BlueCrab,
Would you mind expanding your investigation to include the Richardson twins-the 30-yr-old gentlemen who lived with Melody Stanton? Isn't she the woman who heard the scream? I read somewhere on this forum the idea, formed with the knowledge of the twins, that the scream could have come from closer than the Ramsey basement. I didn't fully understand that observation. I do have a glimmer of understanding.
I doubt that the note writer would mention his affiliation with the faction if he were actually a member. Actually, the note doesn't say that he is a member; it says that he and others REPRESENT the faction. There is some ambiguity here, considering that the word, represent, has many conotations. However, if you consider that the writer also said, "We respect your business...", one might reasonably infer that he is a member of the faction; otherwise, one must interpret that, although he isn't a member-just a representative-he and the group he speaks for, too, respect John's business. Actually, a third interpretation is that ONLY the representatives respect his business; the feelings of the faction toward the business not having been expressed. Yet another interpretation is that the group constitutes a foreign faction, as in "These few men represent his entire army." Finally, a fifth interpretation is that the group represents a faction in the sense that they bring to mind a faction. I recall that John said that Wolfe represents a lot of unanswered questions. And, somewhat less relevant, I recall that he said that internet posters haven't been LISTENING with a critical ear. How does one listen to what is posted on the internet with ones eyes? For that matter, how does one Listen carefully to what is written in a ransom note?
"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must remain silent." LW