Soul Mates (23 page)

“No.” She shook her head firmly. Then a fragment of doubt crept in. “At least…I don’t think so.”

As Cassandra unlocked the door with a spare key her father had given her, she remembered that Jace also had a key.

“We should probably get the key back from Jace,” Trevor remarked, reading her mind. “We’ll have to give them all back to the landlord.” He shook his head. “It still seems hard to believe she rented this little, old apartment all these years.”

Cassandra had wondered the same, but now she understood her aunt’s reasons. She explained it to Trevor. “I have such respect for her. She lived her life her way, regardless of what others thought. It takes a strong person to do that.”

“It does,” Trevor agreed, smiling at his sister. “You’re like her, you know, Cass. I think that’s why she chose to pass her wisdom on to you.”

“Maybe.” Cassandra appreciated the kind words, but they brought up questions that had been simmering in the back of her mind. “But Trev, I feel like I should do something with it. I mean, more than just using it for my own benefit.”

“You can be an example to those around you, just like she was.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Doodlebug,” he asserted. “This is where you need to step back and trust the Universe. Let the details present themselves. Don’t try so hard to figure it out.”

Trevor’s advice brought relief. Cassandra had been agonizing over the fact that she hadn’t learned the fifth principle, that she didn’t know what her aunt wanted her to do with the information. It felt good to let it go, if just for the afternoon.

They spent the next few hours, sorting and organizing. Much of Sophia’s furniture was antique; it would probably bring a sizable sum at an auction. Some of her household effects were valuable as well, particularly the china and paintings. Cassandra wasn’t sure what her aunt had in mind for her belongings, but she was sure Sophia would have wanted them to go to a worthy cause.

Opening a drawer in her aunt’s dresser, she remembered Jace’s remark about the jewelry. The comment stood out in Cassandra’s mind. As she thought back to recent visits, she couldn’t recall her aunt with any type of adornment, not even a ring. “Did Aunt Sophia have any jewelry on when you saw her in the hospital?” she asked Trevor.

“Not that I noticed,” he shrugged. “Why?”

“I didn’t see any either, but Jace said she was wearing some when he drove her to the fair. She must have taken it off before she lay down.”

“It would still be here, then,” Trevor concluded. “You know, we should probably have it put in a safe. Some of her old stuff may be worth a lot.”

“That’s what I was thinking, too.”

Curious, she searched her aunt’s bedroom. She looked in her closet and under the bed. She even went through Sophia’s clothing. Trevor joined her in the search, but after nearly half an hour they’d uncovered nothing. Cassandra’s mind was working hard as well, trying to solve the mystery
.
If Aunt Sophia was so exhausted that she lay down without eating or changing her clothes, it’s unlikely she’d take the time to hide her valuables. If she simply removed them, they’d be on her dresser or bedside table—unless she took them off in the bathroom.
She went to check while Trevor continued to search.

“Here we go,” he called from the hallway. “I found a jewelry box!”

Cassandra breathed easier. In an attempt to make sense of it all, her mind brought up the fact that Jace had a key and knew about the jewelry. Scolding herself for entertaining such a thought, she went to see what her brother had found. She was eager to see what old jewelry her aunt would have kept from years past, sure that a wedding ring would be among the treasure. As she saw the expression on Trevor’s face, however, she stopped short.

“It’s empty,” he frowned.

They looked at each other, and Cassandra knew what her brother was thinking.

“You don’t suppose…”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” she retorted. “Aunt Sophia trusted Jace. I felt that, too. I still feel it,” she softened. “He wouldn’t do something like this.”

“But who else…?”

“Let’s keep looking.” She cut him off, wanting more than anything to find the jewelry and exonerate Jace. “It’s got to be here somewhere; she just wore it two days ago.”

The two split up and systematically went through the apartment. After an hour and a half, they were no further ahead. Another small ring box was found, but it too was empty.

“Cass,” Trevor said gently. “It’s not here. We’d have found it by now. It’s a tiny apartment.”

“Then where is it?” Cassandra demanded, frustrated and distraught by the possibility that they’d all misjudged Jace. She desperately wished another explanation would present itself, yet no matter how she rearranged the facts in her mind, nothing else made sense. Jace was the only one who’d seen the jewelry recently and the only other one who had access to Sophia’s apartment.

JACE WALKED HOME from the bus stop. It was a hot, muggy day, and in his work clothes he was uncomfortably warm. Though his negative mood was exacerbated by his physical condition, it wasn’t the source of it. He’d been increasingly discouraged by the reality of Sophie’s death. She’d been the reason for his hope. Her generosity had eased his financial burden. Now he was right back where he’d been before he met her.

How can I feel better about this?
he asked himself, remembering Sophie’s advice. Her way of thinking held merit; he just wished she’d stuck around a little longer to help him really get it.

He continued to walk, deep in thought, staring at the sidewalk in front of him. After a moment, his eye caught sight of something shiny. He bent to pick up a quarter. As he turned it over in his hand, Sophie’s voice sounded in his mind.

“This coin represents money. One side is lack, the other abundance. You can tell which side you’re focused on by how you feel.”

The words were in his head, yet they were clear and audible, as though Sophie were standing next to him. He was convinced, as he had been in the hospital, that he was concocting the dialogue, and the reason wasn’t hard to figure out. Their conversations had brought him comfort. Her words made sense; deep down he believed they were the answer to his problems.

“Jace, if you can feel excited about the idea of having money one day, then that day isn’t far away.”

This time, Jace shook his head in dismay. Her voice had interrupted his thoughts. And the sound was so rich and clear, Jace could almost swear he was hearing it with his ears. He didn’t mind hearing her advice. In fact, he was glad it had resonated with him enough that he could recall it and ultimately apply it. But what he’d just experienced was more than that. He’d not only heard her voice, he’d felt her presence. On top of that was the compelling sense that she was the reason the quarter was in his path.

Man,
he breathed,
this is affecting me more than I realized.
Despite the paranormal nature of the experience, Jace shrugged it off. Hearing her voice, her wisdom, had left him feeling better, and he welcomed the improvement. He decided not to analyze it.

As he neared his building, Jace quickened his pace. He couldn’t wait to shed his sweaty clothes and step into a refreshing shower. Climbing the stairs to his apartment, he looked up the stairwell to the floor above. He smiled as he thought of his wise, old neighbor.
Sophie, wherever you are…thank you.

CASSANDRA EXAMINED her options as they drove back to the Town House.
I could just not say anything. It’s unlikely that anyone else would know what, if any, jewelry Sophia owned.
She couldn’t justify that choice; it was dishonest.
Trevor’s aware of the missing jewelry now, too; I could never ask him to join me in covering up what could be a crime. So what do I say, then? If I mention Jace’s name, everyone will assume exactly what I did—that he’s guilty.

As they neared the Town House, Trevor asked, “How do you want to handle this?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “We probably should say something. But if we tell them what we know, Jace will be an obvious suspect. I can’t believe he’d do this, Trev.”

Trevor pulled into the driveway. “It’s your call, Cass. I’ll go along with whatever you decide.”

Cassandra was glad that he understood the difficult position she was in—wanting to do what was right yet knowing any action she took could have serious ramifications. “I need to talk to Jace first,” she concluded. It could be awkward, and if she didn’t handle it right he’d think she was accusing him, yet she didn’t know what else to do. “I’ll casually ask about the jewelry and see what he says. I’m sure I’ll be able to read him.”

They agreed not to mention the missing jewelry until Cassandra had talked to Jace. She was somewhat relieved at being able to postpone telling her father. He was an honest and fair man. He’d weigh all the evidence before he took legal action, but as it stood, all the evidence pointed to Jace being guilty.

“SO ARE YOU going to the funeral?” Sarah asked as Jace walked into her kitchen that evening. “It’s Saturday afternoon, one o’clock, at the Harborside Community Center. Strange place to be having a funeral for someone with her connections,” she continued, not waiting for a reply. “I hear she planned everything herself. And the word is, her highness doesn’t want to attend.”

“Why not?” Jace asked, not really wanting to hear, but knowing his mom would probably volunteer the information anyway.

“She wanted Mr. Van to change the location to a more upscale venue like the Regency Room at the Hilton or the Carthright Center, but he wouldn’t budge. Said they were going to respect his aunt’s wishes. I have to give it to him, you know. From what I hear, he’s a pretty decent guy; he puts up with a lot.”

Hearing details about Cassandra’s parents made Jace wince. It was more proof that a relationship with her wouldn’t have worked, for which he should have been glad, yet thinking about her still evoked a longing he didn’t know what to do with.

“So are you going?” she asked again.

“Nah,” he shook his head, surprised that what had been a clear-cut no in his mind was sounding less than definite. “I don’t think so.”

“It’s probably just as well. Regardless of the location, high society will be on parade. No one will want to chance insulting Port Hayden’s ‘royal’ family,” she scoffed.

Jace’s discomfort was increasing, so he looked for a way to change the subject. Knowing that his mom’s maternal instincts would take priority over her need to gossip, he opened the fridge. “What do you have to eat?”

“There’s casserole left over.” She immediately switched roles. “Let me make you some cheese toast to go with it. Are you eating all right? You look like you’ve lost weight.”

“I’m fine, Mom,” he assured her, glad for the change in conversation. He appreciated the food, too. His own fare at home had been boring lately, and his mom’s cheese toast was the best.

As he ate, he thought of something else he wanted to discuss with his mother. “Mom,” he began hesitantly. “Do you think that if Dad hadn’t gotten sick, you guys would be doing okay financially? I mean, would you have had a comfortable life?”

Sarah frowned at her son. “Yeah…I guess. I mean, it was always a little tight, but we had plans, dreams. Why do you ask?”

“I want to make something with my life,” he admitted. “I want to get ahead.” As he stated his desires, suddenly they sounded weak. He needed to let his mom know it was more than frivolous dreaming. “I intend to be well off one day, and I’m going to find a way to make that happen,” he declared with determination.

“Wow.” She looked at him oddly. “Where did that come from all of a sudden? I’ve never heard you talk like that before.”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, not wanting to mention Sophie. “I’ve been feeling this way for a while, but lately…I feel like I could make it happen if I really put my mind to it.”