Part 25 (1/2)
”No offense,” Watkins said to Autumn.
She smiled. ”None taken.”
Autumn and Ben left the station and headed back to her apartment. The sun had slipped behind a thin layer of clouds and the temperature was falling. A damp breeze stirred the hair at her temples and Autumn pulled her sweater a little closer around her shoulders.
”I've been thinking...” She walked beside him across the lobby and Ben pushed the elevator b.u.t.ton.
”Seems like we've both been doing a lot of that lately.”
”Those names the women are using...if they aren't their real names, they must have some meaning, some reason they were chosen.”
”I've been wondering about that myself.”
”The thing is, Riker said this guy has a G.o.dfather complex. Rachael, Mary and Ruth are all biblical names.”
When they arrived at the twelfth floor and stepped out of the elevator, Ben took the key out of her hand. He opened the door then waited for her to walk past him into the condo.
”It hadn't really occurred to me, but maybe you're on to something. This guy could be some kind of religious nut. A zealot of some sort.”
”That could be good, right? If he's a religious man, maybe he isn't the kind of guy who would molest young girls.”
”Depends on the religion, I guess. It didn't stop David Koresh down in Waco, or the guy who took Elizabeth Smart.”
Her shoulders sagged. What a nightmare this had to be for Ben.
”We'll find her, Ben. We won't stop until we do.”
He looked at her and pain crept into his face. ”You know what I keep thinking? If I hadn't stopped looking, maybe we would have found her. Maybe if I hadn't given up-”
”Stop it, Ben. You thought she was dead, just like everyone else including the police and the FBI.” Autumn reached out and laid a hand on his cheek. ”The hard truth is, she might be. All of this could just be some crazy hallucination. You think I don't think about that?”
The burn of tears rose at the back of her eyes. Ben moved closer, drew her into his arms.
”This isn't easy for either of us,” he said softly. ”I know that.”
For a moment, Autumn rested her head against his shoulder, enjoying the comfort of his embrace. On a shaky breath, she eased back to look at him. ”You can't change the past, Ben. And I can't afford to have doubts.”
He nodded. ”You're right. We just have to keep going. That's the best we can do right now.”
The best thing for her and for Ben.
The best hope for Molly.
It was early Sunday morning. The dream had been the same last night, the blond man and the women, Molly and Rachael and little Mary, the newest member of the clan. Autumn was only slightly tired this morning. After they had talked about the dream, Ben's lovemaking had helped them go back to sleep.
”We need to go to Burlington,” she said. ”Show the sketch to the people who work in the sporting-goods store, see if anyone recognizes his picture.”
”I know.” They were padding around her apartment, drinking coffee, just finished with a breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and canned biscuits with honey and b.u.t.ter.
”Unfortunately, Burlington Sports is closed on Sundays.” Autumn carried the empty plates over to the sink. ”It's still a small town. They don't stay open till nine every day the way your stores do.”
”Ah, yes...I remember those good old days fondly.” Ben finished the last of his coffee then carried his cup to the sink. ”I called earlier, got their answering machine. I couldn't go today at any rate. It's my day with Katie, remember? We're going to the lake.” His gaze found hers. ”I was hoping you might come with us.”
Autumn nearly lost her grip on the plate she was was.h.i.+ng. ”You aren't serious.”
”Why not? We can't go to Burlington until tomorrow and we won't hear from Watkins until sometime in the middle of the week. I'd really like you to come. I think you'd like Katie and I know she'd like you.”
Autumn bit her lip. This was the last thing she'd expected from Ben. She knew how private he kept his personal life. Why was he asking her to meet his daughter?
”I don't know, Ben...”
”I'll tell you what. You go kayaking with me and Katie, and next weekend we'll go climbing with you.”
She flicked him a glance. This weekend, next weekend. She was already in way too deep with Ben. If she didn't watch out, she was going to fall in love with him and he was going to break her heart.
And getting over him would be a h.e.l.luva lot harder than getting over Steve Elliot or Luke Noland.
”Come on, be a sport,” Ben said. ”You're teaching me to climb. I'll teach you how to kayak.”
It did sound like fun and she had always wanted to try the sport. Surely she could keep her head on her shoulders a little while longer.
What the heck. If you're gonna be a bear, be a grizzly, Max always said.
She grinned. ”All right, I'll go.” She was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a T-s.h.i.+rt. ”What gear do I need?”
”Grab your fleece sweater, just in case. We'll swing by my store and pick up a helmet in your size and whatever else you might need.”
She didn't argue. Ben was practically forcing her to go. He could d.a.m.n well pay for her gear. She felt the tug of a smile. Besides, she had a feeling she was going to like it.
Autumn ignored the little voice that said she liked pretty much everything about Ben.
Twenty-One.
They loaded Ben's pickup, stopped to get Katie, then headed for the lake. Autumn could have picked Ben's daughter out of a crowd. He had said the girl looked a lot like Molly when they were the same age. At ten years old, Katie had the same blond hair and gentle blue eyes, the same delicate features.
She was a very pretty little girl who, according to Ben, took after her mother, though Autumn could see a bit of Ben in the determined set of her jaw as they lifted the kayaks out of the truck bed, as well as the quietly a.s.sessing glances Katie cast in Autumn's direction.
”Are you my dad's girlfriend?” she asked while Ben was digging the life vests out of the back seat of the truck.
”No, we're just friends.”
”He's never brought one of his friends with him before.”
Autumn managed a smile. ”Then I'm flattered. I guess he figured it was okay for you and me to meet. Maybe he was hoping we might get to be friends, too.”
Katie watched her guardedly. ”Do you like sports? Dad says you do.”