She was right, but not all antique stores were online. Under the circumstances, it would be far too easy to build up their expectations only to face disappointment. “You said yourself this could be a wild-goose chase.”

“I know.” Noelle sounded discouraged now.

Thom reached out and gently clasped her fingers. “Don’t worry—we’re going to keep trying for as long as it takes.” The road was icy, so he returned his hand to the steering wheel. “Looks like we’re in for a spell of bad weather.”

“I heard there’s an ice storm on the way.”

Thom nodded. The roads were growing treacherous, and he wondered if they should have risked the drive. However, they were on their way and at this point, he wanted to see it through as much as Noelle did.

What was normally a two-and-a-half-hour trip into Portland took almost four. Fortunately, the roads seemed to improve as they neared the city.

“I’m beginning to wonder if we should’ve come,” Noelle said, echoing his thoughts as they passed an abandoned car angled off to the side of the road.

“We’ll be fine.” They were in Lake Oswego on the outskirts of Portland already—almost there.

“It’s just that this is so important.”

“I know.”

“Maybe we should discuss what we’re going to do if we don’t find the tea service,” Noelle said as they sought out the Lake Oswego business address.

“We’ll deal with that when we have to, all right?”

She nodded.

The antique store was situated in a strip mall between a Thai restaurant and a beauty parlor. Thom parked the car. “You ready?” he asked, turning to her.

Noelle smiled encouragingly.

They held hands as they walked to the store. A bell above the door chimed merrily when they entered, and they found themselves in a long, narrow room crammed with glassware, china and polished wood furniture. Every conceivable space and surface had been put to use. A slightly moldy odor filled the air, competing with the piney scent of a small Christmas tree. Thom had to turn sideways to get past a quantity of comic books stacked on a chest of drawers next to the entrance. He led Noelle around the obstacles to the counter, where the cash register sat.

“Hello,” Noelle called out. “Anyone here?”

“Be with you in a minute,” a voice called back from a hidden location deep inside the store.

While Noelle examined the brooches, pins and old jewelry beneath the glass counter, Thom glanced around. A collection of women’s hats filled a shelf to the right. He couldn’t imagine his mother wearing anything with feathers, but if she’d lived in a different era…

He studied a pile of old games next, but they all seemed to be missing pieces. This looked less and less promising.