The town where the novel takes place is Mirror Lake, Oregon. Mirror Lake is a mountain lake in Clackamas County of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the foot of Tom Dick and Harry Mountain in a natural catchment formed by a toe of the mountain.
The weapon that Kevin used to kidnap Laurel is a stun gun. The compact handheld stun guns are about the size of a TV remote or calculator and they must touch the subject when used. The original XR-5000 design in 1983 had the electrodes spread farther apart to make the noisy electric arc between the electrodes as a more visible warning. Some such devices are available disguised as other objects, such as umbrellas, mobile phones or pens.
Laurel and her family have equine therapy, which helps them become a family again. Equine-assisted therapy encompasses a range of treatments that involve activities with horses and other equines to promote human physical and mental health.
