Her Secret Alaskan Family

by Belle Calhoune

  “It did,” Hank acknowledged. “What I knew at the time about babies was next to nothing. But with the help of my mother and sister, I learned the ropes fairly quickly and day by day, things got better. Especially after I let God into my life and became a Christian.” He sighed. “I loved Addie from the first moment I clapped eyes on her, but I think it took her a few weeks to reciprocate those feelings. She missed Theresa something awful. The first time she called me Dada I thought I might fly to the moon out of sheer joy.”

  “I can only imagine,” she returned softly.

  He met Sage’s gaze head-on. “Sometimes there are things in life you never even knew you desperately needed to make you whole. Addie’s one of those things. God is another.”

  Although Hank regretted being intimate with Theresa, his relationship with the Lord had been nonexistent at the time. He hadn’t been a Christian. He had been reeling from the death of his stepfather and questioning everything in his life, which had led him to make poor choices. In the end, Addie had been an absolute blessing.

  Trudy reached over and patted Hank’s hand. “Addie couldn’t ask for a finer daddy. Or a better man.”

  “Fathers and daughters have a very special bond,” Sage agreed. “There’s nothing quite like it in this world.” She put a piece of chicken in her mouth and delicately chewed it before swallowing.

  “It sounds like you’re close to yours,” Hank responded, immediately noticing the way Sage seemed to be fighting back tears. Clearly the subject of fathers and daughters had struck a nerve.

  She nodded and looked down at her plate. “I’ve always been a daddy’s girl. When I was growing up I seriously thought he hung the moon and that he was responsible for the stars twinkling up in the heavens.”

  Hank let out a low whistle as he laid his fork on his plate. “I can only hope Addie feels that way about me someday. He must be a very loving father.”

  “He is,” Sage murmured, toying with her food and not making eye contact.

  Hank had the feeling she might be a little homesick. Perhaps she was having regrets about traveling all this way to Owl Creek. He had never been to Florida, but he knew it was a far cry from Alaska both in climate and the way of life.

  He had a strange feeling about the mysterious newcomer. Perhaps it was his law enforcement background or maybe it was his desire to keep Sage at arm’s length, but for the life of him, Hank couldn’t rid himself of the notion that something was a bit off with Sage Duncan. Why had this beautiful woman come all the way to Alaska to a small hamlet like Owl Creek? And why did it seem as if she might be hiding something?

  * * *

  Shortly after dinner, Trudy brought Sage upstairs so she could settle in for the night. Sage let out a contented sigh as she entered the spacious room. It was beautifully decorated. The first thing she noticed was a queen-size mahogany sleigh bed with a pink-and-white-floral coverlet. Next to the bed sat a night table with a big bouquet of flowers. The wallpaper was old-fashioned—white swans against a gray background. It would be a lovely place to call home for the duration of her stay in town.

  Trudy bid her good-night and advised her to sleep in tomorrow. Sage felt grateful for the innkeeper’s nurturing manner and her desire to make sure she wasn’t overtaxing herself. Truthfully, she was beyond exhausted, and it was fairly shocking she could still keep her eyes open.

  Sage quickly went into the adjoining bathroom, washing her face and brushing her teeth in record time. Then she pulled on a pair of flannel pajamas and crawled under the covers.

  However, as tired as she felt, her mind refused to shut down. There were so many thoughts whizzing through her brain. Hearing about the suffering of the North family hadn’t been pleasant. She felt incredibly guilty that they were still on edge wondering what had happened to their daughter. Time had done nothing to close those wounds, and it angered her that people in search of a juicy story were making their suffering even worse.

  Guilt pierced her insides. Could she single-handedly take away their pain? But what if she was wrong? All she had were her mother’s dying words and a few newspaper clippings she’d found hiding in an old trunk. When she’d pressed him, her father had expressed astonishment about the kidnapping. According to him, he’d been completely in the dark. And the fact was, Jane hadn’t been the most stable person. Sage had fuzzy memories of her mother having a breakdown when she was roughly eight years old. Could she have become fixated on the case and created this fantastical story?

  Perhaps it was nothing more than a delusion. If she came forward and mistakenly made a claim about being Lily North, she would be no better than all the others who made false claims and subjected the North family to more agony.

  No. It was far better for her to investigate the situation a little further and make peace with what had transpired. If that was even possible.

  Hank’s face flashed before her eyes. Just seeing him doting on his adorable baby girl had caused a hitch in her heart. Addie was pure sweetness and light; Hank’s adoration for his daughter was unmistakable.

  There was something so uplifting about seeing a man single-handedly raising his daughter. It reminded her of her own father and their incredibly close bond. At times during her childhood, Sage had felt as if she only had one parent due to her mother’s illness. Her dad had always been there for her during the rough times, cheering her on and providing her with guidance. Sage had loved her mother dearly, but they hadn’t shared the same powerful connection as she and her father.

  Hank had asked her earlier this evening about her father. It had caused an immediate emotional response. For all intents and purposes, Eric Duncan was Sage’s sole familial connection. He was all she had in the world. There had never been uncles or cousins or grandparents. As far back as she could remember, it had just been the three of them, along with Aunt Cathy, her mother’s sister. Although Aunt Cathy hadn’t been a big part of Sage’s life, she’d been very close to her sister.

  Sadly, she now knew that she wasn’t the legally adopted child of Jane and Eric Duncan. Her whole life had been a huge lie. Sage didn’t really know who she was. And while she should be mourning her mother’s passing, all she could do was wonder if she had ever truly known the woman who’d raised her. Although her father had always been a man of faith, who regularly quoted scripture to Sage, took her to church services and volunteered for their church’s outreach programs, her mother hadn’t shown herself to be religious in any way, shape or form. Because of her mother’s oddities, Sage hadn’t ever questioned it. Perhaps it had been guilt, she reckoned, for having ripped a baby away from her parents.

  Her father had been little or no help when she had questioned him about her mother’s shocking confession. He had claimed Jane had told him she’d rescued her from two underage teens who hadn’t been able or willing to raise her. He’d been convinced she had been an abandoned baby. Eric hadn’t pressed for details since Jane had shown signs of mental instability and he’d never wanted to rock the boat. He had been so overjoyed to have a child in their lives after years of infertility that he had overlooked all the red flags and accepted her story without question.

  All the color had been leeched from his face when Sage had shown him the newspaper clippings and the online reports regarding the kidnapping.

  “I’m going to jail,” he had said in a hoarse voice. “No one will ever believe I didn’t play a role in taking you from your birth family.”

  “I won’t let that happen, Daddy. Not ever,” Sage had assured him. She had thrown her arms around him and held on for dear life, knowing she could never sacrifice the man who’d raised her. Never in a million years could she ever believe he had been her mother’s accomplice in stealing a baby.

  She would keep her promise to her father, no matter how dearly it cost her.

  As Sage began to drift off to sleep, she murmured a prayer. God had been by her side throughout her life, and even
though she was dealing with extremely difficult circumstances, she knew He wouldn’t forsake her. Surely something good would come from her being in Owl Creek.

  Please, Lord, help me find the closure I’m seeking. Give me the strength to forgive my mother for her actions and to do what’s right. I don’t know what to do with all of these feelings or how to react when I come face-to-face with the North family. Grant me the wisdom to know how to proceed in the best interests of everyone involved.

  Chapter Three

  Hank drove down Main Street as a feeling of contentment spread through him. Snow had fallen late last night, covering the landscape with a healthy dusting of the frosty white stuff. There was no finer place in his opinion than Owl Creek, the place he was fortunate enough to call home. Being in Homer had been an interesting change of pace, but he wouldn’t trade his hometown for anything in this world. He beeped his horn a few times at passersby, who called out friendly greetings to him in return.

  He loved being out and about during office hours. He had just come from Opal Reed’s house after rescuing her cat from the clutches of a snowy owl who had been hiding in her barn.

  Opal had insisted on thanking him with tea and chocolate chip cookies. Earlier this morning he had been called out to settle a dispute between two fishermen who were feuding over a rare blue-colored king crab. Hank had managed to calm the situation down and convince Lou Baskin and Denny Phillips to share the unusual crustacean. When he’d left them the pair had been taking selfies together with the crab and cracking jokes about alerting the media. He chuckled at how raging controversies could be settled so amicably once people used their hearts and common sense.

  Small-town life might not be for everyone, but he wouldn’t trade it any day of the week for a high-paying job in a big city.

  He frowned as he spotted a few journalists standing outside the North Star Chocolate Factory. They were like buzzards who had descended upon them in droves.

  It was a downright shame how people had no respect for boundaries anymore. Nor did they understand that the North family had been through the worst tragedy a family could endure. In every practical way, they were still stuck in limbo with no sense of closure. He truly wondered if they would ever achieve it. Connor didn’t talk about it a lot, but he knew the weight of it hung around his neck like an anchor.

  Hank pulled into a spot right in front of the Snowy Owl Diner. The sheriff’s office was only a short walk down the street from his go-to restaurant, which made it convenient. Once he stepped out of his squad car, he beat a fast path toward the diner. He was right on time for his weekly lunch with his two best buddies. His stomach groaned as he entered the establishment.

  With a wave at Piper, who was behind the counter serving up meals, he headed toward a table in the back of the diner. Both Gabriel and Connor were already seated and engaged in an animated conversation. Hank slid into the booth next to Gabriel in a seat facing the door. As a sheriff he always wanted to be able to see who was coming and going. It had been ingrained in him when he was in the police academy.

  “Hey, Sheriff. What’s going on? How was Homer?” Gabe asked, clapping him on the back as a form of greeting. With his warm brown skin, dimples and soulful brown eyes, he exuded raw charm and personality. Hank couldn’t remember a time when they hadn’t been friends. Matter of fact, the three of them had been tight since they were in preschool. The three musketeers. One for all and all for one.

  “It was great to connect with other law enforcement officials. I was able to spend some time with my buddy Boone Prescott, but I couldn’t wait to get home to Addie,” he confessed. He felt a little sheepish admitting it. Neither Connor nor Gabriel had even the slightest idea of how a child could transform a person’s life. Until recently, he hadn’t either. It wasn’t all unicorns and sunshine, but it was the purest love he’d ever known. Hank hoped one day they would both know that type of unconditional love.

  Connor shook his head and chuckled. “If someone had told me a year ago that you’d be hightailing it home to change diapers I would have laughed myself silly.”

  “Go ahead and laugh,” Hank responded. “That little princess makes me happy just by looking in my direction.”

  “We know she does,” Gabe chimed in. “No one deserves happiness more than you, buddy.”

  “Right back atcha,” Hank responded.

  Hank saw a glint of sadness flickering in Gabriel’s eyes. Within seconds it vanished, replaced by his congenial smile. Hank felt a burst of sympathy for his friend. If things hadn’t unraveled with Rachel, he might have had his own child by now. Instead, Gabe was still nursing a broken heart.

  Connor sent Hank a look laced with meaning. He also understood Gabriel hadn’t yet moved past having his bride run out on him forty-eight hours before the wedding. It hurt Hank to even think about how devastated his pal had been to lose the other half of his heart three years ago.

  Rosie the waitress stopped by the table and poured coffee into Hank’s mug. When he opened his mouth to put his order in, she shook her head. “They already ordered for you.”

  He looked at Gabriel and Connor, then shook his head. “How did you know what I wanted to eat?”

  Rosie rolled her eyes. “Hank, you order the same thing every time you eat lunch here. Trust me, it’s not a national secret.”

  As Rosie walked away, both Connor and Gabe threw back their heads in laughter. Hank joined in and began chuckling right along with them. Hanging out with these guys always made him feel better.

  Both men were sought-after bachelors in Owl Creek. Connor, as the heir to the North Star Chocolate Company, was viewed as the ultimate catch, while most of the single ladies in town wanted to soothe Gabriel’s shattered heart. Neither seemed particularly interested in settling down, however. Not that he should talk. Although he had once dreamed of picket fences and the storybook happy ending, he hadn’t thought of those things in a very long time.

  “So how are you holding up?” Hank asked Connor. He could see the telltale signs of stress on Connor’s face. Slight shadows rested under his eyes and creases lined the sides of his mouth. Hank knew he had a lot weighing on his mind.

  Connor shrugged. “It’s been rough, particularly on my folks. No wonder Braden headed off to parts unknown. The anniversary is always intense, but this year it’s ten times worse with all the hoopla surrounding it.”

  Connor’s younger brother, Braden, hadn’t stuck around Owl Creek to endure the onslaught. He was off somewhere trekking in the Himalayas and seeking out adventures. Hank felt a surge of anger toward Braden for deserting his family during their hour of need. But he knew it wasn’t right to judge the situation since he hadn’t walked in his shoes. Being a sibling to a kidnapped and missing baby hadn’t been easy on either Connor or Braden. The ripples of the kidnapping were far-reaching and complex.

  Hank sat up straight in his booth when Sage walked into the diner. He watched as Piper came from behind the counter and greeted her with a big hug. It would have been impossible not to notice Sage in her hot-pink coat and matching beret. The sight of her gave Hank a little boost on an otherwise humdrum day. He felt his mood soaring.

  He couldn’t help but notice a few other men in the diner looking in her direction too. A feeling of possessiveness rose up inside him. An attractive woman showing up in Owl Creek was rarer than a comet sighting. It made him feel a little grumpy to know other guys might be interested in Sage, which was ridiculous since he wasn’t in the market for romance...

  “Hank? Hank? Earth to Hank!” Connor said, waving a hand in front of his face.

  “Sorry. I got distracted,” he muttered, managing to drag his gaze away from Sage.

  “I see who has your attention and she’s quite the looker,” Gabriel drawled, his eyes alight with merriment. “I don’t blame you one bit.”

  Connor turned around and craned his neck. Hank kicked him under the table.
r />   “Ouch! What did you do that for?” Connor asked as he reached down and rubbed his shin.

  “Because I don’t want Sage to think we’re staring at her,” Hank grumbled.

  “Even though we are,” Gabe said with a good-natured chuckle.

  “Sage? Who is Sage?” Connor asked, glaring at Hank.

  “She’s just arrived in Owl Creek from Florida and she’s staying at my mom’s inn,” Hank explained. He didn’t bother talking about how gorgeous she was or how she piqued his interest as no other woman had in quite some time.

  “Please tell me she’s not a journalist,” Connor said with a groan, his expression mournful. “I’m a little sick of them shoving microphones in my face and taking my picture.”

  “Not even close,” Hank answered. “She’s a second grade teacher.”

  “Good!” Connor picked up his mug of coffee and took a long sip.

  Hank swung his gaze up just in time to see Sage being seated at the booth diagonal to where they were sitting. She looked surprised when their eyes met. He lifted his mug up in greeting and waved to her with his other hand. She nodded in his direction and smiled.

  Although Hank went back to his conversation with his best friends, he had a hard time focusing on chitchat when Sage was so close. She was proving to be a beautiful distraction, one Hank couldn’t allow to disrupt his tranquil world.

  * * *

  From the moment she’d walked into the Snowy Owl Diner, Sage had felt as if she was on display. The stares and whispers of the townsfolk didn’t escape her notice. She wasn’t entirely certain if she was being treated with suspicion or mere curiosity. Was it possible they recognized something about her? Perhaps she was simply being paranoid. It was a bit awkward to walk around town harboring an explosive secret that could change the lives of several people in Owl Creek.

  The diner was cheery and bright, with red leather booths and lemon yellow walls. The countertops were white marble and the floors were a black-and-white parquet. A five-foot bubble gum machine sat on display by the hostess stand.