Westerham Witches and a Venetian Vendetta

by Dionne Lister

  “She hasn’t gone to ground again, has she?” Imani’s question was totally valid. Angelica still hadn’t explained where she’d been when she’d been in hiding before we took RP down. We figured it had something to do with the PIB directors and Chad, but she wasn’t talking.

  We crossed a bridge over a canal. “Mum, do you think she has?” If anyone knew, she would. Since she’d been living with us, they’d spent a lot of time together, and because my mother was the closest friend Angelica had, chances were, she’d confided in her. Not that Angelica would definitely have confided in anyone, but on the small chance she had, my mother would be it.

  “No, definitely not.” Just over the bridge, she turned right. “This is it.” We stood at one of the entries to a large square. Four-storey homes and a smattering of buildings with ground-floor shops ringed the open area. Mum walked to the middle of it, the sun shining brightly. A group of pigeons took brief flight at my mother’s approach but landed nearby. “They found her here.”

  Will folded his arms as he looked at the now-empty spot. He slowly turned three hundred and sixty degrees, surveying our surroundings as he did so. “Well, that’s an obvious place. Whoever did this didn’t want it to go unnoticed.”

  Imani nodded, then looked at my mother. “Did they record any magic signatures?”

  Mum’s brow furrowed. “There weren’t any. Looks like she was made into a sculpture somewhere else and transferred via a doorway. Locals said she was there for a few hours before anyone thought to tell the police. It was only when a witch neighbour friend of hers saw her and realised the sculpture was eerily similar. She called the PIB rather than the police.”

  “Do we know her name?” Will asked.

  Mum answered, “Violetta Brambilla.”

  Will made a bubble of silence and looked at me. “Lily, can you do your thing?”

  “Yes.” Mum knew about my talent, but she’d never seen it in action—we’d shown her the photos of her being hunted. Her reaction had been part shock and part pride. Once she’d got over that, anger slid in, and she thanked me for killing Dana’s father. Thank God we’d given her closure and those maniacs didn’t get away.

  I walked about twelve feet away so I had a better visual of the whole area. I took the lens cap off, flicked on the Nikon, and lifted it to my face. “Show me Angelica leaving this spot last night.” There she was, walking towards me, poker face intact, one hand in her pocket. I snapped a shot and showed it to everyone. “She doesn’t look particularly stressed.” I took my camera back. Something was bugging me. Angelica rarely put her hand in her pocket, which might seem like nothing, but had she found something that she didn’t hand over to the PIB? And if not, why? I lifted my camera again and stepped closer to where the sculpture would have been. “Show me Angelica finding something last night.”

  The light waned, and pretty Venetian lamps lit the square. Angelica was crouching at the foot of the glass sculpture of a woman who was about five foot four and rather wide. I snapped a shot and moved closer, until I was right next to her. I crouched and focussed on what Angelica was picking up. Thankfully, the PIB had set up a floodlight on the statue, and visibility was excellent. Pinched between Angelica’s thumb and pointer finger was a pearlescent blue button. Click.

  I stood and showed Will, Imani, and Mum. “She found something.”

  Imani pressed her lips together for a while, likely thinking. “How would the killer know she’d found evidence? I mean, why target her and not any of the other agents if they didn’t know?”

  Will scratched his head. “Opportunity? The other agents didn’t return to a hotel late at night. They would’ve gone somewhere private, made a doorway, and left. Maybe all they’re trying to do is distract us from figuring anything out by making more work for us?”

  That didn’t make total sense. “But it’s not for us. No one knows you guys are all agents, do they?”

  Mum shrugged. “We haven’t been making a big deal out of it, but we were all in that courtyard after Mr Dal Lago was discovered.”

  “Which might mean that the killer works at the hotel,” said Imani. “It’s looking more and more like the wife, wouldn’t you say?”

  “Or a jealous lover.” I wasn’t letting them forget that.

  Will put his hands on his hips. “Right, so we still have as many suspects as before, but we have a potential motive for why Angelica was targeted.” He looked at me. “Can you take some pictures of everyone who was at the scene when Angelica picked up that button?”

  “Can do.” I lifted my camera again and asked the question. This one was tricker, because the square was large. I panned around. The two Italian PIB agents who’d originally come to the hotel were there, as were two other men dressed in PIB get-up—black suit and tie with white shirt. A couple of lights were on in the windows surrounding the square. A group of eleven young men and women stood in one corner of the square smoking, and a dark figure watched from a shadowed doorway. I shuddered before walking up to the doorway. I frowned. There was no light there as it was at the far side of the square. The person was shorter and slimmer than me, but they had a large hat pulled over their head and a long coat on, which was super unusual considering how warm it was. Hands in pockets, posture hunched, I couldn’t tell if it was a man or woman. Likely they were taller than they appeared too. Click. Click. Was it Mrs Dal Lago? It was probably too small to be Lorenzo—he was a few inches taller than me and had a bigger build. But then again, what if Lorenzo and Mrs Dal Lago were working together? I had no idea why they would be, but considering all options was sensible at this stage.

  As soon as I made it back to our group, I handed the camera to Will. They all looked at the pictures. Will zoomed in on where the face should be, but the gloom fuzzed out any details. “Right. That’s probably our guy… or girl.”

  Imani sighed. “But it doesn’t really help anything.”

  Mum cocked her head to the side. “Well, it’s better than nothing. We have an approximate height and build.”

  At least we had something to work with now. “So he or she has likely followed Angelica back to the hotel and kidnapped her on the way?”

  Imani nodded. “Looks like it.”

  “Agreed,” said Will. “Let’s follow Angelica back to the hotel and see what happened.”

  “Sounds good.” I lifted the camera and pointed it back the way we’d come—the way Angelica should’ve been heading if she’d decided to return to the hotel. “Show me Angelica after she left here last night.” There she was, her back to me. “She went this way. We’ll follow her until we can’t see her anymore.”

  I kept my distance to see if the person had come after her. Once we left the square and turned a couple of corners, I stopped. “Angelica went this way, but that person in the coat didn’t follow.”

  Imani looked at me. “If they were from the hotel, maybe they knew she was heading back there, but they had another way to get there?”

  “Could be,” said Will. “Let’s keep following Angelica and see what happened.”

  Every few steps I asked my magic to show me Angelica on her way back to the hotel. It was tedious but effective. The going was slow, but we finally made it to within fifteen feet of the hotel before she disappeared. I lowered the camera and lifted it again. “Show me the second before Angelica disappeared.” There she was, in the last place my camera had shown me. I wrinkled my brow. “She made it to here. And she didn’t turn around and leave either. She must’ve gone through a portal. And no one else was in sight.” I’d double-checked all the doorways too.

  I showed everyone the photos. “Actually, let me get a picture of her from the front.” I’d been photographing her from behind the whole way. Had she still been relaxed at the moment before she disappeared? “Show me Angelica the hundredth of a second before she disappeared last night.” She materialised in my view, and I walked around to see her from the front. It was dark, but there were sconce lights on the outside of the hotel and some moonligh
t—enough to see her expression. I scrunched my forehead. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but does she look… puzzled to you?”

  I handed my camera to Will, whose brow furrowed as soon as he saw the pic. Imani and Mum looked at the screen with him. Mum rubbed her chin. “She’s definitely wondering about something. Look at the tension in her body. She’s preparing for something.”

  Imani nodded. “You’re right. Maybe she sensed magic? Did someone cast a spell on her?”

  Will handed my camera back, and I lifted it to my face. “Show me someone casting a spell on Angelica.” Nothing happened. “Maybe whoever it was magicked themselves back to the hotel reception room or another nearby building and was watching from a window?”

  Will did his own glancing around, then shook his head. “There’s no way we’ll see anyone in a dark window at night.” He took my camera off me and zoomed in on some windows in the background of the last photo I’d taken. “You could take closer photos of the windows, just in case. You’d only need to take the ones around the hotel. Unless it was a ridiculously powerful witch, there’s no way they could cast a doorway around her from too far away.”

  “Plus whatever other spell they needed.” My mum rubbed her chin. “They would’ve had to knock her out just before throwing the doorway around her or when she reached wherever they took her. There’s no way they’d be able to overpower her otherwise, and she would’ve returned by now.”

  Will’s deep voice held a note of worry. “You’re right.”

  I grabbed my camera back and pointed it at different buildings, each time asking my magic to show me if there was someone in any of the windows. Nothing. Nausea swirled in my stomach. This was looking worse by the minute. “So, now what?”

  Will held up his phone. I’ll call Agent Tondato and start the process. We need to go through all the evidence so far as a group. We’ll grab Beren and Liv and organise a meeting with our Italian counterparts. Then we’ll comb the hotel for any more evidence, see if they missed something the first time.” Despite feeling ill, my stomach grumbled. Will stared at me. “Have you had breakfast?”

  “No. Have you?”

  “No. So, maybe we have a quick bite first because we have a long day ahead. Come on.” He led the way to the hotel restaurant where breakfast was still being served. After calling Beren to get him and Liv to meet us there, he called Agent Tondato and set up a meeting at their office in Trieste in an hour.

  Breakfast was a delicious, if silent, affair. I managed to down two cappuccinos and a pastry that had chocolate inside. Unless we found Angelica, this food would be the highlight of my day. The nausea returned when I contemplated not finding her. Crap. The longer she was gone, the less likely we’d find her alive—isn’t that what they said on cop shows? Gah. We’d just have to find her today, then. We hadn’t survived the most dangerous group of evil people for her to die while we were supposed to be relaxing on holiday nowhere near anyone who had it in for us. I sighed.

  Mum, who was sitting next to me, placed her arm around me. “Angelica’s a survivor. We’ll find her alive.”

  I gave Mum a sad smile. “I’m an optimist, but you always out-positivitied me. I hope you’re right.”

  “So do I, sweetie. So do I.”

  Chapter 6

  “Please, sit.” Agent Tondato indicated the chairs around a light-coloured timber conference table that wasn’t quite as big as the one at headquarters. Black leather chairs with polished steel frames surrounded the table, and I sat next to Will. Beren sat opposite us next to Agent Tondato’s offsider, Agent Matteo Rinaldi, who wore his dark hair short. He was an average-height, wiry man, likely in his forties, with a five o’clock shadow. Agent Tondato sat at the head of the table. “Would you like a coffee?”

  “No thanks.” Will leaned forward and placed his arms on the table. “We’d like to get straight to it, if that’s okay?

  Agent Tondato gave a nod. “Of course. Agent DuPree is missing, and you want to find her quickly, no?”

  Will’s jaw flexed, his frustration showing. “Yes. The longer this takes, the worse the likely outcome. Now, can you tell us where you’re up to with this case. We’re assuming her disappearance is linked to her involvement in the Dal Lago case.”

  The Italian agent nodded again. “And you’ve checked with your head office?”

  Will shut his eyes, then opened them. “Yes, of course. We’re supposed to be here on holiday, and Angelica would never just leave for an extended period without telling someone. If you could please take us through the case so far, we would very much appreciate it.”

  Grrrr. I was ready to stomp over there and slap the information out of that Italian guy. Why was he being so difficult? Maybe he was just an annoying person.

  “Okay. We will help you. But this is highly unusual. We don’t normally share information, and this is not the only case we are working on, so we cannot move as fast as you are asking.” Magic tickled my scalp—I was assuming Agent Tondato’s—and a large file appeared on the table in front of Will. “All the information you need is there, but it’s in Italian.” Wow, he was being super helpful… not.

  Will stared at the guy. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. He breathed out of his nose loudly. “It’s actually fine. I know a translation spell.” Will’s magic caressed my scalp. Nothing appeared to have changed, but when he opened the file and spread out some papers so we could take a look at them, the text was in English. Nice work.

  As we all read through the notes, Agent Tondato gave us an overview. “Our main suspect is still Lorenzo Zanini, even though he has an alibi. It wouldn’t be the first time that family lied or that evidence was tampered with.”

  Will had perused most of the documents. “Why isn’t the victim’s wife listed as a suspect? They were having money problems and arguing. Shouldn’t we at least ask her for her magic signature?”

  Agent Tondato pursed his lips. “Your Agent DuPree asked me that question, and I told her that we are a passionate people.”

  I rolled my eyes. “And ‘it’s not enough of a reason.’ Yes, we know. It is enough of a reason where we come from, and considering that Angelica disappeared close to our hotel, maybe Mrs Dal Lago had something to do with it.”

  Beren gave me a subtle head shake from across the table, his green eyes imploring me to be quiet. Oops. Dammit. Me and my big mouth.

  Agent Tondato rubbed his forehead. “And how do you know this, Miss…?”

  “Bianchi. Lily Bianchi.”

  “Oh, you have an Italian background, sí?”

  “Yes. My father, but he’s dead.” I frowned. Maybe he’d give me sympathy and agree to get a warrant for this woman’s magic signature.

  “Okay, Miss Bianchi. How do you know she went missing near your ’otel?”

  I swallowed. Now what was I supposed to say? “Ah… my mother and Angelica share a… connection. After my mother went missing for ten years and we got her back again, we spelled them so they could sense each other if they were within half a mile of each other. They’re best friends, you know. Mum remembers waking up maybe an hour or so after Angelica left to see you. She sensed Angelica was near, but then she lost the… ah… feeling after a moment and thought she must have imagined it because she was half asleep.” Beren blinked and pressed his lips together. I gave Agent Tondato a toothy grin, and Will erected his poker face. Please buy my crap. Please buy my crap.

  Agent Tondato stared at me, then regarded Will and Beren. Finally, he said, “Okay, then. Maybe we can confirm this with some security footage, no?”

  Will cleared his throat. “Yes, that would be a good idea. Can you do that this morning?”

  “Sí. Once we confirm she was there that night, we can… make… more investigation at the ‘otel.”

  Will nodded. “Thank you. Also, I’d like a favour, please.”

  “Sí?”

  “My sister is also an agent—Sarah Blakesley. She’ll be here later this afternoon. I would like her to sit
in on any interviews you do. She’s fluent in Italian. I’d like to sit in, too, to observe, if you don’t mind.” Will couldn’t speak fluent Italian, but maybe he could read body language. I was pretty sure they studied that at agent school—reading body language was a useful skill in solving crimes and dealing with people who were likely to lie. If only James was here, we could use his skills. Although, could he pick up if someone was lying in another language that he couldn’t understand? Hmm, I wasn’t sure how his talent worked. Why was nothing ever straightforward?

  The balding head agent of this PIB office folded his arms and observed Will for a moment. He then shared a look with his fellow agent, who’d kept quiet the whole time. There’d be no reason to say no… well, except if they were hiding something.

  Finally, Agent Tondato spoke. “Okay. This is fine. I have your number, and I will message you when we are coming to question Signora Dal Lago. It won’t be till later because we have to visit Rome for another investigation.” Sounded like there was plenty of crime happening over here. Kind of like in the UK. It never ended.

  Still, they were being helpful enough, and the tension in my shoulders loosened. Now hopefully we’d get somewhere. My gaze caught a photo of the female victim, the one Angelica had gone to see before she went missing. I picked it up and read the text underneath. Violetta Brambilla. Eighty-four-year-old witch, and a widow. “Do you know why she was killed?”

  “No,” Agent Tondato said. “But we have our… how you say… theories. She maybe saw something, or she knew the alibi for Lorenzo was false. We’re following it up today.”