Westerham Witches and a Venetian Vendetta by Dionne Lister (top rated books of all time TXT) 📕

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.”

That was super weird. “Interesting, isn’t it? You’d think if you wanted to kill someone that old, you’d do it subtly. If you made it look like a heart attack, no one would even bother checking—they’d just take it for granted. Why would the killer draw attention to themselves like that?” We’d briefly touched on this in the square, but I wanted to see if the Italians had any ideas.

Will looked at Agent Tondato. “So, the killer was making a point. But why?”

Agent Tondato’s offsider spoke. “It’s simple. Arrogance or a warning. If anyone else knows something, they won’t talk.”

Agent Tondato’s magic vibrated my scalp, and all the papers and file disappeared. He stood. “We will gather the security footage. I will call you back here to watch them when it is done. Maybe in one or two hours?”

Will stood. “Okay. Grazie.” I smiled at Will’s one Italian word. Even I knew how to say thank you. But something was better than nothing. Will held his hand out, and they shook. Beren and I stood. Agent Tondato shook Beren’s hand but didn’t bother to reach out for mine. Well, stuff you, then, Mr Sexist Pig.

At least I knew the landing address for the hotel’s reception room. I didn’t bother saying goodbye to the Italian agents. Instead, I turned to Will. “I’ll see you back at the hotel.” I made my doorway and stepped through. Why did some men have to be so rude? That guy didn’t know it, but I could outmagic him any day.

I buzzed the intercom. After a minute or so, Isabella, the old lady, answered the door. Her weak smile didn’t reach her blue eyes. “Ciao.” The stress of having her boss killed was probably getting to her and everyone else who worked at the hotel.

“Ciao.” I smiled. “Grazie.” I hurried past her and up the stairs to my room. I went to the bathroom, then texted my mother to see where she, Liv, and Imani were. A text came back straight away. We’re in my room. That made sense. Just in case a miracle occurred and Angelica found her way out of her predicament, she’d go back to her room, likely thinking one of us would be there waiting for her.

I texted Will to tell him where we all were, then rushed to my mother’s room and knocked. “It’s me, Mum.”

She opened the door. Her gaze searched mine, worry wrinkling her brow. “Any news?”

“Not really.” I went in and shut the door. Imani and Liv sat at the two-seater table, and my mum plonked herself on her bed. I sat at the end of Angelica’s bed and made a bubble of silence. “The Italian agents are going to pull security footage for us. They said they should be ready to view in about an hour. Once they confirm she disappeared—because I couldn’t exactly show them my photos or tell them why—they’ve agreed to question the wife.”

Imani turned her phone over and over in her hands. “Well, that’s a start.”

“They’ve also agreed to let Sarah and Will sit in on the interview.”

“That’s something, at least,” my mother said. “Do they have any suspects other than the wife and Lorenzo?”

“No. I don’t know. These guys are pretty hopeless, or they’re secretive. I’m not sure which. How did they ever get to represent the PIB?”

Liv raised a brow. “You’re serious, right? I give you one word: Chad.”

I sighed. “You make a very good point. There are probably lots of Chads heading up PIB departments all over the place. I should think before I speak.”

Imani smirked. “Yes, you should.”

My mother shook her head, and her shoulders sagged. “It’s not like the old days. Most agents were competent and professional. We weren’t underfunded back then. It’s sad to see the bureau in such a state. I dread to think what’s going to happen in the future. Without a strong bureau, bad witches are going to create havoc, and there won’t be anyone there to hold them accountable.”

A vibration snaked down my spine. “That sounds scary. I hope they fix it before it’s too late.” I hoped that creepy sensation wasn’t a premonition of worse things to come. Now that RP was all but destroyed, things should improve, shouldn’t they?

A knock sounded on the door, and I jumped. Mum looked at me and chuckled as she stood. “For a brave woman, you sure are nervous. I’m still surprised you didn’t grow out of it.”

“I blame you and Dad. It’s in my genes. I can’t help it if I got some dud ones. You should’ve done a better job.”

Mum opened the door. “Come in.” She returned to her spot on the bed, and Will came and sat next to me. Beren gave Liv a quick kiss on the lips and sat on the end of Mum’s bed.

“Well, this is cosy, loves.” Imani shut the door, turned her gaze on Will, and cast another bubble of silence. “I’m assuming that interviewing Mr Dal Lago’s wife might uncover some other suspects we’ve missed?”

“We can hope. As well as that, I want Lily to observe Mrs Dal Lago’s magical strength. If she did do it, maybe she had help.” Will looked at me. “Is that okay?”

I shrugged. “I’m happy to do that, but how am I supposed to find out? I can’t exactly shadow her all day. I don’t know what her magic feels like, so it’s not as if I can sit somewhere on-site and just wait.”

Liv’s eyes lit up. “We can orchestrate something. Maybe you could make