Inheritance (The Lost Bride Trilogy, #1)(108)

“I’ll take that as a good sign.”

As a precaution, she propped her suitcase against the door. It weighed a ton because she had a ton of clothes. And wasn’t sorry.

She hauled her second one, then her weekender, then the last of her boxes before shutting the door.

She looked at the staircase, looked at her suitcases. Sighed.

She still wasn’t sorry.

She’d pulled, yanked, carried the first to the landing when the banging started.

And the servant’s door creaked open.

She heard the bell, dim but insistent. She stepped toward it.





Chapter Twenty-three



Sonya spotted Cleo’s car when she made the turn, and everything in her lit up bright.

She pulled up, jumped out. She expected to see suitcases, boxes when she peered in.

“Either you bought a second car or you already have company.”

Anna walked over to Sonya.

“It’s Cleo’s. I didn’t expect her until tomorrow.”

“The friend who’s moving in. What a nice surprise. Listen, I’ll take off, leave you two alone to get her settled in. We can do this later.”

“No, come in.” From her car, Sonya grabbed the flowers and grocery bags. “You should meet her. Wherever she is. She must be inside. I don’t know how because I always lock up when I leave.”

They walked to the house together.

“See?” At the locked door, Sonya took out her key. Yoda raced in first and sniffed at the suitcases.

“Her things. Cleo!” Her voice just echoed back. “Hell with that.” Taking out her phone, she texted.

Where are you?

The response took a minute.

Brt.

“Be right there from where?” Sonya muttered. “That’s another of her bags up there. Maybe she—”

She broke off as the servant’s door opened.

Cleo stepped out. She shoved a hand at her hair, then lifted her arms in the air. “Surprise!”

“You scared the crap out of me.”

“Sorry. I got everything done, and thought why the hell should I wait until morning? So here I am,” she continued as she walked down the stairs.

“How did you get in?”

“The door opened. Just like that one did.” She pointed up. “But manners first as my Mama says. Hi, I’m Cleo Fabares.”

“Anna Doyle.”

“I know. I recognized you from your website. Wonderful work, by the way. The site and the pottery. And would you look! It’s now five-oh-two. Give me some wine, Son. I’ve had my first solo adventure.”

“Sit in the parlor with Anna.”

“Anna doesn’t need to sit in the parlor,” Anna said. “The kitchen’s fine. I’d like to hear about the solo adventure. You don’t seem worried about it.”

“Got some chills, literally, but no, I’m not worried. We have this fierce guard dog.” She crooned to Yoda, gave him some loving rubs. “You’re even more adorable in person.”

She straightened, and continued as they started back, “And I’ve got one of my grand-mère’s charms in my pocket.”

“Her grandmother’s a Creole witch. Maybe.”

“You’ve got my full attention.”

“You get the drinks, Sonya; I’ll put the groceries away.”

“What would you like, Anna?”

Still studying Cleo as if fascinated, Anna said, “Ginger ale if you have it.”

“Okay. To start,” Cleo said to Anna, “a friend’s taken over my apartment. A friend I’m fond of, but grew less fond of every day since she moved in. She’s not easy to live with. Sonya is. So when I realized I had everything done, I ran. Since I’m also fond of the surprise, I didn’t give Sonya a heads-up. That’s on me.”

“I would’ve been here.”

“Yeah, but then I wouldn’t have had my first solo adventure. You got Toaster Strudels! She knows I have a weakness. So, when I didn’t see Sonya’s car, I realized my surprise might have been a little ill-conceived, but what the hell. She’d be back. I hauled one of my ridiculously heavy suitcases to the door. And it opened.”

She picked up the wine Sonya set in front of her. “I came in.”

“I don’t think of myself as a coward.” Anna considered as she sipped her drink. “But I don’t think I’d have done that.”

“She would.”

“And did. And the house sang ‘Welcome Back.’ Or I should say Clover played me in.”

“Clover?”

“You haven’t filled her in?”

“I guess not.”

“Then over to you for that.”

Sonya picked up her wine. “Let’s sit at the table.”

She filled in some gaps.

“And you knew that, and still came in?”

“I think Clover and I will get along fine. We’ll see about the rest. So, I dragged the first suitcase up those awesome stairs—I love clothes.”

“Me, too!”

“We’ll shop. I dragged up the suitcase, and the secret door opened.”

“And you walked in there, too?”