Page 96 of Tangled Up In You

"Phoebe's ashes. I'm supposed to put them somewhere. Phoebe thinks I'll know the right place at some point."

"That's weird. She didn't just say where she wanted to be buried?"

"Nope. But she loved puzzles and challenging people. I guess we're playing one last game."

"What are you going to do with it? You're not going to leave it here in the store, are you?" he said with an uneasy look in his eyes.

"I'll take it upstairs."

"Good," he said with relief. "I'm going to take off then. See you tomorrow."

"See ya." She relocked the door after he left. Then she picked the bag up and moved into the back room. She checked the back door and then headed into the hallway and up the stairs to her apartment.

Once inside, she took the urn out of the bag and set it in the middle of the kitchen table. There was a folded note taped to the side of it. She opened it and read the short message that George Marconi had related to her over the phone.

But seeing Phoebe's handwriting made it all seem more real, and she had to blink the moisture out of her eyes before she could focus on the message:I know you'll figure out the best place for me to be, Molly. I trust you to do what's best. I know you'll take care of me. I always felt connected to you, like you were the daughter I never had. Even though our time together was brief, I loved you very much, and I want the best for you. I believe that's in Whisper Lake.

She wiped away a tear as she folded the note. She was touched and humbled that Phoebe had loved her so much and wanted the best for her. Now she had to do right by Phoebe. She looked at the urn and frowned. It felt wrong to put it on the table.

She tried a couple more spots, but they didn't feel right, either. Finally, she took it into the bedroom closet and put it on one of the shelves she'd recently cleared off. But that wouldn't work. She couldn't stick the colorful Phoebe in a closet.

"What am I going to do with you?" she muttered. "And I'm not talking just about right now, but about forever. Where do you want to be, Phoebe?"

There was no answer coming. She took the urn into the living room and put it on a table by the window.

"Now, at least you have a view." She felt a little silly to be talking to the urn. On the other hand, it made her feel closer to Phoebe. She sat down in the chair next to the table. "I was devastated when I heard you had died, Phoebe. It didn't seem possible. You were such a vibrant person. Even with all the time between us, I could still hear your laugh, smell your perfume, see your smile…and you were always in beautiful color. It's hard to believe you're not here anymore." She paused. "I do like the gold urn, though. You always loved gold."

She felt tears prick the back of her eyes once more. She hadn't had time to mourn Phoebe because she'd been so busy, or maybe she'd been busy so she wouldn't have time to grieve.

"I'm going to make you proud of me," she continued. "I've already got the store up and running. And we're making sales. There's an actual cash flow." She paused, gazing out at the street. "I do love Whisper Lake. I'm pretty sure you brought me back to stay. But I don't know if I can stay anywhere. I don't have relationships that last longer than a few months. I'm not sure I'd be any good at something longer. It's off with the old and on with the new. God, I sound like my mom now. Well, whatever happens, I'm going to keep the store going. Even if I leave, I'll put someone in charge. I'll never sell it. But it's too soon to make those kinds of decisions. I can almost see you shaking your head, telling me just to enjoy where I am."

She took a breath. "I don't know how well you knew Adam. But he's really something, Phoebe. He makes me feel things I've never felt before. It's scary. I don't do deep. I don't do love, you know. And it's funny because he doesn't think he wants to do love, either, but I think he does, and I think he should. Because he has a really big heart…"

"Anyway, that's enough for now. I'm kind of glad you're home. Is this what you were thinking? That I'd just bring you home?"

She thought about that for a long minute. "No, that seems too easy. You were a lot of things, Phoebe, but you were never easy. I hope I can figure out what you wanted. I'm definitely going to try."

With that, she stood up. She wasn't going to figure everything out tonight, and she wanted to take a shower before Adam arrived.

When Molly's doorbell rang just before seven, her heart leapt into her chest. She smiled to herself as she ran down the stairs to let Adam in. She couldn't believe how happy she was to see him again. The man had definitely gotten under her skin. She just had to make sure he didn't take over her heart, but that wouldn't be an easy task.

She threw open the front door, realizing her mistake a moment too late. The man standing in front of her was not Adam. He was at least ten years older, darker, and he had a tense look in his eyes.

"Molly Trent?" he asked.

"Yes," she said warily.

"I'm John Weatherly—Charles's son."

"Okay. If this is about the diamond, I don't have it. I can't help you."

"Are you sure?" He edged a little closer. "I know my stepmother packed a lot of shit before she died, and she wasn't all there mentally. The cancer treatments had taken their toll on her mind."

She held her ground, not letting him through the door. "I've looked through everything that Phoebe Haller received from Caroline Montgomery, and the diamond is not there." It wasn't the complete truth, but she didn't owe him that.

A grim look entered his eyes. "You better not be lying, Ms. Trent."

She swallowed hard. "Are you threatening me?"

---