Page 18 of Her Secret Alaskan Family (Home to Owl Creek 1)

Sage’s palms began to moisten. Her heart was doing somersaults in her chest. It was strange to be so close to the scene of a crime that had drastically altered the course of her life. The rustic home looked so lovely. It was hard to imagine a family had suffered so much tragedy within those walls.

“This town of ours has never really moved past it,” Trudy whispered. “I fear we never will.”

Her voice sounded so disheartened, as if all hope was lost in ever locating Lily North.

“What if Lily is found?” Sage asked. For some reason she needed to put it out there just to gauge Trudy’s reaction.

The other woman kept her eyes on the road and heaved a tremendous sigh. “Oh, Sage, that’s what we’ve all been praying for all these years. But it seems almost impossible to imagine a happy ending after all this time.”

“‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’” Sage recited the verse from Hebrews without even thinking about it. It was one of her father’s favorite verses and he’d recited it to her on countless occasions over the years. She couldn’t help but think Trudy needed to hear it. Hope was such a precious commodity.

Trudy looked over at Sage and smiled. “Thank you for reminding me that God is always at the wheel. I believe He can make everything right.”

Sage bit her lip. Maybe she should’ve just kept quiet. Was it cruel to give Trudy hope when she knew she would soon be going back home and that the mystery of Lily North’s whereabouts might never be known to them? Had it been selfish to come to Owl Creek simply to give herself answers about her birth family? Although the idea of coming clean to her birth family seemed like the right thing to do, the fallout for her father could be catastrophic.

All of a sudden Sage felt as if she couldn’t breathe. Everything seemed as if it was crashing down around her. Guilt was eating away at her, bit by bit. What was she doing in this remote Alaskan town? She’d come to Owl Creek seeking answers, but the more she uncovered about the kidnapping the worse she felt about withholding the truth. Could she really go back to Coral Gables and put this all behind her?

The next few minutes passed by with only the sound of Addie babbling in the backseat.

Sage appreciated the lack of conversation since her mind continued to whirl with unresolved questions.

“Can you let me out here?” Sage asked as they came upon the town square. The library was a quick walk from their current location and she felt as if she might scream if she didn’t get some fresh air. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her.

“Sure thing.” Trudy pulled over toward the curb and placed the car in Park. “Give me a ring later and I’ll pick you up.”

“You’re the best!” Sage said before waving goodbye. She wondered how magnanimous Hank’s mom would feel toward her if she discovered the truth regarding her origins. She felt a lurch in her heart just thinking about it. When she’d come up with the plan to visit Owl Creek she hadn’t considered meeting people like Trudy who already felt like a treasured friend.

“Focus on the reason you came all this way. You still need answers,” she reminded herself as a sudden feeling of resolve gripped her. She began to walk briskly toward the library, feeling a sudden sense of urgency to get as much information as possible while she was in town. Sage didn’t want to have any dangling questions or regrets once she returned home. Being here in Owl Creek was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The town library was a nice-sized, redbrick structure. Sculptures surrounded the exterior. When Sage walked in she noticed beautiful paintings hanging on the walls. They showcased slices of life from Alaska—landscapes, wildlife and landmarks. She felt a serene vibe all around her.

As soon as she approached the circulation desk, a woman with honey-blond hair and gray eyes greeted her. “Hey there. I’m Zoey Thomas, head librarian. How can I help you?”

“Hi, Zoey. I’m Sage Duncan. I’m looking for your microfilm room.”

The woman’s eyes widened. “You must be Trudy’s latest guest at the inn. In a town this size, I knew it was only a matter of time before we crossed paths.”

It was really true about small-town gossip. Everyone knew everything that was going on and the very moment a new person arrived. It felt a little bit odd knowing the townsfolk had been talking about her.

“I’m enjoying getting familiarized with Owl Creek. And staying at Trudy’s has been a real blessing. She’s been incredibly generous.”

Zoey nodded her head in an approving manner. “There are lots of good folks in this town. I’m impressed to see you here at the library, Sage. Most tourists never make it inside these walls.”

“I’m a schoolteacher, so I figured I would do a little research on the town so I can present it to my class when I go back home.” Once again, Sage was only telling part of the story because she knew it would set off alarm bells if she told Zoey she was interested in articles on the Lily North kidnapping.

The librarian came from around the desk and beckoned Sage to follow her. “I’ll show you to the microfilm room. It’s a quiet day around here so you’ll have it all to yourself.”

She led her down the hall toward a corridor of rooms, stopping at the second one on the right-hand side. Zoey gave Sage a brief overview of how the system worked before excusing herself.

“If you don’t need anything else, I’m going to scoot back to my desk.” She shot Sage a wide smile. “Just give me a holler if you have any questions.”

“I will,” she said with a nod, eager to dig into her research.

Because she knew the date of the kidnapping, Sage was able to hone in on specific dates for her media search. As soon as she entered all the necessary data, results began to immediately show up. None of this information had popped up on her internet search back home. These were local headlines from town newspapers—the Owl Creek Gazette, the Anchorage Press and the Alaskan Times.

“Tragedy unfolds in Owl Creek. Missing baby snatched from nursery. FBI investigates baby’s disappearance. Local man named as suspect.”

Along with shocking headlines, there were countless pictures accompanying the articles.

---