Geraldo by Abby Moran (best historical fiction books of all time .txt) 📖

is considered a murder in the hands of the law. I’m not supposed to do this but you can stay for this particular meeting. But I can’t let you visit him.”


I understood he couldn’t have the same rights as other patients being a criminal so I just nodded and let the meeting proceed. The policeman asked Mike his side of the story and Mike explained that he just found out but he wasn’t going to protest that he didn’t do it. Shocked at his answer, the policeman stared at him eyes wide.

“Are you making a confession?”

“Yes.”

“Very courageous and honest of you, most criminals don’t confess right away.”

“Well if I’m going to die, I might as well die an honest man.”
The policeman got up and whispered something to his partner.

“This is my partner officer Chaney. He will be guarding for tonight. Your lawyer is going to stop by tomorrow to talk to you more about the trial. Jim please come this way with me, the meeting is over so you must be escorted out.”

“I just have one request, I would like to say good bye to Mike.”

“Alright but make it quick.”

I reached over and hugged Mike whispering in his ear. “If you’re up for one more chance at being free, join me and my plan. You ask to go to the bathroom and escape through the window. I overheard they are taking the catheter out tomorrow. I’ll be outside with my car, escape and jump in.”

I let go and said “Good bye Mike.” With a wink

“Good Bye Jimmy.”

Did I think he would go through with my plan? Probably not, But I wanted to give him an escape plan now that he was better. The policeman escorted me right out to my car and I thanked him for letting me stay for the meeting.

“Look, I know what it’s like….I got a brother too. If you want to check up on him here is my card. Just give me a call and I’ll let you know how he’s doing.”

“Thanks. I’d probably have to, so I don’t have to worry myself to death.”
It was a joke but he didn’t laugh and I stood there laughing at my own joke awkwardly. “Anyway thank you.” He grunted at me and I shook my head and got into my car.

I wasn’t leaving I was going to stay until that policeman left so I could pull up to where the window was. He left quick so I was able to just drive up quickly. I fell asleep in my car waiting for the sun to rise of morning.

I dreamt Mike decided to join me and we never were found. He was his old self that wasn’t creepy or scary. In fact, we had a thanksgiving dinner with family like the ones we had a long time ago. I woke up because I heard a window open and a man quickly climb out of it. It was Mike. Chapter 7 (What happened after Jim left in Mike's POV)

The head nurse Trudy came in telling me it was time to take the catheter out. She had a cheery expression and the ponytail in her hair was bouncing as she moved around the room. I felt like someone who was a normal patient and not a criminal. To be honest, a criminal in a hospital isn’t that great because you aren’t in jail yet but you have so many restrictions you might as well be. Officer Chaney was right outside my door and he didn’t let the nurse come in without proof she was head nurse. He sure was stern but I guess that’s his job.

“Alright.”

“This might hurt a little.”She said as she took it out little by little. Her tiny hands in rubber gloves tugged and pulled.

“Oh god!”

I panicked I mean that isn’t what you want your nurse to say. “What do you mean Oh god?!”

“You’re just bleeding….no need to panic sir.”

I rubbed my forehead feeling lightheaded at this point. Several doctors were called in.

“I’m sorry doctor, I just have been under a lot of pressure today and I wasn’t completely concentrating on this.” She tried to explain to the first doctor.

“Well Mr. Bunsen I am very sorry for your predicament. I’m going to help you out here, catheters are my specialty.” I sighed a sign of relief as he carefully took it out and stopped the bleeding somehow. I thanked him and the doctors left but Chaney was still outside. He didn’t seem like the friendly type but I tried to strike a conversation with him anyway.

“So Chaney, you got a family?”

“Why?! You want to kill my wife?”

“No, I was just wondering.”

“Well, just keep your wondering to yourself.”

“Okay…….nice day we are having.”

He didn’t respond.

“No rain, no cloud, just good ole sunshine.”

Still no reply from Chaney

“What does a fella’ have to do to go to the bathroom around here Chaney boy?”

“Sir you will refer to me as Officer Chaney and I will have to escort you down to the first level bathroom.”

“Well could you hurry up Officer? I need to be escorted there now.”

He called for a nurse to help me outta bed and said he could handle me from there on. We went in the elevator silently and all the way down none of us spoke a word. He escorted me to the bathroom and guarded outside the door, probably not realizing the window was in that room and someone could easily escape. I locked my door and found the little window Jim talked about. I looked out to see if he was out there and I saw his car and him sleeping in it.
I chuckled at how easy this was and tried to open the window. It was locked shut tight.

“Damn boy, hurry up. Can’t sleep in there you know.”

“Oh I’ll just be a moment.”

I tried to unlock the window but it was shut tight, apparently no one had any desire to escape through here or no employees wanted them to at least. With all my strength I pulled up on the lock which eventually became unlocked and I managed to open the window. I saw that the window was so closed to the ground and I should’ve realized this since it’s on the first floor but I didn’t think it over that much.

Just as I was embarking on escaping my ole pal Chaney figured it all out and knocked down the door with his foot and he got to watch me go out the window and drive quickly away. But I did get to hear him exclaim, as we drove out of sight “Shit! I lost another one!” I knew this was wrong but I was afraid to die and I was afraid of what my lawyer would think of me or anyone for that matter. So I hid and ran away from my worries and Jim helped me.

Chapter 8 (back to Jim's POV)

Shocked cannot even begin to discuss what I feel right now. I just stepped on the gas as soon as he came in my car. His hospital robe was still on but I had other clothes at the house anyway for him.

“Mike I’m really glad you decided to get out.”

He smiled “I am too Jim, I really am.”

“Look they know where I live so we’ll have to pack up real quick, get new looks, and move out.”

“Where would we go?”

“Well I started looking at some condo’s in Las Vegas…..I put a down payment on one actually.”

“A condo Jim? Isn’t that a bit risky?”

“Well, it could be but we won’t look like ourselves though. It should be safe and if not we’ll move again.”

“I don’t know Jim…….it sounds too out in the open to me.”

“Well just wait until we get there. I promise we’ll be fine and have a great time in our new place.”

“Condo. Our new condo Jim.”

He obviously didn’t like my condo idea but it didn’t really matter. Plus I had already paid for it so what else could I do? The rest of the ride home was silent except for the 80’s music playing on the radio. When I got to my house, everything was clear so we quickly packed up our stuff in the car and headed out. We each had two weeks’ worth of clothes before we would have to wash clothes which, in context, is not really that bad but we needed to blend in with Las Vegas. I figured we would sell our clothes and use the money to buy new clothes.

While I talked to Mike about my brilliant plan, Mike started to change his appearance. He used some tanning lotion his wife had, and put it all over his self. I had to admit; he could definitely attract a mate being tan more than he could when he was pale. I had personally exchanged my contacts for my old glasses and didn’t shave my face stubble, in hopes it would shield my identity. Mike didn’t have a problem with vision and I didn’t have clear lenses for glasses so he just stayed tan. When we got to Las Vegas we would dye our hair. He’d be blonde and I’d be red.

On the way up to Las Vegas a man stopped us looking for a restaurant he could go to with his family. We pointed out The Nest and he thanked us. Mike suddenly looked at me.

“Can we go too? I’m starting to get hungry myself.”

“I am too but we aren’t far enough away from home. When we get to the Condo I’ll make you something.”

“C’mon Jim. I’m starving!”

“Fine. But we can only get something to go.”

I pulled into The Nest and it turns out they don’t serve to go. Of course, new rules ! Mike gave me a sad look and I gave in. We picked a booth by the window so we could keep an eye out for the police. I wanted to just go