The Secret Manuscript

  Chapter Seven

  Ben figured the cops would be lenient on him since he was trespassing on his former apartment building. Technically he had broken several laws including breaking and entering, burglary, and assault, but there may not be enough evidence to convict him.

  When Ben emerged from the building, he had his hands in the air to show the police he was unarmed and willing to cooperate. The lone RCMP officer read Ben his rights, handcuffed him, and placed him into the backseat of the cruiser.

  The trip to the station only lasted a few minutes, but during the short ride, Ben nodded off. Perhaps being arrested was the best case scenario since he would be provided a warm place to sleep for the rest of the night. The police cruiser pulled up to a small building. The officer took Ben from the backseat and escorted him up the steps to the police station.

  “What do you got, Glen?” one officer asked the other.

  “Just a minor trespassing charge.”

  The officer instructed Ben to take a seat while he drafted the necessary paperwork. Ben plopped down in the chair and almost immediately passed out from exhaustion. His chin sunk to his chest and he began breathing heavily. He could hear the voice of the arresting officer as he discussed with his partner what they planned to do with Ben, but he could not precisely pick out their words. With his eyes closed, he focused on the other sounds in the room — the buzzing from the fluorescent lights, the clacking from a computer keyboard, and finally the heavy footsteps of boots as they progressed toward him.

  “Mr. Owen, stand up please,” an authoritative voice demanded. “I need you to come with me.”

  Ben’s eyes slowly opened and he staggered to his feet. He shuffled along as the officer trailed behind him. At the end of a short hallway was a tiny cell that had a metal toilet and a small cot.

  “We’re going to keep you here for a few hours,” the officer said. He selected a long key, which was connected to his belt, and unlocked the metal door.

  Without saying a word, Ben entered the cell and headed right for the bed. Fortunately, Ben did not have to share the cell with any drunkards or dangerous hooligans. Since all the bars had been closed for hours, there was a good chance he would be alone for the rest of the night. The large metal door slammed shut, sealing him in. Without hesitation, Ben shut his eyes and went to sleep.

  Ben was released on Monday morning with nothing more than a petty summary conviction offence. Ben had encountered a few of these before, but had put those days of petty larceny and vandalism behind him. Either the security guard did not mention the assault, the police officer forgot about it, or he simply ignored it. Regardless, Ben was happy to catch a break.

  Ben proceeded to the processing clerk to obtain his personal effects — one pocket knife, a wallet with identification, roughly $200 in small bills, and one really expensive watch. Now with the bit of money he had looted from the apartments, Ben could at least afford to feed himself for the next few days until he received his paycheque.

  Ben stepped outside as a free man, but figured his freedom was temporary. Surely it was only a matter of time before tenants were allowed access into their apartments to gather the rest of their things. Once they realized their apartments had been robbed, Ben would likely be the prime suspect. He did not want to remain in Cold Lake and wait for the RCMP to arrest him again so the only option seemed to be leaving town for good. However, given his circumstances, that did not seem like a viable option.