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IT WAS 11:00 P.M. AND time to call Mr. Bob. Jim nonchalantly walked to his hiding place near the pay phone and waited patiently for Craig to make his rounds and pass by. As he drove past going north on Main Street, Jim stepped out and put a quarter in the slot and dialed the unlisted number and waited for it to ring on the other end.
“This is Bob. Is this you?”
“If you’re talking about your conscience, the answer is yes.”
“Why did you kill Butch?”
“It seemed I couldn’t get your attention any other way. Do I have it now?”
“Yes. What do you want from me?”
“I want you to try to convince me that I shouldn’t kill your other dog.”
“Other dog? I don’t have another dog!”
“Oh, yes, you do. That mad son of yours.”
“No! You wouldn’t kill Craig, would you?”
“That depends on you and on Craig.”
“What do you want us to do?”
“Do you have a pencil and paper?”
“Just a minute, I’ll get it. Okay, I’m ready to write.”
“Now listen, Little Bobby asshole. If you don’t follow my instructions to the letter I’ll kill one more dog this week, and won’t lose any sleep over it.”
“Just tell me. I promise we’ll do as you say.”
“Good. If you do everything I say, I promise you’ll never hear from me again.”
“I’ll do anything.”
“I’m going to let you buy your way out of this mess again. However, because you can’t control your dog, Craig, the price has gone up.”
“How much?”
“$250,000.”
“$250,000? I can’t do that!”
“I’m hanging up now...I’m almost ready to hang up. I really wanted to shoot that son of a bitch of yours anyway.”
“Wait! Wait! I’ll do it!”
“Little Bobby, there’s hope for you after all. What a surprise. Now listen and write. I want the $250,000 in $50 and $20 bills. Don’t try to get smart and mark the bills. Take my word for it: I’m an expert in the field. If I see they are all new bills so it would be very easy for you to write down the serial numbers, I’ll burn all the bills and kill Craig before Saturday. Do we understand each other?”
“Yes, sir.”
“This time I want the money in a red, white and blue, U. S. Post Office Priority Mailer, the rectangular, three-inches thick variety. Address it to yourself. Like last time, if you receive the package back at home, consider Craig dead. Remember that! When you have the money ready, instruct Craig to take the road to Hogback. Does Craig know where Hogback is?”
“Every one in Blue Ridge knows where Hogback is.”
“Good. Tell Craig to drive out on the ridge until he comes to the first mailbox that can’t be seen from the owner’s house. Have him put the package near the box, on the ground, and raise the flag. I want him to place the package near the box no earlier than 10:00 on Thursday morning. He then must return to the city jail before noon and stay there. If he isn’t there to answer the phone, kiss him goodbye. Any questions?”
“No.”
“Good, then tell me what you’re going to do.”
“I’m going to get $250,000 in old bills, $50 and $20 bills, put them in a self-addressed red, white and blue U. S. Post Office Mailer, the huge box variety. Craig will put the box right near the mail box on Hogback and answer the phone at the jail at noon on Thursday.”
“Perfect. If Craig completes his job well, expect someone between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. on Friday evening at your front door. This will be our last contact. Any questions?”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Why did you walk all over the people in Blue Ridge?” He hung up, immediately.
The next morning he noticed all the windows were closed at Mr. Bob’s house. It was time to let Mike and Mother know he was leaving.
“Mike, I talked to Ron Creel. He’s ready to start work.”
“When are you leaving?”
“I have a ticket for Thursday morning.”
“So soon?”
“The sooner I get there the sooner I can get back.”
“That sounds good.”
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