Page 3 (1/2)

"Joan Finnegan Dalton Reese?" Carrie asked

The petite, dark-haired woman blinked warily, and her eyes widened as if she wasn’t sure what to think "Yes?"

"By chance are you related to Finnegan Paul Dalton?"

She didn’t answer right away, and then her gaze narrowed "You’re another one of those reporters, aren’t you?"

"Yes, I--"

Joan started to close the door, but Carrie quickly inserted her foot, stopping her

The tomen stared hard at each other "Yes, I’ you’ll hear me out"

"Why should I?" she demanded, and crossed her ar that would convince the other wole reason other than the fact that I’ ti with the hope that I could get this interview, and I think you have an incredible son, and I’d very much like to meet and interview him"

The delicate woman looked undecided "What do you e?"

Carrie explained how she’d taken a few of her precious vacation days and flown to Seattle It’d been a risk, but one she illing to take This would be the first year she’d missed the holiday with her parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins Although it would be a sacrifice, her parents understood that if she did e to interview Finn Dalton, then she would have her pick of writing assigno, but perhaps in the Pacific Northwest "I want to move back to Seattle to be closer to my family, and this is my chance"

Joan eyed her carefully, and then, after what seemed like an eternity, she slowly opened the door, silently inviting Carrie inside

"Thank you," she whispered "Thank you soout of the cold, Carrie instantly felt the warm flow of air surround her She noticed a bronze puri room "How e of the sofa cushion, unsure how best to answer She could attempt to bluff or she could be direct in the hope that Joan Reese would be willing to help her "Well, only what I’ve read in his book and what I’ve learned online, which isn’t much"

"Unfortunately, I don’t kno much help I’ll be I haven’t talked to my Finn in five years, not since his father died … he toldmore to do with me"

Carrie read the pain in the other wo how to react, she leaned forward and placed her hand on Joan’s forearm

"I tried to connect with him after his father’s death, but Finnto say that he wanted to hear" She wadded a tissue in her hands and kept her head lowered

"So you don’t have any idea where Finn is living?" Carrie asked, her heart thu with hope and expectation

"Alaska, somewhere outside Fairbanks, but then you probably already know that"

Seeing that he’d written extensively about life in the frozen north, this was the one piece of inforency His book told of adventures on the tundra, which indicated his cabin was most likely situated near the Arctic Circle And that meant the only way to reach hi a bush pilot

"I’ve tried to find someone in Alaska to help me"--Carrie explained her efforts to talk to a nu bush pilots--"but it’s been one dead end after another"

"At least you’re honest about being a reporter," Joan said "You couldn’t iive them information that would lead the to ad this"

"He probably never suspected this interest in him and his lifestyle would happen People love his stories, and now they want to know about the aveaway as she ave you?"

"I left him and his father when Finn was a boy Paul loved Alaska, and I was born in Louisiana I tried to make a life with him up there, but I couldn’t bear the cold and the isolation, whereas Paul and Finn seemed to thrive on it I wanted us to coht a fewto consider that He insisted there was nothing for him outside Alaska He felt any tioing all the time and refused to leave I wanted Finn to come with me, but my son chose to stay with his father" She paused and looked away as if she regretted having spoken "Once I left, Paul cut me completely out of his life, and Finn’s, too Eventually I remarried, but it was ave me for that, either I think he must have held on to the dream that his father and I would reunite one day My second husband died a year ago, so I’m a ice over"

"I’m so sorry," Carrie said

"I wish I knew the man Finn has become," Joan whispered

"If I find him and have a chance to talk to hie from you, even if it’s just to remind hilanced up and her eyes brightened hat could be described only as ragged hope "You’d do that?"

"Of course" As close as she was to her own fa to connect with her son Although she didn’t know hies of his book, she couldn’t help wonder about a man ould turn his back on his mother