[Alaskan Quest 02] - Under the Northern Lights

by Tracie Peterson

  ‘‘It won’t be easy when the time comes,’’ Jacob said.

  Jayce stifled a yawn and nodded. He closed his eyes. ‘‘I’ve had a hard time coming to terms with potentially killing my brother, but if it saves the lives of innocent people, then there really is no choice.’’

  ‘‘You’re not the one killing him,’’ Jacob said softly. ‘‘He’s made his own choice to live this life. He’s bearing the consequence of those choices—or will bear it. You had nothing to do with that.’’

  ‘‘But I have everything to do with hunting him down.’’ Jayce rolled to his side and tried not to see the image that had haunted him since leaving Nome. It was the shadowy picture of his twin hanging from a gallows. Even more unnerving was the fact that the scene only served to remind him that Chase would have allowed Jayce to suffer the same fate and probably have had little regret for it. The thought angered Jayce, but it also gave him cause to check his heart.

  This cannot be about revenge, Jayce told himself. Chase has caused me unknown damage and heartache. He’s given me a reputation I did not deserve.But this cannot be about revenge. I could never live with myself if I found that to be the motivation of my heart. It has to be about justice and saving other people from my brother’s threat. Nothing more or less.

  Chapter Three

  Leah finished packing food provisions in a crate just as Chase came into the store. She hadn’t been able to get all of the supplies put away because Chase had forced her to come and help him handle the dogs.

  ‘‘Are you nearly done?’’ he asked, sounding strangely nervous. Leah looked up as she secured the pack. ‘‘Yes. Did you see to feed for the dogs?’’

  ‘‘Yes,’’ he murmured, not sounding at all like the confident man she’d been dealing with.

  ‘‘Good. Take this and load it on the sled. I need to grab a couple of traps and the rest of my things. Then we can leave.’’

  ‘‘Traps? Why are you taking traps?’’ He sounded suspicious, but Leah could hardly be bothered. If she allowed herself to think for even one moment about the gravity of the situation, she might well back out and expose Chase.

  ‘‘We’ll need to stretch our supplies as far as we can. Especially where the dogs are concerned. If the pulling gets hard or the distance extensive, the dogs will need more food. Then there are Jayce, Jacob, and Helaina to consider. Have you provided for them? If not, we’ll need to see to that as well. I have no way of knowing where you are taking me or when you plan to let us go. We can hardly survive for long on what we can carry out in one sled basket.’’ She thrust the heavy bag at him. ‘‘This will last us a couple of weeks at best, even a shorter time once we join the others.’’

  ‘‘Should be sufficient for two,’’ Chase said, easily hoisting the bag to his shoulder. ‘‘I have a place up north. Near Kotzebue. We shouldn’t have too much trouble reaching it before supplies run out.’’

  ‘‘But what of the others? If this is sufficient for two, what about Helaina, Jayce, and Jacob?’’

  He shrugged. ‘‘I don’t figure to take an entourage with me. One hostage will suffice.’’

  Leah felt her knees tremble. Somehow she knew she’d be the one hostage he’d choose. She drew a deep breath to steady her nerves. ‘‘Nevertheless, I’ll take the traps. Fresh meat will keep us alive and the furs will be useful for trading or even using in our clothes.’’ She went to where she stored the traps and pulled out two. One larger and one smaller. Checking them for defects or problems, Leah was finally satisfied that she had all she needed.

  ‘‘Lay-Ya!’’ Ayoona called from the front door.

  ‘‘That’s what I hate about the north,’’ Chase declared, turning to go. ‘‘Nobody ever knocks.’’

  ‘‘There’s no need when you care about each other as if they were family,’’ Leah replied. ‘‘Just go load that, and let me deal with business here.’’ He cocked a brow but said nothing.

  ‘‘Lay-Ya, are you here?’’ Ayoona pushed back the fur. ‘‘Oopick is with me.’’

  ‘‘Good. I need to go over our arrangement and make sure you have everything you need.’’ Leah watched as Chase allowed the women to come into the room before edging carefully around them.

  ‘‘You ladies are looking lovely today,’’ he said with a devilish grin. ‘‘If I weren’t already head-over-heels in love with my wife, I would surely come a-courting.’’ Oopick smiled, but Ayoona ignored him. She was far too intent on speaking to Leah.

  ‘‘Lay-Ya, it’s not a good time to travel. There are bad storms coming. You should stay.’’

  ‘‘I know,’’ Leah said, nodding. She had seen the signs herself. ‘‘Chase . . . Jayce is of a mind that it won’t cause us any real trouble.’’ She hoped neither woman would think it strange that she’d stumbled over Jayce’s name. ‘‘I’ve taken good provisions and a sturdy tent. We should be all right.’’

  ‘‘You won’t get far today. The wind is going to blow in plenty soon,’’ Ayoona said matter-of-factly. ‘‘Tent won’t do you good. You tell your man to find something better.’’

  ‘‘I will,’’ Leah replied. She knew Ayoona was worried. ‘‘Oopick, thank you so much for being willing to watch the store. These last couple of crates are what’s left to put on the shelves.’’ Leah pointed behind the women. ‘‘Just write down what everyone buys and pays. We’ll go over the books when I get back.’’ If I get back. The thought startled Leah, but she held fast to her calm façade.

  ‘‘John and I will take care of everything,’’ Oopick replied. ‘‘He will take good care of the dogs, and I will run the store.’’

  ‘‘And you’ll both stay here, right?’’ Leah questioned. She knew that Oopick and John would be hesitant to enjoy the Barringer hospitality. They were never ones to take pay or reward for simply offering a neighborly service.

  ‘‘We will stay, but we will bring our own supplies. You will need yours for the winter. John plans to hunt tomorrow, so maybe there will be plenty more meat when you come back.’’

  ‘‘When you be back, Lay-Ya?’’ Ayoona asked.

  Leah shrugged. ‘‘I don’t know.’’

  ‘‘Where you go?’’

  She shook her head. ‘‘I don’t know. Likely Kotzebue. Jayce wants to surprise me. He has a place up north,’’ she told them, hoping that if her husband and brother escaped and showed up in the village, someone might be able to help direct them to where Leah and Chase had gone.

  Ayoona shook her head. ‘‘Bad storms there too.’’

  Leah knew the old woman was probably right but said, ‘‘I’ll be back before you know it. Take care of each other.’’ She hugged Ayoona and then Oopick. She didn’t want to admit it, but deep in her heart, the situation felt bleak and increasingly hopeless.

  Ayoona and Oopick had barely gone before Emma Kjellmann showed up. As a missionary to the frozen north, Emma seldom made it to the States. She was eager for a discussion with Leah.

  ‘‘Is the coffee on?’’ she asked as she popped her head in.

  ‘‘I think there’s a bit left,’’ Leah admitted. She knew Chase would be in a hurry to leave, but she hadn’t had a chance to even visit with Emma since coming home. She led the way to the kitchen, holding back the fur for Emma as she passed through.

  ‘‘I heard you were heading out again and figured I’d better come over before you left. I wanted to hear all about Seattle and about your wedding. I saw your husband outside, and he sure seemed happy. Guess our prayers were answered and God worked all things together for good.’’

  Leah buried her surging emotions, hating to mislead her dear friend. She wanted to believe Emma’s words with all of her heart, but at this point that thought would not even begin to register in her brain. Nothing seemed to be for good at this point. ‘‘God does know what He’s doing,’’ she replied, more for her own sake than Emma’s. Leah took up a cup and poured Emma a cup of coffee. ‘‘Hope it’s warm enough. We let the fire die out since we’re leaving.’’


  ‘‘I’m sure it will be,’’ Emma said, taking the mug. ‘‘Say, I heard you brought back supplies. I hope you thought to bring sugar. I never did get enough in my shipments. They were always running short, and I hate to think of going through the winter with no more than I have.’’

  ‘‘I did bring some, but it probably won’t be enough to suit the likes of Bryce and Nolan.’’

  ‘‘Ja, my boys, they like their treats,’’ Emma admitted. ‘‘I spoil them too much, but their papa is just as bad.’’

  ‘‘I’m sure he is, but he’s a good man.’’

  ‘‘Your man is good too. I remember our talk last spring,’’ Emma began. ‘‘I remember how you worried he might never understand your heart—never love you. But God knew what would happen.’’ She was grinning from ear to ear. ‘‘Did you have a lovely wedding? Oh, I wish you would have gotten married here so I could give you a party.’’

  ‘‘It was a nice but very simple ceremony,’’ Leah remembered fondly. ‘‘I wore a beautiful white muslin dress. I brought it back and will show it to you sometime. It seemed silly to buy such a thing, but Jacob insisted. He felt I deserved a special dress for my wedding day.’’

  ‘‘Ja, I agree. A woman only gets married once. She should look as pretty as she can. My mama and sisters made me a beautiful gown. It was white with tiny bluebells embroidered around the hem.’’

  ‘‘That sounds lovely,’’ Leah commented.

  ‘‘I’m sure you made a beautiful bride. I’m surprised your husband can bear to be away from you at all.’’

  Leah suddenly felt very compelled to tell Emma the truth. She opened her mouth, determined to explain the situation, then closed it again. Chase had no scruples, no fear . . . and would take Emma if necessary. He would even kill her if she got in his way. Leah couldn’t risk that.

  ‘‘So was it a pretty day?’’

  ‘‘Hmmm?’’ Leah looked at Emma. ‘‘Oh, the wedding. Yes and no. It had rained in the morning, but it cleared off and that made everything seem lovely and clean. The autumn weather there was quite nice. Not too cold or too warm.’’

  ‘‘Oh, I almost forgot to tell you,’’ Emma interjected. ‘‘My little sister, Sigrid, is coming to live with us next spring. She’s agreed to come and teach school.’’

  ‘‘That is good news. Where is she now?’’

  ‘‘She lives in Minnesota with my parents. She teaches there at a big school. She’s very good.’’

  ‘‘What caused her to agree to come here?’’ Leah couldn’t imagine a young woman just up and coming to Alaska to teach school.

  ‘‘I begged her,’’ Emma admitted. ‘‘I miss my family so much. Bjorn said we could go back next spring, but he wanted someone to be here to take care of the house and such. Sigrid agreed to come for that purpose, and then the more we wrote back and forth, the more she realized it might behoove her to come and teach. She checked into the requirements and will come through the government. Isn’t that wonderful?’’

  Emma’s delight was contagious. ‘‘Yes, I am sure you will enjoy her visit,’’ Leah said, laughing. ‘‘So you plan a trip home next year?’’

  ‘‘Ja. My parents are anxious to see the children. They’ve never met Nolan or Rachel. I just want to sit on my mother’s porch and snap beans and talk about the old days. I want to eat her cooking and have a mound of fluffy scrambled eggs for my breakfast. Oh, and my mama’s fresh curds and whey.’’

  ‘‘It all sounds wonderful. We certainly enjoyed our share of delicacies in Seattle. I’d almost forgotten what beefsteak tastes like. And, I have to admit, I ate more than my share of eggs and fresh fruit. Oh, the oranges and bananas were incredible,’’ Leah remembered. ‘‘The man whose house we stayed at had a taste for both, and the house was never without them. I could only wonder at the cost, but he insisted we all partake.’’ Leah offered Emma a grin. ‘‘I didn’t have to be asked twice, but I’m sure they were expensive.’’

  ‘‘Ja, I can imagine. I sometimes miss those things enough to leave here forever.’’

  ‘‘I hope you won’t,’’ Leah admitted.

  ‘‘Probably not. Bjorn says there’s much of God’s work to be done. He sees good changes in the people. Less drinking and fewer superstitions. The village is more peaceful. Remember the murder that took place the year we came?’’

  ‘‘I remember not only that, but the ones that came before your arrival. Up here the law means very little to some. And to others . . . well, Inupiat justice is sometimes very swift and without concern for white man’s ways.’’

  ‘‘We’ve tried to teach respect for the laws, but when you’ve lived here for generations and haven’t had to worry about the government, it must be hard to have to take on someone else’s ways.’’

  ‘‘It’s hard to know what’s right,’’ Leah said thoughtfully. ‘‘Eventually more people will come to this area. Alaska will probably be made a state soon. They’re already working hard to see that happen. Once they convince people to move north, Alaska will fill up like the States. I fear for the natives then.’’

  ‘‘I do too. My grandparents were missionaries to some of the Indian peoples in Montana, before it was a state. They told us stories of how the whites lied and cheated those peoples.’’

  ‘‘Adrik . . . you remember he’s married to the woman who helped raise Jacob and me?’’ Emma nodded. ‘‘Adrik is part Tlingit, and he’s talked of the abuses he’s seen his people endure. Of course, there are good white people.’’ She smiled. ‘‘I try to be one of those myself.’’

  ‘‘Ja. It’s sometimes hard to gain their trust,’’ Emma said, finishing her coffee. ‘‘I sometimes feel we have accomplished very little.’’

  ‘‘You’ve both done great work here. The north needs you.’’ Leah would never want to keep them from going wherever God directed them, but at the same time, she didn’t want to lose her friend to the south.

  ‘‘There is other news,’’ Emma said, smiling. ‘‘We’re going to have another baby. I’ll probably deliver in May, just before breakup. Then we’ll travel to Minnesota in June.’’

  ‘‘That is wonderful news. Maybe it will be a little sister for Rachel.’’

  ‘‘I’d like that. Rachel doesn’t seem so much a baby anymore. She’s walking and talking. Always running after her brothers.’’

  ‘‘I wish I could see her. I wish I were going to be here longer,’’ Leah said with regret evident in her voice. ‘‘I would love to have a nice long talk, for there’s so much to tell you about. My visits with Karen in Ketchikan, the ship blowing up on my trip home . . . God really showed me a great deal. I hope we’ll get a chance to discuss it when I get back.’’

  ‘‘Where are you going?’’

  Leah knew she would have to be careful. She wanted to give as much detail as possible without endangering Emma. ‘‘I’m not entirely sure, but Jayce says we’ll head north—he has a place up there somewhere. He mentioned the area around Kotzebue.’’

  ‘‘You aren’t going to move there, are you? I couldn’t bear it if you left us for good. And it’s such a long way to travel.’’

  ‘‘I don’t plan to be gone long, and I certainly don’t plan to move there,’’ Leah said. ‘‘Truth is, I’ve had enough travel to last me a lifetime. Now I’d just like to settle down and stay put.’’

  ‘‘So why go?’’

  Leah thought for a moment. Maybe if she shared some of the true details, it would help to save her life—and the lives of her brother and husband. ‘‘Jayce has a twin brother—an identical twin brother.’’ She said the words with a strong emphasis on identical. ‘‘Chase is a criminal, and he’s kidnapped a woman and she must be rescued.’’ She again emphasized her words, this time focusing on kidnapped and rescued.

  ‘‘Chase is very dangerous. He has killed several men. Two police officers were gunned down in Nome before he took this woman. Jayce and Jacob went after her.’’ Leah lowered her voice and spoke even more slowly. �
��‘They will need to hurry or Chase may get beyond their reach.’’

  ‘‘Leah, we need to go,’’ Chase said as he bounded into the kitchen, looked momentarily at Emma, then back to Leah. ‘‘I didn’t know you had company.’’

  ‘‘Oh, I snuck in while you were admiring Qavlunaq’s baby.’’ Emma gave him a big smile. ‘‘Maybe you’ll have your own baby to admire this time next year.’’

  Chase laughed. ‘‘I certainly would enjoy that.’’

  Leah felt her face grow hot. ‘‘I wish I could visit more, but like Jayce says, we need to head out. Bad weather is moving in, and Ayoona says we’ll need to find some reasonable shelter before we get too far.’’

  ‘‘You can always put the trip off another day or two.’’

  ‘‘No,’’ Chase said firmly. ‘‘It’s important we leave now.’’ He came up behind Leah and took hold of her shoulders. She couldn’t help but stiffen. Chase and Emma didn’t seem to notice as Chase continued talking. ‘‘There’s something that needs my attention not far from here. If I don’t leave today, it could be too late.’’

  Emma laughed and got to her feet. ‘‘I usually find there’s nothing that cannot wait another day. But, of course, Alaskan winter changes everybody’s schedule.’’

  ‘‘He’s right. This is really important,’’ Leah said, remembering Chase’s hostages. She broke away from Chase’s hold and went to hug Emma tight. ‘‘Pray for me. Pray for us.’’

  ‘‘Ja, I will pray. God be with you.’’ She headed out without another word, but there was a strange look on her face that gave Leah hope that perhaps Emma had noticed things were not exactly right.

  Leah turned to Chase. ‘‘I’ll grab my pack.’’ She hurried to her bed and picked up the bag. Throwing it on her back, Leah couldn’t help but frown. She had hoped to arm herself with a gun, but Chase had cleared those out prior to her arrival. She cast a quick glance over the room, wishing there might be something else that could aid her on the way.