The well dressed woman stepped carefully down the messily laid stone pathway. It led through what had most likely once been a grazing field, but now was just a large expanse of barren, dusty land. Empty except for the small caravan that the woman saw a little ways down, at the end of the path.

I don’t know why I’m doing this, the woman thought to herself. But, of course, she really did. Everyone in town knew this was the place to go if you were in her situation.
The woman stepped cautiously over a hole in the path, frowning, careful not to break the heel over her designer boots. Quickly the woman stood in front of the caravan.
A sign nearby read The Estate of Lady Nina in thin, sloppily painted letters. The caravan itself was old and rather shabby, with peeling yellow paint covering most of it. The wheels, which looked like they would crumble to pieces if the idea of movement was even suggested, were propped up on cinder blocks, also covered in a thin coat of paint. A vast collection of wind chimes hung down from the front of the caravan, and as a breeze blew,the chimes clattered loud enough to make the woman cringe. She breathed in deeply then quickly stepped up the stairs and knocked on the door of the caravan.
After a few seconds the door swung open, revealing a small woman standing in the frame. The small woman looked over this visitor and smiled.
“Hello, good morning! My name is Lady Nina.”
“Uh, yes, hello.” the rich woman said, eyeing Lady Nina. She had wispy grey hair sticking out in an almost unnatural arch around her old and weathered face. Thick framed glasses made her eyes appear bug-like, and draped across her body was a colorfully woven piece of fabric that somehow seemed to keep itself covering her, though the woman could not tell where it was tucked in or where her arms seemed to come out of it.
“What may I do for you?” Lady Nina started, then quickly answered herself. “No, no, let me guess. You’re here to ask me about your husband.”
The woman stared at her in shock. How could she have known? “Why, y-yes. But how did you know?”
“I read about you in the paper.” she laughed, throwing her head back. “Do come in, dear. You must be freezing.”
The woman furrowed her brow. It was the middle of the summer.
After a pause, she shrugged then followed after Lady Nina, who had already turned around back into the caravan.
The inside of the caravan seemed much larger than the outside, though the ceiling was low and the woman had to duck as she entered. As she looked around she realized that Lady Nina was quite possibly insane. More windchimes hung from the ceiling, and dispersed between them were large dreamcatchers and lanterns, though they were all unlit. The furniture inside the caravan consisted of a single table and a few mismatched chairs, and behind the table the woman saw a door leading into the front of the caravan. The table was almost completely covered in what looked like pillows, and at first the woman thought they were on fire, until she realized that between each pillow there was a candle. I ought to call the fire department, she thought. She had never seen anything like this before, but she didn’t know what she had expected. Where else would  a woman that called herself Lady Nina live?
“Please, please, sit down.” Lady Nina said, beckoning to the woman. “Your soul is tired, I am sure.”
The woman pulled out a chair from underneath the table and sat down at it, grimacing as it creaked. She doubted very much that this chair would last many more sittings.
“So, Madame Thomas,” Lady Nina started, before the woman interrupted.
“You can just call me Julia.”
Lady Nina laughed again, then continued. “So, Julia, you are here to try to find your husband?”
  “Well, yes. People in town said that you might be able to find him. They said that you know everything that happens in the town.” she said, sounding unsure. “As I’m sure you know he’s been missing for quite a while and I’m just so worried.”
“I can see it in your aura.” Lady Nina said. “It glows dim. But worry not my dear, your friends are right. I know everything about this town, and everything about the people who live in it. I see everything.”
Julia nodded, not doing much to hide her skepticism. She didn’t believe in much, and she definitely didn’t believe in oracles or seers. She believed in money and power, and this woman definitely did not have much of either of those.
“So you saw the story about my husband in the newspaper?” Julia asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable as Lady Nina stared at her.
“Oh, yes. No one knows where he is, I read. I felt his soul leave.” she told Julia.
“Leave?” Julia raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
“He’s no longer nearby.” Lady Nina said vaguely.
“But you don’t know anything else besides that?” Julia narrowed her eyes again.
The old woman ignored the question, and looked around the room. “Your husband works with black gold, does he not?”
Julia looked surprised. “Uh, yes, he’s an oil tycoon. His family has been in the business for generations.” she said.
“What do you do, dearie?” Lady Nina asked.
“I work with my husband. I co-own the company with him.” Julia said. “What does this have to do with finding Henry?”
Again Lady Nina didn’t answer, instead she looked over the woman, who was now looking back at her with a face of unconcealed annoyance. Julia didn’t know why she was still here, Lady Nina obviously was crazy and she had already been through enough.
“He was out of town? A trip, I heard?” Lady Nina asked, still examining Julia.
“Yes. Out for the weekend.”
“And nothing is known about his trip? Surely he would have contacted you?”
“No, when he goes on trips he prefers to be detached from domestic affairs.” Julia said, raising her chin a little. “Trips are all business. I don’t speak to him until he comes home. Or, was supposed to come home.”
Lady Nina smiled, though Julia wasn’t even sure if she had heard her. “Let me consult the spirits. They will know where your husband is.” she said.
Julia sat, expecting for her to stand up and leave, but she just closed her eyes  and sat quietly at the table, her mouth slightly open. Julia watched her for a second, before she began to examine the room she was in more.
The door close to Lady Nina was cracked open, and through it Julia could see what was possibly a stove. She didn’t think that seemed very safe, but then again, she was already sitting at a table covered with cloth pillows and open flame, so she wasn’t in the safest position. She sniffed in disgust. Why on earth do people live like this? Julia wondered. Not everyone can live in a mansion, but can’t they least afford a nice mobile home?
“What day did he go missing, my dear?” her voice made Julia jump, and she looked quickly back at Lady Nina. her eyes were still closed.
“Saturday.” Julia answered, quickly, and uncomfortable.
Lady Nina’s eyes flew open. “How about some tea?”
“I-I don’t like tea.”
“Tea is healing for your aura! I grew the herbs here.” she gestured around, and Julia noticed that wedged along the side of the walls were multiple potted plants. She wondered how she hadn’t noticed them when she had first come in.
Before she could answer Lady Nina had already gotten up and was opening and closing the door behind her. Julia was left alone in the room. As she sat she heard noises coming from the kitchen that sounded like buttons being pressed, then she heard quiet talking. Julia soon tuned it out, guessing that the crazy woman was just talking to herself.
She saw next to the table, laying on the floor, was yesterday’s paper. The paper with Julia’s husband’s disappearance article. She leaned over and picked up the article, trying to keep it touching the least amount of her skin as possible.
The headline read Henry Thomas, Local Oil Industry Giant, Goes Missing. She looked at the article beneath it quickly, but she had already read it when it came out. She was interviewed in it, telling the reporters about how her husband had left for a trip on Thursday and was due home Monday. When he hadn’t come home by Tuesday, Julia reported it to the police.
Just as she was putting the paper town, Lady Nina walked back through the door, holding two mismatched mugs. She put them both down on the table, somehow finding clear places among the rubbish covering the table.
Julia looked at the tea, sniffing the steam that rose from it. The liquid smelled like burnt hair, and she decided not to drink it.
“So what did the spirits say?” she asked, watching Lady Nina blow gently on the tea.
“The spirits do not just say anything. They let knowledge pour forth to me.”
Julia rolled her eyes. She was about to stand up and leave, but Lady Nina spoke again.
“The knowledge they poured forth regarded your husband, my dear.”
“What about him? Do they know where he is?” she asked tightly.
“One could say that.” Lady Nina answered vaguely. “The spirits are not the only ones who know where he is though, I should say.”
“What? What do you mean?” Julia said, sounding guarded.
Lady Nina didn’t answer, she only watched the door of the caravan, sipping her tea.
“Who knows about my husband?” Julia demanded.
“I believe you do, my dear.”
Julia breathed in sharply, and jumped up from the table. “Excuse me?”
“How much money will be left to you in his will?”
Julia gasped, then turned. She rushed to the door, but just as she reached it she heard a voice come from outside.
“Julia Thomas, come out with your hands up! You’re responsible for the disappearance of your husband.”
Her eyes widened, and she turned back around. Lady Nina was still sitting at the table, but she wasn’t watching Julia.
“Your soul is tainted, my dear.” she said, watching a fly crawl up the wall.