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Addie’s squeals of delight upon spotting Hank were heartwarming. Her little face was lit up like Christmas morning. For the first time Sage noticed dimples on either side of her mouth and two bottom teeth poking through her gums. She was simply precious and Sage thought she might melt right there on the spot.
Trudy held her granddaughter out so Hank could scoop her up into his arms. After pressing a kiss to her cheek, he raised her in the air and playfully jiggled her, causing Addie to let out a series of giggles. The baby reached out a chubby little hand, and Sage wasn’t certain who was happier—Hank or Addie. Sage quietly stepped away from the doorway, giving Hank, Addie and Trudy their privacy.
Sage made her way upstairs to her room and firmly closed the door behind her.
After walking over to the closet, she pulled out her largest piece of luggage. She had already taken out most of the contents and placed them in the dresser drawers. After unzipping the suitcase, she dug around in the side compartment and pulled out the item she was looking for. She pressed the blanket to her nostrils, inhaling the familiar scent. Sage had known from
the moment Beulah mentioned the owl-themed baby blanket back at the teahouse that she was indeed the missing Lily North.
She no longer had to wonder. The proof was right here in her hands, and it highlighted the fact that her life would never be the same again.
* * *
Hank drove back to the sheriff’s office after spending some quality time with his daughter. Thankfully his mother managed to distract Addie with a toy lamb when he’d said his goodbyes. It was such a relief to know she wasn’t going to fall apart at the seams over his comings and goings. It gave him a boost of confidence. Maybe he really did have a good grasp on this fatherhood role after all!
He felt as if there was a little pep in his step as he walked into the building. Spending precious moments with his daughter left him feeling as if all was right in his world. His entire life was wrapped up in his green-eyed, sandy-haired baby girl. Sometimes it scared him to realize how deeply he loved Addie. If she ever faced any hardships, Hank knew he would do anything to make things better for her. And she better not even think about dating until she was at least thirty years old.
His mind drifted toward Sage. Her encouragement back at the inn meant the world to him. None of his close friends had children, and raising a baby as a single father was brand-new territory for him. Although Sage was still an enigma to him, she seemed to be softening up a little bit. He wished he didn’t still have this niggling suspicion regarding her. Had she truly come all the way to Alaska for a getaway?
The door of his office burst open. Connor stormed in, his expression fierce as he said in a raised voice, “You’ve got to talk some sense into my parents!”
“Whoa. Hold on there!” Hank said, holding up his hands. “What do you have against knocking?”
“I’m sorry, man. Dorinda wasn’t at her desk, so I just came through.”
Dorinda Clark was Hank’s secretary. She was a stickler for announcing any and all visitors to the sheriff’s office. If Connor had dared to rush past her desk in order to get to Hank, she would have put him in his place. Thankfully for Connor, Dorinda had gone home early due to a doctor’s appointment.
Connor paced back and forth, full of unbridled energy. With an athletic build, a dark head of hair and classic features, he cut an impressive figure. Along with himself and Gabriel, Connor was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Owl Creek. In a town with roughly six hundred residents, Hank didn’t consider it much of an achievement. He’d known most of the single women in town since childhood. Not a single one truly interested him. If he did somehow venture back into the dating pool in the future, he wanted to feel something special. Sparks. If he met a woman who gave him goose bumps he’d pursue her in a heartbeat.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Hank responded. “I’d just like to remind you that I actually conduct business in this office from time to time.”
His comment caused the sides of Connor’s mouth to twitch. They both knew if the walls could talk there would be quite a few stories to be told. Hank’s office had become an unofficial gathering place at moments of crisis. Between Gabriel’s fiancée having ditched him a few days before the wedding, Hank having found out his ex-girlfriend had given birth to their daughter in secret and Connor’s distress regarding the unsolved kidnapping of his sister, there had been loads of drama.
Hank placed his hands behind his head and laid his feet up on his desk. He might as well get comfortable since he had the feeling Connor was about to unload on him. And he didn’t mind one bit. It was the least he could do for his lifelong buddy. How many times had he vented to both Connor and Gabriel about Theresa’s deception? More times than he cared to remember. He felt thankful that his life had calmed down and he was happily raising his baby girl. God was good!
“Point taken,” Connor answered. “I’m just feeling a bit riled up and frustrated. My parents are being manipulated by this anonymous letter writer. It’s giving them hope that Lily is alive.”
“It’s okay to hope,” Hank said calmly.
“No, it’s not,” Connor said in a sharp tone. “After all this time, it’s almost cruel to dangle a carrot in front of their eyes.”
“I know you want to protect them, but there are some things you can’t shield them from.”
His friend’s expression hardened. “If there’s someone out there who’s messing with my family, they need to be dealt with before things spiral any further out of control.”
“I know it’s always been your goal to see that justice is served in this case.”
Connor nodded. “I want the perpetrators to be caught and prosecuted. Seeking justice doesn’t necessarily mean Lily will come back to us,” he said. “You have to admit it’s a long shot to imagine it will all work out in the end.”
Hank shrugged. “Stranger things have happened. I’m sure you’ve heard those stories on the news about grown adults who are reunited with their birth parents. And even though it’s not likely, I get the impression that your folks need to do something proactively to make them feel as if they haven’t given up on Lily.”
“None of us have ever given up on her,” Connor said, his voice thick with emotion. “Not a day goes by when we don’t think about her and what might have been if someone hadn’t taken her from us.”
“I know, Connor. And I understand it’s your nature to be guarded, but don’t forget about the information in the letter regarding the baby blanket. That’s been a well-kept secret since Lily was taken. The fact that it was in the letter might be the incontrovertible proof your family has been seeking.”
Connor ran a hand over his face. He looked a bit beaten down. “You’re right. I suppose I need to keep an open mind about it, but I can’t shake off this bad feeling that my parents are headed for a world of heartache.”
Hank prayed his pal was mistaken. Willa and Nate North had endured every parent’s worst nightmare, yet they’d still managed to raise two amazing sons and live a faith-filled existence. After all this time they deserved closure.
