Bob Friel: The Barefoot Bandit

In the dizzying atmosphere of today’s publishing industry, I’m very fortunate to have Joe Veltre as my literary agent. Joe shaped my book proposal and then helped me make a very tough decision during negotiations by asking the immortal question: “What would Colt do?”

I’m supremely grateful to Elisabeth Dyssegaard, who not only championed The Barefoot Bandit for Hyperion Books but also personally and patiently worked with me, providing invaluable help in taming a wordy, digressive monster of a manuscript. Thanks also to Hyperion’s Ellen Archer, Kristin Kiser, Megan Vidulich, Amy Vreeland, Karen Minster, Bryan Christian, Jon Bernstein, Sarah Rucker, and Sam O’Brien.

Finally, eternal thanks and love to my family and friends who saw very little of me for nineteen months but were always ready when I needed a laugh, a drink, a patient ear to rant in, or a companion to go hike the woods. My parents, Bob and Carol Friel, have always been there for me with love and support. Thanks also to Carol and Gary and their wonderful kids, aka my niece and nephew: Meghan, a talented writer and ardent conservationist, and Brendan, a future PGA tour winner/astronaut/meteorologist. A big thank you treat goes to Murphy who dragged me away from the computer and out of the cabin at least once every day, rain or shine. And last, and most, thank you, Sandi, for everything.

BOB FRIELhas authored more than one hundred feature articles along with hundreds of columns for magazines such as Outside, Islands, Philadelphia, Sunset, Caribbean Travel & Life, and Smithsonian Air & Space . He has been named Travel Writer of the Year and won more than thirty awards during his six-year tenure as editor in chief of Caribbean Travel & Life . He lives on Orcas Island in Washington State with his wife.

www.bobfriel.com

Copyright © 2012 Seahawk Creative, LLC

“The Barefoot Bandit Song,” chapter 28, © George Nowak/Barefoot Records ( www.barefootman.com). For maps and photo galleries of the Barefoot Bandit’s run, go to www.bobfriel.com.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information address Hyperion, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.

The Library of Congress has catalogued the original print edition of this book as follows:

Friel, Bob.

The barefoot bandit/Bob Friel.—1st ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 978–1–4013–2416–2

1. Harris—Moore, Colton. 2. Thieves—United States—Biography. 3. Criminals—United States—Biography. I. Title.

HV6653.H37F75 2012

364.16'2092—dc23

2011047366

eBook Edition ISBN: 978–1–4013–0379–2

Hyperion books are available for special promotions and premiums. For details, contact the HarperCollins Special Markets Department in the New York office at 212–207–7528, fax 212–207–7222, or email spsales@harpercollins.com.

Cover design by Susan Zucker & Art Parts Studio

Author photo by Sandi Friel

First eBook Edition

Original hardcover edition printed in the United States of America.

www.HyperionBooks.com

In my interviews with Megan and Doreen Wagner, they said these events happened when Colt was between ten and twelve years old. In a burglary report, the police quote Bill Wagner as saying it was when Colt was between thirteen and fifteen. There is no dispute the events happened, just about the exact years.