The missing and the damned [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONIt is not for me to tell you that the story you are about to read is true. There are certain laws governing that kind of writing. Tell people that what is coming up is a novel and you become a writer of fiction.Enter the realms of biography and straight away you tend to make of yourself a target of possible prosecution.To begin with, the story itself is incredible.Dare I say that the truth is sometimes more incredible than any fiction man could dream up for the entertainment of his fellow men?I have been strongly advised, by those who know what they are talking about, I hope, to point out that the characters, names, dates and places are wholly fictional. Well anything for a quiet life; I do they are.People are still saying to me: "How come you carry a .44 Blackhawk Ruger Magnum pistol 'the most powerful hand gun in the world) or use it as a paperweight on top of your desk?" Others wonder at the continual nearness of the loaded Remington automatic shotgun. To one and all I say that the story about the L30 million cache in an old Abbey on English moorland and the devilish mob of Brothers guarding it is pure fiction,I tell them that the Missing Persons part, and the murder, kidnapping, rape and torture is also fiction.In desperation I say to them: "Look, I like to have a gun nearby in case a bear walks in and tries to lift my scalp."They ask about the mad Brothers, the hard core cut your bloody guts out fanatic religiosos circa 1967, and I say: "I need a drink".When the friends have gone I get out my horse, and go for a long ride and if I have a papen^veight in my saddlebag, that's my business.A letter arrived in my mail the other day and it said, among other things: "your figures relating to Roman Catholic real estate U.S.A. of $44,500,000,000. (that is 44 billion, 500 million, if you can grasp such figures) are out of date. Up your total figure to read $56,600,000,000." Well, I thought to myself, what's a nought here or there?5