illiam drove out to the little shack in which he'd been living, cleaned it out, threw away the biggest part of what was out there, and loaded up what he decided to keep. He was doing his best to figure out what to do with the disks, then suddenly had a brain storm.

He had some duct tape in the back of the truck and retrieved it before getting in to drive off. He figured he had eyes on him at any given second and didn't want to take the chance of getting caught with the disks.

He rolled off a piece about thirty six inches long, rolled it into a roll small enough to fit into his pants pocket, and drove off toward Lanes office again. He spoke to Sandy and asked to see Lane.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was sure I told you he wouldn't be back today," she said apologetically.

"You know what, I think you did. I'm just not myself any more. I'm sure sorry to bother you. I'll come back later and talk to Lane when I'm not so pent up." Will fibbed.

"Oh, you're not a bother. And it's quite all right to feel that way considering what you've been through. You come back any time and spend as long as you want!" She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but see she was a very attractive woman. Very nice personality as well.

"Thanks again," William said and started for the door. Then he stopped. "By the way, can I use the restroom while I'm here?"

"Sure, it's right through the door to the left," she said, standing in the doorway pointing. She stood with her back to the door, looking all pretty!

William made his way to the little door to which she pointed, and when he heard the door shut against which she was leaning, he quickly walked from the men's room to the ladies room. He quickly taped the disks to the underside of the change table, then hurriedly left.

"Thank you very much," he said as he left the hallway. Sandy was standing against the back wall, and waved to him as she answered the phone.

William was very relieved. He thought about the way things might have turned out had the FBI or Dr. Kny-pel gotten a hold of the disks. It didn't matter to him so much that the FBI got them, he just didn't want to be the subject of more investigations, testing, questioning or otherwise. He just wanted to be left alone.

That evening while preparing a little TV dinner, he sat down to read the mail. The note Lane had written was still on top, and it seemed as though he was reading it again for the first time.

William,

I don't know when you'll be getting this information, but there are some things of which you may not be aware that I feel you should be aware of. I will list them here briefly. First, Sharon asked me not file the divorce papers unless you asked me to again. During a visit to her parents in Colorado, she found a letter at her mother's house which changed everything, including her heart.

A copy of that letter is included with this packet. In it you will find that letter Dr. Kny-pel had written Sharon's mother. In it you'll see how she was turned against you by untrue accusation about your mental state. She in turn, was influential in turning Sharon completely against you.

That's not all. Sharon was being influenced against you all the time she was in the grasp of Dr. Kny-pel. This was done via subliminal messages in sound disks which played constantly. All this was an attempt to break you. Had you broken, I feel you both would be dead now.

Sharon wants to reconcile, but is afraid you will not have her back. She loves you Will, but feels she let you down terribly. But really, it was not her fault. She is as much a victim as you.

Second, all your finances are in excellent order. One of your investments paid handsomely, and I re-invested it for you.

One of the computer companies in San Jose, CA. has sent a retainer of some nearly one-half million dollars, which I also invested for you.

The properties which you instructed me to sell have not sold, and, since you were not in need of the money, I removed them from the market.

Your plane has been retained and is back inside your hangar.

The business where you worked prior to becoming involved with Gilroy Hastings, Stillwell Title Guaranty Inc, has been flaggling, and is on the rocks. I attempted to follow your instructions, but the company, now employee owned, is asking you to step into the saddle and run it.

These people have the confidence in your leadership to bring it back to a profitable state. There are a lot of people depending on you for their job and financial security.

A little bit of information you may not know. Randal Jamison, with whom you are acquainted, was arrested in Las Vegas for setting the explosive on your plane. His bail was posted, we think, by Dr. Kny-pel. He was never seen again after leaving the jail.

We've evidence that Jamison also went by Bachman and a couple of other names.

Kelly is unaware of any of this, so please be mindful of her.

Finally, I rescheduled your appointment for Thursday morning, at the Stillwell Memorial Hospital, nine o'clock.

Also, I scheduled an appointment at my office for one o'clock Friday to release the disks. The FBI have searched your place several times, your pickup, your plane . . . but have yet to find them. They've had you under surveillance since before you left Las Vegas. If you're ever going to get free of this thing, those disks have to be found and turned over to the FBI. Len Mathers and Melinda Pierce will be there Friday.

Please don't hesitate to call if there is any further assistance you desire.

Respectfully,
Uncle Lane.

It was a nice touch. Ending with 'Uncle Lane. William appreciated it very much. Sounded like family, and family is what he needed at the moment!

But William could not believe what he was reading! Finally, this whole ordeal is about to be over with. Suddenly, there was a calm that seemed to just kind of settle down over him. The tempest over the disks would be over with when he did what he had decided to do. It was all worked out. The disk fiasco would be taken care of.

He hadn't realized what a huge part of his life the ordeal with the disks was. He sat there considering the whole deal related to the disks. The disks were the whole reason for what he and Sharon had just gone through. They were the reason he and Sharon were no longer together.

But, why didn't the weight of the Death Sentence disappear? Why was it still so heavy on his shoulders? Why was it still so constant in his mind? The vision of the hangmans noose was always visible in his mind. It danced through his dreams; it would show up as swinging menacingly in the wind . . .

And, the chance of his beloved wife coming back to him. If she did, would it ever be the same? Would it ever be honest, loving and without suspicion between them? He had seen this very day two very attractive women who seemed to be as lonely as himself. Within a stones throw from where he sat right this instant was a very nice lonely young lady. And nice looking too! But, she was not Sharon.

No one would ever be Sharon. No one could ever replace Sharon. He wanted no one but Sharon.

William was never one to weep. He was usually stoic, but this time, his emotions came up, came out and overflowed. He needed help and release from all the problems pressing in on him from every side. He had been pulled from every direction, tortured mentally as well as physically. He had faced death time and time again.

He still felt guilt from something he had done, yet, not he, but, a robot, a zombie if you will. He had felt this range of emotions for so long, much too long actually. First the weight of the Death Sentence, then the loss of his wife, then the torture, then the guilt, then the loneliness . . . then, the depression. The noose was coming in and out of the vision of his mind.

It was looking good tonight. The noose was looking like a welcome reprieve. Yep, death was looking mighty good tonight. His good old buddy, the grim reaper, just might score sometime soon . . . But not tonight!