Her Secret Alaskan Family

by Belle Calhoune

  “It’s breathtaking! It looks like it should be on the cover of a magazine.”

  “That’s the Norths’ home. Beulah’s husband, Jennings, had it built for her after they were married. Their son Nate was raised in that house, and after he married Willa they moved in and raised a family there.” Trudy let out a shudder. “That’s where little Lily was taken from. Right there on the second floor. The room on the corner.”

  Sage’s palms began to moisten. Her heart was doing somersaults in her chest. It was strange to be so close to the scene of a crime that had drastically altered the course of her life. The rustic home looked so lovely. It was hard to imagine a family had suffered so much tragedy within those walls.

  “This town of ours has never really moved past it,” Trudy whispered. “I fear we never will.”

  Her voice sounded so disheartened, as if all hope was lost in ever locating Lily North.

  “What if Lily is found?” Sage asked. For some reason she needed to put it out there just to gauge Trudy’s reaction.

  The other woman kept her eyes on the road and heaved a tremendous sigh. “Oh, Sage, that’s what we’ve all been praying for all these years. But it seems almost impossible to imagine a happy ending after all this time.”

  “‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’” Sage recited the verse from Hebrews without even thinking about it. It was one of her father’s favorite verses and he’d recited it to her on countless occasions over the years. She couldn’t help but think Trudy needed to hear it. Hope was such a precious commodity.

  Trudy looked over at Sage and smiled. “Thank you for reminding me that God is always at the wheel. I believe He can make everything right.”

  Sage bit her lip. Maybe she should’ve just kept quiet. Was it cruel to give Trudy hope when she knew she would soon be going back home and that the mystery of Lily North’s whereabouts might never be known to them? Had it been selfish to come to Owl Creek simply to give herself answers about her birth family? Although the idea of coming clean to her birth family seemed like the right thing to do, the fallout for her father could be catastrophic.

  All of a sudden Sage felt as if she couldn’t breathe. Everything seemed as if it was crashing down around her. Guilt was eating away at her, bit by bit. What was she doing in this remote Alaskan town? She’d come to Owl Creek seeking answers, but the more she uncovered about the kidnapping the worse she felt about withholding the truth. Could she really go back to Coral Gables and put this all behind her?

  The next few minutes passed by with only the sound of Addie babbling in the backseat.

  Sage appreciated the lack of conversation since her mind continued to whirl with unresolved questions.

  “Can you let me out here?” Sage asked as they came upon the town square. The library was a quick walk from their current location and she felt as if she might scream if she didn’t get some fresh air. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her.

  “Sure thing.” Trudy pulled over toward the curb and placed the car in Park. “Give me a ring later and I’ll pick you up.”

  “You’re the best!” Sage said before waving goodbye. She wondered how magnanimous Hank’s mom would feel toward her if she discovered the truth regarding her origins. She felt a lurch in her heart just thinking about it. When she’d come up with the plan to visit Owl Creek she hadn’t considered meeting people like Trudy who already felt like a treasured friend.

  “Focus on the reason you came all this way. You still need answers,” she reminded herself as a sudden feeling of resolve gripped her. She began to walk briskly toward the library, feeling a sudden sense of urgency to get as much information as possible while she was in town. Sage didn’t want to have any dangling questions or regrets once she returned home. Being here in Owl Creek was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

  The town library was a nice-sized, redbrick structure. Sculptures surrounded the exterior. When Sage walked in she noticed beautiful paintings hanging on the walls. They showcased slices of life from Alaska—landscapes, wildlife and landmarks. She felt a serene vibe all around her.

  As soon as she approached the circulation desk, a woman with honey-blond hair and gray eyes greeted her. “Hey there. I’m Zoey Thomas, head librarian. How can I help you?”

  “Hi, Zoey. I’m Sage Duncan. I’m looking for your microfilm room.”

  The woman’s eyes widened. “You must be Trudy’s latest guest at the inn. In a town this size, I knew it was only a matter of time before we crossed paths.”

  It was really true about small-town gossip. Everyone knew everything that was going on and the very moment a new person arrived. It felt a little bit odd knowing the townsfolk had been talking about her.

  “I’m enjoying getting familiarized with Owl Creek. And staying at Trudy’s has been a real blessing. She’s been incredibly generous.”

  Zoey nodded her head in an approving manner. “There are lots of good folks in this town. I’m impressed to see you here at the library, Sage. Most tourists never make it inside these walls.”

  “I’m a schoolteacher, so I figured I would do a little research on the town so I can present it to my class when I go back home.” Once again, Sage was only telling part of the story because she knew it would set off alarm bells if she told Zoey she was interested in articles on the Lily North kidnapping.

  The librarian came from around the desk and beckoned Sage to follow her. “I’ll show you to the microfilm room. It’s a quiet day around here so you’ll have it all to yourself.”

  She led her down the hall toward a corridor of rooms, stopping at the second one on the right-hand side. Zoey gave Sage a brief overview of how the system worked before excusing herself.

  “If you don’t need anything else, I’m going to scoot back to my desk.” She shot Sage a wide smile. “Just give me a holler if you have any questions.”

  “I will,” she said with a nod, eager to dig into her research.

  Because she knew the date of the kidnapping, Sage was able to hone in on specific dates for her media search. As soon as she entered all the necessary data, results began to immediately show up. None of this information had popped up on her internet search back home. These were local headlines from town newspapers—the Owl Creek Gazette, the Anchorage Press and the Alaskan Times.

  “Tragedy unfolds in Owl Creek. Missing baby snatched from nursery. FBI investigates baby’s disappearance. Local man named as suspect.”

  Along with shocking headlines, there were countless pictures accompanying the articles.

  One in particular caused Sage to let out a gasp. The black-and-white photo of Nate and Willa North was heartbreaking. Nate had his arm around a sobbing Willa. Even though he was clearly trying to comfort her, they both looked completely shattered. In other photos they appeared shell-shocked, as if they hadn’t eaten or slept in days. Another photo caused a groundswell of emotion to rise up in her. It was a photo of a five-year-old Connor holding baby Lily in his arms and smiling at the camera. Sage found herself fighting back tears. What would her life have been like if she hadn’t been taken away from Owl Creek? Would she and Connor have been best friends growing up? Sadly, she would never know.

  She scrolled by an article detailing the efforts of local law enforcement who were committed to solving the kidnapping. A picture of Sheriff Tug Crawford—who was the spitting image of Hank—jumped out at her. Sage took out her cell phone and began snapping pictures. Later on when she was in her room back at the inn she could study the pictures further at her leisure. There were so many headlines and images on the screen it felt a bit like information overload. The kidnapping had been splashed all over the newspapers.

  After two hours of searching through the files, Sage decided she’d culled as much information as she could from the archives. The newspaper articles revealed the many layers of the tragedy—the pain and an
gst and turmoil that had reverberated throughout Owl Creek. It hadn’t been only the Norths who had been affected. The entire town had been caught up in the tumultuous events. She cringed reading the article about a newcomer to town, Jack Miller, who’d had the finger of suspicion pointed at him before being completely exonerated.

  Miller? Was it possible he’d been Piper’s father and Trudy’s husband? If so, Sage felt truly heartbroken that so many people had been hurt.

  She had to be honest with herself. She’d really been looking for something in the files to tie her mother to Owl Creek and the kidnapping. It had been a long shot, but she’d hoped to see her in some of the archived photos so she would know for sure. It still seemed so strange to her to imagine her mother in Owl Creek. For what reason would her mother have trekked to Alaska in the first place?

  On her way out of the library, Sage made a point to say goodbye to Zoey, who was just as pleasant as she’d been earlier. She recommended some shops in town for Sage to visit—a boutique, a pottery shop and a small bookstore. Sage decided to stop by all three stores in the pursuit of a keepsake for her father. He’d called her every day since she’d arrived in Alaska and been very supportive about her mission here in town even though it could cost him big-time if he was ever implicated in the kidnapping. She hit pay dirt when she found a beautiful knitted Irish sweater for him. She’d also purchased a pair of Lovely Boots for herself.

  Even though she wasn’t terribly hungry, Sage walked over to the diner after shopping.

  She really liked Piper and she didn’t get many opportunities to see her at the inn due to her work schedule. Maybe she would sit down for a nice cup of cocoa and some French fries.

  Once she walked through the doors of the diner, she made a beeline toward Piper, who was manning the counter and conversing with a customer. She had her head thrown back in laughter, her curls whirling around her shoulders. Hank’s sister truly was a beautiful woman who radiated from within.

  “Sage! It’s great to see you here!” Piper exclaimed, her voice sounding animated.

  Sage held up her bags. “I’ve been doing some shopping and getting acquainted with Owl Creek. I know you’re busy, but I wanted to pop in and say hello.”

  “I’m so glad you did.” Piper wrinkled her nose. “I love the place, but it’s running me ragged. I’m putting in so many hours and not exactly bringing home the bacon if you know what I mean. I’m hoping things will turn around soon.”

  “Just stick with it. This is a great business, Piper. The food is fantastic and the vibe is relaxed and comforting. If your mother wasn’t such a great cook, I’d eat all my meals here.”

  “Thanks for the words of encouragement. I’ve been trying to get Mom to come and work with me, but she loves running the inn. My dad was the original owner here. I’ve been running the place ever since he passed away. I left everything pretty much the same except for a few little things here and there.” A poignant expression was etched on Piper’s face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out she was thinking about the loss of her father.

  Sage reached out and squeezed her hand. “I imagine he’d be mighty proud of you for carrying on his legacy.”

  “I sure hope so,” the other woman said wistfully.

  Sage looked behind Piper at the framed photos on the wall. “I love all the photos.”

  Piper grinned. “My dad put those up. He thought it lent a heartwarming vibe to hang these photos depicting slices of life from right here in town. He took all of them himself.”

  Sage squinted at one of the black-and-white pictures behind the counter. The photo showed a large group of people standing in front of a church. They were all wearing identical shirts with a colorful logo etched on the front. Suddenly a familiar face leaped out at her. Although she looked incredibly different, Sage knew instinctively it was her mother in the photo. She couldn’t have been more than twenty-five or so. Her dark hair was cut in a short bob and she was grinning happily for the photo. She suspected Jane might have been one of the group leaders. Goose bumps popped up on Sage’s arms.

  Although she had begun to believe she was Lily North, seeing her mother’s face staring back at her from a framed photo served as a shock to the system. This was proof positive that her mother had been in Owl Creek at the time of her kidnapping. All this time she had been holding out hope that this had all been one of her mother’s delusions. A fantasy of sorts. It hadn’t felt entirely real, but with the revelation about the owl-themed baby blanket and this photo of her mother, she had to accept the truth. She was Lily North. Her mother had come to Owl Creek as part of a youth group and had stolen her from her birth parents, Willa and Nate North.

  How in the world was she supposed to process this information? And why had the smiling young lady in the photo resorted to stealing another woman’s child? Clearly, she had never known Jane Duncan at all.

  A feeling of dizziness gripped her. Her head was spinning like a wheel. She felt her knees giving out on her. Just as she sensed herself falling, strong arms enveloped her. Sage held on for dear life so she didn’t wind up on the diner’s parquet floor. When she looked up at her rescuer, she found herself gazing into Hank’s concerned blue eyes.

  Chapter Seven

  Hank held Sage tightly against his chest with his arms encircling her. The moment he’d seen her body swaying, his protective instincts had kicked into high gear. Thankfully, he’d been heading over to the counter to say hello to her and Piper, which put him within striking distance to catch her fall.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his heart thundering in his chest. Although Sage looked as pretty as ever, her color was a bit off and she seemed to be breathing heavily.

  “I’m fine if you don’t count my embarrassment. I don’t know what happened. All of a sudden I felt so light-headed.” She moved away from Hank so that he was no longer holding her. He felt strangely bereft. He watched as she sat down on one of the stools at the counter.

  “Here’s some ice water,” Piper said, holding out a glass for her. “You might be dehydrated.”

  Sage reached for it with a trembling hand. Hank intervened, reaching for the glass and raising it toward her lips. She was shaking so badly he wasn’t sure the glass wouldn’t slip from her hand. She took a few sips, then pushed it away. “Thanks. I’m good.”

  “Did you eat today?” he asked with a frown.

  “Yes,” Sage said with a firm nod of her head. “Trudy made me a world-class breakfast. I’m fairly certain my stomach is still full.”

  Hank chuckled. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? Cooking is her superpower.”

  Sage giggled. “I can well imagine it is. I can still taste those blueberry pancakes melting in my mouth.”

  They both laughed for a moment and Hank felt reassured by Sage’s light mood. She no longer looked unwell. He knew his mother would have heard about the dizzy spell by dinnertime and he’d be peppered with a million questions. Even the slightest tidbit of news traveled fast in Owl Creek.

  “Hank, why don’t you take Sage over to that booth table by the jukebox? It’s a lot more comfortable than these stools,” Piper suggested. “I’ll send someone over to take your order.”

  Sage sputtered. “It’s okay, Hank. You don’t have to babysit me. I’m fine.”

  He lowered his head and said in a conspiratorial manner, “Little sisters can be pretty fierce. When Piper tells me what to do, I tend to listen.”

  The smile Sage sent in his direction threatened his equilibrium. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had made him feel so completely off-kilter.

  Once they settled into the booth, Hank didn’t waste any time following up on his questions regarding her episode.

  “So, do you often get dizzy like that?” Although he didn’t want to pry, Hank wondered if she was suffering from a medical condition. Perhaps that’s what she had been hiding. He still couldn’t rid him
self of the notion of there being more to Sage Duncan than met the eye.

  Sage shook her head. “Never. Perhaps it’s the change in climate. Or dehydration like Piper suggested.” She shrugged. “I feel a lot better now.”

  “Hey! Sorry I’m late.” Hank looked over to see Gabriel standing at their booth. He’d totally forgotten about his lunch plans with his best friend. The incident with Sage had thrown him a bit off course.

  “Hi there,” Sage murmured in a friendly voice.

  “Hello. I’m Gabriel Lawson. You must be Sage,” Gabe said, sticking out his hand to shake Sage’s.

  “Yes. Sage Duncan. Nice to meet you, Gabriel.”

  “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Gabriel jerked his thumb in Hank’s direction. “I was supposed to be meeting this guy for lunch, but it seems he’s forgotten all about me.” Gabe smirked at him.

  “I didn’t forget,” Hank said, feeling annoyed at Gabriel for absolutely no reason he could fathom.

  “Please sit down. If anything, I’m the one who’s barging in here.” Sage scooted over to make room for Gabriel. Hank felt a strange sensation as he watched his buddy sit down next to her. It was the oddest thing—he loved Gabe like a brother, but it felt as if he was horning in on his time with Sage. It left him feeling befuddled. Sage was a sweet and beautiful woman, but he didn’t have a claim on her. So why did he feel so out of sorts?

  “I hope you’re enjoying your time in Owl Creek,” Gabriel said. How had Hank forgotten how charming his friend could be around females? Throughout their lives everyone had loved Gabe for his winning personality. Connor had been known for his classic good looks while Hank himself had been viewed as the proverbial boy next door.

  “Owl Creek is a great town,” Sage responded, a slight smile hovering at the corner of her lips. “Frankly, I hadn’t expected all of this commotion. The brochures I read said it was a quiet Alaskan town.”

  Gabriel groaned. “Tell me about it. This morning when I went into Java to get a coffee, a journalist was waiting by the door with a microphone and a camera crew barraging me with questions about the Norths’ reward. I’m getting really good at saying no comment.”