Page 40 of Tangled Up In You

Delores grinned back at her. "Just saying it like it is. Jackie is a well-known bitch with a nasty tongue and a dark heart."

"She's not that bad, is she?" Molly asked.

"Ever since her husband left her fifteen years ago, she's been cold and mean. Only the tourists shop at her boutique. Everyone else stays far away."

"Fifteen years is a long time. Maybe her anger is hiding grief and pain."

"Oh, you sound just like Phoebe," Bea said. "She always tried to see the good in people. In fact, she spent a lot of time trying to win Jackie over. I'm not sure she totally succeeded, but they called a truce at some point. They seemed to find some peace."

"I need to figure out a way to do that, too. I don't like to have conflict with my neighbors." She paused. "It sounds like you all knew Phoebe pretty well. Did she mention getting something valuable from Caroline, something someone might be willing to break in to get?"

"Is that what's happening?" Delores asked.

Seeing the curiosity across their faces, she was almost sorry she'd suggested it. She had a feeling these three were part of a much larger gossip network. "I don't know. There just isn't a lot of value in the store that would keep bringing someone back. I started thinking maybe Caroline left something to her."

"Maybe," Delores said. "They were very close. Caroline had a lot of money, so I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't leave Phoebe something special. Have you looked through all of it?"

"Not yet."

"Maybe the trouble Phoebe was hinting at had to do with Caroline's death," Delores said. "She said something about how people don't show up until you're dead. Perhaps there's a long-lost relative with a claim."

She thought about that. "I would think if that was true, there would be a lawyer involved, but I haven't heard from anyone."

"Not if whatever the item in question had been stolen or something like that," Bea suggested.

Delores rolled her eyes. "You have got to stop reading so many books, Bea. Why would Caroline Montgomery need to steal anything?"

"It's not such a far-fetched idea," Grace put in. "Maybe not the part about Caroline stealing something, but she could have had something in her possession from one of her husbands that wasn't purchased legitimately. Don't you think that could have happened, Molly?"

"It's possible," she murmured, pausing as a young woman, who appeared to be in her late teens, joined the group.

"Grandma, are you ready to go?" the girl asked Delores. "I have to meet my friends in a half hour."

"Oh, I'm sorry Cassie. We got to talking."

Cassie let out a sigh. "What else is new, Grandma?"

"This is the new shop owner, Molly Trent," Delores said. "My granddaughter, Cassie."

"Hello," Cassie said politely.

"It's nice to meet you, Cassie," she replied.

"You should join us for yoga," Delores said.

"I'm not very flexible," Cassie said.

"That's why you do it," Delores told her. "To get flexible."

Molly smiled as Cassie searched for an excuse. Fortunately for her, their conversation was interrupted by Drew, as he came through the door.

"Hey," he said, giving the group a confused look. "I'm going to take off, Molly..." His voice trailed away as his gaze met with Cassie's. He was clearly dazzled by the pretty blonde with the golden-brown eyes. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," Cassie echoed.

Delores cleared her throat. "Who's this handsome young man?"

Since Drew couldn't seem to take his eyes away from Cassie, she answered for him. "This is Drew Kilborn. He's helping me here in the shop."

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