Chapter 14

A Chapter by soliloquy

Their first night in the cabin.

Several hours later,as we both lie alone in separate beds and struggle to sleep,I get up to go outside and use the outhouse. I am not used to being at my secret hideaway under such circumstances. I am used to coming up to the cabin with friends after a long,stressful,week at work and relaxing with a bunch of guys who are set to let loose with cases of beer,and a long night of card playing. One particular time,I and a few of the guys were too tired and hung over the next day to even go deer hunting-which was the point of that particular trip.

The cabin itself is remote and rustic,yet comfortable. It is equipped with both heating and air conditioning. There are electrical outlets throughout the interior, and the cabin also has decent furniture and attractive hardwood flooring. I would hate to ever lose the privilege of visiting this place. I have thought of buying out my friends in order to own the cabin outright. But,at this point,just affording food and gas without a job is a struggle,and staying in this area after the s**t hits the fan with the ransom demand is very unlikely.

Maybe after this score I can get the hell out of Dunlap for good and never have to think of this miserable time of my life ever again! I just need to keep my wits about me and not allow frustration,emotion,or impatience cause me to make a mistake.

I am however not comforted by these thoughts. I have never previously been a criminal and the whole idea of possibly going to prison worries me greatly.

Have I just totally screwed up? Will I be able to get away with this crime after all? Will I just be on the run after I get the money,or will I be able to make a clean break from this mess after I leave the state? Do her parents even have money? And,what am I going to do with Alex afterward? What happens if she runs or gets away at some point? She has seen my face and knows some things about me. Will I be able to actually hurt her or get rid of her if things don’t go well? I’m not a killer.

One of the items that I purchased before leaving Dunlap was a disposable cell phone. I intend on using this phone to make calls regarding a ransom since the phone really can’t be traced. I know that everything must fall into place quickly and in correct order to avoid having this situation turn into one more nightmare for me. I have also brought along a few bottles of wine and rum,in order to have something to feel more relaxed amid the possible intense stress.

~ About a hundred miles to the northwest,back in Dunlap,student Christine Backwater gets a call from me Steve Morrison,a police detective. “Hello there, Christine. I wanted to get back to you about our interview last evening. I just wanted to ask you a few more questions about Alex. You got a few minutes?”

~ I,Christine had seen the abduction. I was sitting among some trees near where Alex had been forcibly taken by that man the previous day. At first, I thought that this all must be some kind of game. Is this her boyfriend just playing a game? But she seemed so surprised and scared! And,the man who took her seemed so intense.

I am in a class with Alex three days a week called Abnormal Psychology. I don’t know Alex personally,but I had never seen the man that took her and I felt the need to do something when I saw Alex taken into a truck seemingly by force. I first contacted campus security right after incident then I was forwarded to the Dunlap Police Department,who then forwarded this case to the FBI to help with the case.

At this point, Alex’s parents have both been notified, and law enforcement is currently interviewing people who were near the scene. All of Alex’s closest friends have already been questioned,and I was able to give a decent description of the truck,of the man,and of the direction the truck was headed. Meanwhile, the various agencies working on this case are narrowing down possible kidnappers. It is only a matter of time before those looking for Alex will start to head in the direction of the cabin. Law enforcement is currently concentrating on finding someone with a motive. Over 30 law enforcement officials are currently working long into the night looking for clues that will eventually lead them to the kidnapper and Alex.

This has been a restless night for both of us. I come back into the cabin to find Alex moving restlessly in her bed,obviously not sleeping. I have so far not slept. I am only thinking,and then thinking even more. My worries overwhelm my mind about the many possibilities of all the things that could go wrong.

Of getting arrested and imprisoned for the federal crime of kidnapping. Should I just take her back home and plead to her and whoever else that this was a grand mistake and that I’m sorry?

I can only sit on my bed and think hard about all of this. I am thankful though to hear Alex's clear voice interrupting my undesirable thoughts.

"Umm...Frank? I need to pee,where’s that bathroom again?"

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