The Boaz Scorekeeper–Chapter 45

The Boaz Scorekeeper, written in 2017, is my second novel. I'll post it, a chapter a day, over the next few weeks.

The next day I arrived at the office early and before anyone else.  I prepared a typed ransom note.  It read:

“John has been kidnapped.  For now, he is safe and sound.  The amount of fear and pain he suffers is up to you.  You can positively affect his situation by doing the following three things:

1.  Before Thursday, May 18, 2017, deliver $100,000 to Jesse Dawson, the girl John repeatedly raped when she was in the 9th grade at Boaz High School.  Jesse, now Jesse Rickles, lives at 3855 County Road 35, Rainsville, AL.  Be sure and take a photo of the certified check with it being hand-delivered to Ms. Rickles.  Post these two photos to John’s Facebook account before the 18th.

2. Before Sunday, May 21, 2017 draft a letter of apology from John to Wendi and Cindi Murray and their parents Bill and Nellie Murray.  Include details of what John did to harm this family beginning with the rapes and murders of Wendi and Cindi on May 25, 1972.  Deliver this letter to Pastor Walter Tillman and ask that it be read to the congregation of First Baptist Church of Christ on the 21st.

3. Before Tuesday, May 23, 2017, wire transfer $2,000,000 to Fidelity Bank Limited in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.  This bank’s physical address is: Cayman Financial Centre, 36A Dr. Roy’s Drive, Grand Cayman, KYI-1103, Cayman Islands.  The bank’s Routing Number is 063012136.  You are to have these funds deposited to Account Number is 90003070.

Of course, you can involve family, friends, police and other authorities.  That is up to you.  You are bright enough to realize such involvement might not be in John’s best interest.”

I put on tight latex gloves, printed out the two letters, and addressed two envelopes.  One to John’s wife Judith, and the other one to Franklin, his father.  I folded and inserted the letters into the envelopes and sealed them using an Aqua Ball to moisten the flap.  I almost licked a stamp before realizing what I was about to do.  I threw that one away and then affixed two stamps, again using the Aqua Ball.  I then inserted these two envelopes into one manila folder and drove to the Gadsden Post Office.  With gloveless hands, I carried the folder inside and let the two smaller envelopes slide into the outgoing mail chute being careful not to touch them.

I drove back to the law office.