She went to the window, looked out at the beauty without really seeing it, just looking for Kim.

There was a gorgeous swimming pool below, a complicated shape, like a square laid over a rectangle, with circular Jacuzzis at the shallow end. A fountain, like a champagne glass, in the middle spilled water over the children playing.

She scanned the rows of pure white cabanas around the pool, looking for a young woman in a chaise sipping a drink, Kim sitting at the poolside.

Barb saw several girls, some slimmer or heavier or older or shorter, but none of them Kim.

She looked out beyond the pool, saw a covered walk, wooden steps going down to the beach dotted with palm trees, fronted by the sapphire blue ocean, nothing but water between the edge of the beach and the coast of Japan.

Where was Kim?

Barb wanted to say to Levon, “I feel Kim's presence here,” but when she turned, Levon wasn't there.

She noticed an ornate basket of fruit on the table near the window and went to it, heard the toilet flush as she lifted out the note that was in fact a business card with a message written on the back.

Levon, her poor dear husband, his eyes unblinking and pained behind his glasses, came toward her, asking, “What's that, Barb?”

She read out loud, “Dear Mr. and Mrs. McDaniels, please call me. We're here to help in any way we can.”

The card was signed, “Susan Gruber, SL,” and under her name was a room number.

Levon said, “Susan Gruber. She's the editor in chief. I'll call her now.”

Barb felt hope. Gruber was in charge. She'd know something.

Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes later, the McDanielses' hotel room was full. Standing room only.

Chapter 18

Barb