12. A Strange Story
The couple had typical, everyday activities with the occasional argument over money or the children, but nothing too extreme. When their sons, Matthew and Douglas, turned nine and six years old, the happy family’s life turned upside down. Something was very wrong in the household, and only one person knew about the secret chaos.
It turned out that Richard Hoagland was hiding a terrible secret. As the days passed he withdrew more and more from his family. His wife, Linda, noticed his odd behavior but made up excuses in her own mind. The happy family quickly started to crumble.
The poor boys remained unaware that their life was about to change. Evidently, this was an issue that Richard felt could not be fixed or even talked about. In hindsight, it seems that the entire time Richard was withdrawing at home with his family, he was quietly planning something that no one could have seen coming.