Every intake of breath around the table echoed in the following silence.
Will and I looked at each other. His shocked expression matched how I felt. How could a witch betray other witches this way?
Olivia raised her hand again and asked, “But I thought the care home was warded against magic use. How could the magic work?”
James answered, “Magic can’t be drawn inside the ward, but a spell created beforehand and made to cause a reaction would work. Similar to how spelling the tea caused all that trouble last time. The ward was to prevent residents using magic, but it didn’t prevent spelled items being brought in. As long as the spell didn’t need to draw on extra magic to activate, it would work.”
I leaned forward. “So, someone spelled whatever was in the syringe to give you two specific blood clots.”
“Yes, Lily.” Angelica nodded.
It still didn’t make total sense. “But why do that when they could have injected you with air, like with Will’s grandmother?”
James looked at me. “They wanted to be sure. They knew Angelica was a threat. We just can’t figure out how, but we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“And Penny was just another random victim?” I asked, not that she was a total victim. She’d gotten off lightly, considering how many people she’d murdered.
Angelica gave Will a nod, indicating he should answer. “We’re yet to get the autopsy results, but the manager’s going to forward them as soon as they’re done. Let’s just say he was shocked down to his purple underwear when he found out what was going on in his care home. He’s being very cooperative.”
“I should hope so.” I folded my arms. Many witches had died because of his incompetence. “Do we know why Elizabeth hated witches so much? She was invested enough to die for her cause. Surely she knew that attacking Angelica would be the last thing she did. At the very least, she must have known she’d go to jail.”
Angelica pressed her lips together. Her voice was sad when she answered, “Her two-year-old son died in suspicious circumstances ten years ago. The police called it misadventure, but she wouldn’t let it go. During her own investigations, she met someone she later names in her diary as Vargore. It looks like he was a real witch, and he convinced her that witches had murdered her child. He introduced her to the man you killed, Lily.”
“But why would a witch do that to their own kind?”
Angelica shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. Does anyone have any other questions?”
Everyone looked around the table at each other, but no one put up their hand.
Angelica stood. “This meeting is over. I’ll see Agents Bianchi”—she nodded at both Millicent and James—“Cardinal and Jawara here tomorrow at nine. You’re on my task force for this one.” She turned to James. “I’ll see you in my office in ten.”
He nodded.
Angelica left the normal non-witch way by walking out the door. Conversation broke out around the table, everyone discussing what we’d just found out. Will turned to me. “We’re supposed to go to lunch in a few days. I’m not really feeling up to it. Is it okay if we change the booking to Friday the twenty-sixth? I’m just a bit distracted, and after everything that’s happened in the last week and a half, I won’t be the best lunch companion. I’m also thinking you might need a break too, especially since that hospital visit.”
He didn’t say too much, likely because Imani and Cardinal were there. “Sounds good. I could do with a break from all things magic-related, well, except for the magic that makes my life easier.” I smiled. Plus, with almost losing two of my favourite people, I wasn’t in the mood to face images of my long-disappeared parents. There was only so much emotional turmoil I could take, and I still had a hangover from three days ago.
“What about we see a film tonight? There’s a couple of good ones showing at Everyman Oxted. I’ll even throw in popcorn and Maltesers.”
“I’m in. But you had me at what.” I snorted.
He wrinkled his brow, and I couldn’t resist placing my fingertips on it to smooth it out. He grabbed my wrist, brought my hand to his lips, and kissed my palm. “What do you mean, I had you at what?”
“It was the first word that came out of your mouth.”
“Are you saying you’d pretty much do whatever I asked?” He raised his brows.
I smiled. “Maybe…”
His gaze darkened. “I distinctly remember asking you to stay in the van.”
Oops. How had I managed to steer the conversation towards my own demise? My grin was overly huge. “Sorry.” I shrugged.
He sighed and shook his head, but his mouth turned up at the corners, revealing his sexy dimples. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Last time I checked, you were taking me to the movies.”
“That I am. I suppose I should get back to work so I can finish in time to pick you up. See you at Angelica’s reception room at seven?”
“it’s a date.” I grinned.
After Will left, I looked at Beren and Olivia chatting, their heads close together. My heart swelled with affection for both of them. Despite the horrible week we’d all had, it had turned out okay, but I had one last thing to do before I could move on.
I turned to Imani. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” She gave me a sad smile.
It turned out that Winston didn’t have family who cared. The day after he died, I contacted the care home and asked about him. He’d never had children, and his partner of forty years had died a few years ago. Whether he had nieces or nephews, who knew, but if he did, they didn’t care.
A blackbird swooped past, and the day darkened as a cloud covered the sun. Imani and I stood at Winston’s graveside. Four men in dark suits waited, hands folded in front, to lower Winston’s casket into the maw that would claim his body for eternity. I shuddered. Death and I didn’t see eye to eye. It scared me, and as far as I was concerned, there wasn’t anything peaceful or beautiful about not existing. Frankly, it was terrifying.
But enough about me. We were here to farewell a kind soul, a man who had taken Angelica under his wing. A tear trickled down my cheek as the minister spoke. “…and we return Winston Alfred Baker to the earth. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. May he be eternally at peace in the arms of our Lord.”
My tears increased, despite my attempts at stopping them—they were more stubborn than me, apparently. My sorrow was for everyone I’d lost, and for people I didn’t know who had recently lost someone. The death of one person somehow became the death of every person. Sorrow and loss were universal, and while Imani and I watched, a scene that would be played out millions more times unfolded in front of us.
I hoped Winston somehow knew that Imani and I had come to say goodbye, to acknowledge that his life mattered. Imani and I both threw dirt on his coffin as it was lowered into the ground.
At least the killers had been caught—whether Winston’s death was because of murder or natural causes, it no longer mattered. The end result, as Angelica had said, was the same.
“Goodbye, Winston. Thank you for watching out for Angelica.”
As Imani and I walked away, I let the tears fall freely. My grief was for my parents, myself, my brother, and for every forgotten soul who had died quietly, without fanfare, alone.
We reached the car—there were no toilets here we could travel to, and appearing and disappearing in a cemetery might give someone a heart attack. Imani looked at me over the roof of the car.
“We did good today, Lily. Winston is watching from somewhere. Don’t be sad, love.”
“Do you believe in that stuff?”
“I believe in God, but not the Bible. I’d call myself spiritual rather than religious, and I think Winston’s spirit is happy we came.” She stared at me, and it seemed like she’d come to a decision about something at that very moment. “Did Will mention what my talent was?”
The hairs on my nape stood on end. I wasn’t sure where this was going, but it didn’t look g
ood. “Ah, no.” She obviously wanted me to ask, but I wasn’t game—not because I didn’t want to know her talent, but it would be what came after that I was bound not to like.
She smiled. “You have good senses, Lily. I can tell you don’t want this conversation to progress, but I have to tell you. My talent will bug me until I do.”
Hmm, that was weird. “Okay, but do you want to do this in the car?”
“Sure.”
We both got in, Imani in the driver seat, me in the front passenger seat. I took a deep breath and turned to her. “Okay. Just give it to me. I’m a Band-Aid ripper offer.”
“I know.” Huh? “You’re braver than you realise, Lily. My talent is knowing things about people, even things they don’t know about themselves. I can’t see things about everyone, and never at will, but I get flashes of images and feelings. I never know when it will happen, but just now, at the grave, I saw some things about you that you need to know.”
“And?” I bit my nail.
“You have a special talent, a talent people will kill to own. I can’t tell what it is, but you need to know that you’re in grave danger. I can also tell you that there is trouble brewing in the witch world, and you’re at the centre of it. If anything happens to you, evil will win.”
“What evil?” Could she be talking about the snake group?
“I see you’re not surprised.”
“Um, maybe not. There was something you said…. Why would evil win just because I wasn’t here?”
“I don’t know, Lily, but maybe you should try and find the answer. Something sinister is coming. We’ll be fighting for our existence. It may not be next month, or even next year, but a shadow darkens my dreams. And I don’t know why or how, but you’re the key for good to triumph over evil.” Her eyes were locked on mine, and she wouldn’t look away.
“Are you sure you’re not overstating things?” I asked casually, trying to lighten the mood. And good versus evil? This wasn’t a medieval novel. There were shades of good and evil in most people.
“I’m afraid not, love. Anyway, nothing for you to worry about right now, but I think you should talk to Angelica about it. And, love, just so you know, I’m in your corner.” She started the car, and I clicked my belt in as we drove away.
“Thanks, Imani. I appreciate it.” I huffed a laugh and shook my head. How could I not worry? I sighed. But at least she was on my side. Maybe we should add her to our little group of snake catchers. At least one thing was true: I would definitely talk to Angelica about this.
If the last week had taught me anything, it was to live each day as passionately as I could—with no fear, and no regrets. Who knew when my time here would be done?
The sun burst out from behind the clouds, and I smiled. Tonight, I had a date with a handsome witch who had promised me popcorn and Maltesers. I was going to enjoy every second of my date because tomorrow would come soon enough, and I’d just deal with it when it arrived. And maybe, just maybe, the universe would bring me more good than bad. I thought about all my friends: Olivia, Beren, Angelica, my brother and Millicent, and of course Will, and I realised it already had.
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author, Dionne Lister is a Sydneysider with a degree in creative writing, two Siamese cats, and is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Daydreaming has always been her passion, so writing was a natural progression from staring out the window in primary school, and being an author was a dream she held since childhood.
Unfortunately, writing was only a hobby while Dionne worked as a property valuer in Sydney, until her mid-thirties when she returned to study and completed her creative writing degree. Since then, she has indulged her passion for writing while raising two children with her husband. Her books have attracted praise from Apple iBooks and have reached #1 on Amazon and iBooks charts worldwide, frequently occupying top 100 lists in fantasy. She’s excited to add cozy mystery to the list of genres she writes. Magic and danger are always a heady combination.
Also by Dionne Lister
Paranormal Investigation Bureau
Witchnapped in Westerham #1
Witch Swindled in Westerham #2
Witch Undercover in Westerham #3
Witchslapped in Westerham #4
Killer Witch in Westerham #6 (out April 2019)
The Circle of Talia
(YA Epic Fantasy)
Shadows of the Realm
A Time of Darkness
Realm of Blood and Fire
* * *
The Rose of Nerine
(Epic Fantasy)
Tempering the Rose
Witch Silenced in Westerham Page 17