The Repentant Thief

Ed leaned upon the rail of the cruise ship, gin and tonic in hand, gazing at the blazing red and gold sunset off the port bow, the ship headed on toward the Turks and Caicos Islands. He’d struck up a shipboard friendship with Alice over the last few days, from departing Miami on a 14 day cruise about the Caribbean. Their patter was beginning to change as their relationship aged and now was getting into each of their pasts and what kind of work they’d done, how many children they’d had, etc.

Alice was divorced, 18 years now, with 2 grown children who did not live close to her, she’d been an executive secretary, had married her boss, then been thrown over 5 years later when her husband ditched her for his young secretary.  She was retired, now, seeing the world for the first time in a long time.

Ed smiled at her comment about seeing the world for the first time in a long time and began his own history.

He’d been a thief, mainly burglary, never caught until the last time.  He’d changed his MO and gone after a shipment of US legal currency being shipped back to the Treasury for destruction, banks accumulate this currency and trade it for new bills.

He and his team of 2 had intercepted a semi of this cash that they were following , waiting for an opportunity, at a truck stop, the guards made a mistake and left the load unguarded for a bathroom break, but just enough time for Ed and his team to steal the truck carrying $6 million dollars.

The other two accomplices had short freedoms and were captured within the first week, but Ed managed to elude the authorities for almost a month before being captured in Playa del Carmen in Mexico.

The money was not found with any of the thieves. 

They all ended up with 20 year sentences in Federal prison and Ed’s two accomplices both perished during their incarceration, one by pancreatic cancer, the other a shiv in the dining hall.

“After my release,” Ed said to Alice, who gaped in rapt attention at Ed’s easy manner in relating his story, ‘I had my lawyer contact the authorities and I returned the $6 million dollars.”

“When did you get out?’ Asked Alice, breathlessly,’ and what do you do now to live”?

“I’ve been free for a little less than a year” Ed replied.

“Well, how did you pay for this cruise’? frowned Alice,’ You couldn’t have saved much in prison!”

Ed smiled and said,” Alice, any idea how much interest accrues to $6 million dollars over 20 years in a Grand Cayman bank!”