The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(66)

"That God damn pig swill," she muttered when he finally finished. "He should be tied and gutted like the hog he is. Wish I'd been there, Matt. I'd have helped you get Coyle to talk."

"Matt handled the situation as well as could be expected," I said. "No one could have got Lord Coyle to admit any wrongdoing. He's much too clever."

"And he'd know he can't be touched," Cyclops added. "No one would dare accuse a lord of being involved in a murder."

"He's not above the law," Matt said. "We just have to find enough evidence against him that would convince the police and a jury."

"You're going to continue?" Cyclops glanced sideways at me. "Is that a good idea?"

Matt's lips flattened. "I have been given no other option."

I lifted my chin. "I told him I'm going to investigate with or without him."

Willie slapped me on the shoulder. Some of my tea splashed over the rim of my cup and pooled in the saucer. "Good for you, India. We don't let men like Coyle scare us."

"His man tried to shoot her!" Duke cried. "A wise person would be scared of Coyle."

"You calling me an idiot?"

He lifted his cup to his lips and sipped.

"This is nothing to do with foolhardiness," I told them, "and everything to do with making sure Matt's neck doesn't end up in a noose."

My pronouncement was met with silence from the men and an "Amen," from Willie. "You think he killed Hale because the doctor refused to sell him his magic medicine, don't you?" she asked.

Matt nodded and pressed his finger against his temple, as if he could dig out the ache there. "We think Coyle found out that Hale is an apothecary magician. He approached Hale to purchase some of his magic medicine, but Hale refused. So he had him killed then offered to buy Hale's private bottles from the hospital."

"It's a good theory," Duke said, nodding.

"Sounds too drastic to me," Cyclops said from where he stood by the fireplace. "Why not just steal the bottles from Hale's office? Why kill Hale?"

"Because Coyle's mad." Willie drew little circles at her ear with her finger. "Mad folk don't think like the rest of us. They go straight for the throat. Or the poison, in this case."

"It means Coyle put a spell on Hale's personal bottle of Cure-All," I said with a shake of my head. "I think it's too much of a coincidence for him to be an apothecary magician when he has nothing to do with the industry."

"He could have colluded with an apothecary magician," Matt said. "Which brings us back to our original suspects."

The others went over old ground, tossing out theories and suppositions. I did not join in. I'd had a thought, and when Matt asked me what was on my mind, I told them.

"What if Hale infused the poison spell into his own medicine, not intending to take it himself but give it to someone else?"

"And then he took it by accident?" Matt asked.

"Or someone swapped the poisoned bottle with his regular one in his desk drawer. It means they would have seen him place the spell on the medicine and seen where he put the bottle."

"Ritter or Wiley," Duke suggested. "Someone from the hospital."

"Not necessarily an employee," I said. "It's quite easy to get in and walk through the building. It could have been any of our suspects."

Matt squeezed the bridge of his nose. "It would mean there is no other apothecary magician and we're barking up the wrong tree by looking for one."

Several sighs filled the sitting room, followed by silence. Matt closed his eyes. He looked done in.

"Matt," I said gently, "your watch."

He pulled the watch out of his inside jacket pocket. He flipped the case open and closed his eyes again as the magic flowed along his veins. I watched, fascinated by the effect. It made him seem otherworldly and not quite human, the way I imagined fairy folk appeared.

A movement near the door startled me. Hope Glass stood there, her lips forming a perfect O, her wide gaze on Matt as the magic lit up his face and disappeared into his hair.





Chapter 13





"Hope!" I leapt to my feet and rushed to stand between her and Matt, blocking her line of sight.

Duke and Cyclops sprang into action, too, flanking either side of me to form a shield.

"But…Matthew!" Hope blurted out. "Your skin!"

"Ain't nothing to see." Willie grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her around and marched her out.

Hope glanced back, but Willie kicked the door closed with her foot. I could hear Hope's excited voice questioning her on the other side, and Willie getting crosser and crosser.

"Damn it," Matt muttered, slipping his watch back into his pocket. "I'd better talk to her."

"And say what?" Duke asked.

"I'll think of something." He strode to the door and turned on a charming smile as he opened it. "Hope! What a pleasant surprise." He held out his hand and she hesitated before placing hers in it.

"Is everything all right, Matt?" she asked.

"Of course," he said cheerfully. "It's wonderful to see you, and without the others, too." He beamed one of his dashing smiles and her face glowed, thanks to the sheer brightness of it.