But the most surprising thing in all this, was that Judge Leon Rosewood never made the news. How does a federal judge just drop off the face of the earth, and no one miss him? In particular, a judge who was at one time nominated by the President of the United States to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court?

For one thing, the judge's wallet, which Miranda had planted on Lennie's body, was 'lifted' before the police arrived. The rider who was in the truck, when it hit Lennie, had removed the wallet while Miranda's attention was elsewhere. He was intending to find out the dead man's ident.i.ty, but when he saw all the $100 bills, he instead slipped it into his own pocket. True, he could have removed the cash, and returned the wallet to the dead man, but the sight of so much free money, and the sound of a distant police siren caused him to not think clearly. Later, he and his buddy split the cash, and disposed of the wallet, not caring whose name was in it. Therefore, there was no reason for anyone to start looking for the judge before his wife returned home.

But even after Belinda Rosewood returned from her European vacation, there was still nothing in the news about Judge Rosewood. There was a news item two months later which mentioned him, but only in the context of saying that: "Judge Lewis Gibson was appointed to the position of federal Judge, after Leon Rosewood vacated the position by stepping down, citing 'personal reasons' . . ."

Really? He had stepped down? How could he have stepped down, after dying of a heart attack, and Miranda sawing him up like cordwood, and burying the pieces? Most of him was under her pool, but some of him was in Lennie's well. Not much chance of him coming back to life, pulling himself together and 'stepping down' from his judgeship. Unless he had stepped down before he died. But no, he had not done that either.

So why was it that the Judge was seemingly not missed? Why was there no ma.s.sive search for a Federal Judge who had once made the national news by being nominated to fill a slot on the Supreme Court? He was missing, yet there were no questions raised? No suspicion of foul play? Had he been kidnapped? Murdered? He had made a lot of enemies, by sending a lot of nasty people to jail for many years. It was a fact that in the past, he had been the target of death threats, and once even had a contract out on him by a professional killer, so there was ample reason to suspect foul play, if the judge had just inexplicably vanished. There would be FBI agents combing through his house, lifting fingerprints, questioning neighbors, searching for any lead to go on. And if there had been a thorough search of the Judge's house, and his phone records, there would have been evidence found to point them to Lennie, to Miranda, and yes, even to Travis Lee. But there was no search, and so the evidence there was never found.

Miranda's pool would never be dug up, so the body parts there would stay there, undiscovered and never seen, except in Miranda's nightmares.

The body parts that were in Lennie's well would never be found either. Lennie's property would be eventually claimed by a distant relative from South Carolina. They cleaned out the house, which was a major undertaking by itself. Anything they deemed worthless, they threw down the old well and burned. It made a convenient burning pit. They painted the house inside and out, and improved the appearance of the property by landscaping. And part of the landscaping included filling in that dangerous old hand dug well, where they had disposed of most of the junk. The property was sold to a Hispanic family with 12 kids. So the Judge's remains at the bottom of the well would never be found.

Why was the Judge not missed? The answer to that, was in the letter he left to Belinda, his wife.

Yes, that was the same letter that Travis had noticed on the dresser, the night he broke into the judge's house to free Miranda. But he was distracted before he could wonder what was in the letter.

It was the same letter that was still there on the dresser, the night Miranda and Lennie slipped into the Judge's house to clean up evidence that she had been there. She did not open it, because it was sealed, and she was afraid that anything she did could raise suspicions.

The Judge had written a long letter to his wife, sealed it, and left it on the dresser, where he knew Belinda would find it when she returned from Europe. The next day, he and Miranda planned to leave on their 'spontaneous romp', as Miranda put it.

But the tiny blue pill had changed all that, by exploding Leon's heart, and it left Miranda in yet another one of her 'predicaments'.

Yet the letter was still on the dresser. If it had disappeared, everything would have changed. The FBI would have come in. Phone records would have been checked. Fingerprints, and DNA would have pointed to murder, and to Miranda. The phone records would have involved Travis.

But because the letter to Belinda was found, and verified, nothing happened, and the Judge was never missed, because they all thought they knew where he was.

Belinda, returning from her vacation, found the letter, and was shocked by its contents. Realizing that there would be big questions, if she did not do so, she took the letter to the proper authorities, who pa.s.sed it on to the FBI, where a handwriting a.n.a.lysis was done, to verify that it was indeed Leon's handwriting. The Justice Department was informed, but only for the purpose of replacing his seat on the Bench. Because of the letter to Belinda, there was no need to search for the Judge. Everyone thought they knew where he was, and no one was concerned with finding him, except his wife.

(The story should end here, but something tells me that you, the reader, would like to know the contents of the letter. Actually, it was a personal letter, addressed to Belinda, and is therefore, none of our business. But I know that I will get nothing but grief, if I don't reveal the contents of the letter. Okay, you've twisted my arm, so here it is.) * * *

"Dearest Belinda, I hope you enjoyed your vacation. I am writing you this letter, so that you will know where I am, and why. After 32 years of marriage, I owe you at least that. This letter is intended for your eyes only, however, it may be necessary to show it discretely to certain authorities, should my whereabouts be questioned.

As you well know, since I was rejected by the Senate to fill the vacancy on the High Court, my mental stability has gone down-hill. All my life, I have been a moral and just man, and I considered a position on the High Court to be the greatest honor for an aging judge. And then to think that I was rejected from consideration from that position because I was deemed to be 'too moral'! I know that there were devious political factors involved, but still, it has caused me to question my entire life and career as a judge.

As you know, we have both changed over the years. We started off in love, and nothing can be greater than two young people in love. I loved you with all my heart, and would have gladly given my life for you, and I know you felt the same. You raised our two children, while I built a career. I admit that during those years, I may have put my career ahead of my family, but I justified it by thinking that by furthering my career, I was making a secure future for our family. I now grieve for those lost years of bliss we could have enjoyed, had I not been so blind.

I know that you were starting to feel lonely, when our kids left for college, and you needed me there. But I was not there, because I was pushing to reach a higher goal in my career. I saw little signs of us drifting apart, but I kept my nose to the grindstone. For the last three years, I have watched in silence, as you drifted farther and farther away from me. I did not know what to do, because I didn't want to believe that you were seeing another man.

Yes, I know about your relationship with the Senator, though I have said nothing. Like watching a house catch on fire, and burn to the ground, I watched our marriage turn to ashes. I wanted to blame you, but how could I? It was I who left you alone at times when you needed me. You cried out for me, but I was only looking at the cheap trinket of the High Court, when at home I had the real prize: A wife who was as good as gold.

But what is done is done. I understand that you and the Senator would like to continue seeing one another. And yes, I know that he was with you on this European cruise. You may wonder how I know? I have ways, and that is not important. If you love him, and he makes you happy, then you should have him.

In like manner, I have looked about, and found someone who makes me happy. No need to tell you who she is, because you do not know her. When you leave for Europe, I will also be leaving with her. We will drive west, while I convince her to move to Rio with me. She is independently wealthy, so I have no need for anything that we have acc.u.mulated here. When you apply for the divorce, you may have everything that we jointly owned. The savings, the stocks, the house, the beach property, everything. I will start out fresh with my new friend.

As I write this, my friend does not know of my intentions, but I am sure that she will gladly go along with me. By the time you return home and find this letter, my friend and I will be out of the country and long gone. (Should she reject my offer, this letter will not exist, as I will have returned home and destroyed it.) Once I have settled in my new home, I will contact my lawyer, and instruct him on where to send the divorce papers for me to sign.

Please honor my wishes, and do not try to contact me, other than through my lawyer. What is done is done, and life moves on. We both need a new start to our lives, and by me stepping out of the picture, we can both do this. Belinda, you were my first love, and I will always love you, and nothing will ever change that. Be thankful for every new day. I wish you a long and happy life.

Leon.

P.S. Before I leave the country, I will post a letter to the Justice Department, explaining why I am vacating my seat on the bench, and will recommend Judge Lewis Gibson to replace me."

When Belinda found the letter, she was shocked, of course. She had no idea that he was wise to her relationship with the Senator, and she was shocked that he would, as he put it, 'step out of the picture' so easily. She had never wanted a divorce, and never wanted to marry the Senator. Their romance had just been a fling, which she knew would burn out in a few months, and then she would be content to grow old with Leon. So his letter blew her away. She immediately called her the lawyer, to get in touch with Leon, to tell him that she did not want a divorce, she wanted him. The lawyer was aware of Leon's plans, but his instructions were to do nothing until Leon contacted him, to let him know exactly where he was. Until then, there was nothing he could do.

Belinda's next move was to take the letter to the FBI, to verify that the letter was really left by Leon. Though she recognized his handwriting, she wanted it known that Leon had left the bench of his own choice, and had not been coerced into it by someone who might wish him ill. Over the years he had made a lot of enemies. He had sent a lot of bad people to prison, and it was very likely that any one of those people could seek revenge against him. By taking the letter to the FBI, she allowed them to make the determination that he had indeed left on his own, and was still safe.

After ascertaining that there was no foul play, Belinda hired a PI to go to Rio de Janeiro, and look for Leon, to convey her love to him, and to ask him to please come back home.

She had a well connected friend in the Commerce Department, and used that connection to find out when, and from what airport Leon and his 'friend' had left out from. The report came back that there was no record with any airline, that Leon had left the country. That could mean three things. It could mean that he had not left the country yet, or that he had left 'unofficially', by simply hiring a charter flight out, or it could mean that he had left under a different name, which would require fake ID, and she didn't think Leon would do that.

Later she found Leon's pa.s.sport in the bedroom, and that started her to thinking that perhaps it was not Leon's plan to go to Rio at all. But what better way to buy time, and throw her off track, than to suggest it, and have her waste time by sending investigators there looking for him? She recalled her PI from Rio, and instead, sent him to the one place where Leon had always said he would like to live, the Pacific Northwest. Granted, that was a big area that included Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and perhaps even the lower areas of Alaska, but in her mind, it made more sense to look for him there instead of Rio. Leon did not speak Portuguese.

She hoped that Leon would use one of his credit cards, and she could pin-point his location. But if his 'friend' was really wealthy, then why would he use his credit cards? She checked at the bank and found that Leon's last transaction with the bank was the same day she left for Europe. He had withdrawn $5,000 in cash, $100 bills in fact. He had no doubt done this, to a.s.sure that he didn't have to use his credit cards. This told her that Leon had put thought into his every move, which did not surprise her, because she knew him so well. If he did not want to be found, then he would be very hard to find.

The Justice Department never received the letter from Leon, which he said he would send. Nor did Leon contact his lawyer, as he said he would do. This worried his lawyer, because he knew that Leon was good to his word. To not do something that he said he would do, sent up a red flag. He expressed his concern to Belinda, but she was sure that it was part of Leon's plan, to delay any search for him as long as possible. That would give him more time to cover his tracks. It was even possible that he had not even left Alabama, but was hiding out here, to see what kind of stir he could cause.

The FBI brought up the question of Leon's mental condition, citing his own words in the letter, that his 'mental stability' had slipped, and because of this, he might never get in touch with his lawyer. Perhaps he and his 'friend' had found happiness in a commune somewhere, and he decided to sever all ties with his old life? Knowing her husband, Belinda had to admit that this suggestion did not seem all that far-fetched. Leon had always been rock solid, until his rejection from the High Court, and after that, who knows what ideas he might entertain?

A year after Leon had left, Belinda still had found out nothing. Her PI had found no leads in the Northwest, and Leon had still not contacted his lawyer. She was left with nothing else to go on. She filed for a divorce, on the basis of abandonment, and resumed her relationship with the Senator.

One year after this incident, Miranda had sold her house in Kellerman, and moved to San Francisco to be near her sister. But even in California, she was still looking over her shoulder, waiting for a knock on her door, which would be the police, arresting her for the murder of Judge Leon Rosewood. The rest of her life, she would be waiting for that knock. A knock that would never come.

And for the rest of her life, she would not so much as dip her big toe in a swimming pool. Any swimming pool.

Begun: January 15, 2005.

Finished: April 10, 2011.

About the Author.

Tim Tingle was born in Tennessee in 1958, and grew up near Montevallo, Alabama. Educated at the University of Montevallo, he is full time coal miner, part-time farmer, wood sculptor, world traveler and writer. He and his wife Nanette live on their fourteen acre farm near the small community of Pea Ridge.

Tim Tingle novels presently in print are:.

* Though the Door.

* The Chosen One.

* The Collector.

* Song of the night.

* Return to Colombia * Eye of the Sorcerer.

* Lester Graff.

* Maple Leaf.

Readers who wish to correspond with the author can do so by writing to:.

Tim Tingle.

3159 Hwy10.

Montevallo, AL. 35115.