"The man who found you," Bowman asked, "other than at the cliff, did he harm you in any way?"

Paige shook her head. "He killed a bear that was trying to get me. He saved me."

Bowman and Zander exchanged glances.

"Can I see my mom and dad now?"

Zander patted Paige's shoulder. "Absolutely."

In the hall, Zander informed the doctor they were done. Bowman's cell phone began to ring. Zander walked to the empty lounge at the end of the hall, searching for something in the Rockies that crowned the horizon.

"You made all the right calls, Frank." Walt Sydowski had followed him.

"Ah, well, I'm not so sure about that."

"Look what you were confronted with, the time frame, the circumstances, the politics. You're a helluva cop. I'd be honored to work with you again."

Zander looked down and accepted Sydowski's hand. They shook.

"Heading back to San Francisco?"

"Got a flight tonight." Sydowski smiled. "There's a date I got to keep and some money I have to win back in a card game from a wily old fox who claims to be my father. How about you? Any plans after this?"

"Maybe take some time off to think things over."

"Listen to me. We never know how a case will twist. Believe me, I know. I also know you are a good investigator, Frank."

Sydowski gripped Zander's shoulder, then left him alone with the mountains.

Zander sat staring at the sky for some time when he heard someone say his name. It was Emily Baker, standing in the doorway of the lounge. Doug was next to her. Zander stood, searching his heart for the right words. Emily spoke first.

"We understand."

"It was very complicated," Zander began.

"Frank," Doug said. "I know it looked very bad because it was very bad. For everybody. Inspector Sydowski told us everything, including the Georgia case."

Emily had tears in her eyes. Her face was a portrait of kindness. She embraced Zander. "In your way, you were fighting for Paige too."

"Yes, I was," Zander whispered. "I'm happy for you."

"Paige turns eleven in two months. We would like it if you and Tracy would consider coming to her birthday party."

Zander blinked. "You bet."

Emily told him that before returning to California, they were going to go to Buckhorn Creek. "Going to put things to rest," she said.

Zander nodded. "Sounds like the right thing to do."

Doctor Veras entered, pushing Paige in a wheelchair. Kobee was in her lap. "I think they're ready downstairs," Veras said.

Emily dabbed her eyes. Smiling, they left for Paige's press conference.

Zander decided to watch it alone on the TV in the lounge.

The hospital had turned its cafeteria into a press room. Nearly three hundred newspeople had crammed into it for an event broadcast live on virtually every channel in the United States.

It began with Emily and Doug Baker thanking the rangers of Glacier National Park, the search and rescue people, everyone involved.

"In particular," Emily Baker said, "we want to thank agents Frank Zander and Tracy Bowman of the FBI, who performed a difficult duty with the utmost respect, courtesy and professionalism under the most challenging circumstances."

Exhausted and watching alone, Zander put his hand over his eyes.

Where do they find the grace?

Reporters began asking Paige to recount her ordeal.

In Helena, Montana's governor and his staff watched with relief.

The injured prison guard and crew of the Mercy Force helicopter watched from their rooms in Kalispell.

David Cohen watched from his lonely Deer Lodge motel room, where he would wait until a local funeral director provided him with Hood's ashes. Cohen would return to Glacier National Park, and disperse them there. Maybe he would take Maleena Crow up on her offer of lunch in Kalispell. Cohen planned a long, soul-searching drive across the western United States back to Chicago. It would give him time to decide what to say in his letters to the Baker family, the governor, Lane Porter, and to his firm. He wanted a year's sabbatical.

The news conference was ending when Bowman entered the lounge.

"There you are, Frank!" Her smile lit up the room. "We've been looking all over for you."

"We?"

"That's right. Got someone here I'd like you to meet."

A boy, about the same age as Paige Baker, entered.

"This is my son, Mark. My friend drove him over this morning. Missed his mom. Marshal, say hello to Frank Zander." She looked straight into Zander's eyes. "One of the best there is."

"Hello, sir." Mark extended his hand.

Young eyes met his.

"Well, hello yourself, Mark."

"Watcha doin' here all glumlike, Frank? Mark and I are going downtown later. We know a place that makes the best cheeseburgers east of the Rockies. We're going to celebrate. Join us."

"What are you celebrating?"

"A happy ending and the fact my Los Angeles job came through."

"We're moving to California," Mark said.

"Sunshine, surf and movie stars."

"Will you come with us?" Mark said.

"Sure," Zander said. "Guess I could use a burger."

Later, as they ate, Zander felt unbelievably comfortable with Tracy and Mark. It was as if he had found something he had lost long ago. Something that he needed. Over apple pie and ice cream he told her he had an offer from the SAC in L.A. to join the Division.

"Do you think it would be a good thing if I accepted, Tracy?"

She licked her ice cream spoon and considered his eyes.

"I think that would be a very good thing, Frank."

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Experts familiar with the realities in this story may debate areas where I have taken liberty. But for those who enjoyed the journey through regions of precedent and plausibility, I direct credit and my special thanks to: Fred Vanhorn, Assistant Chief Ranger, Glacier National Park; Ronald Nolan, Supervisory Special Agent, and Ms. Maureen Schutz, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC; Tom Laceky, the Associated Press, Helena, Montana; Staff Sergeant Daniel Rahn, Crime Scene Bloodstain Pattern Analyst; and Sergeant Warren Ganes, Police Dog Service Section, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

I also extend gratitude to John Rosenberg, Samantha Banton, Susan Bowness, Lynn Reid, Wendy Dudley, Mildred Marmur, Ann LaFarge, Jeff Aghassi, Mary Jane Maffini and Linda Wiken at Prime Crime, and members of "The Club." I am deeply grateful to the many friends, more than is possible for me to list here, who provided their support.

I am especially indebted to booksellers everywhere who have so graciously enlightened me while introducing my work to readers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

Rick Mofina is a former crime reporter and the award-winning author of several acclaimed thrillers. He's interviewed murderers face-to-face on death row; patrolled with the LAPD and the RCMP. His true crime articles have appeared in The New York Times, Marie Claire, Reader's Digest and Penthouse. He's reported from the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, Qatar and Kuwait's border with Iraq.

New York Times Bestselling author, Tess Gerritsen, says: "Rick Mofina's tense taut writing makes every thriller he writes an adrenaline-packed ride." His short stories have been selected for anthologies by Michael Connelly, Peter Robinson, Ed Gorman, the Mystery Writers of America and the United Kingdom's, Crime Writers Association.

The International Thriller Writers, The Private Eye Writers of America and The Crime Writers of Canada have listed Rick Mofina's titles as being among the best in the world.

His books have been published in 21 countries and have been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Hkan Nesser and Kay Hooper.

Also by Rick Mofina.

THEY DISAPPEARED.

THE BURNING EDGE.

IN DESPERATION.

THE PANIC ZONE.

VENGEANCE ROAD.

SIX SECONDS.

A PERFECT GRAVE.

EVERY FEAR.

THE DYING HOUR.

BE MINE.

NO WAY BACK.

BLOOD OF OTHERS.

COLD FEAR.

IF ANGELS FALL.

THREE TO THE HEART (Anthology).

DANGEROUS WOMEN & DESPERATE MEN (Anthology).