Detective Pearson and CC had experienced a long night too. Most of the night CC had been safely tucked away in an interview room being questioned, but eventually he had been sent to a holding cell. Even in the midst of a most serious situation , I had to laugh at his telling of the events that followed. Some years ago CC had lost his front teeth in a high school hockey game and wore a bridge ever since. In effort to look as tough as others sharing the cell, he had removed his teeth and sulked in the corner growling and muttering under his breath. I’m certain he fooled no one, but evidently others appreciated the act of this naïve young man feigning toughness, for the remainder of his night was uneventful.
It was well past mid morning when I had the opportunity to speak with Detective Pearson. Either he was a good judge of character or CC had presented himself well to him because charges were not to be pressed. CC was to be released as soon as the paperwork could be filed. I decided to enlist Pearson’s help and experience. I decided to trust him.
Meanwhile, I needed to make arrangements for a safe place to stay. I had earned months of personal leave and a good reputation at work. In the past my boss had often offered the company conference center for me to use as a weekend retreat. There were a number of condos, each facing Lake Michigan’s shores. They were kept well provisioned , and I knew the key was mine for the asking. From that retreat, CC and I would have the anonymity we needed to work safely. Somehow we needed to elude anyone who tried to follow us. Detective Pearson agreed to help. I felt certain that I could trust both his intelligence and his integrity. His offer to help was sincere. We would take him in to our confidence. This morning my coffee break would be “to go”.
