The Secret Manuscript (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Kyle did not want anything to do with the manuscript so he left Ben to toil with it. He was much more practical than Ben. Instead of trying to manipulate events for personal gain, he came up with a strategy to get his life back on track. Without his research job at the university or a permanent place to stay, he felt like his time in Calgary had run its course. Leaving town would also allow him to distance himself from the dangers of being associated with Ben.

"So that's it, huh? You're leaving?"

"Yep."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure I'll figure it out."

"Here man, take this number," Ben said as he grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a number on it.

"Whose number is this?"

"Her name is Velena," Ben said, handing Kyle the paper. "She was the woman from the bus who offered me a place to stay when I had nothing; maybe she'll do the same for you."

"You have her number memorized?"

"It's the same as the code to get into the secret room, so yeah, I have it memorized."

"So you're just going to stay here?" Kyle asked.

"I have over a hundred thousand dollars sitting in my brokerage account. All I need to do is transfer that money out, and I'll be fine."

"Good luck with that."

"Thanks, good luck to you too."

Kyle walked downstairs and said goodbye to Gladys. He gave her a hug, and then left. Without any money, his only play was to walk toward the highway with his thumb out and hope someone would pick him up and take him to Cold Lake.

With Kyle gone, Ben was back to being lonely and miserable. What Ben had not realized at the time was how much Kyle meant to him. Having a friend he could trust in his life was more valuable than money. Perhaps it was the greed in him, but he had hoped he could have both.

After waving goodbye, Ben excused himself from Gladys's company to make a phone call.

"Can you give me my balance please?" Ben asked.

"After fees and commissions, your balance is $158,320.22. Congratulations, Mr. Owen, I've never seen an ROI quite like this. You open up an account on Monday, and by the end of the week nearly double your investment. Some of the greatest traders in the world can't even do that."

"What can I say, I had a hunch. Call it beginner's luck I guess."

"Well then, Mr. Owen, you are the luckiest guy I've ever seen."

"How soon can I expect this money?"

"EFTs typically take 3-5 business days. You'll probably see your money by the end of next week."

"Alright, thank you."

Ben hung up the phone and went downstairs. He explained to Gladys he would have some money coming in soon and asked if he could stay with her until then. Gladys had no problem with that and insisted he stay longer. Ever since her husband had passed, she welcomed the company.

Throughout the week, Ben tried to make himself as useful as possible by doing chores around the house. Whenever he was not busy cleaning, he and Gladys would talk for hours. It was actually quite therapeutic in many ways since it allowed Ben to open up about his life. It also helped him work on his communication skills. Being a recluse, he avoided a lot of face-to-face interactions with people and rarely made new friendships. After spending so much time with Gladys, he had come out of his shell substantially. Despite the benefits, he still needed some alone time, so he would go to the university often.