Sybil’s Century at the Intrigue Police Station Ron AI 

When they got home, Sybil turned on her computer. She began checking her banking accounts. She pointed to the screen, “Look, Charlie, the balances are all lower! She’s transferring all my money out of my accounts!” Sybil got a wrenching feeling in her stomach and started crying. 

Charlie held her tight and whispered, “Don’t worry honey, we’ll get it back.” But even his optimistic self was beginning to doubt.

Sybil’s day had started so normally…

Sybil Johnson had a good life ten years out of college and married to her enterprising husband, Charles, a.k.a., Charlie the Carman, who made a good living selling used cars on TV and providing her with the latest and best preowned cars.

Sybil was a third-grade teacher in the little town of Intrigue, Missouri where she and her husband had no children but an active social life, beautiful home in the lovely countryside around the Missouri Breaks where they could enjoy the seasons and an outdoor lifestyle that was romantic compared to the likes of those saddled with children.

She had all the children she needed in her classes. And when schools shut down for Christmas vacation, the party began the day before. First, with the third graders exchanging a small gift, less than five dollars, and hopefully, tasteful. 

Except for Billy Rogers's gift to Gina Brand. What was supposed to be a tasty cookie, was a dried cow pie! If Sybil could have spanked him, she would have turned his butt bright red. Instead, sent him to the principal's office and consoled Gina with a doll she planned to give to her niece that evening she had stowed in her desk. It was worth more than ten dollars and all the other girls were jealous.

When Sybil arrived home, she was shocked to find a two-year-old Century sedan in the yard with blue metal flake paint and beige leather interior that exuded luxury, new smell and elegance, all wrapped in a red ribbon with a note on the dashboard.

"I'm sorry, Honey, but I have to have a grand opening today of the dealership in Ripperton. I wanted to give you your Christmas present in person, but I had to leave at 10 o'clock. I'll be home very late. Love you, Charlie."

There was some consolation. All the single teachers were having a party down at the Landlubber on the river that evening, so she climbed in behind the steering wheel of the Century and drove it off into the light snow falling to the watering hole for some food and drink.

It was a good time. Sybil danced with a couple of the handsome single teachers, all the while comparing them to her flamboyant Charlie and finding them coming up short when it came to being good dancers and the least bit romantic--probably why they were single.

She ordered from the bar something to eat but it wasn't enough to satisfy her. So, she ordered a drink, starting with peppermint schnapps for the season and ending with an overly large triple grasshopper made from creme de menthe as evergreen as a pine forest with a straw for dessert.

Leaving the bar, she passed patrolman Randy Richards, ordered to pull over drunk drivers leaving the Landlubber that evening. His heart wasn't in, but he was getting overtime. While he saw Sybil stumbling a bit to get to the car and having a little trouble finding her keys, he admired her beautiful car as it passed and decided to follow her on a hunch.

After a while, her wandering tracks in the new snow convinced him that he was following a drunk. Since he wanted to show everyone at the station that car, he waited for another mile until she was just about at the station when he turned the lights on.

Sybil thought, Oh no! Noticing that she was at Intrigue's Police Department, pulled right into the driveway and parked in a parking space. Not hitting the space correctly, partly because it was covered with snow and partly because of her state: shocked sober by red and blue lights.

Randy approached her driver's side window, and she ran it down. He said, "Ma'am, you were weaving a bit on the road from the Landlubber. Would you mind if I tested you for inebriation?"

Slurring her words a bit, Sybil replied. "I guess it'll be okay… I had a little bit to drink…"

She got out of the car and held onto the side as Randy told her to put her arms out straight and have the index finger on both hands touch her nose. She failed. And then, he asked her to walk toward him toe to heel, and Sybil failed that, too. Almost falling in the slippery snow to where Randy had to catch her.

Randy was as polite as he could be. "Ma'am, I'm afraid I'm going to have to book you. You are in no condition to drive any further on these roads tonight. We will have to detain you here until morning.

Randy held Sybil up as he walked her through the doors to the decorated reception area where he gave her a ticket and then walked her past some holding cells to a locker with a combination lock. In the locker she put her expensive winter coat, her purse with her phone in it and her high-heeled shoes. And then, with the woman officer on duty, was taken to a cell with a cot for her to sleep it off.

It was about 3 am when she was awakened by the jailer and taken to the front desk where Charlie was waiting--frantic that she was in jail. He paid the fine and she was free but not allowed to drive the new car home.

Sibyl went to the locker and used the combination she was given. To Sybil's shock, her coat and purse were gone… Even her shoes!

When they inquired, the jailer was apologetic. "Right after you came in, we released Ellen Jones, her latest alias. I let her unlock her locker and take her things. Unfortunately, last week she was here for a shoplifting offense and had that same locker that you had. I forgot to change the combination. I guess the chief is going to slap my hands for that… Maybe fire me." His darting eyes showed he was shaken up.

Charlie decided to be magnanimous. "That's okay, just put out an APB. I'm sure she'll be picked up before today is out."

The jailer shook his head, "You don't know her like I do. She's a slippery devil. I'll tell the lieutenant in charge right away, but if you can help us track her down, we'd appreciate it."

Charlie replied, “I was supposed to say that. But we are going to begin right now."

It got worse. When they got outside with Sybil tiptoeing in stocking feet, there was a single track in the new snow where the Century had been parked and admired by officers coming by and wandering around the car obliterating tracks. But the Century was gone!

Charlie said, "Jump in my car, let's follow her tracks in the snow!"

They got in the car and attempted to follow the tracks. But before they left town, other tracks joined those of the Century and others turned off, so they weren't sure what way Jones had gone. They returned home and started making calls from information Sybil had on her computer.

Ellen was one step ahead of them. When Sybil checked her numerous bank accounts, credit cards and debit cards. All of them had been accessed and money transferred, even though they were secure with double verification.

After her momentary breakdown upon seeing her accounts being emptied, with Charlie’s encouragement, she returned to answering his questions, still a bit tearfully.

Charlie asked, "How does she know your passwords?"

"Most of them are automatic from the cloud. But the ones that require a 2nd or 3rd verification, call my phone with the codes." Sybil sighed.

"They aren't all automatic, are they?"

"Maybe not. But she's got my username and password notes."

"She does! How?"

"On my notebook I keep in my purse. For times when I can't remember what those passwords are, I have so many. Keep changing them all the time, too. It's all so confusing…"

Tears started flowing again. She dabbed them with a tissue and listened to her husband’s calm advice.

"Well, we'd better get busy calling the places where you have the most money, first. Try to stop the transactions. Most places will flag big transfers. It's 4 in the morning and I doubt if those night crews are well staffed with Christmas this Sunday. You might have to wait a long time before someone answers. They may not be able to do anything until after Christmas. Let me call the police again on our landline… Get calling."

Sybil went online with Charlie’s mobile phone and started calling her bank first. Her savings account had the most money and it was being drained by small transfers as she watched. She waited a half hour before she got someone in India who couldn't help but escalated it to someone in the United States who was at the end of her shift, but tried to help and eventually told her that she couldn't… Only that the transfers were to a credit union in St. Louis.

Sybil tried to call the credit union, but they didn't have a night customer service operation. She ended up leaving messages that she didn't know would even be picked up until Monday morning. She started to panic her heart was racing so much.

"St. Louis!" Charlie declared when he heard. "That's two hours away. She could be halfway there by now. We'd better try to head her off. The police will be too slow."

"But what about our Christmas Eve plans?"

"Baby! You and I are in serious trouble! We’re going to have to ditch the plans you've made for us. We may miss Christmas altogether. Throw together something, we have to get to St. Louis before 8 a.m. if that credit union opens up on Christmas Eve."

"I've already packed for our after Christmas cruise in the Mediterranean we were going to take the day after Christmas, remember?"

"Yes, now I remember. What a mess we are in. Our passports and the tickets were in the car?"

"Yes honey, they were--in the trunk." Charlie threw up his hands in disgust and stormed into the bedroom to get his things together.

In 15 minutes, they were on the road to St. Louis. It was no freeway. It was an old Indian trail that followed the creeks and rivers turned into a state highway. The light snow had turned to drifting blizzard, so visibility was bad, and drifts were forming that made it harder to drive. 

There were cars off the road and the red lights of officers holding them up until parts of the road were cleared so they could continue. The hour and a half head start that Ellen had on them turned into three hours because road conditions were much better earlier before the wind began to howl.

Charlie and Sybil arrived in St. Louis Christmas Eve morning at 10 a.m. GPS guided them to the Gateway Credit Union. They parked and hurried up the steps, finding it open until noon.

Charlie asked a teller. "Can we see a manager?"

A manager named Mildred Ward came out and ask them, "How may I help you?"

Charlie took over. "Do you know a woman named Ellen Jones?"

"I sure do. She's one of our best members. Sometimes transfers large sums like she did last night. In fact, I think I saw her this morning at Ben's window. We can ask him."

"A good member? What do you mean… 'Large sums? That woman stole my wife's car with all her credit cards and account information, along with her mobile phone this morning and transferred large sums to her account here! We must stop her!'"

"Well, she has some CDs with us but sometimes transfers large sums and then transfers them to some crypto site on the Internet. I don't fully understand all that crypto stuff, but some people are really into it and the buy crypto coins by transferring funds from here, like her."

Charlie was getting more worried and agitated than Sybil. She was just trying to understand what was happening with her money.

They went to a room in the back and Ben Spencer left his window to join them.

"Ben, did Ellen Jones come to your window this morning? Mildred asked.

"Yes, I looked at her accounts, and she had sent a lot of small transfers from other accounts here. People do that because large amounts are usually held up by the computers. And then, I saw she had transferred, as I remember, something like $278,000 to buy crypto currency like she often does. She bought a nice $50,000 CD before she left with $7000 cash, all I had in my cash tray that time in the morning. I didn't notify you because you never stopped her from taking cash before."

"Well, let's freeze her accounts, Ben. If these folks are right, Ellen Jones is a criminal. Mr. Johnson, can you prove that Miss Jones is a criminal?"

Charlie made a quick call to the Intrigue Police Department with the speaker on. When someone answered, he asked, "This is Charlie Johnson, my wife's car was stolen there last night. Anything on that APB for Ellen Jones, who took my wife's car?

The woman on the other line said, "No, Charlie, the blizzard has hampered our attempt to stop her on the highways. You did tell us she was going to St. Louis, didn't you?"

"Yes, Sybil and I are here in St. Louis at the credit union where Ellen Jones transferred much of Sybil's money from her accounts and then transferred it to buy crypto currency. I think you need to report this to the FBI. It's probably gone overseas by now. Are the St. Louis police doing anything?"

"Yes Charlie, they told us they would be on the lookout for the car but had a lot of festivities going on with Christmas and most of their officers are tied up."

"Well, I'm calling from the Gateway Credit Union, and you need to have the FBI get busy with their accounts here to see if the money can be located and returned to my wife!"

Mildred Ward was convinced by now and told Charlie and Sybil that she would do all she could as quickly as she could before they closed for Christmas and then would resume tracking the money after Christmas until as much of Sybil's money as possible could be retrieved. She also recalled that Ellen had used other names like Eillen Crouch and Eileen Madison, changed because of marriage and divorce, she said.

"We've got to find the car and since I'm a car dealer, I think I know how to do it. Is there somewhere where we can grab breakfast?"

"There's a little café that serves breakfast across the street. You can't miss it." Mildred smiled for the first time.

On their walk across the street to Stacy's Shack, Charlie was already sending out Googles in search of the Century. By the time they had finished their breakfast, he had a match with a local used car lot that didn't have a website and didn't have a very good Yelp reputation. Charlie knew those places and the kind of people that ran them.

GPS took them right to the lot in the seedy side of town in 20 minutes. There, in the front row, shining bright without any snow on it, was Sybil's car! They pulled up to the small office and saw a shaved head guy inside through the dirty window. Charlie got out and told Sybil to, "Stay in the car."

Charlie knocked on the door of the office, and the guy waived him on in. He was covered with tattoos wherever skin showed under his heavy sweater because the room was only heated by a little electric space heater with its fan making an annoying buzzing sound. He was at a computer keyboard with greasy hands and black under his fingernails. He was missing a couple of teeth.

"I saw your ad for the Century out front for $59,000. You may have heard of me, I'm Charlie the Carman from Intrigue, Springfield and a dozen other Missouri towns. I know your kind. That's my wife's car, stolen from her last night, that you have for sale out front. You've got a lot of explaining to do!"

The guy reached in his desk drawer and came up with a Glock 9. "Listen, Mr. car guy or whoever you think you are, get out of my face or I'll call the cops!"

"They've already been notified. And so has the FBI. There is an APB out for the woman who sold that car to you. You're in a lot of trouble if you don't put that gun down and start cooperating right now. What's the story and hurry! We’re trying to catch up with her."

The guy dropped the gun on the desk, "Okay, okay… I'll tell you. I've got the gun and all you got is talk. But I'll assume you're right and believe you. No sweat off me." He grinned.

"She stopped here about an hour ago with that beautiful car. She said her name was Sybil Johnson. Said that her son had cancer in the hospital here and she needed cash. She traded the car in for a beater--all she said she needed to get around--and I gave her all the cash I had on hand, $27,000. She didn't know anything about the value of the car, so I made the deal without checking anything about the car. Put it up for sale right away on the Internet because some rich guy may want it for his wife this Christmas."

"That's why I bought it for $52,000 for my wife Sybil a few days ago and gave it to her yesterday. She's sitting in my Lexus out front. Can you see her? She's mighty upset because that woman stole her car. Was there anything in it?"

"There were some bags and things in the trunk that looked quite expensive. She put them in the beater before she drove off. I was just so happy to make the deal, I didn't do any checks on the car. She was dressed rich and had a convincing story."

"Well, it's listed as stolen and you're in trouble unless I bail you out. Call the police and tell them that you have the stolen car, and I will transfer $27,000 back into your bank account. You have a bank account, don't you?"

"That's mighty kind of you, Mr. ahh…–"

"Charles Johnson, but I go by Charlie."

"Any idea where she was going?"

"She didn't say, but if I was her, I would rent a plane and fly the hell out of here with all that money and those fancy bags."

"Tell the police that I'll charge them for damages if they scratch it while putting the car in impoundment. My wife and I are going to the airport right now and I'll be back later to talk to the police and get the car released so that I can have it either driven or hauled back to Intrigue."

Charlie got the guy's bank account number and made the transfer from his bank on his mobile phone. Something that he did routinely during his business. Turned out the guy was named Corky Klein. A name Charlie had seen on paperwork at the office. He did business all over the state with lots of used car dealerships. He rushed back to the car.

As Charlie was getting in the driver's seat, Sybil asked, "Is everything okay? That guy looked mean…"

"No, he looked that way, but it turns out that I do business with him occasionally. You're getting your car back, but first the police must impound it to clear it from being stolen before returning it to us. Might take a week."

"Are we going on the cruise?"

"I don't know. But we're headed to the airport to see if we can catch her before she gets away on us again. She's got a couple hours head start on us now and may already be gone. I'll call the local police and get them to the airport now."

Charlie dialed 911 and was quickly transferred to police dispatch. He started to pull out of the lot as he talked, trying to concentrate both on getting underway and getting the police to the airport.

"Listen, I have an emergency. I have reason to believe that a woman named Ellen Jones or Eileen Crouch with an APB out of Intrigue, Missouri, may be headed to the airport. She may be masquerading as my wife, Sybil Johnson."

Sybil listened intently as Charlie make several one-word answers to questions from police dispatch, and then hung up, getting back to driving while checking the GPS on how to get to Lambert International Airport about 10 miles away.

Curious, Sybil asked, "Everything okay? Are they going to get her?"

Charlie got a sour look on his face. "No, they promised but also told me they were tied up with Christmas Eve celebrations and couldn't chase down one suspect among many they have APBs on. We'll have to do it ourselves."

A half-hour later, the couple was in the waiting room to see the airport director amid a bunch of complaining air travelers that were very vocal. Finally, after another long wait, a young man with a tag that read, Terrence Rivers, came up to them and said, "Follow me."

In a small office nearby, he explained, "The director is too busy to talk to you. She has given me your case. I'm Terry. What is it you're here for?"

Charlie had a lot of pent-up emotion. "We're here with an urgent matter! A woman who stole my wife's car with all her identity in it has probably come to the airport and left already because no one seems to think an APB on a fleeing woman identity thief is unimportant on Christmas Eve!" Sybil thought he was going to explode his face was so red and his eyes bugged out so much in anger.

"Now, now Mr.…"

Charlie quipped, "Charles Johnson… Charlie"

"I'll get on it as quick as I can. Who is it you're looking for?"

"I don't know for sure. But try Sybil Johnson first. She may be impersonating my wife." Waving his right hand towards Sybil.

Terry searched the airlines on the computer. The passenger lists didn’t, with anything with that name. When he tried Ellen Jones, Eileen Madison and Eileen Crouch, he still came up with nothing.

Terry said, "Maybe she didn't come here. You said she had an old car that she could've driven out-of-state by now."

"I doubt it with the weather the way it is. Let me call Corky's Auto Sales to get the description and the number on that temporary plate that probably has been removed or changed."

Terry called Transportation and asked them if they had seen the car.

The guy on the other end of the line, said, "Yes we found that car abandoned on the Parkway. There were tracks from a shopping cart leaving the car to the main terminal. We towed the car and impounded it. There was no license plate on the car at all. Probably was stolen."

Terry said to Charlie, "She's here. We just must find out where she went. I'm going to try our charter services.

After two charter services told her they hadn't seen anyone other than their normal traffic, Terry got lucky. He called Riverside Charters and the wife of the owner, the pilot, answered.

"Hello Lucy, this is Terry Rivers calling from the airport director's office. Did you charter a flight this morning to a young lady?"

"Yes, she came in here with some bags dressed to the nines but looked a little rough for being a wealthy woman named Sybil Johnson. She was upset because she couldn't fly to her sister's in New Jersey today because her flight had been overbooked. That front that kept us from flying yesterday had passed through and she paid cash, so John took her to Newark. They left an hour ago. Should be there soon."

"Can you reach John and tell him he's carrying a fugitive with an APB out of Missouri?

"Okay, hold on." She left her phone open and got on the radio. Came back a couple of minutes later.

"I'm sorry, John just told me that he just left Newark and was heading back. I guess she came and left earlier then I thought. John said she hailed a cab after he landed, and he didn't have any information on the cab."

Terry turned to Charlie and Sybil, "I'm sorry, but it looks like she got away. I suggest you get hold of Newark Liberty International Airport." He shook his head in regret.

Charlie said, "Thanks. You helped us a lot. First, I'm going to have to call the police in Intrigue to tell them what happened. The FBI will surely be involved now. But if you don't mind, can we stay here a while and make those calls?"

Terry said, "Sure, stay as long as you like."

By that time, Sybil was getting tired and hungry. She asked, "Are we through?"

"Not yet, let me call Intrigue Police and tell them what we know. And then let's grab some food here in the airport."

While they ate, Charlie's mind was buzzing about what they should have done but didn't in time. He thought about calling Newark Liberty but didn't. After they ate, they drove to the St. Louis Police Department and filled out the required paperwork to get Sybil's car out of impoundment and back to Intrigue in a couple of days. The roads had been cleared on their way back home. They drove in silence with a lot on their minds.

When they got home Charlie called the police department again.

"Any news on the APB?" Charlie asked.

The woman that answered replied, "Yes, the FBI put a young agent on it. His name is Richard Rigatoni, and his phone number is 825-755-0456."

Charlie immediately thanked the woman and dialed the number.

"Is this Agent Rigatoni? I'm Charles Johnson, the husband of the woman whose identity was stolen. Do you have anything on the case?"

"Yes, I do. When I was assigned the case, I immediately called Liberty International Airport, and they told me what cab companies waited in the line today at the charter jet arrival hanger. It was a Buber driver… A guy named Ravi Aswami, a student from Newark State. When I caught up with him, he was already on his way back from Atlantic City where he said he dropped her on a corner in a very seedy part of town. He was worried about her. Even though she was dressed like a rich woman but had the look and demeanor of a street-smart person. But then, she hailed a guy on the street and paid him cash to help carry her bags. The last Ravi saw of them was them walking down the street as he drove off. Said he couldn't complain, she paid him double what his fair was. Told him it was, 'holiday pay'."

"Anything after that?"

"I checked, and that neighborhood was known for identity creating businesses that moved around a lot, so they were hard to trace. Always out of rented offices that were mostly vacant and even looked vacant while in operation. I'm afraid she may be gone. But I’ll try to find if she tried to change identity and if she left town either by cab, bus or plane. I've got all of them alerted from some camera shots we have of her. We'll get her as she tries to leave Atlantic City."

"I'm beginning to doubt it. An officer here told me that she was slippery. I'm beginning to believe it."

"Don't give up Mr. Johnson, the FBI never does."

"You have my number; I'd appreciate it if you keep me posted if anything comes up."

Charlie called the Cruise line, and they told him they could only reschedule the cruise later, but they were already going to board ticket holders in four days leaving from Venice.

As a consolation, the next day, Christmas Day, Charlie drove Sybil to Branson, and they checked into a spa for a few days to relax. But Charlie couldn't, entirely, and called once a day to Richard and asked if there was anything New. Finally, on the third day that he called, Rigatoni had some news.

"We got some video from a casino in Atlantic City. Found out later that she checked in there with identification of Nancy Combs. That name is not anywhere on FBI files. She must have bought it in that neighborhood she was dropped off in. And checked out soon after. We don't have any identification on the young couple In the video with her yet.

"My assumption is that she probably paid them to take her somewhere where she could either board a boat or take another charter flight out of the country. It sure looks like that's where she is headed."

"Any idea where?"

 “If she’s stupid, would be on the cruise right now."

"The cruise? I talked to them a couple of days ago. Told me they couldn't refund my money and to rebook another cruise in the future."

"Check again and let me know what you find out so that I can tell Interpol. They've been working on the offshore crypto currency angle for us on the case. No leads yet."

Charlie hung up and called the cruise line again. Demanding high level customer service, he finally got it.

"I had a Mediterranean cruise leaving Venice two days ago, but my wife and I couldn't take the cruise because the tickets were stolen. I'm calling to find out if those tickets were used by anyone?"

The managing agent looked on the computer and said, "Yes, it says that a young couple, Mr. and Mrs. Rolf Anderson from Winona, Minnesota, newlyweds, are on the cruise. There is a note that they told, upon boarding, that you were the bride's aunt and uncle and had given them the tickets as a wedding gift. We checked, and all was on the up and up, so they boarded and are enjoying the cruise of their lives on their honeymoon."

"We don't know them, and I don't know why they would use our tickets. But I'd like to find out. Can I get in touch with them? They used our stolen tickets."

"That's highly unusual, sir, but under the circumstances, if the tickets were stolen, I can arrange a satellite telephone call, but it will be expensive. What's your time zone?"

"USA Central Standard Time. It's 4:50 pm here in Missouri."

"We will call you later when we have set up the call. Okay, Mr. Johnson?"

They called an hour later and said they had arranged with the couple to make the call at precisely 2 am Missouri time when the couple got up and got to the bridge at 8 am with 6 hours difference in time.

Neither Charlie nor Sybil could get any sleep until the call came in on a computer that the spa provided them. It was a video hook up with the other couple on the ship's bridge, but they stayed in their bed clothes as the couple appeared.

Rolf was eager to speak, "We're sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. We thought it was you that gave us the tickets." Their faces bore the innocence of youth.

Charlie replied, "Who was it?" 

"I'll let my wife, Roan, explain."

"We are third-year year students at Winona State and decided to get married and take the second semester off. We were both suffering mid college crisis and needed to get away. All my folks could afford was a ticket to Rome and back for their wedding gift. But we got nearly $7000 in wedding gifts and turned most of that into cashier's checks we had with us." She paused for a moment… Thinking.

"When we got off the plane in Rome not knowing what we would do and thinking about just going to a hotel first, I saw a woman in the crowd holding up a big sign that announced, Discount Cruise. I dragged Rolf reluctantly over to her and she took us to the side to talk to us. She looked rough but was well-dressed. Told us that she had left her husband and didn't want to go on the cruise with him. She told us she would sell us the tickets, cheap.

"I asked her, 'How much,' and she replied, '$7000.'"

"I told her that was all we had, and she took pity on us and said she would do it for $5000. Rolf kept poking me, but she seemed sincere, and I didn't think we were being cheated. We had to go and get our bags so that I could open the one that had our travelers checks. I gave her $5000, and she gave us the tickets.

"I remember what she told us. 'Take the first bus to Venice because you will be boarding tomorrow morning. And tell them that Mr. Johnson and I are your aunt and uncle and decided to give our tickets to you as a wedding present. We were very scared we were being cheated, but everything worked out well and we are having a fabulous time." She smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry, you were cheated. She stole the tickets from you!" She scowled. Looked like she was about to cry.

Rolf added, "Do we owe you for the tickets? I promise I will get a job when we get back home and pay you."

Both Charlie and Sybil felt like crying. Charlie answered. "No, it wasn't your fault. But it's a big casualty loss for us and I will use on our income tax this year. You guys continue to enjoy your cruise, and I hope you two have a great life together like Sybil and I have. This is my mobile phone number. I'm Charlie the Carman from Intrigue, Missouri. Keep in touch with us after you come back and get back into school and your lives.

The call closed and the couple knew that the villain had completely evaded them. Sybil had her car back to take to school the day after New Year's. But she spent months reestablishing her identity and hoping that it hadn't been sold to some others. 

And then, six months later, they got a call from Dick Rigatoni…

"Good news. From all the videos we got of Ellen Jones, we managed to come up with a composite using AI for face recognition. Interpol found her in Mauritius where she had already set up a little money laundering business. 

They have her in jail for extradition back to the United States where she is wanted in several states. They are also tracking down her money and retrieving it from crypto sites. I'm not saying that you will get all of your money back, but from what they tell me, you will get most of it back."

They both sighed in relief, hugged each other, and cried. Charlie, through his flowing tears, said, "Remind me not to get you any flashy, expensive gifts ever again."

Sybil leaned back and looked him in the eyes. "What about that diamond engagement ring you never got me when we were poor?"

"Oh, I forgot about that." He blushed that characteristic red face of his.

2/17/24