Cathy recognized the handwriting on the letter and realized that it was from David. She was so surprised to be receiving a letter from David because he had never written her one before. In school, his least favorite thing to do was writing. As she was about to open the letter, Steve walked in the room with a delicious bowl of ice cream for her.
* * *
David ran through the plan in his head over and over so he would not forget it. “I can distract them with my marbles that are in my pocket by throwing them across the room,” thought David. His goal was to make it to the electrical box and cut the wires with the scissors that were lying on the table.
* * *
Cathy thanked Steve for the bowl of ice cream, but instead of eating it, she placed it on the coffee table because she was anxious to read the letter. He was surprised that Cathy had set down her favorite ice cream, so he knew it had to be important. “Who is the letter from?” inquired Steve. As she began to read, tears starting flowing down her cheeks. “It is from David and he seems to be in danger,” she cried. Cathy handed the letter to Steve so he could read it.
* * *
As Richard opened his dorm room, he was so disappointed to not find David there. “Where is David? I have not seen him for four hours now!” He wondered to himself. “Should I call the Setters to see if they have heard from him?” Richard
rummaged through his desk to find their home number and picked up his cell phone to call them.
* * *
While the men were talking in the basement, David proceeded to remove the colorful marbles from his blue jean pocket. In one minute, he expected his phone to vibrate with a signal from the police to begin the plan. He began to pray, “Lord, help me not to be anxious and I pray this plan will succeed.” Suddenly, his phone vibrated and he knew that it was time to throw the marbles.
* * *
Steve read David’s words out loud. “Dear Mom and Dad, I have gone to Culver Library and I might get captured by gangsters and I might even get killed. I am working with the police because the gangsters have mistaken me as a bad guy. I am playing along so the police can capture them. I love you very much and don’t ever forget me in case our plan doesn’t work. Love, David.” As Cathy and Steve cried and prayed for their son, they decided to drive to the police department. The phone rang as they were about to leave. It was Richard.
* * *
“Have you heard from David?” Richard asked the Setters. “I am deeply worried about him. We were supposed to meet for dinner over four hours ago.”
* * *
“Richard, David is in danger. He is working with the police to try to capture some gangsters,” explained Cathy as they were about to drive to the police department. “He has been mistaken for someone else. If you meet us at the police department we can explain more.” Richard was relieved to know where David was, but at the same time he was still afraid and anxious. He got into his car and drove to the police department and met the Setters there.
* * *
While the gangsters weren’t paying attention, David threw the marbles across the room, and the startled gangsters walked to where the sound had come from to see what had caused the noise. David crept slowly and quietly to the electrical box and cut the wires, and the room went pitch black. When David heard the police upstairs, he prayed, “Lord please help me. I am so scared.”
* * *
Steve, Cathy, and Richard anxiously sat in a small room at the police department and waited for any information about David. “Time is moving so slowly, and I can’t stand not knowing what is happening to David,” cried Cathy. “I just want to know if he’s okay.” Cathy got up and paced the waiting room for the next hour until finally a police officer walked in the room. “What is he going to tell us? Will it be good news or bad news?” wondered Cathy.
* * *
As the gangsters stumbled in the darkness, trying to find their way around the room, they heard the police and started to panic. One of them started to yell, “Let’s get out of here!” All of a sudden, the police arrived downstairs and their flashlights were like stars moving around the room. The police found David and handed him a flashlight. David gulped in fright as he searched for the gangsters, knowing that they had loaded weapons.
* * *
A police officer walked into the waiting room to inform Mr. and Mrs. Setter and Richard about David. He exclaimed, “He is all right, but we are still trying to catch the gangsters and David is helping us. The police officers are at the scene now, so hopefully we will know something soon.” So Cathy, Steve, and Richard continued to wait anxiously for more news. “How about a cup of coffee? Anyone interested since there is a coffee shop on the corner?” Steve suggested trying to do anything to keep his mind off of the situation.
* * *
Loud gunshots were fired, and David turned off his flashlight as quickly as he could and hid. He was horrified to know that probably a few police officers had been hit by the gunshots and were injured. As he felt his way along the floor he stumbled upon a pistol that one of the gangsters had probably dropped in the panic. “It is still loaded!” thought David.
* * *
“ A cup of coffee sounds delicious. How about you Mrs. Setter?” Richard asked. “ No, but thank you,” said Mrs. Setter with sadness. “David will be all right, honey,” reassured Steve. “I’ll go with you to the coffee shop and get some fresh air,” Richard told Steve. “I’ll come, too, just to get out of this room for a little bit,” Cathy decided.
* * *
David got on his feet and started to walk. Almost immediately he ran into someone. David was startled and turned on his flashlight to see who it was. “It is the head gangster,” David thought to himself. The gangster started to run, but David quickly pulled the pistol out of his pocket and shot the gangster in his left leg. It was enough to injure him so he could not get away. One of the police officers made it to the electrical box and turned the lights back on so that they could locate the rest of the gangsters. A few minutes later a police officer shouted, “All of the gangsters are captured now!”
* * *
“I wonder how David is,” Cathy thought to herself. “Hey honey, are you all right?” Steve asked. “ I’m just scared,” Cathy told her husband. In walked the police officer that had notified them earlier about David, reporting, “Mrs. and Mr. Setter, your son is all right!” Cathy shouted and cried with excitement, relieved to know her son was safe. As Steve, Cathy, and Richard all hugged each other, in walked David. “David, are you all right?” exclaimed Cathy, Steve, and Richard simultaneously. “Hello Mom and Dad! Richard, you are here, too!” David exclaimed. So they left together to grab a bite to eat, and David spent the evening explaining everything that had happened.