Page 46 of My Sister is Going to Kill Me

“That’s where the science comes in.” Devon’s voice broke in, strong and sure. “The active drugs in datura, atropine and scopolamine, are neuroblockers, and yes, they can be dangerous. But they can also be used in perfectly safe medical applications, like the patches some people wear to prevent motion sickness. We honed an extraction process that targets a very specific subset of datura’s natural properties to tap into that ephemeral carefree feeling. I did years of experimentation, first at Oxford, then at the company, trying different sources of the plant, different strains, different ways to deliver it topically. It’s one of the reasons CareFree has been so expensive to develop.”

“And worth it,” Charlie said. “Now that our formula is safe and stable, this is going to be huge. Like what CBD did for sleep, or retinol for aging skin. CareFree erases worry from your face, smoothing out the hard edges. You can feel it, and you can see it. CareFree’s datura formulation has multibillion-dollar potential. And we’ll be first to market.”

There was real pride in his voice. Or maybe it was greed. Mandy turned to Liv and gave her an encouraging smile. “CareFree sounds pretty great, right?”

“It sounds like you took a cosmic being and neutered her,” Katy muttered.

“Neutered is safe,” Charlie said. “Neutered is what sells.”

“But surely using CareFree comes with some risks,” Liv said.

“No risks,” Charlie said quickly. “Devon and her team have been meticulous on the science. We’ve scrubbed the plant of all its delirium-inducing effects. You wouldn’t believe how much active psychotropic material we have to discard from every batch of datura to ensure we only deliver the highest quality product to our customers.”

Katy frowned. “She won’t like this.”

“Who?” Charlie said. “Our customers?”

“The plant. The goddess.”

The raft fell silent.

“Sorry. What do I know?” Katy said, taking up her paddle again.

“We know CareFree will be a mammoth hit,” Charlie said. “Our team believes in this product, and Babette’s reputation with our customers is unparalleled. She’s a master of selling something new to the world and making people feel like it’s exactly what they’ve been missing all along.”

“So where is she?” Stefan’s voice was curt and measured. “What is she doing that is more important than this?”

No response. All that salesmanship and bluster, and now nothing.

Mandy couldn’t let this opening pass her by.

“Maybe she’s plotting to murder the competition.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Charlie glared at Liv. “You told me you were the pinnacle of discretion.”

Liv took a long breath, buying herself time to respond. There was no use deliberating over whether Mandy’s brash statement had been a brilliant move or a foolish one. Her sister had poked the beehive. Liv’s only option now was to see if any honey might come out.

“I told you my job requires me to be discreet,” she said. “And I’m off the clock this week.”

“What are you talking about?” Devon asked.

“You really don’t know?” Mandy broke in.

Devon’s face was an iron mask of confrontation; Charlie’s, red with anger. Liv had to find a way to keep the pressure on while redirecting the heat.

“Your brother received a threatening message yesterday.” Liv shot a look back at Katy before saying more. The guide didn’t seem to be paying attention to the conversation in the raft, her eyes tracing the hieroglyphics of the swirling river. So Liv continued. “My sister received a threat too. As did PK. I’m assuming both of you”—she looked from Devon to Stefan—“were threatened as well.”

“What was the message?” Devon asked her brother.

When Charlie didn’t respond, she nudged him with her paddle.

“You kept this a secret? You got a threat, and you told her”—Liv reared back as Devon’s paddle swung in her direction—“before you told me?”

His voice was hoarse. “I wasn’t sure you’d believe it.”

“Why?”