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Declan peered down at the journal and squinted. “I—I can’t make out her cursive writing. Too many loops and curves.”
“Let me read it for you,” Annie said. With a quick glance around her to make sure no one could overhear, she proceeded to read. “‘Spent the day at Nottingham Woods with the gang. Jasper is such a gentleman.’” She raised her eyes up from the diary and gave Declan a knowing look.
“What? Is that it? You think Jasper is your grandfather due to some random comment about his manners?” Declan sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He let out a sigh.
“That’s not the only reference,” she said in a low voice. “Check this one out.” She quickly flipped through the journal “Aha! ‘I danced with Jasper cheek to cheek. Swoon.’”
Declan let out a hoot of laughter. “If this were a court of law, your case would be thrown out on its ear.”
Annie felt her cheeks reddening. His gibe wounded her. She slammed the journal shut. “I didn’t come here to be laughed at! This isn’t a joke to me. He might be the only family link I have left in this world.”
Declan reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry. It ju
st struck me as a tad funny. Please tell me there are some guys who show up in that diary other than Jasper.”
Annie took out her notebook and peered down at what she had written. She frowned.
“There are others she mentions. Eli, Zach and Killian.”
Declan shot up in his chair. “Killian. That’s my grandpop.”
Annie began writing furiously in her notebook. By the time she swung her gaze back up, the expression on Declan’s face had shifted to one of mild panic. “What’s the matter?” She threw her head back and laughed. “I hope you don’t think we’re related.”
Declan gulped. “Well, you did throw his name out there.”
“In these pages, Gram makes it clear that Killian was married to her best friend, Lucy. Sounds like they got married at an early age. High school, I believe.”
Declan let out the breath he’d been holding. “Yes. My grandparents were very devoted to each other until the day she died.”
“Lucy!” Annie said in an awed voice. “You named your plane after her.”
“I did,” Declan acknowledged with a nod. “She was pure sweetness, my grandmother. Way too fragile for the Alaskan lifestyle.”
“Did she leave as part of the exodus Jasper mentioned in his interview?” Annie asked. She knew from reading newspaper interviews featuring Jasper that his own wife, Harmony, had been one of the many women to have picked up stakes and left Love for greener pastures. The exodus from Love decades ago had led to the male-female imbalance in the present that had caused Jasper to create the Operation Love program.
“No, she didn’t. A lot of her best friends and relatives left, but she remained stalwart. She stuck it out in Alaska until she passed on to glory, Annie. Truly I think that’s the only thing that could have separated her from Grandpop.”
Nothing but love emanated from Declan’s voice. And deep respect. Although she was tempted to ask about his parents, she knew better than to open a can of worms. She didn’t want to bring up a topic that might cause him pain. Hazel’s words rang in her ears. Finn and Declan lost their childhood, all in one fell swoop. It was reassuring to know that despite the tragedies that had marred his young life, there had been other influences at play. His grandparents had demonstrated the enduring nature of their love.
“That’s a blessing. To know that your grandparents shared such an amazing love story must make you proud.”
He nodded, then cleared his throat. “I was extremely fortunate to have them.”
Sophie suddenly reappeared with a tray bursting with the smell of delicious dishes. She expertly held the tray on her hip as she lowered the plates to the table. Annie let out exclamation of delight as the aroma of the halibut chowder filled her nostrils. A piece of corn bread sat on a separate plate. Her stomach started doing somersaults at the sight of the food.
“Enjoy! Let me know if you need anything else,” Sophie said with a wave.
For the next few minutes, they ate in companionable silence. Annie wasn’t sure why, but she felt as comfortable with Declan as she had with her old friends back home. Was it possible that near tragedy had forced them to bond more rapidly than normal? Or was there something about Declan that was innately special? Were her feelings for him strictly friendship, or was there something more going on?
Annie pushed her bowl away from her after emptying it of fish chowder. “That was terrific,” she gushed. “It was the perfect blend of ingredients and spices.”
Declan stuffed the last morsel of sandwich in his mouth. He picked up his napkin and wiped his lips. “Not sure how we survived without this place,” he said. “So, Annie, how can I help you figure this whole thing out?”
“I’m going to be very strategic and line up all my ducks in a row. Once I compile enough evidence to make a strong case, I’m going to confront Jasper and get some answers.”
Declan sent her a somber look. “Remember, Annie, a lot of water has flowed under that bridge. Your grandmother left Alaska decades ago. You’re going to have to bring forward compelling evidence to sway Jasper Prescott. And if I were you, I’d make sure that the evidence points toward him before you single him out.”
He was right. The last thing she needed to do was alienate the town mayor. So far she was really loving her job at the library. In the weeks and months ahead, she was going to need Jasper to support fund-raising initiatives and programs. There were already many events on the calendar that Jasper and the town council had green-lighted, such as the winter-wonderland event at Deer Run Lake.
