“He knew all about my ‘potions and lotions,’ as he called them,” Holly says grimly. “Apparently he’s been making his own concoction for years, mixing the blood of teenage boys with Tink’s own pixie dust. In Jack, the serum repairs damage from the crash. Peter’s using it to repair deterioration at the cellular level—to make himself younger. But it’s failing now, and I don’t see how my formula would be any different. For a full transformation, he needs Eden’s blood itself. And given the dreadful shape he’s in, lots of it.”
“If you did find something that would work, would he leave then? Go back to where he came from? Could we be rid of him that way?”
“No,” Holly says. “That’s the astonishing thing.” She tells Jane what Peter said about others, about his desire to stay in this world. She tells her too about Peter’s words to Barrie before he died. Her mother listens intently.
“So he wants youth,” she says at last. “And beauty. But what does he intend to do with it?”
“More of the same, I imagine. I could pity him, under different circumstances. He has no one, he can’t go home, and even Tinker Bell isn’t loyal to him anymore.” She’s forgotten that Jane doesn’t know about her meeting with Eden. She fills her in as succinctly as possible.
“That is interesting,” Jane says thoughtfully. “And poor, poor Eden. But where does it leave us?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, there’s not much else you can do tonight,” Jane says. She glances toward the windows. The wind has picked up, an unexpected storm blowing through. Shadows move and shift along the walls. Holly shivers.
“We don’t have much time,” she protests.
“No, we don’t. But we have a little. And you can’t keep going like this. You need food. And sleep.” Jane takes the crystal glass from where Holly has left it. “And tea.”
Holly tries to remember the last time she ate. She can’t, and she knows Jane is right. “Food then,” she acquiesces.
“I’ll make some toast,” Jane says.
At the library door she turns back. “Also, those cuts . . . you need to care for them so they don’t become infected. What about your ointment? Tell me where it is and I’ll fetch it.”
Holly shakes her head. “I have it in my bag. But it’s too precious. I brought it with me today in case it could help Jack. That and the one vial of blood are all I have left.”
“Better save it then,” Jane says. “I’ll be back with the iodine.”
Alone, Holly leans back into the cushions. She’s so tired. She closes her eyes, just for a moment, just until Jane returns.
And then there’s a pounding at the door.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Jane and Holly reach the front entrance at the same time. Jane, normally the epitome of grace, fumbles with the lock. Holly stops her before she can throw open the door.
“Wait,” she whispers urgently. She stands on tiptoe and peers through the peephole.
It’s not Peter on the other side but the last person she would have imagined. Holly nods to her mother to pull back the door.
Standing on the front steps, wild-eyed and windblown, is Nan.
Beside Holly, Jane gives a little gasp. “Goodness, Nan, what is it?”
“Ed’s missing,” Nan blurts before she’s even inside. “He’s been missing all week. At first I thought he and his dad were off on a tear somewhere, but that’s not Ed. I’ve been looking everywhere for him. Just now I got a text from his phone, telling me to ask you where he was. So where is he?”
Holly gives Jane a look that says, Let me handle this. “I don’t know,” she tells Nan truthfully. “But Jack is missing as well.” The two women stare at each other.
“What else did the text say?”
“Nothing else. Just to ask you where he was.”
“Have you tried calling him? Or tracking him using the GPS on his phone?”
“I’m not stupid. It spins, like the phone is off.”
What would Peter want with Ed? Nothing Holly can think of. At least nothing good.
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“Five days ago, before lacrosse practice. He told me he might stay with his dad after. Every now and then his dad takes an interest in Ed, enough to have him over, and I guess this was one of those times. But Ed always lets me know when he’ll be back. And he’s never stayed away this long.”
“Have you been to the police?”
“No. Not yet. Ed’s dad—he wouldn’t like it.”
“Why not?”
“He’s had some run-ins with the law. Most of them were drug related, but he always manages to charm his way out of them. And he can be . . . unpredictable. Lots of fun sometimes, you know? When he’s in the mood, when he wants to be loved, he gives Ed loads of cash or the newest stuff. But when he’s not . . .” She trails off. “Ed usually knows to get out of the way. But he’d never not call. He doesn’t like me to worry.”
“Five days,” Jane says quietly to Holly. “That’s when Jack disappeared too.”
Alarm bells are going off in Holly’s head, a terrible suspicion growing.
“His name.” The whisper threads past the blockage in Holly’s throat, the one that’s choking her. “What’s his name?”
“Ed’s dad? Why would that matter?” Nan says. But one look at Holly’s face and she answers. “Peter. His name is Peter.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Dimly, as if from a long way away, Holly can hear Jane’s voice, but it’s as if all the air has been sucked from the room, as if she’s being held underwater. Holly can see her mother’s mouth moving but can’t understand the words. She’s sitting on the floor, her legs finally having given way.
Jane disappears from sight. Nan is still there, looking at her worriedly, her mouth open and shutting as if she’s talking. But Holly can’t hear her, either, only the buzzing in her head.
Jane reappears at her side. There’s something in her hand. She twists it, then waves it under Holly’s nose. Holly gasps and the world comes rushing back in.
“Smelling salts,” Jane says. “You’re in shock. Here, drink this.” She holds a glass to Holly’s lips. Holly obediently sips. The liquid is warm and sweet. Tea with honey.
“Better?” Jane asks.
Holly nods. Struggles to stand up, but Jane puts a hand on her shoulder and holds her down. “Sit for a moment.”
Nan stares at them. “I don’t understand,” she says uncertainly. “Do you know Ed’s father?”
Jane nods grimly. “After a fashion.”
“All this time,” Holly whispers. “He’s had someone at the house all this time.”
Jane waves her off. “That doesn’t matter now. Nor does the fact that he could have a veritable army of offspring. The real question is, what do we do next?”
“What can we do? He has all the cards. He has everything except Eden.”
“We can’t do this alone. Not now.” Jane glances at Nan. “Holly, I think you should call Christopher. Meet with him. See if he can help.”
“I don’t understand,” Nan says again.
Jane eyes her. “None of us do, my dear. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
* * *
Holly calls from the office, on her cell phone, as far away from the window as possible.
“I need your help,” she says as soon as he picks up. “I need to see you, but not at the house.”
“Why now, after you gave me the slip this morning? What’s happened?” His voice isn’t friendly.
She takes a breath. “I can’t talk, but I promise I’ll tell you everything if you’ll meet me. Someplace private.”
He’s silent a long moment. “There’s a restaurant on High Street,” he says at last. “The owner’s a friend of mine. He has a bar in the cellar. I’ll be at the table farthest from the door.” He gives her the address and hangs up.
Jane wants her to call a ride, doesn’t want her to drive, but Holly can’t bear the thought of getting in a car with a stranger, not after finding out about Ed. Anyone could belong to Peter now. She leaves Nan and her mother at the kitchen table, deep in discussion.