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“It doesn’t matter,” she seethed.

“Itdoes.” I stared at her. “One allergy can turn an effective medicine ineffective instantly. What works for one person can cripple another. Now, answer my questions.”

The woman glared at me, and I arched an eyebrow, waiting for her response. If she had expected us to let the questions slide, she was wrong.

“This is harassment,” she said, straightening her spine.

“No. This is getting the facts,” I replied.

“Harassment is accusation without facts,” Yolanda added.

“An educated person like you wouldn’t stoop to that level, correct?” I said, gauging her. Was she authentic or was this a ploy? “I’m a doctor, and I’ll be happy to educate you with any misinformation you’ve received.”

I didn’t know what had gotten into me. I’d dealt with more stressful situations than this little trouble maker. Perhaps it was the frustration of not locating the leader of the Anacondas, the growing loneliness of dealing with the vengeance, or the caution I had to take because of The Trogyn that had tipped off my equilibrium.

This woman incited my anger, and I didn’t like it. “I need to know your symptoms.”

Sensing my frustration, Grandma placed a hand on my lower back.

Yolanda swiped the jar from the counter, examining it, probably making sure it was purchased from Full Circle Apothecary. “We take pride in our work, and we’ve healed many people who keep returning. This is a healing center, and that’s all we do. We heal.” She showed my grandma the jar. “There’s nothing potent in here. Just basic herbs you can find in any tea packages.”

Grandma looked at the woman. “What kind of ‘poison’ did the doctor say this was?”

I grabbed the jar from Grandma’s hand and checked the ingredients: jasmine leaves, dandelion, rose, and ginseng. Nothing about these contents would hurt anyone. As an immunologist, I was well-versed in infectious diseases, poison, and other things that could harm the human body.

There was no way these herbs poisoned her.

The need to protect my grandma spiked. I studied the woman who appeared to be in her mid-fifties wearing bright red lipstick. She stood straight and proud, portraying someone who didn’t waver much. Her luxury clothing showed she preferred to shop at boutiques. She didn’t seem like the kind that would make trouble for a payout. She already had money. But from my experience with the wealthy, I’d encountered snakes and vultures who would do anything for money.

What was going on here?

The woman kept darting her eyes away from my gaze, making her seem even more suspicious. Had The Trogyn sent her here? I didn’t know why that thought intruded my brain, but I couldn’t dismiss it.

However, Grandma’s apothecary wasn’t a corporation that could affect them. Unless they were targeting me. Had they somehow linked me and my friends to the destruction of their businesses? No, they hadn’t made the connection yet. If they had, I was certain they wouldn’t send one woman into a shop; they’d send an army. I had to be extra cautious because they could be anywhere. That was another level of anxiety hovering over me.

“Some scientific name. I don’t remember it.” The woman shrugged. “It affected my heart and intestines.”

With concern straining her face, Grandma composed herself. “I’m sorry you had an unpleasant experience. I’m sorry you were sick and had to go to the hospital. But I assure you, all of my alternative medicine—and everything else I sell in the shop—is meant to heal, not hurt. Have your lawyer speak to mine. I have nothing to hide.” She took a deep breath. “However, the next time you step into my shop, I expect the same courtesy I’m giving you. If you come in here and disrupt my business again, there will be another lawsuit. And that won’t have anything to do with herbs.”

The woman huffed. “This shop is a scam. I’ll make sure everyone knows about it.”

“If you do that, expect to lose everything you own.” Anger pulsed in my veins but my voice remained calm. “What’s your name?”

No one threatened my family. If she wanted to play in court, I was game. She didn’t know who she was dealing with.

“Patricia Gallivan.” She met my eyes and probably saw the threat I could impose on her, and her temper dimmed slightly.

Good.She needed to know this wasn’t her place to say or do as she pleased.

Despite my dismay, I put on a polite mask and said, “If what you say is true, let the court decide. My defense team will require a sample of your bloodwork before and after you took the liquids. We’ll scour your medical history to ensure that you don’t have any ailments and aren’t taking any prescriptions that would have interacted with the holistic medicine. My team of doctors will analyzeeverything.”

She stared at me, likely weighing the pros and cons of my words.

I needed her to understand her threat. It wasn’t something that could be swept under the rug.

“There could be several reasons you were sick. Perhaps you love wine, and that caused an adverse reaction. Perhaps you inhaled a scent with an allergenyour body didn’t like.” I tried to explain in the most basic terms so she’d understand. “Or maybe you touched something that carriedtraces of ‘poison.’ You could’ve caught a virus that churned up something already in your system.”

Her lips thinned, and her cheeks turned pink. “My lawyer will sort this out. You people don’t know what you’re doing.” She pointed to Grandma Morena, Yolanda, and Cara. “You shouldn’t be allowed to operate a business here. I’ll warn the city about the dangerous stuff you’re selling!”