had Abe’s blessing or was someone who wasn’t loyal.
“But,” LM continued, “if I were a betting man, I’d say the lead contender would be your old friend Volos.”
My stomach dipped. “Just because Volos testified against Uncle Abe doesn’t mean he wants to take over the coven.” John Volos had been the prosecution’s lead witness against Uncle Abe in exchange for a generous immunity deal. Since that trial, Volos appeared to have turned his life around. He’d started several companies and was a generous contributor to charities and the election campaigns of a few powerful politicians at the state and local levels.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to take over the coven,” LM said, his face going all soft-focus as if he was imagining a distant possibility. “Maybe he wants to start one of his own.”
I frowned. “Why would he want to risk all that legit power to start peddling dirty potions again?”
A voice in my head whispered, Because he missed cooking. Just like you.
I shook off the wayward thought. “It just doesn’t add up.”
“You asked for theories, right?” LM pursed his lips. “What if Volos has just been biding his time? He’s started all these revitalization projects, right? Like the one near the Arteries?”
He was talking about the new community center Volos was building on the abandoned lot where I’d killed Ferris Harkins.
LM continued, “What if he’s doing all these projects to gain back territory from the other covens? The one by the Arteries is on Bane’s turf. Then there’s the one he’s starting next year in Aphrodite’s sector.” Bane was the leader of the Sanguinarian Coven, which specialized in blood magic. Aphrodite Johnson was the priestess and coven leader of the Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm, aka the Os.
“Okay, so he’s building community projects on other covens’ turf,” I said. “Maybe it’s a simple ‘fuck you’ to the other covens.”
“But why? I mean, if he’s gone legit why bother the covens anyway? Volos has too much power to be threatened by Aphrodite or Bane enough to flip them the double birds.”
I sat back and mulled it over. I’d never fully trusted Volos’s supposed evolution, but it was hard to believe he’d put a potion as dangerous as Gray Wolf on the streets. “Why would he choose this potion?” I said almost to myself. “What’s his angle?”
“Jeez, what? You expect me to do all your work?”
I pressed my lips together and shot him a look. If he was right and Volos was behind this potion, this case was about to become a major shit show. I blew out a long breath. “Christ. What a mess.”
“You ask me, things been fucked up round here ever since your uncle got sent to Crowley. Say what you will about the man, but he kept shit in line.”
I couldn’t share LM’s nostalgia for the good old days when Uncle Abe ruled the Cauldron like an unenlightened despot, but he was right about things being in upheaval since Abe left. Nature abhors a vacuum, and Abe’s exit left a huge one in Babylon.
LM nudged me with his elbow, breaking me out of my troubling thoughts. “I heard something else.”
I raised a brow and waited. He cleared his throat and rubbed his fingertips together. “Jesus, LM. You’re bleeding me dry today.” Normally I’d file an expense report to be reimbursed for paying off CIs, but in this case I was pretty sure Eldritch would laugh me out of the precinct since I intended to use this information on a MEA case. And I was pretty sure Gardner wouldn’t open the coffers for an unauthorized meeting with a CI if I got on the team. Which meant whatever LM was about to tell me better be worth my having to skip lunch that day.
I pulled a five and two ones from the wallet. He shot me a withering look as if I’d insulted him. “It’s all I got. But if your tip’s good, I’ll make sure and visit you next time I have a full wallet and a need for info.”
He sniffed and sighed like he was doing me a
“But,” LM continued, “if I were a betting man, I’d say the lead contender would be your old friend Volos.”
My stomach dipped. “Just because Volos testified against Uncle Abe doesn’t mean he wants to take over the coven.” John Volos had been the prosecution’s lead witness against Uncle Abe in exchange for a generous immunity deal. Since that trial, Volos appeared to have turned his life around. He’d started several companies and was a generous contributor to charities and the election campaigns of a few powerful politicians at the state and local levels.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to take over the coven,” LM said, his face going all soft-focus as if he was imagining a distant possibility. “Maybe he wants to start one of his own.”
I frowned. “Why would he want to risk all that legit power to start peddling dirty potions again?”
A voice in my head whispered, Because he missed cooking. Just like you.
I shook off the wayward thought. “It just doesn’t add up.”
“You asked for theories, right?” LM pursed his lips. “What if Volos has just been biding his time? He’s started all these revitalization projects, right? Like the one near the Arteries?”
He was talking about the new community center Volos was building on the abandoned lot where I’d killed Ferris Harkins.
LM continued, “What if he’s doing all these projects to gain back territory from the other covens? The one by the Arteries is on Bane’s turf. Then there’s the one he’s starting next year in Aphrodite’s sector.” Bane was the leader of the Sanguinarian Coven, which specialized in blood magic. Aphrodite Johnson was the priestess and coven leader of the Mystical Coven of the Sacred Orgasm, aka the Os.
“Okay, so he’s building community projects on other covens’ turf,” I said. “Maybe it’s a simple ‘fuck you’ to the other covens.”
“But why? I mean, if he’s gone legit why bother the covens anyway? Volos has too much power to be threatened by Aphrodite or Bane enough to flip them the double birds.”
I sat back and mulled it over. I’d never fully trusted Volos’s supposed evolution, but it was hard to believe he’d put a potion as dangerous as Gray Wolf on the streets. “Why would he choose this potion?” I said almost to myself. “What’s his angle?”
“Jeez, what? You expect me to do all your work?”
I pressed my lips together and shot him a look. If he was right and Volos was behind this potion, this case was about to become a major shit show. I blew out a long breath. “Christ. What a mess.”
“You ask me, things been fucked up round here ever since your uncle got sent to Crowley. Say what you will about the man, but he kept shit in line.”
I couldn’t share LM’s nostalgia for the good old days when Uncle Abe ruled the Cauldron like an unenlightened despot, but he was right about things being in upheaval since Abe left. Nature abhors a vacuum, and Abe’s exit left a huge one in Babylon.
LM nudged me with his elbow, breaking me out of my troubling thoughts. “I heard something else.”
I raised a brow and waited. He cleared his throat and rubbed his fingertips together. “Jesus, LM. You’re bleeding me dry today.” Normally I’d file an expense report to be reimbursed for paying off CIs, but in this case I was pretty sure Eldritch would laugh me out of the precinct since I intended to use this information on a MEA case. And I was pretty sure Gardner wouldn’t open the coffers for an unauthorized meeting with a CI if I got on the team. Which meant whatever LM was about to tell me better be worth my having to skip lunch that day.
I pulled a five and two ones from the wallet. He shot me a withering look as if I’d insulted him. “It’s all I got. But if your tip’s good, I’ll make sure and visit you next time I have a full wallet and a need for info.”
He sniffed and sighed like he was doing me a
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