Page 84 of Sanctuary at MacLeod's Cove
‘Yeah, you got it.’
‘And what does your heart understand better?’
Sam glanced at Jen, suddenly aware she’d been listening. He smiled. ‘So many things.’
She returned his smile and continued down the path, knowing she couldn’t wait to find out the entire contents of Sam’s heart. And she would. Slowly. Even if it took her a lifetime.
Epilogue
Two months later…
‘Hey, you’re writing!’ exclaimed Lucy, entering the drawing room. ‘And at Dad’s desk. Cool!’
‘It feels right,’ said Jen, smoothing her hand over the desk with its brass fittings and ink spots. ‘It makes me feel like writing. Dad always encouraged me, and I feel close to him here.’ She was suddenly aware of Lucy looking over her shoulder at the screen, and she snapped the laptop closed.
‘Ah, Jen, let me have a look.’
‘No way! I’ve only just begun.’ She patted the computer with a smile. ‘But it’s the first time in forever I’m actually enjoying it.’
‘That is excellent news. Now, come into the kitchen. I have something to show you.’
Jen stood up, stretched and followed her into the kitchen, watching as Lucy dumped the contents of her bag on the oak table.
‘What have you got there?’ Jen asked.
‘Bits and pieces. Stuff to contemplate,’ said Lucy, staring at a recipe book, photo and her necklace, which she’d spread on the table in front of her.
Jen looked over Lucy’s shoulder and tapped the photo. ‘That’s the photo Liam found. An online search identified him as an American marine. Have you found out anything else?’
Lucy held up her necklace. ‘You know I mentioned a couple came into the café a few months ago and said he hadn’t seen a Petoskey stone since he was a kid in Michigan. Well, a couple of women came into the café who’d finished walking the Escarpment Track. They also commented on the stone. But that wasn’t all she commented on. She couldn’t believe I had a planked fish recipe on the menu and asked me what my connection with Michigan was. I showed her the original recipe, and she said it was authentic Michigan. It’s even got ‘cedar planks from the shore’ as part of the recipe! Then I looked at it closer and saw this’ — she enlarged the photo on her phone and showed Jen — ‘Great Lakes Planked Whitefish — Johnny’s favourite!’ Lucy read out. ‘The ink is so faded you can hardly see it, but it comes up clearer on the phone. I never even noticed it before.’ She sat back and looked at Jen. ‘So, it seems all lines of enquiry lead to Michigan.’
‘Hm, interesting,’ said Jen. ‘I’ve never heard any mention of the place. Have you asked Mum?’
‘Yep. She said the recipe is in Ngaire’s handwriting, and the necklace was also hers.’ She turned over the photo to show the date. ‘1942. Ngaire would have been 18. And not only that. Last night, I uploaded the photo into AI, and it identified the cap badge as being from a Michigan regiment.’ She sat back, with a proud look on her face. ‘Michigan, Michigan, Michigan… And that is why I contacted all the lawyers I could find in the Petoskey region of Michigan — I thought I’d start there and work outwards — to see if they knew anything about this mysterious family trust.
‘Great idea! Have you heard back yet?’
‘No. Nothing yet. Maybe I won’t.’
‘But maybe you will. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you do and they’re able to shed light on who owns MacLeod’s Cottage?’ Jen wandered over to the open windows where she could hear Liam and Sam talking.
‘It will. And if we don’t hear anything, then we’ll simply continue our search,’ said Lucy, all humour gone now. ‘Sam is doing a wonderful job on the house, but it’s still not Mum’s, not ours.’ She looked back at the items on the table. ‘And it should be. It was once. One of our great-great-somethings built it.’
‘I guess right there shows how little we know about our history.’
‘And we need to dig deeper because I can’t bear to think of Mum given notice to leave the cottage.’
‘You’re right. It makes me sick to think about it. Hopefully, you’ve started a trail which will lead somewhere positive for Mum…’ Jen looked through the window at Kate, who’d looked up with a smile from her weeding to say something to Liam and Sam. Jen sighed. ‘And for us all. There’s still a lot of work to be done. I met the librarian the other day.’
‘Augustini?’
‘Yes, she’s lovely. She does research on the side. I thought I might get her involved. See what she can find out.’
‘Good idea. One thing’s for certain, this mystery won’t be solved overnight.’
‘No. I think you’re right there.’
‘But it’s got to be solved eventually with the full might of the MacLeod family on it. Don’t you think?’
