Richard Curtis

Richard Curtis was a good father, and he was a good husband. That was until his co worker Dave convinced him to make some extra cash on the horses. Richard was never good at gambling, and he quickly lost his savings. That was when he started betting his wife Natalie’s money. He still didn’t win.

And when she found out she filled for divorce. Then he started to win. He used his twin son’s, Ethan and Evan’s, college savings and finally started to turn things around. Until he had a shire thing and bet it all. That’s when he lost everything. And on top of that he borrowed money against his wife’s house. That was when his bookie came to his office and broke his arm.

“24 hours Dick. Or else we get the money out of your flesh,”

Richard used his credit card to buy a ticket out of the states as soon as he got out of the ER. He raced home to pack and tried to make it to the airport. He was almost there when Natalie called him.

“Damn it Richard! You can’t just take the boys out of school! This is there senior year, they have scholarships to think about!”

“I’m not with the boys. I’m about to leave town... on a business trip.”

“But the school just called me to say you took them out before lunch.”

At that moment Richard received a text. A picture of his sons holding the morning paper, and a gun held to both their heads. The text that followed said, “24 hours or we take the money out of your flesh,”

Richard began to openly weep.