What if I had taken that job instead of going to college? What if I had taken lessons instead of trying to teach myself? What if I had followed my dreams instead of taking the easier path? What if I had just said yes instead of let

THEY WERE EXTRAORDINARY

A NOVELBy RICHARD F. MANGES

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Richard F. Manges
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4759-1246-3

Chapter One

THE ABDUCTION

Barbara Fredericks planned a day out with her nine-year-old son, Keith. School had recently ended. She and Keith's dad, Richard, promised to buy him new clothes for summer and, most important to Keith, a shining new fishing rod and reel. He could hardly wait to spend days at a time fishing with his buddies, Nick and Nelson Hollack.

"Hurry up, Keith. All the stores have sales. I want to get to the mall before they sell out," his mom called up to him. Keith was absorbed in the TV looking at sports. School was finally over for a while and he was happy to spend more time at leisurely pursuits befitting a nine year old. "O.K. Mom, I'm coming," he answered as he bounced down the stairs. She smiled and shook her head, wishing he would just walk, but realizing that may not happen for many a year.

"Have you given any thought to what new clothes you would like?"

Barbara asked as they were heading out.

"How about some shirts, T-shirts, shorts, and sneakers," he quickly responded. Then he added, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I need new swim trunks—maybe three, or even four."

"Three or four," she said, amazed, and smiled to herself. He didn't mention the nice trousers or shirts she contemplated buying.

"I want to do a lot of fishing and swimming in those big ponds on our farm and next to Nick and Nelson's too and they may wear out."

Barbara smiled. "That's a lot of time to be fishing and swimming. Dad and I will have some chores for you around the farm and you have to help with the horses, you know. Besides, we have a tutor coming twice a week to help you with mathematics so you will do better in school."

"Oh, I forgot about that," he said, somewhat dejectedly. "Well I guess my new pole will help me catch more fish anyway," he said after a while.

Barbara smiled and responded, "I sure hope so honey. I remember all the fish. They were yummy. I guess I need to keep extra room in the freezer."

"You betcha, Mom," he nodded his head affirmatively.

"I also want to buy you some trousers and shirts for school next year. You are growing by leaps and bounds and already some of your clothes will not fit you."

"O.k., Mom. You can pick those out," he responded, not very interested. Barbara suspected as much. It would take a few more years for him to be clothes-conscious. She was in no hurry. He was still her precious little boy.

"We need to stop at the bank to deposit some checks, pay a bill, and get more cash," she said as she turned toward the bank.

"O.K., Mom," he answered. The bank was practically empty; there were just two customers, one man and one woman, and four bank employees. Barbara moved behind the other customer as one teller was busy handling and counting cash. She felt a little impatient, wanting to get to the mall to catch those big sales she had seen advertised. Three more customers entered the bank, three men rather rough cut and dressed shabbily. She quickly turned away, not staring. She smiled to herself happy that she was on line before them. That smile was very short lived, however.

Instantaneously they were masked and brandishing pistols. The burly man shouted, "All of you down on the floor, face first." One took rope from inside his coat and tied them together. Keith held onto Barbara for dear life with his mouth and eyes wide open. She hugged him tightly, shuddering herself and aghast as to what was happening.

Just hold onto me honey. All they want is money, to herself she thought and prayed that to be the case. They went to their knees and lay prone on the hard wood floor. She continued to hold Keith tightly with her right arm, holding her purse with the left, feverishly trying to squeeze it under her body. The other two customers were near them. The woman was crying, "Please don't hurt me. You can take all my money but please don't hurt me."

Keith was sobbing, appropriate for a nine year old, at the horror of it all. Barbara was trying to shield him but was only partially successful.

There was a pounding at the bank door. Barbara was praying that someone outside noticed that the bank door was locked and the shade drawn. The leader heard the pounding and became very agitated. "Hurry up, we haven't got all day!" he shouted as the other two were in the safe, stuffing cash in whatever they could find.

"O.K. boss we can't find anything to put more in," one robber answered.

"We're outta here then," came the response. "O.K., lady. You and the kid are going with us for insurance. We'll keep you for a while just in case." The leader and another thug grabbed Barbara and Keith, blindfolding them and half pulling and half dragging them out the back door where they had parked in advance once they got the all clear from their driver who had the getaway car ready to go. She and Keith were both sobbing uncontrollably as they were shoved face down on the rear floor. One of the thieves sat in the back and held them down with his feet.

It seemed forever to Barbara as she kept praying for her and Keith's safety, trying to comfort him in her grief. She wasn't sure he could even hear her with the engine racing and the leader shouting instructions;

"Don't attract attention by speeding. They probably don't have any idea yet and they don't recognize the car."

It seemed like forever as the getaway car kept pulling them further from home. She just could not believe that this would ever happen, fearful of what would become of them. She silently asked God to intervene somehow. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would break. Her thoughts then focused on her young son. He was just nine. She tried to dispel thoughts of them dying, but realized this terrible calamity could affect him for a lifetime. She was certain it would stay with her. Keith kept sobbing, not fully understanding all that happened to him.

Richard arrived home, like normal, around 6, to an empty house with no notes or phone messages. He thought, this is strange and unusual. Barbara has always left some message if she expected to be out when I arrived from work. He checked with the neighbors, one of whom told him she noticed the car leaving around noon. He also called some friends to see if they had heard from her. When he knew that was a dead end, he was really beside himself and dialed the police, giving his wife and son's descriptions and the description of her car.

He received a call back around an hour later. "Mr. Fredericks, this is Officer Calloway. We found your wife's car. It's in the parking lot at the town bank. The bank was robbed today. We are still investigating the robbery. One of our detectives interviewed the employees and another bank customer who were tied up. They told him that the thieves took a younger woman and her son with them when they fled late this morning."

Richard felt the tears flow as his mind raced, thinking what might have happened to them.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. The state police and our officers are doing all we can to locate them and apprehend these criminals."

Richard could hardly talk, but he whispered, "Thank you. I know you are." Then he dropped the phone, sank to his knees, and sobbed uncontrollably.

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