31906844db5c02010017a90f3f2ca805

“All right, all right,” he said, his smile vanishing. “Okay, yeah, I was Jeb’s dealer when he was in town. And a great client he was, too. Pretty much bought up my entire supply of whatever I had to offer. Mary Jane, boom, smack, gum, snow, bennies, ice, uppers, rope, goop, K, angel dust, magic mint, Robo, blue heaven, cactus, shrooms, poppers, uppers…”

I shared a look with Dooley and shook my head. He shook his, too.

“So he paid you?” asked Odelia, unfazed. “No debts?”

“Hey, what do I look like to you? A banker? I don’t do credit, all right? You want the stuff, you pay cash on delivery.”

“Ask him if he’s ever heard of a guy called Animal,” I said. “Or Cicero.”

“Do the names Animal or Cicero mean anything to you?” asked Odelia.

The man’s face instantly displayed an expression of fear. “I got nothing to do with those guys. Nothing whatsoever. They stay out of my way, and I stay out of theirs.”

“Jeb was deeply in debt with this Animal person,” I said. “And Cicero, who works for Animal, threatened to break Jeb’s kneecaps with a baseball bat if he didn’t pay up.”

“Is it possible Jeb borrowed money from this Animal to buy your merchandise?” asked Odelia.

The guy shrugged.“It’s possible. But not likely. I mean, this is Jeb Pott we’re talking about. World-famous actor? The guy must be loaded, right? Private jet, condo in Manhattan, mansion in the Hamptons, yacht in the South of France, private island in the Caribbean. Vacation home in Gstaad. Why would he borrow money from the Animal?”

Odelia nodded, then glanced down at me.“Apparently that’s exactly what he did.”

“If he did, that was very stupid of him,” said Conrad. “And if he didn’t pay, he’s a dead man.”

Uncle Alec put Conrad into his squad car and read him his rights.

Odelia crouched down next to me.“So tell me more about this Animal.” I told her the story about meeting Melvin, and she smiled. “See? I told you dogs are nice.” She tickled my chin. “You need to keep an open mind in this business, Max. Otherwise you won’t get far.”

“Lesson learned,” I said. “So are you going to talk to this Mr. Animal now?”

“Not right now. I’m taking Gran to my dad first. If she’s been popping ecstasy she needs a full medical.” She shook her head as she got up. “What the heck was she thinking?”

“I was thinking I was buying vitamins!” Gran yelled from the car. “Vitamins!”

Chapter 28

Arriving at her dad’s, Odelia helped her grandmother out of the car, but Gran quickly slapped her arm away. “I’m not an invalid,” she snapped.

“I know, I know. Just be careful where you step, all right?”

Gran grumbled something under the breath that didn’t sound like the kind of thing one should say to one’s beloved granddaughter, then sailed into the doctor’s office under her own steam. She stepped inside and Odelia followed right behind. In the waiting room only one patient sat. It was Mrs. Baumgartner, Dad’s least favorite but most loyal patient. Not a week went by that Mrs. Baumgartner didn’t set foot in the office at least once.

A bluff, apple-cheeked and heavyset middle-aged lady, she was probably the healthiest person in Hampton Cove, which hadn’t stopped her from suffering a long list of ailments, all of them gleaned from Wikipedia and the medical encyclopedias she collected.

“Hey, Ida,” Gran grumbled.

“Oh, hello there, Vesta,” said Mrs. Baumgartner. She checked her watch.

Gran got the message.“I’m not here to work. I’m here to see the doctor.”

“Ooh, are you sick? You certainly look sick—in fact you look terrible.”

Gran’s eyes shot three sheets of flame in Mrs. Baumgartner’s direction, who quickly shut up.

“I’m not sick,” Gran said emphatically. “It’s Odelia. She’s got this obsession that there must be something wrong with me, even though I keep telling her I’m perfectly fine.”

“Do you mind if we cut in, Mrs. Baumgartner?” asked Odelia.

“Oh, no, I don’t mind at all. In fact I’ve got all the time in the world.”

When the door to the inner office opened and Odelia’s dad appeared, he looked surprised to see his daughter and mother-in-law. “Odelia? Vesta? Is something the matter?”

“No,” said Gran.

“Yes,” said Odelia.

An elderly man Odelia recognized as Mr. Soot came shuffling out, pressed Dad’s hand warmly, and shuffled on out the door.

“Come on in,” said Dad, and ushered the both of them into his office.

“Get well soon, Vesta!” Mrs. Baumgartner yelled before the door closed. “We miss you!”