IN THE HEART of the Adirondacks, winter eventually gave way to spring once again, and spring to summer. The snows melted at last, the trees grew heavy with leaves, and the air was filled each afternoon with the rich scent of dry pine needles baking in the sun.

Troy Walker finally found the father he’d never had, and Matt Fielder the son he hadn’t quite expected. And as things turned out, the cabin was plenty big for two. It didn’t take Troy long to become handy splitting wood, caulking logs, and working on the new barn.

Jonathan Hamilton was taken in by Bass McClure and Bass’s wife, Betsy. When asked about the arrangement, all Bass will say is, “I always did like that boy.” Early most mornings, Bass and Jonathan can be spotted fishing in one of Ottawa County’s many lakes or streams.

Gil Cavanaugh was reelected for yet another term as Ottawa County District Attorney, receiving 72 percent of the vote.

Arthur Summerhouse retired from the bench.

Kevin Doyle, Mitch Dinnerstein, Laura Held, and the rest of their team at the Capital Defender’s Office continue to fight the good fight, and have so far kept the wolf at the door.

Flat Lake is as beautiful as ever.

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THERE WOULD COME a day when Matt Fielder would have occasion to pull an old flannel shirt out of the bottom of his closet and put it back on, unwashed. Men who live in cabins without women tend to do things like that. No crazy religious fanatic would suddenly appear and hurl a Bible toward his heart. Instead, at some point, Fielder would idly touch his hand to his chest, or reach into his pocket, or simply become aware of something in there. Then would he rediscover the bottle that he’d placed there months ago. He’d step outside with it, out into the sunlight. There he’d open it up and invert it, tapping it ever so gently, until a single blonde hair would tumble out and land on the open palm of his hand. He’d stare at it for a long moment, taking in its length, its blonde color, and its perfect, undamaged follicle.

Then a warm breeze, gusting out of the south, would lift it up, carry it off, and drop it soundlessly among the pine needles.