She turns slowly, sees the closet door is ajar. The door of the safe inside is also open. Her pulse kicks—there’s something inside.
Poppy hesitates, listens. No footsteps. No voices coming. She’s alone. She moves to the closet and inches the safe door open wider. She reaches for the zippered pouch she can see inside.
She opens the pouch. It contains Lillith’s strand of beautiful blue-black pearls. Two gold chains. Rings. She zips the pouch up, replaces it, and reaches for a flat notebook at the bottom of the safe.
On the stiff cover are words:
Companion Workbook to the Gentle Art of Dying Well
She sits on the edge of the bed and opens it.
On the first page is a quote.
Nothing sharpens one’s focus quite like the news of one’s imminent death.
Beneath the quote is a bullet point list written in Lillith’s hand.
She’s titled itThe Death List.
Several items on the list have already been checked off.
She reads the first bullet point entry.
Sort it out with Angus.
The entry has been checked off.
So have the next several items:
Locate Poppy in Brighton.
Travel to Brighton.
Engineer a way to meet PB / strike up a conversation.
Engage in a relationship / build trust / find a way to bring PB to Scotland. Perhaps a travel companion? Memoir help? Offer her some job she can’t refuse.
Poppy’s stomach turns to liquid.
The silent scream reawakens in her brain, growing louder, louder, making her vision blur. She scrunches her eyes shut, shakes her head.Stay focused. Don’t panic. Panic kills.
She reads on.
Tie off legacy details.
Initiate Black Orchid Plan.
Travel with PB to Greece.
Get rid of Arra ... sort out Patrick.
Deal with A.G.
Her skin prickles with sweat. With mounting dread, she turns the page. The item on the top line reads:
Give Poppy her due.
End it with Poppy.
