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Jack opened his mouth to say something, but she held up a hand and closed her eyes for a moment before turning her attention to me.
“Is Juno well?” Her voice was smooth and subtly accented.
“You know who I am?”
She smiled, but the expression didn’t reach her eyes. “I return to Venice, and an orca turns up in the canals? If you were not her relative, I would be surprised.”
I nodded. “I haven’t talked to her in a while, but from what I hear, she’s well.”
Azzura’s eyes narrowed. “Call her. Family is important.”
Another nod, and then Jack spoke. “We are here ab?—”
Her attention swung to Jack. “I know who you are too, and I know exactly why you are here. I saw you the day you followed me to confession at the basilica and every day you watched me at the cafe. At first, I thought you were members of Carabinieri Art Squad sent to find out why I had returned to Venice, but you do not speak Italian well.” Jack’s jaw tensed. “No, you are not as clever as you think you are, and you are still here only because I am allowing it. They tried to ban me from the city, but I have more friends here than enemies. You should remember that.” She stared at us both, looking for something, and when she found—or didn’t find—whatever it was she was looking for, she stood. Again, I marveled at the way she moved. “Come with me.”
My heart stuttered in my chest. Was she about to lead us to the painting? What the hell was happening right now, and why was Jack letting us blindly follow her? Where were her bodyguards? This felt like a trap.
“Relax.” Jack’s mouth barely moved.
Azzura turned the corner and stopped in front of the nursery. There were several babies on the other side of the glass, but only one was wrapped in a pink blanket.
“I do not know where the painting is. I knew once, but by the time I tried to steal it, someone else already had. After I was told I could not return to Venice, my home, I gave up the excitement of that life. It was not worth the time I missed watching mydaughter grow up.” Azzura pointed to the tiny baby in the little pink hat with a bow on it. “This is my life now. It is the only thing that matters to me.”
“Have you heard anything about anyone trying to move it or anyone looking for it?” Azzura was shaking her head before Jack even finished asking the question.
“Someone is always looking for it. There are always whispers, rumors. It is too much, and it is never anything. You would be wise to stop looking for it.”
“We can’t do that.”
She turned her assessing gaze on me. “Why not? Surely you watched Juno hunt for the painting for years with no luck.”
“There is more to whatever is going on here than just the painting. My brother’s mate was targeted and kidnapped, almost killed, and others have gone missing or been targeted too. Someone either has the piece or is eliminating players they think might have it one by one.”
“And you led them to my door?”
Jack jumped in. “No. We are here because you were on Reuben Machas’s short list of people who could have the painting. If you’re on his list, you are on others’.”
Azzura stared me down. “If you are here, are you sure your grandmother is safe? If I am a target, so too must she be.”
“She is safe.”
Azzura nodded, but her face was stony and impassive.
“For your safety, Reuben has issued an invitation for you and anyone you’d like to bring with you to join him at his compound in Australia.” I stared at Jack. I had no idea that was part of what we’d been sent to do. It was just another indication that he was keeping things, important things, from me.
Azzura laughed bitterly. “I will not leave my family again, and if anyone else comes to me, I will tell them what I have told you.”
Jack nodded but pulled a sheaf of folded papers from the inside pocket of the light jacket he wore and placed them on the top of the pastry box, holding it out to Azzura. “The offer stands. Reuben is convinced these latest whispers are more than that. Be safe.”
She took the box. “Please give Reuben my regards. I appreciate the warning and his offer. I will be in touch if I need to be.” Azzura turned back to the window to stare at her great-granddaughter, and it couldn’t have been clearer that we’d been dismissed.
Once we were back in the hallway, I turned on Jack.
“Reuben told you to invite her to stay with him?”
“Yes, it’s part of this mission.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
