Light shone through the gap in the thick black curtains. I could see people sitting round the table in candlelight holding hands. I knew what they would be thinking, hoping, that the spirits would speak to the woman sitting at the head of the long table. I could easily imagine their desperation, hope, excitement.

Cassandra had been an actress before she took on this role, this deceit which gave her more money and adultation than ever before. These gullible grieving people wrote out checks without ever hearing a message, they just wanted to know someone cared, listened to their hesitant outpourings about their lonely nights too scared to go to bed, once again single not understanding how to be after being a couple.

As her assistant, I knew how wealthy she had become. One of these days I would blackmail her, show them the tricks, parlour games. Reveal the truth.

But not now.