Free Trueman Bradley - Aspie Detective by Alexei Maxim Russell Page A

building?”
    “Can you climb that fire escape?” I asked.
    The bottom ladder of the fire escape was on the second floor and she would need to jump very high to be able to grab it. Nora walked away from the building and looked up at the windows of the second floor.
    “You’re right!” she said. “One of those windows leads into the second floor hall! If I grab the fire escape ladder and climb on the fire escape, then I can get in the window. Then I can get into the building! I’ll come down to the first floor and open the door for you. Then we’ll knock on Eddie’s door!”
    Nora looked around. No one was on the sidewalks and no cars were passing. Nora ran towards the building. Just then a truck came round the corner. Nora stopped running and walked back towards me.
    “Are you okay?” I asked.
    “Yeah,” she said, breathing heavily. “I’m okay, but that truck passed by and so I couldn’t climb up to the fire escape.”
    “Why not?” I asked. “Why is the truck important?”
    “Are you kidding?” she asked. “I thought you knew all the laws. It’s illegal to trespass on a fire escape unless you live there. According to the law, this is an illegal entry.”
    “Really?” I asked. “You mean New York Penal Law, section 140.10?”
    “Uh, yeah. I guess,” she said.
    “I don’t think it would be ‘criminal trespass in the second degree’ because that only refers to trespassing in a ‘dwelling.’ The fire escape is not a private dwelling. And I don’t think it is ‘criminal trespass in the third degree’ because the law says nothing about fire escapes. It says you should not cross property ‘enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders.’ I don’t see how a fire escape is designed to exclude intruders. It’s designed to help people escape fires.”
    “Maybe so,” she said. “But, trust me, this is illegal.”
    “It is?” I asked. “But I don’t want to commit a crime!”
    “Look, Trueman,” she said. “This is only a very little crime and all we’re doing is getting into the hall because the intercom doesn’t work. It’s the apartment caretaker’s fault for not fixing it! How are people supposed to talk to tenants?”
    “Will the police arrest us if we trespass?” I asked.
    “I doubt it,” she said. “Besides, I’m the trespasser, not you. If they do discover us, I’ll tell them you’re innocent.”
    She winked at me. I was overjoyed. Her wink must have meant she was in love with me again. Even if I didn’t understand why, I was happy to have her love. I forgot about my opposition to her trespassing. I decided to agree with everything she said, to ensure I wouldn’t lose her love again.
    “Okay, Nora,” I said. “I don’t mind if you trespass. Is that why you couldn’t jump when the truck passed? Because you don’t want anyone to witness your trespass?”
    “Exactly,” she said. “Now, watch for people, Trueman. I’ll try to jump again. If you see someone coming, tell me.”
    Nora walked away from the building and prepared to jump up and grab the fire escape ladder. I saw no cars or pedestrians.
    “There’s no one around,” I said.
    “Good,” she said.
    She ran towards the building and jumped to catch the bottom of the ladder. She caught it and swung from it, like a monkey swinging from a tree branch. This thought amused me and I started laughing. A car sped very quickly down the street, its engine roaring. The shock of this unexpected noise made me fall down on the sidewalk and cover my ears with my hands. Nora dropped from the ladder and squatted beside me.
    “Trueman!” said Nora. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
    “Sorry!” I said. “I was distracted by a funny thought and that noisy car came so fast! I had no time to warn you.”
    “Urg!” she said. “I hate people who speed down the street making a lot of noise. And he has to come just when it’s most inconvenient too. It’s like he does it on purpose, just because he’s a jerk! That