Chapter | A Rich Man Disappears (Charles Hatfield Baker TIT was a very rics man, These wasn’ 2 riche man in New York Giry. He was the boss oF large number snpanies. He owned very Targe gatdeas and housss on the country, He ad boxts ond horses and an aeroplane. Buc he of important sas a nice man, He likes ebe everyday things oF Hits wood cup, fof cole «smile fiom 4 presey gira walk through cho park on a Fine aururnn day. He had all these things on chis Wednesday morning, Fle drank nyo cups of very good fulian coffee for breaktst, His daughter, Joli. smile and sid," Goodbye. Have a mice day, Dad? And he lett his Hat for the wall to his office. He always walled throug (Gooeral Pack to is office on Columbus Sexe down forty floors co the suet door. ‘Good morning, Mr Baker! sid Angelo, dhe doorman. ‘Have goal day He went nthe lit Thank you, Angelo. You too! be answered. ‘See you dis De Angelo didn't see him thot evening. He never se bits again. Because Mr Baker never arrived at his office. Beeween (Gontral Park and the oifces of Hasficld International, Chars Hattie! Baker II dissppeared, The police tried to tind him: They looked everywhere for hits in the park, They sorted eory in the morning and finished Tate 2t night. Bue dhete was nothings They coulda’ find anything. They save thnoe big police dogs hi old biue shir. The dogs noses were very busy fora miavte or wo, then they ram aeross the surwet te Central Patk, ut inside che pork, hey soppedsThey ran up and down, up and dawn, this way and dar way Again nothing.Decectves wont to the airports to dhe train stations and to the bus suatiows They showed photeyraphs.‘Did you sce this nian lst week? A ell an wih white hair in expemive grey tousers and 9 jacket. Did he come dhcough here ast Wesinesday or Thursday?” 'No} everybody sid. 'T dow't remember that man The detectives questioned Julia, the grey mon atthe office, the office workers and the doormen. They asked again and agit ‘Where do you chink Mr Baker i? Why did he disoppen Pethape he waned ta disippeac! Why? ‘The answer wos alsays "I don't know: 1 dont understand. 1 cart cell you, There were telephone call between the FBI* and Scotland Yard*: In the end, everybody said. "Kidhnappers! Thar’ the answer. CChuatles Hatfill Baker IT isa very rich mas, you kuowe They kidnapped him for money" ‘They sited and waited fora Teter ora telephone ca “The kidnappers will ask for a lor of money” they ssid Nothing came Noe + word. ‘The newspapers said, ‘Somebody knows something about Mr Baker Well yive thers $10,000 when they call a Nothing happened Julia st near the wlephone every chy and every might. She never went outside, She dide' ery because she rally never ered, Bu she got thinner and th didn’ sep, She loved her fer 1 know he isn't dead, she thought. “Is he tryin sonething? Bur what? What does he want me to do? ine. Her eyes were red because she 4 FOL Senn Ynl-Ameican al Eh destin. Chapter 2. The New Boss Foe diys, and chen weeks, Julia hoped fora telephone eall abou her father, bat nothing came. After a time, the newspapers were tired of the story. Their writers woote about other things. The police stopped asking questions The months came nd wen. Julia saw ce fie snow of winter through che windows of her welve-maom fat. In one hous Manbastan vey white with stony — white and quiet. Was cis really New York, or 2 village in the moun “Bue it New York? she thought. “I's nor ueually quiet. This strange. know New York. my hoane! Julia wa eighteen years old. Her fife was the life of rich wan’ ‘daughter. She went to the best school, She could speak French and Spanish. She could dance and play music. She bought her clothes frou the best shops, and she ate chocolate cake in expensive cafés, She drove though the city sueets in big, ‘Bu julia oti She saw her fice in the window She was a tall yi with dark tub ly knew nothing aboue New York. She knew sho the Eves of ether New Yorkers ud green ex Her fie ses ice but noe pretty — i wae 4 very dno Face “Tisten, she said to her fice in the window: ‘You kuow thar her don't coming back, Why are you sitting ere and ‘waiting? Who’ going «help you? You're the bose now. T dink ‘he cellng you that You are Julia Aun Havfild Baker ~ the fir!” She put on her cout and her hat and wene oue expemine eles For the nexe dhree hours, Julia weoe dough meny of the streets of New York for the fist time, She didn's drive in her father’ cars. She took taxis and she walked. She Tooke! ae Iuilngs and abe looked a people. She looked into windows, tl her very