Once Upon a Crime by Jimmy Cryans Page A

strange behaviour amongst the ‘moon people’. A wee bit cruel, I know, but it was my way of playing the game with those in authority.
    I soon grew tired of the whole charade and finally called a halt after the lunchtime break during which I had to sit alone. As everyone gathered in the day room I stood up and said to one of the psychologists, ‘Right, Doctor-fucking-Strangelove, here, you take this sign and you wear it because it’s made for you, you fucking headbanger. Now I am going to get my jacket and when I return you better have the front door unlocked or I will break your fucking jaw. And don’t think about phoning the cops or I will burn this place to the ground, OK?’
    When I quickly returned from retrieving my jacket the front door was wide open with everyone all standing in the hallway. The head psychologist said, ‘No one here will try tostop you from leaving, James, but are you sure that this is what you want?’
    ‘You’re all off your heads,’ I said, ‘and if I don’t get out of here I may end up killing all of you, and they would be mercy killings, believe me.’ I knew that would put an end to any further discussion, and it did.
    The information I had gleaned on my journey by car now began to pay dividends. I knew which direction the nearest town was in. Once I had left the grounds I crossed the road and entered a large field and set off running at a brisk pace, aiming for a large wooded area about one mile distant. It was important that I get out of sight as quickly as possible and to avoid contact with anyone. It was my intention to put some distance between myself and any likely pursuers and then to lie low until darkness fell.
    The adrenaline was pumping and I was feeling exhilarated but I was also aware that I was now on the run and the first 12 to 24 hours would be crucial. It was 3.30 in the afternoon and the light would begin fading in another hour. During my ten days at the funny farm I had been aware of trains passing close by and I knew that if I was able to find the track then it would be a relatively simple job for me to find my way directly into town. And that is exactly the way it turned out and at 7.30 that evening I found myself standing on a platform of the train station. From there it was an easy task to jump the London train and within an hour I changed trains and boarded a connection to Newbury.
    When I arrived at Newbury it was almost 10.30 at night and I decided to make my way home. Keeping well away from the main roads I did not go directly to the house but lay up for over an hour in a garden at the top of the road. Once I was sure that there was no sign of any cops I made my way to thehouse via the back gardens of our neighbours. The lights were on in the living room but the curtains were closed. I cautiously made my way down through the garden until I had reached the window of the living room and keeping low I listened intently for the sound of any unfamiliar voices, but all I could hear was the television which was turned down to a low level. I stayed in this position for a good half-hour and then entered the kitchen. I reached the living room door and as I peered into the room I saw a female friend of Christine’s sitting on the sofa with her back to me. I entered the room and said, ‘Hello,’ which gave the girl a bit of a fright but at least she knew me. The first thing I said was, ‘Where is James?’ I found him asleep in his wee bed and looking like an angel.
    The girl told me Christine had gone to visit someone. There was a look of fear in her eyes as she told me this and I knew straight away that she was lying. Before very long a car drew up outside and the girl said, ‘Oh, that’s Christine back. I’m off. Cheerio, Jim.’ It was another few minutes before the front passenger door opened and Christine got out. The street lights made it easy for me to see that the driver was a guy and he wasn’t a taxi or someone I knew.
    Christine came through the front