Chapter 5

I pulled out onto the road and headed home. The weather was getting worse and the forecast on the radio was for 1-3 inches of snow every day for the next few days. The wind had picked up as well and the gusts forced me to concentrate on my driving.

I made it home without incident. I grabbed my camera and the stuff from the video store, picked up the evening paper from the front porch, and went inside.

The house was dark and I went through to the back turning on lights as I went. I put the stuff I was carrying on the desk and went back in the kitchen.

I wasn't really very hungry after the rice pudding, so I decided to eat healthy for once. I dumped pre-bagged salad into a big bowl and added a sliced boiled egg and some grated cheese and chopped onions. A large dollop of blue cheese dressing topped off the impromptu chef's salad.

I poured a tumbler full of iced tea and carried it and the salad to the table where I ate and read the paper. The world (as usual) was going to Hell in a handbasket, at least if you believed the Capitol City Gazette. I wasn't too concerned- I'd been reading the same paper since I was a kid and the world had been headed the same way the entire time. I figured I still had a few years of folly and high living left.

I tossed the paper in the trashcan.

I finished eating and carried the bowl over to the sink and washed it out. The clean bowl went in the dish drainer to "let the Lord dry it" as my grandmother used to say.

With a fresh glass of tea I headed into the office to contemplate my prizes. The first thing I did was to make color copies of all the papers using my scanner/printer/copier. The originals went in an envelope that also held the warranty for my lawn mower. I put the envelope back in the file folder marked "Warranty Crap", using the "Purloined Letter" method of concealment.

I then burned a copy of the DVD and stashed the original in a sleeve marked " Chemical Processes: 99-001 thru 06-35" and put it in the disk rack with all the others. I downloaded the pictures from my camera and saved them to an encrypted and pass worded folder and printed out copies of them on photo stock from the inkjet printer.

Putting on latex gloves, I marked the DVD "Play Me" and put it back in the sleeve. It went in a 9x12 envelope along with the copies of the papers and the pictures. I brought up Word and using a large font I typed out a letter to Sherry.

"I know what you've been doing, and here's the proof. You are one hypocritical bitch! If you don't do exactly as I say I'll send copies of all this stuff to your husband, his employer, both your families and to the pastor and board of Deacons of your church. They will also go to the members of your little Anti-Porn Crusade, who I am sure will enjoy them.

I will also post them in pornographic bulletin boards on the Internet, along with all you and your husband's contact information, and on the webpage of your church for everyone to see. (www.powder-citygospel.org) Believe me, I can and will do it.

I will be in contact with you.

Do not even think of calling the police.

If you do, it will result in the information being released."

I printed the letter out and put it in the envelope with the rest of the stuff and sealed it with tape.

I also printed out a label:

Mrs. Sherry Lewis 1013 Benjamin St. Powder City

PERSONAL and CONFIDENTIAL,

and secured it to the envelope with more tape.

The envelope went into the safe bolted to the office floor.

I was on the brink of becoming a blackmailer.