Page 29 of Bloodlines and Birthright

While the other woman spoke to Signora Colombo and patted her shoulder, Miss Wheeler told us more. “She said she doesn’t know anything about a wood spell, or about her husband’s plans to expand the business with the help of a magician. She says he was happy here in Pecco. I couldn’t tell her that we knew he was wanting to expand without revealing you saw the new factory’s plans in the boatshed.”

The widow seemed more angry than upset. I suppose I would be too if I’d just learned my spouse wanted to move out of the village.

“Ask her about The Angel,” Oscar said.

“Why? He’s an anarchist. He has nothing to do with the stolen spell.”

“We can’t say that for certain.”

My eyes widened. Could he be right? The murder coming so soon after the theft of the spell would imply there was a connection, but I couldn’t see what it would be. The anarchist movement would have no interest in a wood strengthening spell.

Miss Wheeler spoke to the widow who suddenly shot to her feet, forcing her friend to take a step back. Signora Colombo spat on the ground and fired off some words in Italian.

“She says The Angel is a bad man and hated her husband,” Miss Wheeler explained. “Perché?” she asked the widow.

Signora Colombo made a shooing motion and snarled a few more harsh words in our direction.

Miss Wheeler backed up to the door. “We should go.”

The widow calmed down when she realized we were leaving, and a tense silence filled the room. Until the creak of a floorboard overhead broke the silence. The widow resumed shouting at us again. Her friend, however, had gone ashen. She stared up at the ceiling and crossed herself.

We hurriedly filed out of the house and back into the piazza, the friend on our heels. Signora Colombo slammed the door behind us.

Miss Wheeler spoke to the friend who shook her head over and over. The hand that clutched her handkerchief beat lightly against her chest, as she replied.

Miss Wheeler swallowed hard. “I asked her about the child, the one in the photograph, and if he was terribly upset over his father’s death. She said there is no child anymore. He died recently.”

“Then who was upstairs?” Oscar asked.

“That’s the thing. No one was up there. Signora Colombo is alone now.”

“Someone was up there. We all heard a noise.”

“The neighbor thinks it’s the spirit of Signore Colombo. His violent and untimely death means his ghost can’t rest.”

We all looked back at the house. I may not be a religious man, but I had a sudden urge to cross myself, too.

Chapter 10

Signora Colombo’s friend and neighbor, Maria, proved to be a wealth of knowledge. She explained to Miss Wheeler that Signora Colombo had retreated inward since the death of her son from a fever. She kept to herself, preferring not to linger at the market with the other women. Maria had persisted with the friendship, despite Signora Colombo’s standoffishness, knowing what it was like to lose a child herself.

When Miss Wheeler asked if Signore Colombo had any enemies who would want to kill him, Maria became cagey. She said he was well-liked in the village. I’d been about to suggest to Miss Wheeler that she ask Maria to elaborate on whether he had enemies outside the village, but Oscar got in first. He wanted to know about the man called The Angel.

Maria’s lips flattened at the mention of him. At Miss Wheeler’s prompting, she gave a lengthy response.

“The man’s real name is De Angelis,” Miss Wheeler translated. “He and his friend arrived in Pecco a few days ago from Milan. Maria describes them as brutes, up to no good, with De Angelis being a huge man.”

“That’s them!” I cried. “That’s the men we saw here last night.”

“Maria says The Angel had business with the boatbuilder, something his wife didn’t like, although Maria can’t say what Signora Colombo had against De Angelis specifically. Maria didn’t detect any animosity between De Angelis and Colombo on the two times she saw them together, but Signora Colombo took an instant dislike to him. Maria wondered if Signora Colombo simply didn’t trust him because he was a stranger and had a roughened look about him. Apparently, Signora Colombo has a bit of a reputation for being uppity. She isn’t from around here, and marrying a boatbuilder in a small fishing village was a step down for her and she never let her husband forget it.”

“Ask Maria if she thinks Signora Colombo knew De Angelis before he came to Pecco,” Oscar asked.

Miss Wheeler translated the question into Italian. At Maria’s headshake, she thanked her.

The older woman’s worried gaze fell on the boatshed then the house. She crossed herself. “La famiglia è maledetta.”

“The family is cursed,” Miss Wheeler interpreted for us.