CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
No more than three days had passed at the sanitarium over in Millersburg, and Beau was already suspicious of the attendants and staff. He knew they were watching him. Also, very upset with E.P. Jacobs, for there was no boat dock as he had assured him there was. His daydreams would revolve around swift revenge heaped upon his family attorney.
This place is turning into a prison he thought. That good for nothin’ Chief Hudson. Leonard told him the Chief and his low-down half-brother Johnny were going to frame him for Terri Helms murder. That's too much for any man to stomach.
"I knew the Chief was rotten to the core the first time I met him. Isn't that right Leonard?" Beau said jerking at his eyebrows; they were bothering him more today than usual. “When I get outta here, I’ll pay that lying Chief a little visit he won’t soon forget. Thanks Leonard for keeping me posted on all the news," he said pleased.
Twice a year the high school orchestra played a musical program for the staff and patients at the Pinewood Sanitarium in Millersburg. The event for this afternoon was scheduled to commence just after lunch.
Beau sensed the excitement in everyone. He watched from his heavy screened window as a van loaded with equipment and two buses arrived. The students carried their instruments inside to the auditorium.
Leonard now spoke, "This might be your ticket out of here. You’ll have to be careful, because you know how close they watch you. Come on, let's go to the show."
The orchestra, dressed in the school's red and silver uniforms played twelve selections ranging from polkas to marches. Beau sat calmly through the entire program. Applauding with gusto at its finale. The staff gave instructions for the patients to return to their rooms. The students began to move their equipment to the van and Beau listened as Leonard whispered, "This is the moment we've been waiting for."
The band director had laid his jacket on the chair next to Beau. "Put it on quickly," Leonard instructed, "Hurry, pick up a music stand and walk out with the group of students."
Making his way from the building without being discovered. Beau placed the music stand in the van. Glancing around, he saw that no one noticed him, so he slowly walked into a grove of trees near a parking lot and vanished.
Snickering, Beau said, "A professional magician couldn't have disappeared as fast as we did. Come on Leonard, we must hurry while it's still daylight."
Giggling and laughing as he rushed through the grove, his monkey crew could now be heard as they leaped from one branch to another; chattering wildly as they scampered through the trees.
To conceal himself, he ran in a crouched position as darkness came on; then running down an embankment at top speed, he stumbled as he reached the bottom and fell over a steel railroad track hitting the ground hard.
"Get up stupid and watch where you're going!" Leonard shouted at him.
Beau heard the monkey crew laughing at him and was embarrassed, he felt ashamed for falling. Brushing himself off as he stood, he looked up and down the tracks, “I don't know which way to go?!" he cried out.
"Go to your left. It'll lead you back home," Leonard snapped.
Beau walked down the middle of the tracks as exhaustion came on, yet was determined to escape. "They'll never catch me now, I’m free."
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SAINT CLOUD GAZETTE
BEAU CAMP ESCAPES MILLERSBURG SANITARIUM
Saint Cloud police have been alerted that Beau Camp may be heading back home per the Millersburg P.D. With the mishandled events of late; this reporter is sure Mr. Camp will be able to elude capture by the Saint Cloud P.D. with ease. It will be up to the courageous citizens of this small hamlet to affect his capture. All citizens are advised to lock their homes, and keep a keen eye out. Notify the police of any suspicious activity and maybe they can be of some assistance, or maybe not. Time will tell if the Saint Cloud P.D. can step up to the crime wave that has hit our small town.
Story by: Jonah McGregor
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After seeing the Gazette, Miller and Fairchild knew they’d better go see the Chief before he had a coronary. No sooner had they entered his office they found him reading the Gazette; his face was beet red.
Thomas spoke first, “Now Frances, before you blow your…”
“Crime wave! What the hell is wrong with that little snot-nosed punk? And to say we can’t even catch a nut like Beau Camp! Why, I’ll close down that damn silly newspaper! You bet your bottom dollar, that’s just what I’ll do! And that damn sanitarium, what the hell is going on over there? Have the lunatics taken over the goddamn nuthouse?! My god it’s outrageous!”
His ranting and raving didn’t have any effect upon Dick, because he was already in total agreement with the Chief. But, the calm levelheadedness of Thomas would prevail this day.
“Frances,” Thomas said as he and Dick sat down, “you know you can’t shut down the news service. It would be illegal, not to mention the fact it would make us look like we had something to hide. We just need to keep our wits about us and in time, we’ll clear all this up.”
Dick chimed in now, “Let’s go get that little jerk and lock him in a cell for 24 hours and see if that don’t knock the wind out of his sails.”
“Yes, I like that idea, can we?” Frances responded with a big smile.
“No, no we can’t do that, as Det. Fairchild knows full well,” Thomas said dryly as he gave a stern look toward Dick, letting him know he didn’t appreciate his attempt at egging the Chief on.
Dick grinned, “Whatever.”
“Well, damn it all to hell,” the Chief slumped back in his chair.
“I’ll go have a little chat with Jonah later today, and explain to him that how he portrays us in the Gazette, is causing the community to feel unsafe. Maybe he’ll listen to reason, maybe not.” Thomas said.
“Well, if that don’t work, let’s tie him up in a tater sack and drop his skinny ass in the creek.” Dick said with an evil smirk on his taunt face.
The Chief nodded, “Yes, I like that idea.”
Thomas rolled his eyes and then looked up at the ceiling, “Please, help us Lord, for we know not what we do,” All three men now broke out in fits of laughter.