The Summit

Autumn set her glass down a little too hard, making the crystal ring. “What if I say no? What if I just tell you to go away and forget the whole thing?”

“You won’t. You just said your conscience won’t let you.”

Autumn bit her lip. He was right—but so was she. They were in this together, whether they liked it or not. She would do what she had to in order to make this easier for both of them.

They sat at the counter and talked for a while: a little about her family, her father and what sort of parent he was as she grew up but mostly about climbing.

“You did okay for your first time,” Autumn said, speaking of his morning effort on the wall.

“I climbed like a buffoon and you know it. I fell three times before I got to the top. Damn good thing I was wearing a harness.”

“But you got there. You stuck with it. Most people would have quit. And you have the lean muscles and flexible strength to make a good climber.”

He smiled. “It was challenging. I think I’m going to like it.”

And Autumn thought that in time—if he was serious about learning the sport—he could become very good. He was strong, limber and athletic. And he had a certain grace of movement that few men had.

They finished their wine and set the glasses down.

“Time to go,” Ben said, rising from his stool. “Better get your jacket. It’s always cold in the evenings this time of year.”

She looked up at him. He was there to learn about her but she had just learned something about him. There was a protective streak in Ben McKenzie. She retrieved her navy-blue jacket from the closet in the entry; Ben took it from her and held it out so she could put it on.

“Thank you.” She smiled, then remembering he had also helped Dolores Delgato out of her expensive cashmere jacket that night at Luigi’s, the smile slipped away.

Get a grip, she warned herself, wishing she had never dreamed about Molly, never managed to get herself in this position. But she had agreed to spend time with Ben McKenzie, one of the wealthiest, most desirable bachelors in Seattle.

She wasn’t a fool. Ben was handsome and powerful. And with that lean, hard-muscled body one of the most sexually attractive men she had ever met. She had to be careful, had to keep her distance, keep her mind fixed on her goal.

Think of Molly, she told herself and then walked past him as he held open her apartment door.

The store was posh. Two stories high with a loft that displayed expensive sports clothing. The main floor was sectioned into areas pertaining to different sports, each decorated with huge photos of extreme athletes competing in their areas of expertise: ultimate skiing in deep, untouched powder, snowboarding down triple black-diamond slopes, biking, motocross, hiking, hang gliding. Climbing was no exception. There was a fantastic picture of a climber on an overhang thousands of feet in the air—stuck like a fly, completely horizontal against the magnificent mountain vistas.

“All right,” Ben said, leading her in that direction. “Just pick out whatever you think I need and don’t worry about the cost.” He grinned. “I get one helluva discount.”

Autumn ignored the odd little flutter that grin caused and set to work, studying each piece of gear. It took a while, but it was kind of fun, the vicarious thrill of getting to buy anything you wanted no matter the cost. She helped him choose the best harness for his size, strength and level of ability. Climbing rope, carabiners, hexes, cams, as well as an ultralight tent and sleeping bag, and waterproof bags to pack all the stuff in.

Ben insisted on picking out some clothes: lightweight and durable with lots of pockets. He was carrying two armloads of merchandise by the time they left the store.

“Let’s catch a cab,” he said. “I want to drop this off at my condo then we’ll go get something to eat.”

Fresh nerves assailed her. “I think I’ll just go on back home.”

Ben fixed her with a glare. “You know the drill. The sooner I’m satisfied you’re for real, the sooner we can get on with the search—assuming there’s going to be one.”

Autumn sighed. “Fine, we’ll go to dinner.” She waited for Ben in the taxi while he carried the bags up to his condo on the twentieth floor.

“You’re welcome to come up,” he said, but Autumn declined and instead waited for his return.

The wind whipped her hair and the air was damp but invigorating as they stepped out of the cab in front of Solstice not far from Pioneer Square, one of Seattle’s newer, currently hip cafés. The place was full on Friday night, but the owner knew Ben and they were quickly led to a cozy table at the rear of the restaurant where they each ordered a glass of wine—red this time.

“You like wine, I gather,” Ben said, lifting his glass and studying the deep burgundy cabernet. It was a twelve-dollar glass he’d insisted she try. And he was right; it was fantastic.

“I got interested through a friend of mine in college. Washington has some amazingly good vineyards.”

He studied her over the rim of his glass. “This friend…his name wouldn’t be Steven Elliot?”

Autumn stiffened. It annoyed her that he knew so much more about her than she knew about him and yet she could hardly fault him for being cautious. “I can see your report was thorough.”

“You and Steven…the two of you were serious?”

“I was. Steve moved on to greener pastures.”

He swirled the dark liquid in his glass. “You like wine. What else do you like?”

She managed a smile. “I like good food—and climbing, of course—and on occasion I like to play dress-up.”

“Dress-up?”

Her smile turned sincere. “Long sequined gowns and tuxedos. I don’t get much opportunity but one of my climbing partners is the son of a wealthy computer magnate. His dad presses him to go to an occasional formal event. I go with him when he needs a date.”

“Apparently my report wasn’t as thorough as I thought. Are you seeing this guy on a regular basis?”

“I told you, he’s my climbing partner. Josh is just a very good friend.” Autumn hadn’t noticed the tension in Ben’s shoulders until it began to ease.

“All right, you like to play dress-up. How about tomorrow night? I’ve been invited to a black-tie benefit for the Seattle Symphony. I wasn’t going to go, but—”

Autumn swiftly shook her head. “You’re making this far too personal and that isn’t a good idea. Besides, I’m planning to go climbing with Josh.”

“We’re talking about my daughter. That’s about as personal as it gets. I want to know what makes you tick. I think tomorrow night—you in an evening gown, me in a tux—is a very good idea.”

She was already tired of the game. Ben was sophisticated and charming, the sort of guy who enjoyed casual sex and one-night stands. Autumn wasn’t that way and the more time she spent with him, the harder it was not to be aware of him as a man.

She might be a failure at male-female relationships but she was still a woman. There were times her body ached for the touch of a man but she couldn’t afford to start thinking that way about Ben.

“Tell me about the dreams,” Ben said softly, changing the subject.

Autumn felt a sweep of relief. This was the topic she wanted to discuss, the reason she was sitting here with Ben McKenzie. “They started some weeks back…I think it was shortly after I saw you at the gym. Or maybe even that night, but I don’t really remember.”

She looked up as the waiter arrived, a tall woman wearing a crisp black apron over her white blouse and black slacks. Both of them gave her their orders: a medium-rare filet for Ben with Roquefort sauce on the side; homemade tortellini with a sun-dried tomato cream sauce for Autumn.

While they were waiting for their meals, she described in detail her recurring dreams of the day Molly had been abducted, the children playing in the yard and the little red-haired boy named Robbie. She told Ben about the man and how he had convinced Molly to go with him in his car to help him find his lost puppy.

“How old a guy was he?”

“Late thirties, maybe a little younger. Blond hair. Kind of a nice-looking man. I remember he had friendly eyes.”

One of Ben’s dark eyebrows went up, sending a hint of embarrassment into Autumn’s cheeks. “I know it sounds crazy, but his eyes kind of crinkled when he smiled and I remember thinking that you couldn’t trust a person just because he looked harmless.”

Ben cast her a meaningful glance. “That much is certainly true.”

Autumn’s flush deepened, but she forced herself to go on. “The man gave Molly this little black and white puppy to hold. He said its name was Cuffy. He said he had another puppy named Nicky but Nicky had gotten lost. He asked Molly to help him find it.”

Ben’s jaw turned to granite and the warmth in his eyes disappeared. “I swear, if you are making all of this up—”

“You know some of it’s true. They were playing ball in the yard. I read that later in the newspaper. You told me yourself the little boy’s name was Robbie. That wasn’t in any of the papers I read but you told me yourself he was there that day in the yard.”

Ben took a drink of his wine and she thought that he was working to stay in control. The waiter arrived with their salads but neither of them started to eat.

“Tell me about the second dream…the one where Molly is older.”

Just to give herself some time, Autumn took a sip of her wine then set the glass back down. “I didn’t recognize her at first. She was with two women, both of them blond and fair. They were working in the kitchen, preparing a meal…supper, I think. They were all very solemn. None of them laughing. It bothered me even in my sleep.”

“Go on.”

“The women were talking, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. That happened in the first dream, but as the nights progressed, the dream became more clear. Maybe if it keeps happening, eventually I’ll know what’s being said.”

He picked up his fork, but didn’t take a bite. He kept his dark gaze centered on her face. “How did you know the girl in the second dream was Molly?”

“Like I said, I didn’t recognize her at first, but once I got a look at her, I didn’t have the slightest doubt. She has these huge blue eyes and her eyebrows arch up in this sweetly feminine way. She has your nose, you know—only smaller, of course. I’d like to see a picture of your wife—”

“Ex-wife,” he corrected.

“Yes, well, I’d like to see if I can pick out Molly’s features in her.”

He leaned toward her. “That’s it? That’s all you saw? Three women working in a kitchen?”

She didn’t want to tell him; it was bound to be painful. But if they were going to have any chance of success she had to be completely truthful.

“There was something else…something that convinced me I had to look for her, try to find her.”

“Say it. I can tell you don’t want to.”

She released a slow breath. “In the dream—for an instant—Molly turns and looks straight at me. There is so much pain in her eyes…so much despair. It seems to run soul-deep. It’s as if she is begging for my help.”

Ben just sat there, his chest squeezing like a thousand-pound boulder sat on top of it. What if Autumn Sommers was telling the truth? If he closed his eyes, he could see Molly’s big blue eyes looking at him from beneath the sweet, pale arch of her brows. If Molly was alive, was she being beaten, abused? Or was she just desperately unhappy, living in a place she didn’t belong—being raised by strangers who weren’t her family and didn’t really love her?

If she still lived, did she remember her real parents? She had been old enough and yet maybe, over the years, those memories had slowly faded.

Ben shoved his salad away without taking a bite. “Here’s what I’m going to do. Tomorrow I’ll talk to Pete Rossi, the private detective I hired to investigate you.”

Two days ago, Pete had called him in response to Ben’s inquiry about Autumn and Gerald Meeks. According to Pete, Autumn had indeed spoken to Meeks at the federal prison in Sheridan, but Rossi couldn’t confirm what Meeks had said. The inmate had refused his request for a visit and probably wouldn’t have told him anything anyway.

“I’ll ask Rossi to start digging around, see if he can turn up anything new about Molly’s disappearance.” He hadn’t done this yet. He’d wanted more proof that Autumn’s crazy dreams were real.

“Did Rossi work on the case when Molly first disappeared?”

“No. I used a different agency. But I think it might be better to start fresh. Look at the whole thing from a different perspective.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Autumn gave him such a bright, hopeful smile that Ben found himself oddly disarmed. “So we’re going to start looking?”

He leaned back in his chair. “Don’t get too excited. I said I’d ask Pete to do a little digging. I’m not about to set this whole thing in motion—not yet.”

“But—”

“Cancel your climbing trip and I’ll pick you up for the benefit at seven o’clock tomorrow night.”

She toyed with her fork, eyeing him across the table. “Are you sure your friends won’t think you’re lowering your standards? I’m hardly a cover model.”

No, she was nothing at all like Dolores Delgato or any of the other women he was likely to take to this kind of affair. But she was smart and interesting and—though she didn’t seem to know it—sexy as hell. An image of Autumn’s tight round behind flexing as she climbed the wall sent a shot of pure lust into his groin. She chewed her bottom lip, which was rosy and full and made him want to run his tongue across it.

Under different circumstances—

Ben cut off the thought. “To tell you the truth, the evening will probably be a whole lot more interesting with you instead of someone who doesn’t really want to be there in the first place. Now eat your salad and let’s enjoy our meal. We can talk about climbing, if you want. That shouldn’t be too personal.”

Autumn’s small shoulders relaxed and she gave him another smile. It made her seem completely sincere and utterly without guile. He reminded himself he couldn’t risk trusting her—not yet. He had to think of Katie and Joanne, his parents and the rest of his family. He refused to see them suffer again.

Time was what he needed. Time to know if Autumn Sommers was telling the truth. And if she was, time to discover whether or not—as impossible as it sounded—her dreams might lead him to Molly.

But how much time did he have?

Ben prayed that his need for caution wouldn’t come at Molly’s expense.

Nine

Autumn was tired when she got back home. The evening with Ben had been taxing. She knew it was the sexual attraction she felt for him that she didn’t want to feel. She tried to tell herself it was only natural with a man as handsome and charming as Ben, but the truth was that Ben seemed to affect her in a different way than other men.

Usually, she had a knack for keeping the opposite sex at arm’s length. She let men know early on that she enjoyed their friendship but she wasn’t interested in anything more. Most of them accepted it, some were maybe even a little relieved.

Ben was different. There was a look in his eyes that said he saw her as a woman, an object of desire that had nothing at all to do with friendship. It surprised and flattered her. The man dated the most beautiful women in the world. That he would show the slightest interest in her was amazing.

Of course she could be wrong. She could be seeing something that wasn’t really there. Or perhaps he was just that way with women in general, seeing each of them as an object to be conquered.

Ronnie Hillson had been that way—charming her, pretending an interest in her that lasted through the month they had dated, then disappearing the day after he took her to bed. At first she believed she must be a really bad lover, but eventually she decided that more likely it was the conquest that had interested Ronnie and she was just too naive to see.

Autumn yawned as she headed for the bedroom, stripping off her sweater along the way. She had called Josh on her cell on the way home from the restaurant to apologize for breaking off their climbing date again.

“Things happen,” he’d said. “It’s no big deal. Mike Logan’s been bugging me to go. I’ll ring him up, see if he can get his shit together by tomorrow morning.”

“Mike’s not ready for Castle Rock.”

“Yeah, I know. We’ll go somewhere else.” She could almost see Josh grin. “Which is good because I wouldn’t want to tackle Castle Rock with anyone but you.”

“I’m really sorry, Josh.”

There was a pause on the end of the line. “You…uh…seem kind of pre-occupied lately. You’d tell me, wouldn’t you, if something was wrong?”

“I’m fine. I’ve been having a little trouble sleeping is all. I’m sure it will pass. I’ll talk to you next week.” She’d hung up the phone and found Ben watching her.

“Sounds like your friend, Josh, is worried about you.”

“He’s a very caring guy.”

“You sure it isn’t more than that?”

Her head had come up at the odd note in his voice. “Actually, Josh is in love with my best friend, Terri Markham. Unfortunately for Josh, Terri doesn’t know he exists.”

“Poor guy.”

“Yeah. I keep hoping Terri will open her eyes and see how great Josh is.”

The taxi had pulled up in front of her building a few minutes later and Ben insisted on escorting her to her door. She didn’t invite him in and it was clear he didn’t expect her to. She’d said good-bye, then closed the door and leaned against it, surprised to discover how fast her heart was racing.

Damn.

Autumn sighed as she undressed and tossed her clothes on the bed. Feeling any sort of physical attraction to Ben McKenzie was the last thing she wanted. The man was way out of her league and even if he was interested—which he probably wasn’t—she’d be a fool to even consider getting involved with him.

Autumn hung up her clothes—determined not to think of him—slipped into her pink shortie nightgown, drew back the covers and crawled into bed.

That night, she dreamed.

Ben spent all day Saturday at his office, working on the problem of A-1 Sports and their threat to his Issaquah store. He made a phone call to Russ Petrone, the real estate broker who’d been keeping him informed, and Russ told him A-1 had officially made an offer on the vacant lot on the corner across the street from his store.

“Sonofabitch.”

“The sellers haven’t accepted yet, but it looks like they probably will.”

“Not good news.”

“You said A-1 wants to buy your stores. I got this info without much trouble. I think they want you to know. Probably figure the threat of a competing store so close might be enough to get you to accept their offer.”

“I’m sure that’s what they’re hoping but I’m not taking the bait, which means they’ll have to go one step further.”

“You think they’ll actually build across the street?”

“I think they’ll go that far if they have to. They’ll figure if they can drive down the profits on the Issaquah store—maybe even force it to close—I’ll be inclined to accept their offer for the chain.”

“Anything you want me to do?”

“I want you to talk to the owners of that property. Keep it quiet, but see if you can find out the terms of A-1’s offer. Tell the owners we’ll up the price by twenty percent but the sale has to close in three business days. And if they go back to A-1, the deal is no longer on the table.”

For their plan to work, A-1 had to buy that particular piece of property. There was nothing else suitable in the downtown area or anywhere close and it didn’t look like there would be anytime soon. If Ben could quietly make the purchase and keep the land out of A-1’s hands, the company would be out of luck.

“You sure you can close in three days?” Russ asked.

“You make the deal. I’ll find the money.”

Russ hung up with a promise to call him back with any news and Ben made a call to Pete Rossi—the second attempt of the day.

“Sorry I didn’t get back to you,” Pete said. “My cell’s been out of range.”

“Not a problem. Damn phones don’t work half the time.”

“After the deal with Meeks, I’m guessing you want me to take another look into your daughter’s disappearance.”

“Good guess.”

“You figure if Gerald Meeks didn’t kill her, there’s a chance she might still be alive.”

“So far you’re one step ahead of me.”

“So how does the Sommers woman fit in?” Pete asked.

Ben had been careful not to tell Rossi any more than he had to, but he trusted the investigator and if he was going to go on with this, he had to play it straight. “About two weeks ago, Autumn Sommers approached me about Molly. She claimed she was having recurring dreams about her. I know it sounds crazy, but she was determined enough to go see Meeks, which couldn’t have been pleasant. And she knows things, Pete, things that weren’t in the papers.”

He told the investigator about little Robbie Hines in the yard, how the boy wasn’t mentioned in the papers, yet Autumn had described him perfectly. “If Meeks really told her he didn’t kill Molly, then I can’t ignore the possibility that this might be real.”

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