Starry Night Read Free Page B

Washington. That record revealed his mother’s name—Joan Finnegan Dalton—which then led to a divorce decree, along with a license for a second marriage several years later. Tax records indicated that Joan, whose married name was now Reese, continued to reside in Washington State. Her hopewas that Joan Dalton Reese would be willing to help Carrie find Finn.
    The November wind and rain whipped against her as she walked up the short pathway to the single-family house in Kent, a suburb south of Seattle.
    Nerves made Carrie tense as she rang the doorbell and waited. After a few moments, she heard footsteps on the other side of the door. The woman who opened it didn’t look to be much older than her own mother.
    “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 two women stared hard at each other. “Yes, I’m a reporter, but I’m hoping you’ll hear me out.”
    “Why should I?” she demanded, and crossed her arms over her chest.
    Carrie frantically searched for something that would convince the other woman to talk to her. “I can’t think of a single reason other than the fact that I’m tired of writing forthe society page. I gave up spending time with my family over Thanksgiving 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 mean you write for the society page?”
    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 was willing 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 manage to interview Finn Dalton, then she would have her pick of writing assignments, and not just in Chicago, 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 so much.” Stepping out of the cold, Carrie instantly felt the warm flow of air surround her. She noticed a bronze pumpkin off to the right and a doll-sized set of pilgrims on the dining room table.
    Joan motioned toward the living room. “How much do you know about my son?”
    Carrie sat on the edge 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 know how much help I’ll be. I haven’t talked to my Finn in five years, not since his father died … he told me he wants nothing more to do with me.”
    Carrie read the pain in the other woman’s eyes, and not knowing 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 Finn made it clear that I had nothing to 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 thumping 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 information she did have. And