by Hope Malory
“A little. I don’t understand what drives me to scale a slab of granite 2,900 vertical feet.”
“The same thing that drove you to hike over 2,600 miles on the PCT from the Mexican border to the Canadian border through mountains and desert in California, Oregon, and Washington. A lot of folks think people like us are crazy, but I understand. Wish I could go with you.”
Will accompanied her to her campsite. Before he left, he handed her his cell. “Type your number in my contacts. I’ll text you so we have each other’s information.”
“You’re assuming I want you to contact me.” She grinned at his confused expression and punched her number in his phone.
Will shook his head. “See you in the morning.”
“Thanks for the pizza.”
She double-checked her list to make sure she had packed the necessary items. Satisfied everything was in order, she reflected on how her perception of Will had changed. He was actually a decent guy.
~ ~ ~
Will jerked when his cell beeped. He opened one eye. Darkness. It took a minute for his sleep fogged brain to remember why the alarm went off so early. Beasley’s climb. What possessed me to suggest I come with her this morning?
Something about her captivated him. Not just her body, although it definitely grabbed his attention. The lady was a seasoned sportswoman, and she ran a business too, which meant she was smart and a professional. Can’t accuse her of being a pushover. He admired strong-willed females.
If he could script a girlfriend perfect for him, she would come close, but another relationship didn’t interest him. He and Madison had dated for eight years. Now, he needed his freedom.
Pulling up and out of his sleeping bag, he reached for his shorts and T-shirt and a pang of regret hit when he remembered his intention to start his own climb on Half Dome today. Although his ankle and wrist were better, it was too risky. No need to push it. He would have to be content with watching Beasley. That won’t be a hardship.
~ ~ ~
Beasley woke up exhilarated and ready for her adventure. After twisting her hair into a braid, she put on her blue print halter top, black shorts, and approach shoes. She had learned from experience it helped to wear footwear designed with a sticky rubber sole for traction on the rocky terrain approaching the mountain.
Weather could affect the outcome of a climb. The NOAA site on her cell predicted comfortable temperatures with a minimal chance of rain for the next week, the best scenario. Will sauntered up as she slipped her phone into her pack. Is he checking out my legs? A surge of excitement zipped up her spine.
“Morning. Are you excited?” Will spoke in a hushed voice so he wouldn’t disturb nearby campers who were still asleep.
“Yes, and nervous.”
“Understandable. Scaling El Cap is a huge deal. Which ledge do you plan to fix to tonight?”
“The first four pitches are grueling. Our goal is to make it to Sickle Ledge.” She threw on her jacket and backpack and picked up her helmet. “I’m ready.”
Both were quiet on the way to the base of the mountain. In her head, she went through the maneuvers that would advance her to and through the first few pitches. She blew out a long breath. “Time to go. Wish me luck.”
“No doubt you’ll be at the top by Friday.” Will hugged her and held her longer than was typical for someone whom he had met only a few days ago. “Bon voyage and stay safe.”
She couldn’t breathe much less speak. Instead, she left to start her adventure. The hug had caught her off guard. His strong, muscular arms around her spread heat throughout her body. His warm breath in her ear when he spoke sent chills skittering up her spine. Her knees turned to jelly, which was not ideal right before a climb. “Come on, Beasley, concentrate on the task. You can’t do this if you lose your focus,” she mumbled and marched toward Nathan and his friend, who appeared young; she guessed about eighteen.
Nathan introduced them. “Clint has climbed several big walls.”
Smiling, she peered up at the wall looming above. Her body tingled with excitement. The three discussed their strategy and started their ascent.
~ ~ ~
The sensation of an electric current had jolted through Will when he had hugged Beasley. She felt warm and soft in his arms. Visions of her next to him in bed with her legs wrapped around him . . . “Damn.” He shook his head and cursed himself for again thinking about her in that way. “The last thing I need is a female complicating my life.” He had ended his last relationship to get some peace, but this lady was different.
His phone displayed the time, a few minutes before five o’clock. Not much longer until daybreak. He brought his binoculars to watch her. The red bandana tied to her pack and her blue top would help him distinguish her from the other climbers. He sat on a boulder, waiting for daylight. On his last El Cap climb, an inexperienced teenage couple had panicked at the first ledge, too afraid to go further and too paralyzed to go back down. He had guided them down and started over on his adventure.
As the sun snuck over the mountains, he retrieved the climbing guide and penlight from his rear pocket and thumbed through the guide until he found the Nose of El Cap. The next three days will be grueling.
In the dim light of dawn, he pulled out his binoculars and pinpointed her. A tiny speck on the face of a towering granite monolith. “She is one gutsy lady,” he said aloud. After watching for another hour, he returned to camp.
~ ~ ~
As a park ranger and former marine, Walsh had encountered death more than the average person. The discovery of the bones would have disturbed anyone, but rangers’ jobs put them in situations like these. Since he had discovered it, he participated in the investigation. They found parts of the skeleton buried beneath dirt, leaves, and limbs, but enough of it was visible for a casual observer to determine it was human. Sometimes, families and friends waited years to find out what happened to their missing loved ones, and some never found out. This discovery gave the family a chance for closure.
Josh asked the detective assigned to the case about the progress of the investigation. Detective Scheiber, a twenty-five-year veteran of the police force, spoke in a gravelly voice. “Preliminary evidence suggests a woman who went missing in the general area about ten years ago. We’re waiting for results from DNA testing to confirm or rule out the identity of a woman named Kendall Moretti.”
“What do you know about her?”
“At the time she disappeared, she was in her forties and lived in Fresno with her husband and two children. The husband remarried within the last two years. Her mother and daughter still live there, and the son and his family moved to San Francisco. Authorities notified them about the possibility someone found her remains. We should have a positive ID in two or three days.”
“Do you know the cause of death yet?”
“She had a broken leg, but there were no teeth marks or indications a wild animal desecrated the body. Mrs. Moretti disappeared in the winter, so if the bones belong to her, it was most likely hypothermia.”
“Keep me posted on the results.”
Chapter 5
Early in the day, Beasley’s mind wandered, and she found herself over-gripping. At one point, her foot slipped, causing her to grab the rope to keep from falling. She refocused and emptied her mind of everything except the handholds, cracks, and ledges. Despite the punishment her body took, she pushed through the last hard move and made it to Sickle Ledge minutes before her climbing partners. The idea of conquering the Nose is grander than the reality.
“That was gnarly.” A few climbers had retreated earlier, and one group who got this far said they would rest for the night and go down tomorrow. She considered joining them.
Scraped and bruised, her muscles ached, her fingers were sore, and her feet were almost numb. Can I do two more days of th
is? Mental preparedness was essential if she continued.
Memories of her parents and grandmother crept into her brain before she fell asleep. Nonna’s recent death had hit her almost as hard as her parents’ seven years ago. With her sense of humor, Nonna could have made Scrooge laugh, but she had grown more subdued after Beasley’s mother and father died.
A crushing weight of sadness still enveloped Beasley at times. Whenever something exciting happened, she would think, I need to tell Mama and Daddy, and she would remember. Often, she imagined her mother’s voice in her ear saying, “You can do anything you set your mind to,” and at that moment, she decided to persevere.
The enigma of the debt records found in the attic still troubled her. Maybe we’ll find more clues. She drifted off to sleep thinking about the mystery.
The next morning, she remembered a guidebook on climbing the Nose had cautioned the first four pitches had become polished over the years, were challenging, and were not at all representative of the rest of the route. Encouraged to continue, she went through her physical and mental rituals, preparing herself for the day ahead. I can do this.
The second day went much better. The team spent the night on El Cap Tower. The following morning, she and Clint stopped for water on a small ridge. Nathan was above them. Clint took out his cell phone.
“Beasley, can you take my picture?”
“This ledge is too narrow. One wrong move and you’ll fall.”
“Fine, I’ll do it myself.” He reached up and took a selfie, but his foot slipped, and he fell about fifteen feet before the rope caught him. He dangled upside down too far from the wall to reach anything to hold on to. Panic registered on his face. He couldn’t help himself. She yelled for Nathan, who rappelled down and helped him to the ledge.
“Are you going to be all right, man?” Nathan asked.
Clint was chalk-white, and his voice wavered. “Yeah, I need a minute. Thanks.”
He averted his eyes, his hands shaking. Although his carelessness infuriated her, now was not the time to say anything. They still must make it to the top, and Clint needed to calm down and concentrate.
After he regained his composure, the team started their ascent again. They stopped at the Camp 5 ledge and spent the night instead of pushing to get to the top. On Friday, the three rock warriors celebrated when they reached the summit.
Beasley had said nothing earlier to upset Clint, but now that they were safe, she didn’t hold back. “That was a stupid move down there. Understand, you can’t be complacent. Breaking your concentration is a killer out here. You must stay focused at all times.”
He lowered his head and stared at his feet. “Yeah, I know. Sorry.”
“Never do that again. Outstanding climb, by the way.” She grinned and punched him on the arm. “Guys, we crushed it. We conquered El Cap.”
The trio, psyched about having completed the legendary Nose, chattered along the way down the East Ledges descent route. They rappelled, down climbed, and scrambled through boulder fields.
Will came to her mind several times during their downward climb. Would he still be at Camp 4? Would she ever see him again? She texted him when they reached a place where they had cell service.
Yay, we made it. On the way down. Plan to be at base in about an hour. B
The second they arrived at the bottom, she spotted him. “How cool he’s waiting for me,” she whispered. Her chest tightened as she gravitated toward him. He grabbed her and swung her around.
“Congratulations, you did it. I knew you would.”
“Thanks. At times I wasn’t so sure, but yes, we accomplished what we intended. Now I need a shower and real food. All day, I’ve dreamed about pizza. So, you read my text?”
“Yes, I came as soon as I got it. My car is here. If you’re up for it, I can take you to camp to drop off your gear and pick up clean clothes. I’ll take you to Half Dome Village for a shower and to Degnan’s Loft again. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like heaven.”
Still exhausted, she lingered in the shower, allowing the steaming water to ease her aching muscles. Refreshed, she now needed food.
She devoured her first slice. “Thanks for the pizza. This is scrumptious.”
“Tell me every detail of your climb.”
Exhilarated about finishing, she spent the next hour eating the thick crust supreme and telling him about her last few days. “Have you spoken to Josh again? Wonder if they identified the skeleton.”
“Yes, I talked to him yesterday.” He filled her in about the woman hiker. “They’re still waiting for confirmation of her identity.”
Will grinned. “I saw that yawn. Let’s go so you can get some sleep.”
“No argument from me. I’m wiped out. When do you leave camp?”
“In the morning. Do you need to be in Truckee at a certain time?”
“I told Casey I would be at her house sometime tomorrow, but I didn’t give her a specific time.”
“How about we go to breakfast and you follow me up 395? I plan to go north on Highway 89 up the western shore through Tahoma. It’s on the way to Truckee. You’ll love the view. If you can spare the time, I want to show you around my town and some cool spots on West Shore. Can we spend tomorrow together?”
Excited by the idea, she nodded. “Sure. Why not?”
The next morning, they stopped at a restaurant inside the park. “You have a healthy appetite, and I like that.”
“Remember, I burned a few calories this week. Breakfast is my favorite meal, and this is delicious. I’m pleased you chose this place.”
Will smiled. “And I’m glad you agreed to spend the day with me.”
“The last time I came, I drove from the North Lake area around the eastern edge and visited South Lake, but I have never been on the western side.”
“You’ll like it. What does your friend do in Truckee?”
“She owns a rafting business.”
Will’s eyes rounded, and he sat up straight. “You’re visiting Casey Adkisson?”
“Yes. How do you know her?”
“Her ex and I are buddies. She’s an exceptional lady. I like and respect her. I also admire how she started the company after they divorced and built it into a thriving operation. You and Casey are a lot alike, both adventurous and intelligent, and you’re accomplished entrepreneurs. How did you start your business?”
“After graduating from UT, I applied for a job as manager of the landscaping company I now own. The owners were older, and they wanted to travel and spend more time with their grandchildren. They needed someone to run it for them, and they hired me. After I had worked a year, the couple talked about selling.” She stared out the window, grief clouding her eyes. “My parents died in a car crash when I was seventeen. With the money I inherited, I made the owners an offer to buy them out. As soon as I took over ownership, I changed the name to Beasley’s Gardens. In the two years since I bought it, I doubled the business, and that’s why spring season was so hectic. My priority is to hire an assistant when I return home.”
“I’m sorry about your parents. I can’t imagine how hard that was for you.”
“Yeah, it was the worst time of my life. I miss them terribly. Before the accident, I didn’t think much about the future, especially what I would do after graduating from high school. The logical path, I thought, was to go to college, get a job, get married, and raise children. At one time, that was my goal, but my priorities changed. Pouring all my energy into my business is my new normal.”
“They would have been proud of what you’ve accomplished. A smart businesswoman and an athlete is a good combination.”
“Now it’s your turn to tell me about yourself. You mentioned an ex-girlfriend. Was the breakup recent?”
“Three months ago. W
e have known each other for as long as I can remember. Madison is the only girl I’ve ever dated. One of my buddies at the department tried to fix me up with someone last month, but I guess I’m not cut out for dating. What about you? Is a husband or boyfriend waiting for you in Tennessee?”
“In my dreams. I had a crush on Casey’s brother, Dalton, for years. He’s three years older and only views me as his kid sister’s best friend. Now, he’s engaged to someone, but he spoiled me for men. I always end up comparing my dates to him, and they don’t measure up. Dalton became a Navy SEAL, and I thought that was so cool. I wanted to be the first female Navy SEAL until I found out about the brutal indoctrination course. The relentless training drives the recruits to the edge of collapse, and their trainers still expect them to do more. They are an elite group, but carrying a sniper rifle, parachuting, and demolition aren’t my things. By the time I enrolled in college, I decided to major in forestry.” What was the odd expression on his face?
“Navy SEAL, huh? That would be hard for any man to measure up to.”
“Between my landscaping company and renovations at the house, I’m too busy to date anyway.”
“How about we swing by and try to find Josh before we leave?”
She nodded. “Great idea. At first, I didn’t like him much, but now I think he’s cool.”
“As I remember, you didn’t think much of me either when we met.”
“Still don’t.” She smiled.
~ ~ ~
They asked around and found Ranger Walsh in the village.
“Hi, Josh. We’re both leaving and wanted to stop and visit you first.” Will shook his hand.
“I’m glad you two are here. We have a positive ID, and it was the hiker I told you about. The family planned a memorial service a week from Sunday afternoon in Fresno and want us to come.”