Binding the Shadows (Arcadia Bell #3)(36)

We took turns holding it up to the light, peering through the glass.

Lon said, “I wonder if the kid was taking multiples doses to increase his knack to that point, or if one dose is progressive?”

“In my experience, a dose is just going to wear off. My bet is that Telly’s been dosing regularly to build his strength.”

“Ever seen a medicinal this color?”

“Can’t say I have. Probably a few books back at my place I could thumb through, see if I could cross-reference it. But, you know, if I’d seen a recipe for ‘Bionic Knack Juice,’ I think I might’ve remembered.”

“I probably have all the same books in my library,” he mumbled, shaking the liquid around.

No doubt. I glanced out the window, warily watching the street. “Telly said his supply of the potion was running out, so maybe his strength will start waning and he won’t be so out of control.”

“If this bottle is all he’s got, he’ll try to get it back from you.”

Oh. I hadn’t considered this.

“He knows who you are,” Lon said. “He knows the bar. He’s killed someone already. Would’ve damn well killed us if we were a standing a few feet north.”

“Maybe it’s a good thing the bar’s closed.”

“When is your artist coming to repaint the binding triangles?”

“She’s in Colorado for the holidays, so not until after New Year’s. I thought about opening for a few days before then, but maybe that’s not smart. If it were just me—”

“But it’s not just you. You need to think about the rest of your staff. Customers.” He handed the potion back to me and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “What’s your best guess on how long the potion lasts?”

“Most of my medicinals only last a few hours—a day, max. Never seen anything that stretched beyond that.”

“So he’ll be looking for more,” Lon said.

“He said there are only two sources of this: one big, one small.”

Lon nodded. “The maker and the distributor.”

“Would make sense. And if Telly needs money to break into the maker’s stash—”

“He might rethink his plans and go for the smaller source after all,” Lon finished.

“The nosey neighbor said Telly didn’t live here in the city—said he might be from La Sirena or somewhere on the coast. If that’s true, the distributor might be, too. After all, Merrimoth got it from someone.”

“But the crime spree’s been happening here,” Lon countered. “And Telly couldn’t have committed every robbery. Too many of them happening the same night, too many different knacks.”

I nodded. “More dealers in Morella.”

“Easiest way to find a normal drug dealer is to track down people who use and learn where they bought it.”

“Follow stories about bionic knacks. See if someone will tell us where they bought it.”

“Exactly,” Lon said.

“And in the meantime, maybe I can find out more about the potion. How long the effects last, and all that.”

“I can help you research potions.”

“Sure, we could do that. . . . Or, we could try something a little more direct. I do know a drug dealer.”

Lon turned his head to the side and mumbled a string of curses.

“Now, now. Hajo’s been on his best behavior since we took the vassal potion back from him. I could call him. Maybe get him to meet me somewhere.”

Lon grunted. He may not like it, but he knew I was right. If anyone was dealing the bionic drug in Morella, Hajo would be get us a name.

“I’ll call him after dinner tonight,” I said, hearing cop sirens in the distance. “Right now, we better get out of here.”

• • •

I got my Jetta out of Kar Yee’s parking garage and followed Lon’s SUV back to Chez Butler, pulling in right at five. “Don’t be late,” Jupe had insisted, and we barely made it.

Ugh. Family dinner with Rose.

Lon said he took care of everything with her. Guess I was about to find out how true that really was. I could do this. Yes, I could. My chin was up, I was ready, and everything was going to be fine.

As I shut my car door, the troops filed out of the door: Adella, Rose, Mr. and Mrs. Holiday, all led by Jupe.

“You made it!” he said as he strode to meet me, corkscrew curls bobbing.

“Told you I would.”

He flashed me a humungous, toothy grin and tackled me in a hug.

“Jeez, I’ve only been gone one night,” I said into his hair. But I was secretly pleased that he was so glad to see me. It bolstered my shaky nerves. “Really only a few hours.”

“Seventeen hours,” he corrected with his usual mathematical precision. As he pulled away from me, his gaze fell to my chest, then leapt back up. His eyes were moons. He bit the inside of his mouth and made some weird noise before turning away to shoo Foxglove back inside the house.

Heat blazed across my face.

Why did I wear Kar Yee’s shirt? It was way too tight. I considered running inside to change. Maybe I was underdressed anyway. But when I quickly surveyed everyone, I found that they were all pretty casual. Adella was even wearing jeans. She was not, however, wearing a top that made her breasts look like beach balls.