“Madame Bella,” she said, as the large woman turned in the chair to look at Wallis.
“This couldn’t wait,” said Madame Bella, in a firm voice. She was a familiar figure in this part of town. It was hard to miss a large Irish-looking woman who loved to wear Gypsy clothing as costume even while pushing a cart through the local Lowe’s store.
She was planted in one of the small side chairs facing Wallis’ desk, overflowing the sides in a purple robe with a continuous celestial pattern cinched in by degrees with a pale blue sash. On her head was a matching purple turban with a large yellow amulet pinned in the center. Her hands were tucked into the opposite sleeves as if she were trying to stay warm.
Wallis had caught glimpses of Madame Bella in similar getups over the years and had stopped paying attention to the details a long time ago.
“That’s what I heard,” said Wallis as she sat down behind her desk. “What can I do for you? I didn’t even know you were married.”
“This is not about me,” said the psychic in a distinctive southern twang found only in the western reaches of Virginia. “I’ve come to warn you.”
Wallis tensed, “Are you here to make a threat?”
“That’s good. You’ve always said exactly what’s on your mind. But you’ve never really been tested like this before. I was a little worried you might turn cautious. No, no, we’re not enemies. I’m here to warn you about others.” Wallis suddenly noticed that Madame had pulled her left hand out of a sleeve and she was gripping an iPhone. Her thumb was deftly sliding across the face of it as she kept up a steady stream of conversation and glancing back and forth between Wallis and the phone.
“A storm has been brewing for some time now,” said Madame, leaning toward the desk until her ample chest rested on the top. “I was told to come and see you, to let you know.”
“Told by whom?” said Wallis.
“Not important and too distracting,” said Madame, with a dramatic wave of her right hand. Wallis suddenly could see that the hand was heavily bandaged over where there should have been a ring finger and pinkie.
“What happened?” started Wallis. Madame Bella didn’t even look at her hand.
“Again, not important. The other side sees it as a loss but as you can see, I escaped with my life so a minor fray. I am here to make sure you stay more intact.”
Wallis felt her stomach turn as she noticed the blood stain on the bandage covering the small stump.
“They got nothing for their troubles but two useless, arthritic fingers and a ring. I liked the ring, though,” she said, with a wry smile. “It was a nice citrine. I’m very sorry about your Mr. Blazney. That was a mistake.”
“Mr. Blazney? What about him?” said Wallis, wondering what her friendly, elderly neighbor could have to do with a complicated intrigue.
“I’m sorry, I thought someone would have told you by now. He was killed just yesterday. How did no one tell you?”
Wallis felt the outline of her cell phone in her pocket and thought about calling Norman but something made her hesitate.
“That poor old man was out walking at the wrong place and time, which happened to be right in front of your house. I was on my way to see you earlier that night and I’m afraid I was seen as well. Tortured in the back of a van near some park, very efficient.” She waved the bandaged hand again as if it gave some explanation.
“Nasty, brutal people. They thought the threat of a couple of fingers would reveal something. It did. It revealed that I always keep a spare knife strapped just under the boobs. No one ever likes to search an old, fat broad too closely, you see. Stabbed that one right in the eye,” she said, demonstrating the gesture with a twist. Wallis winced and found herself trying to sit up straighter.
“The other oaf was so surprised that he hesitated just long enough for me to get a good swipe at him. Fat old man. He survived but it’ll leave a nice mark just across his face.” Madame Bella spat out the last words. Wallis had sat there quietly listening, trying to breathe calmly.
“Do you know Esther?” asked Wallis. It was a calculated risk using Esther’s name like that but Wallis wasn’t sure what else to do. She was desperately trying to figure out how many sides were in this plot and how many of them wanted her dead.
“Ah yes, good egg, that one. And good question, my dear. Most would answer that she sells books but I will tell you that she is a bit more complicated than that,” said Madame, giving Wallis a wink. “I’m afraid this is my last night in this good town if I care to go on living, so I need to deliver my humble message and push on. I’d tell you that normally I’m not so pushy but that’s not true,” she said with a chuckle. Madame Bella raised an eyebrow and pointed her remaining fingers at Wallis.
“You have something that has travelled through a lot of hands, lately. Poor Ray Billings and that Stanley fellow.”