“Of course I did, he’s my brother and he fronts our business. Whenever I have a breakthough that may make us a great deal of money, of course I share it with him.”

“Anyone else?” When she shook her head, he persisted. “Your mother?”

“My mother isn’t in the least bit interested in anything I say or do. She could care less about any of my discoveries. Was she in the room when I told Armande? Possibly. We often talk in the evenin’ when we’re together, but I can’t remember exactly when I told him about it.”

“Is Armande your half-brother? Is he Buford Tregre’s son?” Drake watched Charisse closely for the answer. She would know by scent, even if no one else could detect it.

She looked more shocked than ever. “No. Armande isn’t his son.” She looked down at her hands. “I know Mama was sleepin’ with Buford, and he often beat her, but she always went back to him. But I know he’s my full brother. He smelled just like daddy.”

“And the flower? The Leopard’s Lover flower?”

Charisse flinched. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened in a perfect round O. “How do you know about Leopard’s Lover? No one can know about that. We stand to make millions of dollars with that scent. I haven’t quite perfected it yet, but I’ve been workin’ on it for literally years. I’m close, and if I get it right, we’ll be set for life and I’ll be able to really pour decent money back into our community where it’s needed. No one knows about that flower or the scent.”

“The flower is growing wild in Fenton’s Marsh and along the Tregre border and on their property.” Drake waited, watching her face carefully.

Charisse sagged back in her chair, a look of utter horror on her face. She shook her head. “No. That can’t be. That’s a hybrid, not indigenous to our swamp. It can only be grown safely in the greenhouse. I’ve taken extra precautions. I have a special room in the greenhouse for it alone. You have no idea how much money that plant is worth—or how much damage it might do not only to our environment, but to people—our people—to shifters.” She kept shaking her head, in genuine shock.

Drake had to believe her. She hadn’t been in the swamp, or Fenton’s Marsh, or she would have known the plant had escaped the greenhouse. By her own admission she knew Evangeline, but she claimed she met her in the Mercier picnic area, not in the swamp itself.

“Remy’s here,” Saria announced and headed to the door.