I can share with the authorities?"
"Of course I can, Countess. In no way do I want to upset you or frighten you, but I’m sure your friend wants to send us a message. I can feel her trying to get though," Madame Toulescent said. “In the meantime, let me focus on the poisonings. Give me a few moments to think and commune.”
It was a lovely day. The birds were singing, the cattle were grazing contently in the field. Dottie smiled and focused on a mother deer and her fawn that grazed in the grass about twenty yards from the back window. They were beautiful. The fawn was young and still had its spots. She watched as the mother nudged her and encouraged her to eat the grass, but the fawn just wanted to play. She smiled as she saw them frolic in the sunshine.
She heard a low moan come from deep in Madame's throat. The sound sent shivers up Dottie's back. She wondered what Madame Toulescent saw in her vision. The moaning became worse and Dottie could hardly sit still. Her eyes returned to the view outside. The mother and fawn were staring into the window. The birds were no longer chirping. I think they know something is about to happen here.
Madame Toulescent was in a trance and her body swayed from left to right as she moaned and said ‘no’ over and over. She had a conversation with someone, smiled gently and said, "Yes, yes. I will."
Dottie's eyes returned to the bucolic scene in front of her. Everything was okay now. The mother deer and her baby were gone, and she could see several cardinals feasting on the seed in the birdfeeder. She could hear other birds chirping in the distance. The cows chewed their cud contentedly in the fields and the sun was bright on the early spring wild flowers. Something must be right with the world, she thought. Yes, all is right with the world, at least for a moment.
It seemed forever before Madame Toulescent rose from her trance. She looked at Dottie and asked, "Are you okay?"
Dottie shrugged her shoulders and said, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. Can you tell me what you saw?"
A dark shadow flashed across Madame’s face and she said, "I saw a lot. I felt the fear of Camilla and the three young women at the bar. I could feel the pain the women endured as the poison struck their internal organs."
Dottie nodded and waited for more.
"Regrettably, I heard the screams and felt the fear of the school children. I talked with the children that had died and wiped their tears."
Madame Toulescent paused for a moment to rest. Dottie watched as her shoulders relaxed and her breathing returned to normal. She went into the living room and returned with the teapot. She refilled their cups and said, "There are two men who are killing these people. One man has an agenda to kill, but the other man kills for sport. They are evil and will stop at nothing to reach their goal." Madame Toulescent was silent for a moment and sipped her tea.
Dottie waited patiently which was one of the most difficult tasks ever for her. She was simply not patient and wanted what she wanted the second she wanted to have it. As she waited for Madam to continue, she found herself replacing the bobby pins in her hair and picking at her nails. She crossed and uncrossed her legs several times until Madame Toulescent reached under the table and put her hand on Dottie's knee to quiet her.
"Please stop that, Countess. I can't focus. I'm trying to remember things. We’ll talk in a moment."
Dottie fell like a child in kindergarten. She hung her head in shame because she had interrupted Madame. A couple of minutes later, Madame said, "The two men will continue to kill as they have for a few more days. Then they plan to poison a large number of people, possibly thousands at a major event. I don't know where but it is coming soon."
Dottie's heart jumped into her throat. She was so frightened she could hardly speak and beside herself with anxiety and fear. She stared at Madame Toulescent until she found her voice.
"But wait… when and where will they attack?"
Madame Toulescent repeated, “I do not know when the attack will be. Perhaps the men have not planned a date and they do not know.”
Dottie could feel fear and anxiety creep up her spine and she asked, her voice quavering, "What else, what else is there that you won't tell me?"
Madame Toulescent stared into Dottie's ice blue eyes and said, "Camilla said to tell you the poison was in the tea. She said when she drank the tea she began to feel sick and then she couldn’t talk or see anymore. She also said to tell you that she is okay now. She wants you to tell the General she’s fine and not to worry."
Dottie nodded slowly and said, "I guess that's good, if you have to be dead, right?"
Madame Toulescent nodded as she watched Dottie pull herself together and gather her purse. She stood up and offered the Madam her hand. "Thank you. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I truly appreciate it."
Madame Toulescent nodded and said softly," There's one more thing, Countess. Do you want to hear it?"
Dottie nodded and said, "I suppose so."
"Michaela is in grave danger. You must watch out for her carefully."
Dottie's spine stiffened and she stood even straighter as she looked down at the psychic, "Danger how? What kind of danger?" Dottie’s heart fluttered in her chest and she held on to the back of the chair for support. She couldn’t let anything happen to Michaela.
Madame shook her head and said, "I don't know. I could not see her danger but I can feel it and it's real. Please watch out for her. These men are cruel and evil. They will stop at nothing."
Dottie said simply, "I will. I always do."
“And, Dottie,” Madame Toulescent, “I believe you are in danger as well. So I urge you to take no chances and to stay safe.”
Dottie grinned and flashed Madame Toulescent her favorite aristocratic smile. “I’ll be fine, Madame. I’m always in danger. After all, I’m eighty-two years old.”
Madame smiled, “I am serious, Dottie, please watch yourself and stay safe.”
“I will, I promise, thank you.” Dottie’s voice sounded a lot stronger than she felt as she left Madame’s modest home and walked the short distance to her car. She opened her door and sat down, grateful for the softness of the plush, soft leather cushions. She closed her eyes and a million rays of light invaded her head. She was stressed, deeply scared and worried. These were different feelings for Dottie who usually only feared forgetting something or losing her memory. I’ve got to take care of Michaela.
Madame Toulescent watched Dottie back up her big car and continue carefully down the deeply rutted road. She felt intense fear for the Countess but she feared mostly for Michaela McPherson. These were evil men.