The Escape Read Online Free PDF Page B

The tattoo check was over and his confidence
was growing that Barry’s insane plan would actually work.

Chapter Ten
    Colin handed the prison clothes to an officer and they were also tossed into the laundry bin. He was told to sit on the bench again and wait. Within a few minutes, another
officer picked up Barry’s release file from the pile on the counter.
    ‘Prisoner 8274 Marsden, step forward.’
    Colin went to the counter, where he was asked for his address, his family’s address and where he was born. While he was able to answer with ease, he was now tense because the officer was
ticking off his questions and turning the page to Barry’s prison photograph. Colin was filled with fear. Even though he’d got away with the tattoo check and being questioned about
Barry’s family, he had not thought this would happen.
    In the next instant, all of his plans for escape could end in disaster, and any hope he had of seeing his newborn child be ruined. All he could do was pray that Barry’s glasses would be
enough to fool them.
    ‘You look as if you’ve lost weight. We’ve got you down here as fifteen stone.’
    ‘Yes, sir, I was charged with nickin’ food from McDonalds. That was all I ever ate, so since I’ve been here, I’ve lost a few pounds.’
    The officer laughed, and was about to look at the photograph, when all hell broke loose. One of the new prisoners had thrown a punch and was screaming and shouting. The distraction was enough to
make the officer tell Colin to take his release documents and wait in the holding area.
    ‘Get a move on. You’ve got a taxi waiting and an officer will take you to court.’
    The fight grew worse and no one paid any attention as a relieved Colin grabbed the release documents and walked out into the holding area. He was dying of thirst but had to wait in line. The
inmate ahead of him was handing over his documents and being released, having served his sentence. The electric metal door opened and the ex-prisoner began to sing at the top of his voice as he
danced across the yard towards the next and final exit to the outside world.
    Colin hoped he would be as lucky. He handed over his file and a muscular, grizzled and grey-haired senior officer briefly checked the forms. He stamped a piece of paper, handed
it to Colin and dropped the rest of the file into a plastic tray marked COURT RELEASES .
    ‘You got a taxi and an escort officer waiting in the yard by the exit gate,’ he said.
    ‘Thank you, sir.’
    Colin stepped forward, but the big man put out his arm.
    ‘Not so fast, son, just let me make sure they’re ready for you.’
    He spoke into a radio microphone, announcing Marsden was ready to go and would be the next prisoner to exit.
    Colin had the release form, Barry’s wallet and key ring in one hand and was holding up the loose jogging pants with the other. A blast of cold air took his breath away as
the gate opened. He gingerly stepped into the courtyard and his spirits rose when he saw the massive set of wooden gates. Another female officer was standing by a local taxi firm’s rather
beaten-up Volvo and an officer with an Alsatian on a lead was checking the car over. Colin handed her the release form.
    ‘I’ve been waiting for you, and at this rate we are going to be late for your hearing at Clapham,’ she said as she opened the rear door of the taxi. Colin went to get in, but
she stepped in front of him and got some handcuffs out of a pouch on her belt.
    ‘Hold your hands out please.’
    Colin felt dejected as he hadn’t expected to be handcuffed. It wasn’t as if Barry was some big-time dangerous criminal. He was just a small-time thief who liked to nick fast food.
Colin put out his hands for cuffing and could now only hope that they would be removed when he got to court. He got into the back of the Volvo and the female officer sat beside him. She was a
pleasant-looking blonde, in her late thirties. The officer with the dog opened the main gate