I stood up to meet him but when he came into the front room, he looked upset. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot. “Can I talk to you?”

“What’s wrong? I’ve been texting you.”

“Can I talk to you alone?” he asked.

Mom huffed. “It’s not a good time, Karter.”

He stepped toward me with the most desperate look on his face. “I’m sorry, but you have to listen to me. You gotta leave. All of you. You gotta get out of here.”

“What? Why?” I asked, confused.

Karter reached out and took hold of my arms. “Can you trust me? Can you please just listen to what I’m saying?”

“I’m listening, but you’re not making sense,” I said. “If this is about the Heart, you don’t have to worry. I told my parents. They know. It’s okay.”

“That’s not it. I mean, it’s part of it, but listen—have you ever heard of something called the Living Elixir?”

I tried not to show any expression on my face as shock coursed through me. I’d seen instructions for something called Living Elixir but they’d been in a sketchbook behind a hidden door in my room. Something didn’t sit right. How did he know about that?

Mom stepped forward to nudge him toward the door. “Karter, baby, this isn’t a good—”

“Listen to me,” Karter said, raising his voice. “You and I both saw that plant. We saw what it did, and I think that plant makes the elixir. Do you know what people would do to get their hands on something like that? Do you know how much danger you’re in? You heard what that Lou guy said. You think this is a game?”

Mom stepped between us. “You need to go,” she said. “Walk out before you get put out.”

The doorbell rang again.

“What, are we having a damn party?” She angrily pulled the door open. “Nice to see you, doctor,” Mom said loudly. “Karter here was just leaving.”

Dr. Grant came into the front room and locked eyes with Karter, tilting her head to the side. I didn’t know if she was somebody’s mama, but she gave Karter one of those looks that meant she was not to be messed with. He turned around and left without another word. His footsteps pounded the porch steps and his truck skidded out of the driveway.

“My pops asked me to stop by,” Dr. Grant said. “And I have some information to share with you, but first, do you mind if I ask you exactly how you much you know about Karter?”

I was caught off guard by the question. “Karter?”

“After I ran into you the other night”—she regarded my mom cautiously—“I did some digging.” She took out a small notepad and flipped it open. “He was born here the same year you were, but he didn’t go to school in Rhinebeck. Not under that name, anyway. The bookshop has only been open for six months. Before that, it was a coffee shop. The tags on his truck belong to a man who died two years ago. That can sometimes happen when someone forgets to transfer the title, but it struck me as odd. What else do you know about him?”

“He’s been working in the bookshop way longer than six months. His mom has an office upstairs. She’s an estate lawyer. She’s the one who brought us out here. But wait, I thought your investigation was over.” The guys she was supposed to be looking into, the men who’d come after me at the theater, were dead.

Dr. Grant caught my meaning. “It is. I wanted to make sure you know the people you’re bringing around.”

“Why?” Mom asked, an edge of annoyance in her voice. “I’m her mother. I think I can handle who she’s bringing around.”

“No, I know. I—” She stumbled over her words and looked down at the floor. “I’m sorry. I failed you.”

“I don’t understand,” I said. “Are you talking about what happened with Marie?”

“What happened with Marie?” Mom asked.

We hadn’t gotten to that yet but now was not the time.

“I’m talking about Selene,” Dr. Grant said. “I was in the station the night she died. I was working with the department on another case when I heard the address, and I recognized it immediately. I rode in with the responding officer.”

“You knew how she died?” I managed to ask. My throat felt dry, my chest heavy. “You knew somebody killed her? You—you were there? And you didn’t say anything to me about it?”

“She was my friend,” Dr. Grant said. “My friend and I couldn’t save her,” she continued. “When I realized who you were, I swore I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

Mom reached out and put a hand on her arm. Her tone was firm but comforting. “What happened wasn’t your fault. I don’t think you should be shouldering that kind of guilt.”

“But I do.” Dr. Grant sighed. “I do, except I’m not sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I’ve used all my resources to try and solve Selene’s murder and Circe’s disappearance.”

“Hold up,” Mom cut in. “This Circe woman is missing? I thought she was dead. She willed this place to Bri.”

“She was declared dead earlier this year. That wasn’t made clear to you?” Dr. Grant asked.

Me and Mom shook our heads.

“She disappeared after Selene died,” Dr. Grant said. “We never found any evidence of foul play. It’s possible she set something up to make sure you inherited the house in the event of her death but that’s something the estate lawyer should be able to answer for you.” Her phone rang and she glanced at the screen. “I have to take this but I’ll be in touch.” Mom walked her out and I sat down on the couch.

My chest was tight and I could feel a headache creeping up from my temples. Mom came back and plopped down next to me.

“I guess we found the catch, right?” I asked. “We thought this was too good to be true. Big house that’s paid off, but it comes with all the sad memories of my dead relatives and a bunch of deadly plants.”

“I thought the catch would be bad plumbing or termites, not secret bloodlines and goddesses and a Poison Garden,” said Mom as she closed her eyes and rubbed her neck. “They should definitely have put that in the paperwork. I’m gonna find some Tylenol and see if your auntie has come up with anything else.” She gave me a hug. “It’s gonna be okay, baby. I promise.”