Her captors insisted that the drive was only four hours, but it felt like an eternity. Hannah had been led from the SUV by the arm, taken into a house, up a flight of steps, and shoved into a room. They hadn’t tied her up, so removing the blindfold itself was easy. She looked around. A guest bedroom—red walls, green sheets. The place had a rustic quality to it. She tried the doorknob—locked. She continued scanning the room. At the far end of the room she saw a window and the dark world beyond. She held for a moment, listening for the sounds of approaching footsteps, wondering if they could hear her movements. A step toward the window—a string of chatter came to life just beyond the door. She stopped, waiting for the sounds to pass, then took another step forward. A creaking floorboard. She lifted her foot, and the board relaxed back into place with a long squeaking whine. A grimace crossed her face. Another step—almost at the window. Then she was there. She looked down. Down below, three armed guards stood in a loose circle, talking with one another.
