[Alaskan Quest 02] - Under the Northern Lights by Tracie Peterson Page A

jeopardy.
    ‘‘I wonder what he did with Helaina,’’ Jacob muttered.
    Jayce realized Jacob was now pacing instead of sitting with them at the table. ‘‘I’m sure she’s fine. Chase would have had no way of knowing Leah would return to the village. If he came here merely to get supplies and new dogs, he probably put Helaina somewhere for safekeeping. Somewhere with friends or someone he could pay to watch over her. Maybe he promised them extra food or needed supplies.’’
    Jacob stopped. His face appeared to be chiseled in granite. The expression was one of barely contained rage. ‘‘He could have just killed her.’’
    ‘‘I don’t think he’d do that,’’ Jayce said, shaking his head. ‘‘Think about it, Jacob. He knows someone is after him. He had to figure that a search team would be assembled. Besides, Helaina would have told him that we would personally come for him. She knew we were only days behind her arrival into Nome.’’
    Jacob seemed to consider this and calm. ‘‘That’s true enough.
    Still, I don’t trust your brother.’’
    ‘‘I don’t trust him, either, but I trust his sensibility when it comes to self-preservation. He won’t do anything to jeopardize his safety and survival. Keeping Helaina alive while he gathered supplies and dogs would be in keeping with his manner of doing things,’’ Jayce assured. He could only pray that he was right. It did seem reasonable that Chase would conduct business in such a manner, but it also seemed just as much like Chase to eliminate any extra problems. Jayce would not tell his friend that, however.
    ‘‘So he came here, and they took ten dogs and supplies,’’ Jacob reiterated. ‘‘Emma, did Leah mention how many supplies they were taking? Did she perhaps say that Chase had told her to pack a certain amount of stuff?’’
    Emma frowned and closed her eyes. ‘‘I don’t think she ever mentioned it. We only talked briefly. I told her my sister was coming in the summer and that I was expecting another baby. I told her we had plans to go to the States in the summer. I just ran on with talk about me. I feel so ashamed.’’ She opened her eyes, revealing the tears that had welled.
    ‘‘Emma, this isn’t your fault,’’ Jacob said. He came to her and put his hand on her shoulder. ‘‘No one blames you for this. Now tell me, did anyone else talk to Leah before she left?’’
    ‘‘Ayoona and Oopick did,’’ Emma recalled. ‘‘You might talk to them about how that went. Ayoona’s a very astute old woman. She might have noticed something amiss.’’
    ‘‘That’s true,’’ Jacob said, looking to Jayce. ‘‘She might have known something was wrong but not been able to figure out what it was.’’
    ‘‘We’ll talk to her,’’ Jayce said. ‘‘So let me get this right. They left two days ago with ten dogs and a sled packed with goods and headed north—but you know nothing more.’’
    Emma nodded. ‘‘I’m really sorry.’’ From one of the other rooms a baby began to cry. ‘‘That’s Rachel. She’s not been feeling well. If you’ll excuse me, I need to tend to her.’’
    ‘‘You go ahead, Emma. Jayce and I have bothered you long enough. Thanks for helping us.’’
    ‘‘I wish I knew more,’’ Emma said, getting to her feet.
    ‘‘It’s all right. It’s more than we knew before this,’’ Jacob replied.
    Jayce nodded. ‘‘It’s very useful.’’
    Walking away from the missionaries’ house, Jayce couldn’t help but feel a tremendous sense of frustration. It had been such a surprise to arrive at Last Chance and find Leah wasn’t there. The first people they spoke with had no idea where Leah had gone, but then they’d happened upon Emma as she was hauling in chopped driftwood for her stove. Jayce wished that Emma’s comments had given comfort instead of dread.
    ‘‘We’ll find her,’’ Jacob said. ‘‘We’ll find them both. We’re smarter than Chase, and we know this land