Atonement For Evil Jack Kay

   In March 1968 our mother was arrested on drug charges. We lived in a squalid home in the town of By-Town Washington, right near the Canadian border. My sister and I were twins, 13 years old and attended a middle school about three blocks from home. Once she was taken away, we were subject to be placed by the children's aid society in an orphanage or in the home of adoptive parents. We never did see our mother again. We had grown up in a dirty filthy environment filled with the smell of drugs, feces, urine. The most sickening part was the awful stink of fried baloney with macaroni and cheese which was our daily diet.

    The filth surrounding us was all we knew. There were men visiting every night who came in and spent time in our mother's bedroom, where we heard her crying out. All we knew was that we had to stay out of sight. She would provide candy and soft drinks. Most of time we were very frightened. We were not developed emotionally to try an escape, but thankfully at the time the police came, her life of drugs and prostitution ended.

   We were taken in care for a month by a couple whom we thought were going to be our adoptive parents. The food was fantastic and we each had our own room. It was we thought a magical environment that we see at the movies. It did not end that way, for me - Ryan McDonald, or my twin sister Megan. We went from the home of sloth with our mother to a much more sinister and eviller environment with our adoptive parents.

***

  A month after we were taken into care we were awakened one morning and told to get washed up and pack our one small bag, that we were leaving. Megan really started to bawl and the lady held her of a moment and then told us again to get dressed. Next an exceptionally large woman appeared at the door sat down in the living room and smoked a cigarette.

   There was extraordinarily little talk until a couple appeared at the front door. They were the most solemn looking people we had ever seen. The man was about five feet tall and his wife was at least a foot taller. Both were dressed in deep black and he had a white collar, which I did not recognize but learned later was the adornment of a preacher or church minister.

   The large very heavy woman did not say very much to us but finally after we stood looking at each other the man spoke. His voice was shrill and he did not speak to my sister and me. For children this was very frightening and foretold our future. Without any further words we left the temporary home and followed the couple to an incredibly old Ford car which we got in the back seat. The woman whom we presumed was his wife turned around to us and placed her finger across her lips and we got the message - no talking.

We drove for a short while until we came to a dilapidated neighborhood with several houses that were in horrible condition. The man drove into a driveway of an incredibly old and decrepit house. The woman whom he called Ruth, led us into the back entrance near his garage. When we walked in a boy came to the door, she shoved him towards the stairs that centered near the entrance.

"Git up to where you belong " she screamed.

He began to move and at that moment the man entered and seeing he boy quickly walked over and slapped him across the head.

    In a very shrill and demanding voice he said "Get up to your room and read the bible as I have instructed'

   The boy ran up the stairs and we caught sight of a very thin, boy who was a few years older than us. We were led next up to an exceedingly small almost closet like bedroom off the balcony which ran around the entire floor. The room had two beds and it was about enough room to walk in and back out. It resembled a closet. The women instructed us in a very hoarse voice to put our suitcases on the floor under the beds.

"Sit and wait till I call you" she said closing the door. We sat looking at each other, hoping that we would be able to live in this house with these very nasty people. We spoke in whispers discussing our situation. Suddenly the door opened and the man barged in and told us to follow him.

  We were led down to the main landing and then through a set of stairs which was very poorly lighted. We were in the basement. He took hold of our clothing in a very rough manner and directed us into a room with windows that had bars on them. The walls were covered with various belts and straps and a hairbrush all hung on hooks. In the middle of the room there was a bench with straps and the back of it tilted up, it took only a matter of seconds for me to realize that the bench was for receiving a beating.

   He took hold of me to show what it was for without saying a word. He then launched into the most frightening and diabolical greeting we ever experienced.

" I am Preacher Dale Edwards and my wife is Ruth Edwards. You are now my wards, and as such will obey all of the rules which are from our Lord's bible. You can see that I have various instruments to extract from your complete obedience which will be applied to your bare buttocks. I am in charge of this house and you will always address me as Padre. You are not allowed anything without asking. If you behave you will be fed breakfast after prayers and dinner at 5:00 pm after prayers. On Sunday services are held here at 10: am at which time we will pray until dinner. You are to assist at all times with the general house keeping duties. You must never ever speak to me directly, the women who is my wife will report anything that you may wish. Do not pay any attention to that boy known as Joseph, he is not right. Your meals will be enough to fill your stomach. A very fat woman will visit often and I will answer her questions, do not I repeat, do not discuss anything with her.

   We will supply you with clothing and outer wear, but you are not allowed to go out yourselves. You may sit in the front living room for 2 hours on Sunday when we watch the church presentations on TV. There is a bathroom upstairs which you may use, there is a bathtub and once each week it will be filled and both of you can bathe at the same time.

   Finally, I do not know your names, I will just call you boy two and girl one. As to the use of the toilet. You will receive one roll of paper each month, and that is it, after that none. . You, girl will also receive products for your menstrual period. When it arrives.

   Now to the punishment I dole out, the spankings are for correction, if necessary, they will be of short duration and will be very painful. After that they get stronger according to the need. If you have learned your lesson, you will be allowed out of this punishment room. Just nod if you have understood everything I have said. I was shaking so badly that I could hardly move and I had to hold Megan to stand up and she was sobbing like a baby. He took no notice and pointed us out of the room.

***

  Later we sat down for dinner which consisted of one potato, some leafy green and a slab of fried baloney with one piece of bread. The boy Joseph sat with us but barely lifted his head. We had as a beverage some kind of drink which tasted sour. Joseph did not say a word until the meal was finished and prayers were said. He whispered to me, when the couple went into the dining room where, they spoke for a moment.

   "See me after upstairs" he said quite clearly in a very ow voice.

Both Megan and I were famished and terribly frightened that any second we would be struck by one of our tormentors. We dressed for bed and the moment the lights went out, Joseph slipped into our room, and we gathered on the floor. He began:

"Those two lunatics are going to try and drive you insane. I do not know why, I am 16 years old and I have been here for three years, I get weaker every day and I have not been outside for three months. They are paid for taking care of us and a very fat woman comes once-in- a while. He is supposed to be a preacher but his church services are held in the house and about twenty-five people, most of whom give him money. I am nothing more than a slave. People, mostly men except for one very ugly woman from his congregation are given an opportunity to see me get a beating in the basement they pay him to see or can do it their self by paying. I have terrible markings on my bum and back. I never cry or scream but the pain is all I can stand. I was out back a few times and I think there are graves there."

  He began to silently weep. Megan put her arm around him and I took his hand. Thus, with the discussion we began a bond with the beginning of a plan. to endure and find a way out. We told him our names and hoped after he left that he was not using us. That became our concern over the next few months, luckily, we did not get a beating because we never complained or said anything at all. The services on were on Sunday and we knew that the men wanted to see Megan get a spanking but Padre Edwards. resisted, although we heard the discussion quite plainly after the service.

  The fat woman came with another woman who was even heavier and they asked the Padre how it was going and he told them we were good children.

  Our plan began quite simply after we had been at, he houses for over a year and a half. Once each week we got an orange or an apple, we shared them with Joseph in an effort to improve his health. Just our being there helped to make him stronger. He told us that there was money all over the house. One day two of the parishioners arrived to speak with Padre Edwards.

   We gathered for a secret meeting. Joseph mentioned that he had found piles of money down in the basement hidden in an old wine cellar. That information was only just the beginning as we also began to discover vast amounts of cash, when we were required to do the house cleaning in closets. Once a week we had to go to the mailbox near the house. There appeared to be several brown envelopes which Joseph said were cheques from welfare agencies.

***

   Joseph was gaining some weight. He began to do some sit ups in his room. He showed me how to exercise without making any noise. We discussed in quiet tones how we could begin our revenge. He said a girl that came to the Sunday services would smile at him. He wondered to us aloud if she be some help.

   We decided to take a chance and write her a note asking for help. We used a notebook that came every month and was stored in a spare room downstairs. We were supposed to be home schooled but the Preacher told us that everything we needed to know was in the bible. All the pencils and pens had been taken to the Padres office so we could not correspond with anyone. This was going to be tricky and Megan asked to do the job. She was told to vacuum the floor in his office and was watched by his wife Ruth, except one day the doorbell rang and Megan grabbed a pencil off the desk and hid it in her panties.

   After several discussions we decided to write a note saying we needed help, that we were prisoners in this Pastor's home and she should call the police for us. This idea completely backfired when the girl would not take a note and one of the parishioners saw him try to slip it to her. The preacher demanded to see the note but Joseph swallowed it before the man tried to take it from him.

   He sustained a beating, which caused him to bleed. He was in excruciating pain but insisted we carry on. The problem was more severe because both the Padre and Ruth kept us continually under surveillance, even at night.

   Ruth now sat by the balcony stairs to listen for any sound from above. We found it difficult to understand how she stayed up all night. Megan began to see if Ruth slept and every night, she fell asleep within minutes of taking her watch role.

***

   We realized that at some time the entire bleak situation of our slavery would end. It was surprising however how it all played out. Ruth somehow had a pattern of slapping Megan for some picayune reason just after breakfast. The man Dale stood by and watched this abuse without comment.

   Megan had had enough, and in a sudden display of anger pushed Ruth who fell against the counter. The Preacher tried to spring from his chair and as if by remote control both Joseph and I managed to push his chair over and he sprawled backward onto the floor. He was now screaming in abject anger and Joseph went over and began to kick him. I joined him and it was strange how Dale's anger turned to weeping.

   "Don't hit me" he cried, taking his arms to cover his head.

   Ruth was now beginning to try and help him and Megan went over and took hold of the back of her dress, pulling at her hair so she was unable to move. She also began to shout and yell and whimper. Joseph stopped kicking at the old man, he signalled to me to continue the onslaught.

   My anger now made me reach down and I took hold of his shirt and commenced smacking him across the face. Joseph charged over and joined Megan as they flailed Ruth with hands.

Joseph then cried: “Under the sink there is rope for these two suckers."

   Megan stopped smacking Ruth who was by now, trying to fight back. The rope was in a roll which Joseph took and wrapped around Ruth who now realized she was in serious trouble and began throwing her arms aorund . The preacher tried to get up and seeing this effort, Joseph grabbed hold of a knife and pointed the blade at Dale.

   "Either one of you make one more and you will get this in your stomach. Dale had tried to get up but now laid quietly. Ruth was now tied up fully by Megan who knotted the rope and cut it off. As she worked, I was really in awe of this skill. Ruth was completely trussed up and now sat quietly on a chair sobbing.

   Megan leaned down slapped her on the face and told her to shut up. Joseph and I lifted Dale onto a chair and we ran the rope around him and tied him to it.

   They were both frightened out their wits but Dale told us, that we were in big trouble, at which Joseph went over and smacked him extremely hard across the head and warned him to keep his mouth shut. We knew that church members often stopped over at various times of the day.

   We left the room to discuss our next move, Megan suggested that we put them down in the punishment room and we moved them one at a time down the stairs, taking Ruth first. When we began moving Dale, he tried to get away. I guess Joseph's anger had not yet reached its sheathing point until that moment.

   He turned Dale to face him and then let go the most vile and teeming utterance I had never heard in my young life. He followed this with punches to Dale's body and face; I had to stop him as I had fears by now, he would really damage the old man. We tied them up in the room and Megan brought a pail for them to eventually use as a toilet. The old man was visibly bruised and bleeding and Megan towelled him off; both were now bellowing like children. Once we walked out of the room, we realized it was soundproof. We returned to the kitchen and Megan straightened up the room and washed the dishes. We now had a real dilemma. We had control but were unable to capitalize as yet.

***

   We concluded that our first goal was to get our hands on all monies hidden away. We began in the old wine cellar, where there were piles of bills which we placed in plastic bags. Next, we searched their bedroom, where another treasure trove of bills was hidden in the closet. Every closet, drawer, table, money was found packed away in bags and just lying loose.

   Megan searched the desk and found five bankbooks and statements showing several thousand dollars being held. Joseph found a secret store of money in a linen closet hidden by a sliding door. We produced numerous ideas as to where money could be hidden. Several other items were found in Dale's desk, including investment statements.

   Our documents that they had regarding their responsibilities as foster parents were also discovered. Joseph’s documents were however missing. We sat out in the living room rummaging through our minds when it suddenly dawned on Joseph that there may be a safe behind a large picture of Jesus in the dining room.

   “Just as we entered the room, the doorbell rang and Megan saw it was two of church members, a couple who came to get a coffee every week. Megan went out to speak to them. We could hear her tell them, that the Preacher and Ruth were in town and would be back later. They both left and continued walking down the street It was fast thinking by Megan but we realized that to continue to pursue our takeover we would have to produce a better story and also to get rid of their car. which was in the garage. Joseph also said that the Preacher and Ruth would also have to go. I knew what he meant, but Megan asked where did they have to go.?

***

   Now that we were safe from the evil couple, we had the difficulty with our young minds of escaping from the slave house. We ate whatever food we could find but none of us so far could cook. I remembered that our mother use to order pizza and Chinese food on the phone. Megan looked in the telephone book and several restaurants delivered. We began to order enough for the couple who were now acting like children and ate everything we brought. We always went down as a group just in case they would try and jump us.

   We decided to count the money we found. When we got to a figure in the thousands we stopped. We had taken money to pay for the food, but we needed other supplies as well.

   The punishment room now smelled like a rest room. Joseph produced the idea to call a cab and he and Megan would go out and buy groceries and other items. They were gone for some time. When they returned They unloaded piles of items. Megan put all the items away.

   We still had Sunday to look forward to and the parishioners asking about Dale and Ruth. On Saturday morning we began to hear them banging on the wall and Joseph went down and quieted them down. But as sometimes happens fate intervenes to assist in devious plans. On Saturday night it began to snow with the result that nothing was moving in town according to the news.

  Streets were clogged with congestion.  Members began to call asking for the Padre and were told the service was cancelled. . The snow piled up halfway up their house and it turned out to be the storm of the century. We were unable to go out and so  Megan said she would try and make a pot of stew. We did need to feed our "prisoners" a good breakfast. Megan found a good recipe and while searching produced a prize find. Hidden under the pots and pans was a plastic wrapper containing the door keys for the house including the main bedroom. On a small scrap of cardboard was the combination to the safe which we had found had eluded us.

   Megan began cooking while we checked out first locks for all rooms in the house. The lock on the bedroom was very heavy and it was our thought to lock them up in there but the door opened from the inside. However, we saw that the inside lock was shut down when locked from outside and it would work perfectly for our needs.

   We next checked the safe, the combination did not work immediately for us. Joseph tried diverse ways of it working but it would not open. Our inexperience with a safe was quite apparent. We sat down and thought about it for 20 minutes until it dawned us that the centered circular wheel needed to begin at "zero".

   Once we began that method, it opened immediately. Joseph was very calm when he opened the door and the unlocked inside door, but both of us went absolutely berserk at the contents.   

  I ran and shouted for Megan and she came quickly from the kitchen. Lined up in packets were thousands of dollars in various values. There were also envelopes containing birth certificates including ours and Joseph's.

   The documents were like a history of the despicable people we now controlled. There was news articles pasted into a scrap book detailing the disappearance of several children going back at least ten years. They had been running a foster child fraud for several years. We removed money and placed it with other funds in a large trunk, but it was now overflowing. Joseph searched and found some suitcases, which we filled to capacity. Counting up this horde was impossible for us.

   Later that day Megan and Joseph took the couple, piled up plates of stew which they gobbled down and pleaded for more.

   We also ate and decided our next move. We concluded that we needed to get them out of the basement into their bedroom and lock them in. Thankfully, they had bars on their windows. Next, we had to leave but not before informing the authorities. Joseph hit on something else. The two fat women were part of the scheme. Children had disappeared and they should have acted against the couple but nothing happened. The follow up stories in the papers did not show that any of the children were found. Fortunately they kept a scrapbook of their

  Joseph said he would do anything to see them go to jail. But then again what about the money. The next day after we moved them, they tried to make a deal.

   It was still snowing and the radio said that people were to stay inside. The Preacher offered us the money in the wine cellar which we already had. We said nothing. Joseph always had a knife in his hand when talking with them. What we did not know was that there was a phone hidden in their bedroom. But thankfully the lines were all down, phones were not useable. We unplugged the main line from the phone jack.

   Megan cooked up a huge stir fry with chicken but used up most of the veggies in the house. The storm was still dropping tons of snow around the house so we were stuck.

   We sat down one day for with an idea of planning. Megan again proved to be the brains of our gang. Numerous snowmobiles were active. She suggested we contact one, to get food. We also were afraid that parishioners would attempt to see the Preacher. On the fourth night it was still snowing but not as hard. The wind was roaring and blowing snow hit the house.

   The lights went out about at sundown and the couple began banging on the door. Luckily, Megan had made an early dinner which was chicken and rice. Joseph ordered them to quiet down that the hydro was out.

    A young man on a snowmobile showed up in early evening asking if we needed help and we asked for food. We made a list of food we could use without a stove and he promised to bring us a propane stove to do some cooking. We went to pay him but he said he was working for the State Police. Much later he returned with a box full of food items and toilet tissue. He also mentioned that the since the snow had stopped the road crews were out cleaning the roads. We were still uncertain how to proceed without having to take drastic action against the prisoners.

***

      We sat down to discuss our next move. Joseph was easily angered about the preacher and his wife.

   "We need to finish them off." he said with wide eyes.

   "No, we don’t, we would be worse than them" Megan said.

  "We should call in the Police, before the church members start asking questions.” I interjected.

Megan held up her hand to get the floor.

   "First we need to find a way to get all the money together and put it somewhere, we will need canvas bags and a hideout nearby, to safeguard our future. I suggest we find a place to rent and hide the money there. Next we have to figure out a way to bring in the police."

   The next day the roads were cleared and some of the parishioners began to knock on the door. Megan thought of an ingenious way of scaring them off by making a sign which said QUARANTINE IN EFFECT - CHICKEN POX. We laughed ourselves silly.

   Joseph took out the Old Chevvy on the roadways of town and was able to manage it pretty well. He also taught me how to drive. Next, we purchased several large canvas bags at the Lowe’s store. We then filled the bags with the money. All the securities were also stored in a metal banking box. Joseph went out with several of the bags to a storage place and rented a large room which we filled with the bags. We worked on shifting the money while Megan took care of our prisoners. One day a group of the church members showed up and were sacred off by Megan but we knew we were running out of time.

   Joseph said:

   "If we don't get rid of them, we will be sorry because they will tell the cops a different story, like we highjacked them. Megan, we need to start feeding them poison in their food."

   Megan thought about what he said for a few minutes.

   "We need to get another car that Joseph will drive and use their car which Ryan will use. We map out our escape route but get the money before we leave. There are ten bags of money so we will need to have truck of some kind that has an enclosed area in the back. We will drive our prisoners out to a desolate place in the country and leave them with a bag of food. Their car will be driven into a lake some where and we will meet at that location. We will then leave and hide out in some motel or cabins., What do you think?"

   We thought about her plan and discussed it for over two hours. Both Joseph and I added our opinions. We knew that two old people on the highway would attract attention, thus saving them from a sure demise. Joseph really wanted to kill them off but we argued against it. Although Megan and I were only fifteen we realized it was a big-time criminal offence. Next Joseph said:

   "Look I am only sixteen they will never sell me a truck, I would need to steal one and I really don't know how to do that, I still think we need to off these two assholes."

   Megan nodded her head but I said nothing and I felt a shiver run up my back. "How would do that Joseph?"

     He answered immediately: " Hanging" he said quietly.

   Megan replied for both of us when she said, "No way Joseph."

   Then it suddenly hit me and I had the last word:

   " Why not do anything; by just leaving - we have the car which we can use for a while then we split up. We take some of the cash and then begin travelling across the country or fly out of the country. Our identity documents should get us somewhere. We use a map to plan where we will meet. "

   Megan nodded her head but Joseph shook his head wildly. " Ryan that is nuts- those two monsters will tell the police officers the license number on the car and we would be dead in the water really fast. No, our only safeguard is to make sure they cannot talk to anyone. But whatever we have to move fast them two fat dames will be here probably tomorrow. "

***

   Joseph's fears were realized the very next day. The prisoners were now yelling as much as they could until Joseph went in and slapped them both. The woman as usual knocked and Megan answered while I stood behind them when they entered.

“What’s this all about?" spoke the woman known as Gilda said in a high-pitched voice.

Joseph pointed to the couch near the door and was holding a very sharp kitchen knife.

   "If you value your lives, you better sit down and keep your mouth shut. Megan, you take their purses and Joseph tie their hands."

  The other woman named Mary spoke up. 'So, the patients have taken over the nut house we see."

"Just keep your mouth's shut or I will run this into you" he said flashing the knife.

   Megan grabbed their purses. I stood by as Joseph walked over in a very confrontational manner.

  "We have your two SOBS locked up and we are now going to make sure none of you ever see the light of day again." joseph said with overly dramatic effect because the women began to suddenly weep.

   Without losing a step Megan piped in making the women stop and listen “Stop bawling and listen this whole thing with these two maniacs could work to your advantage. We are willing to pay so you get lost and so do the those two." she said pointing to the hallway.

   The tandem of the three of us came together within seconds. The women began to nod.

   Megan continued her offer. ' We have some money found in this house and also investments along with bank books. They are swimming in cash and assets. We will turn all of it over to you if you take them off our hands. This house is also good for a lot of money. We have information, by the way that you two along with them would be arrested by the police, for what we found out is fraud and you are their helpers."

   The woman thought about Megan's stunning offer which I thought as fantastic. Evan Joseph could not help but smile. We made a good team One of the women, who had terrible black and rotting teeth spoke up.

   "How much money are we taking about and how do we know we can trust you not to spill the beans to the police?

   Joseph entered the conversation.

    As far as the money the bag is filled with thousands in tens and twenties., so we may even count it. The investments are convertible, I saw it on the envelope and they are about $20 thousand each and there are five of them. The money in the bank is something you will have to finagle from the old couple. We have set aside some travelling money and the rest is yours."

Joseph deliberately left out the other nine bags filled with cash but the three of us were really rolling with the B.S.

"What do we do with the Preacher and his Mrs."

"Thats up to you but I dare say they need to place somewhere that is very far from you two women and us. Joseph is very mad at them and could do something very evil'" I said.

   The women looked at each other and shook their heads in the affirmative. The woman with the rotten teeth asked to see the money and all of other documents. In the meantime, the two people in question bean banging on their door, Joseph left to get the money and docs and handed me the knife. I said to them get up and open their door and speak to them, and I advise you to be careful what you say. Megan went over with them and opened the door with her key. She was now also holding a dummy gun we had purchased which did not work but looked menacing.

The women stood at the doorway as Megan unlocked the door holding the gun up so the two captives looked very fearful.

The woman with the rotten teeth was the spokes person when she said.

" What have your terrible people been up to. These children have given us the goods on you and we are going to turn you into the police. PUE what a stink." she said as Megan opened the door, pointing her fake gun at the two oppressors.

   "Tie them up and I will call police." Joseph actually put the knife in his teeth like a pirate which caused me to laugh aloud. The old man was stymied by the whole episode. He beg an shouting that he and his wife were hostages but rotten teeth quieted him down by slapping him across his face. Megan assisted Joseph in tying them both up and just at that moment there was a knocking at the front door of the house. Joseph took hold of the gun Megan was holding and slipped it into a cupboard and glanced out the window announcing: - it is the police officers.

   Megan answered the door and two police officers from the Washington State police entered after asking permission.

"Who are you people and what is happening here?" they asked.

   Rotten teeth responded pointing to the old man and his wife have been employed by the children's aid society where we are inspectors. They have according to these three young people who rescued themselves been starving the children in their care and may have eliminated others.

"We were merely checking on a complaint from some of this guy's parishioners. How do you know that they eliminated children in their care?"

Joseph now spoke up saying " They are all buried out in the back yard and I know I was next."

***

   The next few hours were a blur. Detectives came and forensics came and went. The so-called preacher and his wife were handcuffed and read their rights. We were placed in a police car awaiting further developments. There were five graves dug in a corner of the backyard and a tarp was placed over the area. The two women remained for questioning. The police brought us water and sandwiches. Night was falling when rotten teeth and her cohort came with the police to tell us we were going to be going to a safe house.

   We had driven for about ten minutes when the woman named Gilda stopped the car and turned to Joseph saying: - "Now what about the money Joseph?"

   "The place it is stored is closed now but we can go tomorrow after nine.” They went in and paid for the rooms and said they would be back in the morning.”

   Joseph waited till they drove away and ordered a cab heading to the storage unit. He picked up a bag and returned within an hour. There was he figured about a hundred thousand dollars in the bag.

  The woman arrived. They were shocked at heavy the bag was and were unable to hoist it into their car.

   Rotten teeth then began a discussion about our honesty. "You must have several of these bags I think and this is just the tip of the iceberg. All the bills are neatly rolled up and rubber bands are on them. I think we should have at least half of your nest egg. Otherwise, we will tattle on you to the police officers.” She spoke.

   Very soon Megan and I actually realized how very clever Joseph was when he said:

   “You have ladies as much as you are going to get, but if you push the issue, I have some documents I am sure the police would really like to have regarding your involvement with the asshole preacher and his jerk water wife. I have them hidden and if you don't vamoose really fast and take your dough we will produce the evidence."

   They nearly fell over carrying the bag as they left in their cars. We had no clothes but grabbed a cab quickly to get away. Joseph handed each of several bundles of cash which we put into paper bags. Next, we headed to a small town nearby and Joseph saw a guy with an old truck in a roadside restaurant. He offered to buy truck from the man for 1500.00. The guy jumped at the chance and we piled in. Joseph drove to our storage unit and we loaded up a bag of money.

***

   That all happened eight years ago. We now live in Panama. There are hundreds of expats here especially in Panama City. Megan is married to a retired military officer from the US Navy. She lives in the town of Boco. Both Joseph and I still live in the city. We own a hotel called Palacio which has two hundred rooms and is on the main street. We pay it off just so we do not have to say where the money came from. I have girl friend named Alicia who is a Panamanian and Joseph lives in a house he bought nearby. We had to appear in court for trial of the two culprits and they got life for their crimes constantly complaining that we had stolen their money.

“What money?” we said,

   The money was taken out at the legal limit of twenty thousand twice a year and so far, we still have five bags remaining. We have a terrific life!