Bernadette Wolfort billed herself as a spiritual advisor and displayed diplomas from the University of Las Vegas for a BA in Social Work, and a Doctor of Human Services from Caldwell University and a certificate declaring her to be a minister in the Universal Life Church in the small home where she lived and conducted business.
What kind of people paid her to advise them?
1. A college professor from Santa Barbara University who was depressed by his wife’s infidelity.
2. A big-name realtor who paid a lot to rid herself of a curse put on her by her ex-husband.
3. A female doctor from Ventura who wanted help because of discrimination by the male doctors.
T The 70-year-old gentleman who wanted his girlfriend back.
5. The Bunco player who visited Bernadette because she was a good listener.
6. The owner of a construction company who thought Bernadette was a babe and treated her to dinner out whenever she’d agree.
7. A teenager who wanted help with a family problem and only had $100 to pay for the fortune teller’s advice.
Ms. Wolfort’s other clients paid far more money for the woman’s advice. When she’s discovered murdered, it is up to Detectives Doug Milligan and Felix Zachary of the Rock Bluff Police Department to investigate the case and find out who the killer is. But as they begin interviewing people, they discover even more suspects than those Ms. Wolfort’s customers.
In my latest mystery, Reversal of Fortune, you can find out all about how the investigation turned out. What about you? Have you ever gone to a fortune teller either to learn about the future or receive help with a problem? Years ago, a friend who was a new widow asked my husband and me to go to a restaurant that besides a special dinner was offering a few minutes with a fortune teller. We joined her and enjoyed a lovely dinner. The three of us sat in a booth, my husband, me and then our friend. We offered no information about ourselves. The fortune teller predicted that in the near future my husband and my friend would be going on a lovely romantic trip. It was obvious she thought my husband and my friend were married and we didn’t bother to correct her. And no, there was no romantic trip for any of us, but we did have a good laugh.
In order to write Reversal of Fortune, I did some research and found spiritual advisors/fortune tellers who advertise on the Internet. I also learned that despite the fact that people pay huge amounts of money for advice from these charlatans and when disappointed, often go to the police. The police usually don’t do much about what’s happened. After all the “victim” chose to consult the fortune teller. If too many complaints are made, the fortune teller may be asked to take her business elsewhere.
I’d like to hear from any readers of this blog if they’ve had any experience with a fortune teller and how it turned out. F.M. Meredith is also known as Marilyn Meredith. If you’re interested in reading Reversal of Fortune, it’s available in paperback and on Kindle.
You can visit me on Facebook, https://facebook.com/marilynmeredith
Website: http://fictionforyou.com/