“The girl lies,” Livia said. “I’m her mother. No one loves her more than me. I know how that sounds. Kids are assumed to be innocent. But no one is ever everything they seem.”

Livia clutched her ivory cashmere shawl and offered the detectives a brave smile. Her ash blonde hair was swept back into a smooth chignon framing her carefully made up face. Even without the veneer of glamour Livia was lovely. She turned her best side to the detectives and drew in a steadying breath. One of the officers, a burly woman, offered Livia a Kleenex. Livia accepted it graciously.

“I know you’re doing your duty. I know you’re trying to find this maniac whose coming after our children, who came after my little girl. I’ve already lost my dear Victor. Don’t waste time on me. Find this warlock—“

“How do you know it was a male witch instead of a female one?” The woman detective asked.

Livia bristled at being interrupted. With a withering stare, Livia appraised this cop, boney and plain and clearly jealous, more closely. The energy crackled in the peachy gray conference room.

“Naturally I assumed a male. Men killed more than women, don’t they dear?” Livia said, turning to face the detective in charge. “Detective Adolphus, perhaps you can help me. You’ve been so kind to talk with me at the hospital. I can’t bear to be away from her. I’ve explained this to the local sheriff. But you’re so experienced and worldly I know you’ll understand. I took Pixie and Jasper trick or treating with Pixie’s friend, Ursula. Pixie collected the cursed candy from one of the houses—I don’t know where—and she shared it with the others. I never even touched it let alone curse it. When Andrew I mean Sheriff Pride interviewed her Pixie thought she was in trouble poor sweet baby. She lied about getting the candy from my purse.”

Livia dabbed at the corners of her eyes. Looking up through her lashes she studied the detectives’ stony faces. A single tear ran down one cheek.

“Pixie is slipping further and further away from me,” Livia said. “I feel her through our bond, feel her pain.”

Livia allowed her shawl to slide down revealing a slice of golden toned arm.

“You say you can’t bear to leave her but you left her the second day of her hospitalization to visit the insurance agency to check on the details of the policy you purchased on your children’s lives. A policy that, Kodiak what was that again,” the hunky dumb looking detective said.

“Easton insurance policy 673988 for $500,000 with a double indemnity for accidental death or permanent injury.”

Livia gasped and clutched her shawl again. Touching his hand on the small conference table, she focused on the lead detective.

“Surely you can’t think I care about money at a time like this. That was business. My mother selected Pixie heir to Kinder Kitchen industries, the future CEO of the family business. It is common practice to insure key employees. I just want my little girl safe, detective. I gave my life to my children. All the love and time I was never given. Pixie has been gold every day of her life. I will teach her every she will need to takeover for me,” Livia said.

Blinking her beautiful eyes Livia implored the big cop. There was a knock to the hospital’s conference room door. Another officer came in, young and powerful. He whispered to the head detective and the lady cop and then sat down. Livia felt the air shift and a familiar tug in her magic.

“Good news Mrs. Magus Dr. Tabitha has unlocked the sleeping spell. Once we knew who was behind it we re-engineered it. The shifters and the witches are healing. Pixie will wake up any minute now,” the young warlock cop said.

Livia froze as her daughter’s voice whispered in her head. “Mommy lies.”