The Sinister Tale Of Jonathan Benedict

CHAPTER IV

I felt as if I had been punched hard several times by the wrestler back on the train. Shrouded by air I was and yet my breaths were shallow. The flow of blood everywhere inside me had ceased and the cold had finally touched my bones.

How was Meera's ring here? What was it doing over a dead body, a brutally murdered body of a stranger?

I had no opportunity to think as a 'Hands up' fell on my ears. I turned to see a cop holding his pistol straight at me. He was a fat man who seemed to have a difficulty in walking. Perhaps he truly had a problem in his legs or he was only being cautious. Or perhaps he was afraid if he increased his speed his belly would finally burst out of his awfully tight uniform.

"Hands up, guns down." He said roughly whilst he approached. Another two cops followed him. These two did look like cops, not like dressed up armed melons.

"I have no gun, no weapon, Mr..." I started.

"Cooper." He said.

"Mr Cooper." I gathered all innocence I had and displayed it on my face. My efforts were gone unnoticed, nonetheless. Mr Cooper was apparently one of Mr Melon's men. Not a slightest opportunity of knowing the fat gentleman's true name had I been blessed of. Much later, as I recall now, I was indeed told of his authority. His name, even then, had slipped through my mind.

Mr Cooper appeared before me holding a pistol and a pair of handcuffs.

"Cooper, take him to the police station. Miller, go help Cooper while I take a close look at the body." The fat Sheriff shouted orders and after eying me suspiciously, went towards the mutilated body. Cooper did as he was commanded while I protested. Knowing how stubborn cops could be, I gradually obliged to their commands.

It was not the first time I was being taken captive. And certainly it was not the final time either. A grand award the police should have declared for me. For the only person who had slept in most of the jails all across London was none other than yours truly.

Now do not take me for a criminal. An honest man I had always been. Though it was this honesty towards my job that made me dishonest whilst I stood before the law. Loyalty towards one thing could indeed be a disloyalty towards another.

After countless nights of being caught by cops, I came to realise a thing which proved to me no less than a blessing. And then I truly became a criminal. Tricking others and presenting yourself as a cop was indeed a serious crime. Though many would not recognise this and I could lead a comfortable life until my job there was done. Not all cops are fools, however. Nevertheless, their intelligence often proved futile; the moment they would have realised about my truth, I would have been long gone.

But today I had no such fortune. Helpless I was and I wondered how Joseph would take it when he was told of my situation. Nina would be furious. Last time I had visited pretty clean and still Nina behaved as though Hell had visited her. The woman my best man loved despised me.