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At this rate she wasn’t sure she could keep up this facade without blurting out the truth.
Was it cruel to keep silent when her birth parents were desperately searching for her? Her mind was scrambling to process what she’d just heard. Had her mother really sent the North family a letter? A confession? And, if so, was there a trail leading directly back to he
r father? Jane Duncan had always been unpredictable, and even though she’d been bedridden in the last few weeks of her life, Sage knew her mother had always been extremely resourceful.
Perhaps she should have stayed back at the chocolate factory to learn more, but her body had been in flight mode and her legs had carried her swiftly away from the press conference as if on autopilot.
Sage bit her lip. Before she went off the deep end, she needed facts. She wasn’t going to fall apart until she had something concrete to go on. Perhaps the letter had been written by an attention seeker motivated by the twenty-fifth anniversary of the kidnapping. Hadn’t Hank told her that scam artists had been coming out of the woodwork as of late? Maybe she was worrying about nothing.
Still, Sage felt a bit guilty about leaving Hank in the lurch since he’d been so kind to her. He probably thought she was a flake after she’d bailed on him. She let out a deeply held breath, watching as the cold air condensed in front of her eyes. Why was she even fretting about it? She didn’t need a town sheriff in her business. It would be like putting her feet too close to the fire. Hank had strong ties to the North family and he worked in law enforcement. In this explosive situation, those were two strikes against him.
Too bad he was all kinds of handsome and a bit of a sweetheart. Driving her over to the chocolate factory had been a nice gesture, but she should have refused the offer. Sage couldn’t allow herself to get too close to anyone in this town, particularly not a man who’d vowed to uphold the law.
A quick glance at her watch told her she still had a few hours before she was due to meet up with Trudy, who was giving her a ride back to the bed-and-breakfast. She’d been planning to spend the afternoon touring the chocolate factory, but the impromptu press conference had changed her plans. Perhaps she could kill some time exploring the shops on Main Street, although it would be mighty embarrassing if Hank drove by and spotted her. She didn’t have a single idea as to how to explain why she’d run off.
Sage was standing a few feet away from a quaint shop window adorned with lovely curtains and a display of brightly colored teapots. She moved closer and pressed her face against the frosted-over window to get a better look. The interior looked cozy and warm. A soft glow emanated from inside. It seemed like the perfect place to take a load off her feet.
She looked up at the dainty gold sign hanging above the entrance. Tea Time. It was the shop Trudy had told her about this morning. Frankly, she could use a nice cup of tea at the moment. If she ducked inside she could avoid the possibility of running into Hank and having to explain why she’d taken off. What could she possibly say to explain her disappearing act?
Sage slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside. The scent of lavender hung in the air. She looked around with a feeling of wonder. It felt as if she had stepped back in time to another era. The tea shop was decorated with plush velvet chairs, stunning rugs and silk fans hanging on the walls. A brightly lit chandelier hung from the ceiling and brocade wallpaper graced the walls. A whimsical photo of a bear in a pink tutu hung by the front desk, along with an old-fashioned telephone.
The place was fairly empty but there was a low hum of voices emanating from the dining room. A tall woman with dark brown skin approached Sage with a welcoming smile. “Hello. I’m Iris Lawson. Welcome to Tea Time. Are you a party of one?” she asked.
Sage nodded. “Yes, it’s just me today.”
“Perfect. Let me show you to a table.” Sage followed behind Iris, taking in all the lovely details of the establishment along the way.
Once she was seated at a table, Iris handed her a menu. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order. Let me know if you have any questions.”
Sage looked around her with curiosity. There was an older woman sitting by herself at a neighboring table. She was a striking woman with jet-black hair streaked with silver. She had a widow’s peak much like Sage’s own and she was wearing an elaborate navy blue hat with a peacock feather on top. A pearl necklace graced her neck. She looked regal. Sage made eye contact with the woman and smiled.
“Are you a first timer?” the woman asked.
Sage nodded. “Yes. It looked so lovely when I peered through the window, I couldn’t resist coming inside.” Truthfully, it reminded her of a tearoom her mother used to take her to when she was a little girl of eight or nine. The sweet memory was jarring in the face of her mother’s shocking confession. At the moment she was struggling to make sense of the dual sides of Jane Duncan. Loving mother versus heartless criminal.
The woman continued to speak. “Isn’t it exquisite? I make it a point to come here several times a week. You’re in for a treat.”
Sage had a niggling feeling she’d seen this woman before. She looked so familiar.
Suddenly it came to her. She was Beulah North, the matriarch of the North family. Studying her birth family prior to her arrival in Owl Creek had been a smart move on her part. Strangely, it gave her comfort to recognize a few people from her family tree.
“I don’t blame you,” Sage murmured. “It’s a beautiful place to sit back and relax.”
“If you’re not waiting for anyone, I’d love some company. It appears my date has stood me up.” Beulah nodded toward one of the empty chairs at her table.
“I’d be happy to join you. Thanks for asking,” Sage said as she gathered up her purse, then stood up and made her way over to Beulah’s nearby table. Although Beulah had no way of knowing it, Sage was so nervous her knees were knocking together. She wanted so badly to make a good impression on her grandmother.
“I’m Beulah North. And you are?” she asked, sticking out her hand to Sage.
“Sage Duncan,” she replied, shaking the elegant woman’s hand.
“Nice to meet you, Sage. Are you a newcomer to Owl Creek? Surely I’d remember seeing a young lady as beautiful as you are around town.”
Sage felt herself blushing. “You’re too kind.”
“Not really,” Beulah said, wrinkling her nose. “I’m known in Owl Creek for telling it like it is.” She winked at Sage. “Some people here in town find it off-putting at times.”
Sage chuckled. “To answer your question, I’m only a temporary resident here in town.”
