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survivalist.
    But tonight he had no long-term escape plan on his mind. He merely wished to get outside for a temporary reconnaissance, to find out where the van driver and the guard had taken Mrs. Riggs and to determine for future reference what kind of terrain lay behind and above the camp.
    He inched down the hardwood stairs, listening carefully at each step for any creaking or snapping. When he reached the first floor landing, he peaked around the corner to see who was on duty and to determine the best way to proceed. At first, he couldn't see anyone and he thought he might have chosen a night when they had left the place unguarded. But as he examined the room more closely, he saw the van driver asleep by the fire, a bottle of liquor standing on the table beside him. Perfect, thought Justin. Maybe the silly fool had drunk himself into a stupor. If so it would be easy to sneak out the back door and then sneak back in later. He crept down from the landing and began to walk slowly toward the exit. When he stepped past the driver's overstuffed chair, he realized his care was unnecessary, for the man was snoring loudly. It was clear that Justin could have clomped across the floor wearing hobnailed boots and the guard would not have moved a muscle.
    Justin strode quickly to the rear door and let himself out with no concern for the noise he was making. He checked the door to assure himself it remained unlocked for his return and then stepped out onto the deck. He was greeted by a blast of cold wind that made him glad he had dressed in layers and had worn his heaviest coat. He adjusted his hood and scarf, felt for the flashlight in his pocket, and set out into the dark night.
    He was pleased to see the snow had stopped before the men had begun their drive with Mrs. Riggs. The four-wheel-drive vehicle they had used had left discernable ruts in the dirt road and now it was merely a matter of following those tracks until they led to their ultimate destination higher in the mountains. Justin was now more convinced than ever that the van driver and the guard had not taken Mrs. Riggs to Missoula. He hoped he was wrong about the alternative, but he was determined to discover the truth.
    **
    Early the next morning Justin knocked lightly on Rachel and Janie's bedroom door. Rachel answered, dressed in a flannel robe, her eyes still puffy from sleep, her blonde hair untidy and falling about her face. When she saw who it was she recovered at once and said, "Hurry, come in, before someone sees you!" She then stepped into the hall and looked both ways to make sure no one was watching.
    Janie was still in bed, and when she saw Justin she rose to a sitting position with her back against the headboard and the covers pulled up to her chin. "Did you do it?" she asked. "Did you get out last night? Are you just coming in?"
    "No, no," he said, "I've been back for hours. I even got some sleep. I was outside until a little past two." He straddled the straightback chair he had pulled across the room.
    Rachel, who had crawled back in bed next to her sister said, "You were brave to go out in the cold."
    "I was prepared. Believe me, compared to Alaska, it was nothing….It didn't take me long to figure out what they'd done. I followed their SUV tracks for about three miles up into the Bitterroots. Then I followed their walking trail as they tramped across the snow for another half mile. Mrs. Riggs' tracks were there too, and for most of the way she was fighting them."
    Janie's light green eyes widened. "How could you tell that?"
    "Because they were dragging her like a sack of potatoes. Then she would walk on her own for a while, and then they would drag her again. She was fighting them for sure."
    Rachel's eyes filled with tears. Janie tried to speak, but when she saw her sister crying, she too broke down and began to sob. They both tried to regain control, but they were unsuccessful and their sobs increased. "Mrs. Riggs was so unhappy," Rachel said