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auction?"
    "That depends on Sara," Gunthry responded.
    "I'll need a week or two to decide..."  Sara's voice trailed off as she thought about it.
    "I'm afraid that's all the time you have, Sara, unless you want to put the furniture in storage.  Let me know by October first, all right?  That way we can set up the auction and advertise it."
    Christopher, who was sitting at Sara's feet with his coloring book, tugged at her hand.  "Look, Mommy."
    She smiled at her son.  "That's nice, honey."
    He tugged at her hand again.  "Mommy..."
    Jake crooked his finger at the little boy.  "Come here and show me.  Your Mom's trying to talk to Mr. Gunthry."
    Both Sara's and Christopher's heads swung toward Jake.  It seemed strange having someone else directing her son.  But if Christopher was going to see Jake as his father, she had to back him.  "Show your dad and I'll look at the pictures later."
    Christopher's lip sagged in a pout until Jake held out his arms, then Christopher crawled onto his father's lap and pointed to the picture he'd just colored.  The two of them were definitely forming a bond.
    Sara realized she had to get on with her life, not look toward the past.  "I'll make up my mind soon.  You'll take care of the property in Arizona?"
    "I'll research the real estate companies in the area and find the most competent one.  But it could take a while to sell it with the market the way it is.  From what I understand, it's in a remote area."  He paused.  "Do you have any other questions?"
    "Not now," Sara answered.
    While Eloise asked the attorney a question about inheritance tax, Jake leaned toward Sara, his arm brushing hers.  "What is the property in Arizona?"
    "Just a little plot of land Mom and Dad bought because they thought it would increase in value for their retirement.  But it's in the middle of nowhere and I doubt if it has."  Her throat tightened.  This appointment had been difficult for her.  The reading of the will made everything seem more final.  She'd lost both of her parents and hanging onto their possessions wouldn't help.  She'd just have to hold onto them with her heart.  If she only had a short time to make decisions, she'd better get busy.
    "Jake, would it be all right if you saw Christopher tomorrow evening?  I'm going to spend the day at Mom's."
    He searched her face, then nodded.  "No problem."
    Where their son was concerned, they didn't have a problem.  At least not yet.  But from Jake's pensive expression, she wondered if they might not have a problem soon.
    #
    The next afternoon, Sara laid her mother's clothes in piles, sorting the casual everyday slacks and tops from the dresses her mother had worn to church.  Eloise had insisted Sara go through her mother's personal effects herself while she worked in the kitchen and kept Christopher occupied.
    Sara was buttoning a blazer when she heard footsteps on the stairs and knew instantly they were Jake's.  Why was he here?  After the reading of the will, he'd been quiet.  He'd given Christopher a hug outside the lawyer's office and told Sara he'd see her this evening.
    Jake came into the bedroom.  His navy shorts, red polo shirt and sneakers made him look more like a tennis coach than a PI.  Although she could feel his gaze on her, she positioned the blazer on top of the other clothes and returned to the closet, removing a handful of dresses.
    "How's it going?" he asked gently.
    "Fine."
    "Christopher looked as busy as your aunt.  He's helping her empty the kitchen cabinets."
    Sara could still see her mother cooking in that kitchen, still almost smell the pumpkin bread and apple pie that were her specialties.  She spoke past the lump in her throat.  "Helping?"
    Jake chuckled.  "He was using two lids as cymbals."
    Sara put one of her mother's dresses on the pile on the bed.  "Maybe I should bring him up here for a while and give Aunt El a break."
    "Maybe you should take a break.  Eloise said you've been at this since nine