Binding the Shadows (Arcadia Bell #3)(79)

After the dream talk with my mother, I now wondered if she was tapped into me during my metaphysical surgery on Yvonne, but what was done, was done. “I just hope you don’t regret asking.”

“Not one bit.” She grasped my hands. Her fingers were firm around mine. “I still don’t know if Yvonne can be saved, but you improved her chances, and I’ll always be grateful for that, no matter what happens. And if there’s ever anything I can do to repay you, please tell me. Because if you’re Lon’s family, you’re my family.”

If I hadn’t spent half the night emptying myself of tears, I would’ve cried. But as it was, all I could manage was a “thank you.” My early impressions of her had completely faded. I saw her as Lon did now, I supposed: strong, stubborn, beautiful, and utterly dedicated to her family. She was a good mom. I’d trade her for mine in a heartbeat.

Jupe appeared on the back patio and came inside through sliding glass doors.

“How you feeling?” I asked.

“Stupid.”

I smiled at him.

“When are we leaving for the airport, Gramma?”

“Soon. Need to be there in a couple of hours.”

Which didn’t give me much time—a little over an hour before the sun would set, and I had things to do. I stopped Jupe on his way upstairs. “Can I talk to you? In private.”

Rose held up her hands. “Don’t let me stop you.”

I mumbled my thanks and led Jupe to the front door. “Here,” I said, snagging his army green field coat off a hook on the way out. “It’s cold.”

He slipped it on as we marched down the driveway under a dreary afternoon sky. I counted our steps as we went. “You’re already way out of her range, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Jupe said.

“Just making sure.”

“Is this about last night?” Jupe said in a low voice.

I shook my head as the sound of a car drew our attention to the side gate. “Crap. Kar Yee.”

“Kar Yee?” he said, but his excitement soon sputtered. “Does she know about last night? You didn’t tell her, did you?”

“I didn’t tell her, don’t worry.”

She sped down the side road and pulled into the circular driveway behind the Giovanni’s rental car. When she spotted us, she waved a hand and headed our way. “Nice digs, future boyfriend. I almost got lost on the mountain trying to find your secret back road.”

He grinned goofily. “I’m glad you’re all healed up now.”

“Me too. Good as gold,” she said, pinging her collarbone with her fingers. She reached into her jacket and pulled out a red envelope. “This is for you,” she said, handing it to Jupe.

“Me?”

“It’s movie passes,” she said before he even had a chance to open it. “No big deal.” She was mildly embarrassed. “You did that stuff for the Tambuku website, and I really liked that opera figure. It was sweet. You’re a good kid.”

Jupe’s breath came a little faster through his open mouth. “Oh, man. That’s cool. Thanks.”

“No big deal,” she insisted again. “What’s up with you, by the way? Your halo looks sick.”

Jupe’s mouth twisted. “Uh . . .”

“Probably just a getting a cold or something,” I offered.

“Yeah,” he said, sneaking me a grateful look. “Probably just that.”

She nodded and tilted her chin my way. “You’ve got news about that Telly kid?”

I waffled.

“You want me to leave?” Jupe asked me. “I will if you want, but whatever it is, I won’t freak out. Dad said you guys had a terrible night.”

“We did. But actually, I want to tell you both something that’s more important than that, and now’s as good a time as any.” The tears I didn’t think I had anymore were already brimming.

“What’s wrong?” Kar Yee asked.

“I need to confess something important.”

Jupe looked at Kar Yee, confused. She shrugged her shoulders in answer.

Here goes nothing, I thought. “It’s a secret I’ve been keeping.” I looked at Jupe. “Only your dad knows, and a couple of other people.”

“As many secrets as you’ve got, this should be good,” Kar Yee said. “I’m all ears.”

Jupe pushed curls away from his face, an awkward movement. I was making him nervous. Hell, I was making myself nervous. This was so much easier when I’d first told Lon. Then again, he’d drugged me into spilling the beans. I wished I could drug myself now.

“You know how I’ve told you that my parents were bad people?” I said to Jupe.

He nodded.

“They were way worse than your mom could ever dream of being. And I need to tell you both who they really were.”

“Okay.” He was definitely nervous now. Kar Yee, too.

“Are you familiar with the Black Lodge Slayings?”

Jupe’s face twisted. “Uh . . . what? Oh!” Something clicked in his head. “The serial killers. The satanic murders of those occultists, or whatever. The Duvets or something.”

“Duval. Enola and Alexander Duval.”