Page 107 of The Unraveling of Julia

“But what about the conspiracy? They tried to kill Gianluca. I’m worried they’re going to try to kill you.” Courtney looked over, tense. “I’m starting to think we’re in over our heads.”

“You know, we have two different things going on, like two different investigations, but what if they’re related?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we’re trying to figure out what this conspiracy is up to. We think it has something to do with me and my inheritance.” Julia triedto parse their situation. “And the other thing we’re trying to do is find my biological family. Obviously, both are related to me, but there must be some other relationship between them. They’re both mysteries, and I feel like if we solve one, it’ll help us solve the other.”

“Why?” Courtney shrugged. “You could find your bio mom at a school tomorrow, but it wouldn’t tell us why they ran Gianluca off the road.”

Julia paused to plumb her own reasoning, then had an answer. “I think they’re related because I got the two visions together, tonight, at the hospital. I have to wonder, why did I get them back-to-back? And why at the hospital? The first vision was in Gianluca’s room and it was about the conspiracy. The second vision was in the hallway and it was about my biological family. Whoever’s sending me these visions sent them together, in the same place, on the same night.That’swhy I’m joining them. I think somebody’s trying totell methese things are connected.”

Courtney listened, driving, but Julia got excited as the notion took hold.

“Helen said there are places called ‘thin places.’ They’re where the material world comes in greatest contact with the spiritual world, where the veil between the worlds is thin. They’re mostly in nature.”

“Okay.” Courtney cocked her head, listening.

“But a thin place doesn’t have to be in nature. It could be in a place like a hospital. It couldbea hospital.” The more Julia thought about it, the more sense it made. “Where else do life and death come into contact more than ahospital? People are born and die there every day. There’s a nurseryanda morgue.”

“Okay, I’m with you.” Courtney nodded. “So what do we do?”

“I say we go to the schools first thing tomorrow morning and see what happens.”

“Okay, you’re the one with the Spidey sense. But what about the cops in Florence? Maybe we should go to them.”

“The problem is we have no evidence. What would we tell them? I’m a rookie medium? I had a vision about a murder attempt by a conspiracy that includes a Tuscan cop? My evidence is imaginary, I can’t prove anything. The only hard fact that I’m being followed is the license plate from the white Fiat, but that alone doesn’t prove anything.” Julia sensed she was right. “Plus if we go to the Florence police, it shows our hand to Torti. Right now he doesn’t know I suspect him. He thinks I’m satisfied that he’s investigating.”

“Agree, and I doubt the Florence police would believe us.”

“We’re on our own.” Still, Julia didn’t like risking Courtney’s life. “You should go back home.”

“Not without you.”

“I can’t leave Gianluca. Please, go.”

“No.”

“Courtney, please?”

“No. End of convo.”

Julia tabled it for now. Edgy, she checked the outside mirror.

Courtney downed her coffee. “Anyway, we’re notcompletelyon our own. We have a gun.”

“Can you shoot?”

“Sure.” Courtney shrugged. “How hard can it be?”

58

Julia and Courtney entered the villa, turning on the lights, and the house was still and quiet. Julia closed the door behind them and turned the deadbolt, relieved she’d had locks installed.

Courtney looked up. “I told Paul about these frescoes. They’re the only nice things about this place.”

“I know. Bianco!” Julia called out, and the dog lumbered in from the kitchen, his nails clicking on the tile. His gait was steadier, so the drug was leaving his system and probably hers. She petted his soft, furry head.

“Paul wants me to send pics.” Courtney took out her phone, and Julia went to the dining room table, set down her purse, and opened her laptop.