Starry Night

Hennessey, tell me what it’s like living with the great Finn Dalton, esteemed author of Alone .”
    She waited, pretending to listen to his answer.
    “You can’t mean to say you actually like spending countless hours with such a cantankerous owner? I’m wrong, you say, and he really isn’t as bad as I assume? Frankly, I findthat hard to believe! Oh, I’m sure you’re right, Finn Dalton can be civil, but unfortunately he sees me as an evil threat and he wants to boot me out of here as fast as he can. I know, I know, it’s a shame we couldn’t have reached an understanding. It’s only a matter of time, you know, before others track him down.”
    Again she paused as though taking in the dog’s comments.
    “Yes, I hear you. To you he’s a good guy, but to me he’s rude and arrogant and a narcissist. Oh, sorry, narcissist is a big word. It means he’s completely hung up on himself.”
    A loud snort came from the other room, which was a sure sign Finn was listening in on their conversation.
    “Okay, I realize you have a few questions for me, too. Ask away.”
    She pretended to be listening before she answered. “Like I explained earlier, America is interested in learning what they can about the man who wrote Alone . They see Finn as some sort of hero. Little do they know what he’s really like.”
    She paused and waited for a couple of moments. “Oh, you want to know how I was able to find him when so many others have failed? Sawyer asked me the same question. He told me a handful of reporters have tried to bribe him and a couple of other bush pilots to help locate Finn, but none of Finn’s friends would betray him.” She yawned as if she were ready to call it a night.
    “Answer the dog’s question.” Finn stood in the doorway, holding back the fabric partition. “I’m curious to know what you have for me that convinced Sawyer to bring you here. He’s a good friend, and I know he wouldn’t be easily swayed.”
    Carrie sat upright and wrapped her arms around her bent knees. So this is what it took to get the mighty Finn to open up. “If you must know, it was what I told him about your mother.”
    “My mother,” Finn repeated slowly. “What does she have to do with any of this?”
    “I found her, and—”
    “You searched out my mother?” he demanded in what came across as anger mingled with restraint.
    “Well, yes. So have others, but I was able to convince her to talk to me. Your mother and I had a good chat, and—”
    Finn took two steps into the room and braced his hands against his hips, looking at her as if she were the lowest of the low. “You actually talked to my mother?”
    “I just said as much, and she—”
    “I don’t care what she said. I want nothing to do with her.”
    Carrie sighed, feeling wretched for Joan when all she wanted was to connect with her son. “She told me that you’d probably react like this the minute I mentioned her to you.”
    “She walked out on my father and me—”
    “Oh, come on, Finn, you have to know it’s more complicated than that. She loves you, and your father didn’t give her many options.”
    “Listen, Ms. Busybody, this is none of your business, so stay out of it.” He marched back to the bedroom and pushed aside the curtain with such force she was surprised it didn’t rip in half.
    Carrie was ready to wash her hands of this obstinate, unfeeling man. He was unreasonable, unforgiving … and a dozen more unflattering words that circled her mind. Lying back down, she stared up at the ceiling. Hennessey remained at her side.
    “He really has mother issues, doesn’t he?” she told the dog, lowering her voice to a whisper.
    “I heard that.”
    Carrie ignored him, seeing how well he’d managed to pretend she didn’t exist. “His heart must be as cold as ice not to care about his own mother.”
    “Stay out of it, Carrie.”
    She ignored that, too.
    “His attitude toward her explains a great deal. It seems to me Finnegan Dalton has distinct abandonment issues, right along with issues regarding all women.”
    He laughed as though he found her analysis amusing.
    “Why else would he choose to live in the Alaska wilderness alone?”
    “You think you’re clever, don’t you?” he muttered.
    “But all that is probably just the tip of the iceberg.”
    “Would you stop!”
    “ Alone is right.” She raised her voice to be sure he heard her loud and clear. “He’s probably been running away his entire life. Then he had to