Page 22 of The Last Autograph
“Outside.”
He led her out onto the deck, the platter of tasty treats in one hand and his wineglass in the other. They sat in oversized wicker chairs under the shade of a louvered pergola. “So, what’s the deal?”
“Seems my life’s just taken a turn onto Weird Street,” Molly said.
“Is this about the will thing?”
“So CeCe’s filled you in?”
“Briefly.” Luka offered her the platter, and Molly spread blue cheese on a piece of seed bark.
She took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. “I’ve just come from the cemetery. I needed to see for myself that it was really true.”
“What was his name?”
“Jesse Sinclair. I’m still not sure what to make of it all. I mean, it’s been eight years, and suddenly, I’m a beneficiary in his will. And this might sound ungrateful, and that’s not my intention, but I don’t want his money.”
“Sounds to me like you could do with some legal advice.”
“Yes, that’s what his brother said. I’m going home in a couple of weeks, so I’ll talk to Dad about it then.”
“Good idea. Who’s handling Jesse’s estate?”
“Annabelle Sutton. Do you know her?”
Luka grinned. “Yes, quite well, to be honest.”
Molly studied his amused expression. “What?”
“Nothing. It was a long time ago.”
“You and Annabelle Sutton? No way. She’s so… corporate.” Molly’s smile broadened. “And kind of scary.”
He chuckled. “So, tell me more about this Jesse guy. He was way too young to die. Was it an accident?”
“Leukemia… So sad for his family. I met his twin brother the other day. It was weird, like I’d stepped into a parallel universe. Then today, when I was out at the cemetery, paying my respects, his stepsister turns up. She was all over me with air kisses and a ‘let’s be besties’ vibe.” As she recalled Alexia’s manic demeanor, Molly scooped up a handful of almonds and popped one into her mouth. “As I said, it’s all a bit weird.”
“Do you have a copy of the will?”
“No, not yet, and anyway, until this bake-off’s done and dusted, I don’t have time to deal with it. Why would he do this—after eight years? I’m not family, and I’m sure they’re much more deserving than I am.”
“If you want, you can apply to be removed from the will, but don’t be too hasty. You’ll find out his reasons for including you soon enough. Did you know him well?”
“Not really. It was a summer fling, the same summer you met CeCe, actually. Back then, I had a thing for long-haired musicians, and he was a drummer in a country rock band. It lasted only a few weeks.”
“Does sound rather strange.”
“More than that. It’s unsettling.” Molly thought back to her last few days with Jesse. Their relationship had been like that too—unsettling. She’d pretended to know where she stood but, in reality, had no idea. “And there’s one thing I can’t stop thinking about.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“Did Jesse know he was ill the night he ended things with me but didn’t respect me enough to tell me?”
Luka hesitated. “Maybe he didn’t want to put you through the trauma of what was to come.”
“Yes, I’ve thought about that too. But if that’s the case, what does that say about his assessment of me? And I get that I shouldn’t be thinking of only myself here, but…”
“What-ifs never reveal their secrets. The guy put you in his will, and that’s all the answer you need.”
