Do Positively Nothing Till You Receive Special Delivery Letter

12-year-old Mary and Parker vanished from Mount Vernon Junior High School in the Lafayette Square section of LA. She had been excused from class with her teachers saying that a co-worker of Mary and father had arrived to collect her. Perry Parker had been involved in a car accident and had summoned his family from his hospital bed, fearing it might be his last opportunity to see them. The day after Mary and his disappearance, a telegram was delivered to the Parker family home. It stated that Mary and had been kidnapped and would only be returned unharmed if a ransom of $1,500 was paid using a series of $20 gold certificates.