Lyda Blue was last out, slinging a daypack over her shoulder. Kate caught her eye and raised a hand.

Lyda nodded and walked over to say hello. Her eyes dropped to the lost guy and the daypack slid from her shoulder to the ground.

What? Kate said.

Lyda opened her mouth and nothing came out. The color drained from her face and she started to go down.

Whoa, Kate said, catching her. Guys. Guys! Help me out here.

The Grosdidier brothers scampered around and caught Lyda before she went splat. The Otter‘s step stool was confiscated and slid beneath Lyda‘s butt, and her head was pushed gently but firmly between her knees. She submitted for several deep gasps of air, and then she struggled free, coming down on her knees next to the stretcher. A shaking hand reached out, a fingertip touched the lost guy‘s cheek. Lyda?

Lyda Blue looked up, her face frozen but for the tears spilling down her cheeks. Through numb lips she said, It‘s Wayne.

Between them the lost guy stared unblinking at the sky.

And Sergeant Jim Chopin of the Alaska State Troopers chose this moment to set his Cessna down light as a feather at the end of the runway. He taxied to the much smaller hangar next to Chugach Air, killed the engine, and got out, to be greeted by an ecstatic Mutt who had identified the sound of his engine when he was still a mile out.

She escorted him back to the group at very nearly a prance. He studied Kate‘s expression, eyed Lyda Blue‘s crumpled face, passed briefly over Old Sam and the four Grosdidiers, and came to rest on the man on the stretcher. What seems to be the problem here?

But Dewayne Gammons is dead, Jim said.

Kate had never heard him sound more at a loss. She didn‘t blame him. I know. You found his body, Jim said, reminding her, reminding everyone in the room. Bear snack.

I know, Kate said again.

This girl— Jim looked at Lyda, who was sitting in a chair looking pale and strained. Lyda, Kate said. Lyda Blue.

You know him well enough to make a positive identification?

Since Lyda seemed incapable of speech, Kate said, She works admin out at the mine. Plus they were friends.

She just identified him today?

She just got back from her week off. It‘s the first time she‘s seen him since he showed up.

Jim was determined to be obtuse on the subject for as long as possible, because he knew what was going to happen when he stopped. When, again, did you say this guy came out of the woods?

Yesterday, Kate said. She knew what was coming, too, and she wasn‘t any happier about it than he was. Fourth of July.

Wait a minute, he said. Didn‘t you say what‘s her name, Hollister, Haversham— Haynes, Kate said.

Yeah, Haynes, the goddamn Suulutaq staff geologist, didn‘t you say she was at the homestead when this guy came crashing out of the woods?