After reading the whole book it appears that The Outlaws had nothing to do with her disappearance. Possibly she was with Pagans but there is no evidence that she was with them against her will. Each time Mrs Billig got close and thought she found her, the girl in question (if indeed was actually Amy) was not being held against her will. The information seemed to be that She didnt know who she was. You know guys, this was the seventies. Hanging out with Bikers was a pretty cool thing for a free spirit, hippie type, curious teenager. Drugs, sex, parties was the best fun ever! Kids never thought that they would come to harm. Parents were usually the last to know their kids were involved in that type of "fun" cause they were generally pretty much clueless back then. No one presented commercials for parents about "this is your brain on drugs" so they knew to be looking. Girls wore roach clips in their hair and the parents mostly thought they were just pretty decorative feathers! Amy was the exact perfect type to be thinking that the bikers would be a great group to hang out with. Idealistic, open minded and a TEEN.
(and Yes I talk from experience.. same age and time as Amy)
The President of the Outlaws was discussed in the book as being very helpful to Mrs. Billig in determining if Amy was part of the Outlaw community in the area. Back then also we didnt have free long distance, and internet access and what we knew was pretty much what was local unless it was major. Word of mouth information was not easy to track down. Unless you were wealthy enough to travel, news traveled slow. So if she left the area tracking her down wouldnt have been that easy.
Maybe if Police had taken fingerprints right away, by now there could have been a comparison somewhere. I agree with Meg on that one completely. They botched that one big time. But if Amy is still alive and well, DNA being on record could potentially match someday. I would hope they have DNA to be used at some point. The thing is that so many kids were running away to join bikers, carnivals, music groups, become models, religious cults etc., and most turned up rather soon. Police really didnt take teenage girls missing seriously and in most cases they were right.
I know one thing I do not belive for one second the supposed death bed confession by Paul, that Amy died the same day and was fed to the gators. He went all over helping Susan find Amy and she didnt pay him anything more than a few expenses here and there. I dont think he would have done any of that had he known Amy was dead. He contacted Susan not the other way around. If he knew she was dead he would not have stirred up the pot by calling Amys mother. Maybe he told that to his wife so she woudnt think he held any torch for Amy, or it may have been said out of beliving it was compassionate to let Susan think she had closure but I do not believe she was dead that day.
Anne
meggilyweggily said:
The Outlaws and/or the Pagans.
