Law & Order - 4. L & O Chapter 4

“Help. I am Dalton A Huxley, an Australian citizen on holiday in Canada. Uncle Oliver in Trout Creek, BC, Canada,” was all I had time to write, enough I hope to get me free and back with family in Canada again. It was not long before I was brought into the Okanogan County Jail, where I was formally processed, given a prison uniform basic supplies, and a rule book which I was expected to read and follow. I decided to remain silent for however long it would be in this place of horror, and I hoped that I would soon be with family again. It was a small facility, with only 194 beds, of which there was only about half of these beds occupied.

The following morning after breakfast, I was taken across the road to the Okanogan County Courthouse to attend a hearing, which I wasn’t told about until after breakfast, and half an hour before I was due to appear. With my memory now fairly fully returned, I realised that even thou I was not a qualified lawyer, especially in a foreign country, I still had two years of university studies in general Australian law, which would be enough to get me leverage.

“Where is this man’s lawyer?” the Judge asked as soon as he had taken a seat and looked around the courthouse, “Sir, we have not had a chance to arrange one,” came a response from the opposite table, and at that point, I stood up, “Your honour, although I am not familiar with American Law, I do have two years of University studies in Commercial Law, and I am happy to go without an appointed lawyer to speed up this process,” I said.

The Judge looked down at the paperwork in front of him and frowned then looked directly at me. “You have a very unusual accent, where are you from young man, please state your name for the court records,” the Judge said to me, “My apologies your honour, my name is Dalton Andrew Huxley, I will be turning 18 on the 12^th of March this coming year. I am from Australia, but I have lived in Singapore for seven years of my life, and I was currently on holiday with my parents and brother in Trout Creek, BC, Canada, before I was abducted by criminals,” I replied.

“Why is none of this in your paperwork?” the Judge asked me, “Because your honour, I have not been formally charged with anything, well as far as I am aware anyway and I have been in a coma in the hospital up until yesterday morning. If today is January 20^th from what I see on the calendar, then I have been in a coma in hospital for over a week now, and was only just released from there yesterday, just two days after I woke up from the coma, with me attached to handcuffs,” I replied.

“That is all a lie your honour, he making all of that up,” the prosecuting attorney said jumping to his feet. “I am sure that the hospital will be able to provide all the documentation stating the length of time I have been there, and what my condition and injuries were when I woke up there for the first time,” I responded smiling, knowing that I had gained the upper hand in my case.

“Mr Prosecutor, I suggest you sit down and shut up, I need to hear the full story,” the Judge said, and then looked towards me, “Please continue in more detail, Mr Huxley,” the Judge said to me, and over the next fifteen minutes, I gave a detailed account of everything that I remember, reminding the court that at two times I was unconscious, and I only remember what I happened before and after those times.

“Do you recall ever being read your rights?” the Judge asked. “No, Your Honour. I woke up in the hospital with handcuffs on my wrist attached to the bed,” I replied, “Have you made a formal statement of any kind to the police?” I was asked, “No, your honour, I have not. When I was woken up yesterday by a police officer, I was told to get up and get dressed as I had places to go. When I asked where I was going, I was told I was going to County Jail,” I replied. “Your honour, I must protest,” the prosecutor stated as he stood up to speak.

“Shut up Harold, or I will find you in contempt,” the Judge said reprimanding the man, and I tried to keep a straight face. “Have you been able to contact your family at all?” I was asked by the Judge, “No, Your Honour, although I did leave a message with the hospital staff yesterday, stating that I was an Australian Citizen on holiday in Canada and to contact my Uncle in Trout Creek, BC,” I replied.

“Your honour, we have statements from two of this man’s co-conspirators, who state that he was part of the gang that robbed a general store in the town of Kaledon, BC, that it was this man who shot and killed the store owner, and that he was the one who planned the escape into the USA,” the Prosecutor said as he stood up. “Yet, you have no formal statement from this man, nor have you formally charged him with any crime, or even read him his rights… I highly doubt that what the others have stated where anywhere near the truth. Have you bothered to contact the police in BC to check on what happened in this town of Kaledon?” the Judge asked.

“No, Your Honour, I have limited information from the Police Department regarding this matter,” the prosecutor replied. “I am ready to make a judgement on this matter… Master Dalton Andrew Huxley, on behalf of this Court, and the Okanogan County, I wish to express my sincere apologies for what you have gone through in the past week. All charges are dismissed and are to be stricken from all records and you are free to go. Furthermore, Okanogan County will make an immediate first of three payments of compensation of $25,000 Canadian, also Consular assistance is to be arranged immediately, to fast-track his return to his family in Trout Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

I will be ordering a full investigation into how Master Huxley was treated while under the care of the State of Washington, and in particular the Okanogan County, and for how it failed to follow procedure with dealing with new prisoners, who are underage. Court Clerk, please contact the hospital and have the main nurse who cared for young Master Huxley, come here at once and take charge of his welfare until he is back in Canada and on his way back to his family. Harold, my chambers in five minutes. That is all, court is in recess,” the Judge announced before slamming down the gavel and walking out of the courtroom, slamming the door behind him, which made us all jump.

I stood there stunned at what had just happened, and I was not exactly sure what to do next. “Mr Huxley, will you follow me please, so we can start getting you back to your family,” a kind-looking lady said to me, and I followed her out of the courtroom and through an office area until we entered a small conference room. “What would you like to eat or drink?” I was asked as I took a seat at the table.

“Just a sandwich and a cup of tea would be nice please,” I replied, and the lady who introduced herself as Judy, exited the room, and returned a few minutes later, with Angela, the nurse from the hospital following her. “Hello Dalton, I hear that you are free and clear, and looking to return to your family,” she said to me as she took a seat beside me, and I just nodded my head yes.

“Good, I have already started the ball rolling, a Canadian official is currently located in Cashmere, which is less than a two-hour drive to here and she will be arranging an emergency passport for you to get back to Canada. I have also spoken to your cousin – Tyler, who is very relieved that you are ok. He has spoken to your parents, and they will be meeting you at Osoyoos Airport, once you have crossed the border back into Canada. The court has already provided me with a copy of the transcript of today’s court hearing for you to keep, and here is a bank cheque for the amount that the Judge awarded you as compensation,” I was informed.

Over the next two hours, I relaxed, and chatted with the Nurse, until the arrival of the Canadian Consular official, who took my photo and fingerprints, which were sent for verification of my identity, before asking me a series of questions about how I got into this mess in the first place. On hearing what I had to say she smiled. “Well young man, that is something unexpected, but an investigation has already begun, with security footage at several locations, verifying that you were an unwilling participant and a victim in this whole drama,” the Consulate official said to me.

“So, I am not in any trouble at all?” I asked nervously, “Why should you be? We have statements from the ambulance dispatcher that you spoke to while getting help for your cousin, who is fine by the way, a statement from the Post Office clerk, as well as security footage of you entering and leaving the post office, and entering the general moments later, and seeing you rushing out and getting shot in the arm. Plus we have security footage of you bound and gagged in the back of the vehicle at two locations, which clearly shows that you were not involved,” she said to me.

With the Consulate official's assistance, I was able to get documentation sent to the courthouse, to allow me to fly out of the USA and back to Canada, and she arranged for me to be on a chartered flight leaving from Okanoganto Airport, Washington State, USA and going to Osoyoos Airport, BC Canada and after a small meal before leaving, I boarded the flight, and I was soon on my way back to Canada, where I had a very teary reunion with my parents and little brother, who was very glad to see me safe and well.

Instead of flying back to Penticton, Mum and Dad announced that we were boarding a flight to Prince George, BC, where we would be joining the Trans Canada Rail Journey that evening to Toronto which would take 5 days from Vancouver, and include all meals while onboard, and once settled onboard, we would wake up just before arriving in the town of Jasper in Alberta. Mum and Dad would be staying in a Prestige cabin, while Brodie and I would be sharing a rather compact twin sleeper cabin, with me having the top bunk.

I received a wake-up call from Dad at 8 am, and we quickly dressed and headed to the dining room for breakfast, as we watched the mountains pass by. About an hour later, we arrived in Jasper, where we had a few hours to explore the region, which was great to see. We had lunch served soon after we returned to the train and were on our way again.