When I saw the forensic artist’s drawing of what the woman probably looked like in life using the dimensions of the skull my heart stood still for a moment.

The sketch looked a great deal like Sarah Garcia the same long jaw, cheekbones, forehead.

Since Suncadia was only eight years old, the body had almost certainly been buried in the woods long before that. Hunters, fishermen, miners, and loggers were about the only humans who ventured deep into the wilderness.

Ty Garcia was doubtful; he had been through similar situations before, and he didn’t let himself hope that this could be, at last, his mother.

Sadly, Ty was right. Kittitas...