Aunt Santa

Chapter 11

It was far too early for them to check into a room, but Jakob came to the rescue again. He'd introduced them at the front desk and talked animatedly in Norwegian, waving his hands toward BB who was still in Sara's arms, her eyes struggling to stay open. The desk clerk relented and slid their key over the desk.

"Thank you," Sara said, first to the clerk and then to Jakob, shifting BB in her now aching arms.

"Yes. I can help you with your bags." He must've noticed Sam struggling with everything and flashed him a smile. Sam stood up so quickly that he almost tripped backwards over the rug in the lobby. "She said the room is on the third floor."

"You speak English so well," Sara remarked as they got into the elevator. "Did you learn in school?"

"Yes. My older brother is going to university in England. I hope to do the same. I work with many English tourists in the summer." They walked down the hallway to the room, which Sara was pleased to discover looked clean and well-appointed, with two full-sized beds and a small dresser.

Sara pulled off BB's shoes and coat and let her crawl onto the bed. The room was more than warm enough and she thought she might want to close her eyes for a bit, too. Instead, she grabbed her bag. "Thank you so much for your help," she told Jakob and got out her wallet.

"Oh, no, that's okay," he said quickly, shaking his head. "I do not need money. I am curious," he added, looking at Sam, "why you came here. Is it to see Nordkapp? The Northern Lights?"

"Sure, yes," Sam replied quickly, at the same time Sara said, "Not really."

Jakob looked at them both in confusion. Sam shot his aunt a pleading look. "We're here to see Nordkapp, yes," Sara amended. "Sort of."

"We're here to give Santa Claus his hat back," BB murmured from the bed, her face smushed against the pillow. "Show him, Auntie."

Sam groaned. Sara patted him on the shoulder and retrieved the hat from BB's backpack. "It's kind of a long story."

Because her nephew appeared to be in physical pain, Sara tried to give Jakob a brief version of events. He regarded the hat seriously and looked interested as she showed him the coordinates that had been stitched inside. "And it directed you to here?"
"

Yes." Sara dug out her phone and showed him the location on the map. "This is the spot here." 

He studied the map with a frown. "It is an odd spot. But I do know it."

"Is there anything there?" Sam asked before Sara could. "Like a store or something? A gift shop, maybe."

"There is nothing like that. People come to this part of the country for the nature."

"And you've never seen this hat before?" Sara asked. "Or one like it?"

"No." He shook his head. "It appears well-made."

"The flight attendant said it was sewn by hand."

"It is possible someone here made it, of course. But the numbers are strange. Why put numbers inside a hat?"

"Exactly," Sam said. "It's weird."

"And how did it get to my house in New York?" Sara pointed out. "Do you know anyone from around here who's been to America recently?"

"I don't. But the owner of the hat is definitely from here," Jakob said.

"How do you know that?"

"There is a small symbol here, next to the coordinates. Look." He showed them the small bundle of gold thread. "I believe that is the globe that is found on Nordkapp."