Page 29 of The Unraveling of Julia

“Jules. You didn’t know her. You don’t even know if she’s related to you.” Courtney chuckled. “Iffeelingconnected to somebody was the same thing asbeingconnected to them, I’d be connected to Taylor Swift. Are you in a para-social relationship with a ghost?”

“No, it’s not like that.” Julia felt a twinge. “What if Rossi sent me a sign? The pearl? The electric shock?”

“Honey, you got a shock because you were standing in water. You found a pearl because Rossi was crazy enough to burn Mikimoto.”

Julia winced reflexively. “Don’t call her crazy.”

“But it’s true, isn’t it? From what I hear, she was nuts.”

Julia let it go. “She left the villa to me. She wanted me to have it.”

“She left you the money, too. You’re gonna spend it, right?”

Julia had no reply. She knew her argument didn’t stand to reason.

“Are we really talking about what Rossi wants you to do?” Courtney sounded bewildered. “Jules, I thought the astrology stuff was bad, but signs from beyond? Are you getting weird on me?”

“No,” Julia said, though she’d wondered the same thing. “Anna Mattia thinks Rossi’s soul is in the villa.”

“Do you agree?”

“Maybe,” Julia had to admit.

“So you think the place ishaunted?” Courtney sounded disappointed, and Julia felt embarrassed.

“No, not really.”

“If you think Rossi’s soul is there, that’s the definition of a haunted house. Sorry, hauntedvilla.”

“I don’t think of it that way,” Julia tried to explain. “Things are different here. It’s not like home, where everything is cut and dried. It’s more spiritual, more mystical. Things that make sense here might not make sense at home.”

“Like what? It’s Tuscany, not Transylvania.”

Julia tried to think of an example. “Do you know they plant cypress trees around cemeteries to keep away the evil spirits?”

“My boss is an evil spirit.”

Julia smiled. “You want a cypress tree?”

“Julia, listen.” Courtney softened her tone. “The dead don’t live with the living. That would make every house a haunted house. You don’t believe that, do you?”

“No.”

“Don’t you think this is happening because of Mike?” Courtney asked, sympathetic. “I think you’re grieving him. Are you wishing he were with you?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think the pearl was a sign from him?”

“No,” Julia answered, because she’d thought about it. “Mike had nothing to do with pearls. Rossi liked pearls, and I think it came from her.”Or even Caterina Sforza, she almost added, but thought better of it.

“Honey, not gonna lie, you don’t sound like yourself.”

“I’m just tired. I haven’t slept well.”

“I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine.”

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