11

Kolabati had spent most of the evening cudgeling her brain for a way to broach the subject to Jack. She had to find out about the durba grass! Where did he learn about it? Did he have any? She had to know!

She settled on the direct approach. As soon as they entered his apartment, she asked:

“Where’s the durba grass?”

“Don’t have any,” Jack said as he took off his tailed coat and hung it on a hanger.

Kolabati glanced around the front room. She didn’t see any growing in pots. “You must.”

“Really, I don’t.”

“Then why did you ask me about it on the phone today?”

“I told you—”

“Truth, Jack.” She could tell it was going to be hard getting a straight answer out of him. But she had to know. “Please. It’s important.”

Jack made her wait while he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the winged collar. He seemed glad to be out of it. He looked into her eyes. For a moment she thought he was going to tell her the truth. Instead, he answered her question with one of his own.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Just tell me, Jack.”

“Why is it so important?”

She bit her lip. She had to tell him something. “Prepared in certain ways it can be… dangerous.”

“Dangerous how?”

“Please, Jack. Just let me see what you’ve got and I’ll tell you if there’s anything to worry about.”

“Your brother warned me about it, too.”

“Did he?” She still could not believe that Kusum was uninvolved in this. Yet he had warned Jack. “What did he say?”

“He mentioned side-effects. ’Undesirable’ side-effects. Just what they might be, he didn’t say. I was hoping maybe you could—”

“Jack! Why are you playing games with me?”

She was genuinely concerned for him. Frightened for him. Perhaps that finally got through to him. He stared at her, then shrugged.

“Okay, okay.” He went to the giant Victorian breakfront, removed a bottle from a tiny drawer hidden in the carvings, and brought it over to Kolabati. Instinctively, she reached for it. Jack pulled it away and shook his head as he unscrewed the top. “Smell first.”

He held it under her nose. At the first whiff, Kolabati thought her knees would fail her. Rakoshi elixir! She snatched at it but Jack was quicker and held it out of her reach. She had to get it away from him!

“Give that to me, Jack.” Her voice was trembling with the terror she felt for him.

“Why?”

Kolabati took a deep breath and began to walk around the room. Think!

“Who gave it to you? And please don’t ask me why I want to know. Just answer me.”

“All right. Answer: no one.”

She glared at him. “I’ll rephrase the question. Where did you get it?”

“From the dressing room of an old lady who disappeared between Monday night and Tuesday morning and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.”

So the elixir was not meant for Jack! He had come by it second-hand. She began to relax.