O Rapto do Garoto de Ouro (The Golden Boy's Abduction) is a novel written by Brazilian writer Marcos Rey, originally released in 1982. The story takes place in the neighborhood of Bexiga (São Paulo) and chronicles the adventures of a trio consisting of Leo, Gino and Angela, who come to investigate the abduction of their friend Alfredo (the Golden Boy) who had recently become famous thanks to a reality show. With the help of Jaime (another friend of Alfredo) and a green diary, they go to question on their own a few people who may be responsible for the Golden Boy's abduction.
Plot
On a Friday night, rockstar Alfredo, is home alone preparing to perform at this birthday party in a canteen in the neighborhood of Bexiga, São Paulo. His family and friends wait in the canteen until they notice the boy's delay. Leo and Angela, Alfredo's friends, go to his house by request of Alfredo's father and notice he's missing. Leo finds a button from Alfredo's clothes, a smashed guitar and a green diary, which lists various names from neighbors known to them.
On Saturday, police investigate the Carlucci's house for evidence, but the deductions prove inconclusive. Later that morning, Leo shows the green diary to his paraplegic cousin Gino, and invites him to investigate Alfredo's disappearance on their own. Gino warns him that he will be participating in a chess championship in the next few days and won't be able to accompany Leo, but advises him to call Angela, a friend of theirs for a while now. Leo readily accepts, but with the possibility that Angela won't want or won't be able to join, Gino decides to call Jaime, the man who brought Alfredo to fame.
Alfredo finally wakes up in his prison, but to his nervousness, the place has no electric lighting or clean water. Using the little light that enters through a tiny window, he sees that someone left food and drink to avoid contact, as well as notes warning him to be quiet or else he's going to be bound and gagged. Alfredo thinks to himself that he should not be far from home.
Leo, Angela, Jaime and Gino form a commission to investigate the abduction. The commander is Gino, who's unable to keep up with the group. Initially, they investigate each name that is in the green diary. However, the friends can't reach a conclusion since the majority of the interviewed people had attitudes or motives to be considered guilty. Meanwhile, Alfredo is still locked up, and on Sunday, the kidnapper contacts Alfredo's family through phone calls and letters requesting much money and other requirements. The next morning Gino decides to give the diary to the police and tells them everything they had done so far. Not helping much, Sr. Domingos, Alfredo's father, decides to keep the police away and pay the kidnapper. In the meantime, Alfredo manages to escape from his prison and runs home, where he reunites with his family as the news of his return spread rapidly throughout the city.
On Tuesday, Alfredo gives his testimony to the police station, but they still don't have any conclusions. Everyone's frustrated, but Gino safely says that the kidnapper is Jaime. They are all surprised and Sr. Domingos cannot believe it. When they open the trunk of Jaime's car, they see the bag of money Sr. Domingos had given to the kidnapper. Jaime confesses his wrongdoings and reveals that he wanted the money to run away with his old love Laura Ferrucci, as his business was failing. Jaime is arrested and Alfredo finally does his show in the canteen.