Short story rewritten in the perspective of the character Ben Price by Dominique Tasipin.
The Original Author of the Short story is O. Henry
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As a seasoned detective, I watched as Jimmy
Valentine was working away in the prison shoe shop.I could hear the tapping of his tools as he temporarily stayed behind bars.
The officer came in and led Jimmy to the prison office. Jimmy's face was neutral, and didn't show any joy when he was handed his freedom papers.
This wasn't a surprise to me because Jimmy Valentine was a man who never showed his real emotions.
He initially had a four-year sentence but only served ten months.
I found it absurd that he expected to serve only three. He had connections, friends in high places, and his early release was very much expected.
I'd seen too many like him before.
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I've encountered lots of criminals, but none quite like Jimmy Valentine.
His crimes were always spotless with no traces left behind and no clues to follow.
It was almost as if he was challenging us with his precision and skill.
As a detective I had spent years pursuing him, driven by a mix of professional duty and personal arguments.
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Ben Price
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Jimmy Valentine
“Valentine,” the chief officer addressed him, “you’ll be out tomorrow. Go make something of yourself. Stop breaking safes, and live a better life.”
Jimmy’s surprised look amused me. I hear him say “Me? I never broke open a safe in my life.”
The officer laughed. "Sure, and I've never seen the inside of a courtroom. How did you end up here then? Wrong place, wrong time? You men always have an excuse."
“Take him away,” the officer commanded. “Get him clothes for his release. And think about what I said, Valentine.”
I watched as they led him out. After that I left the prison, my mind already racing ahead. Jimmy Valentine wouldn't stay out of trouble for long.
The next morning Jimmy left the prison wearing some ill-fitting clothes and uncomfortable shoes. They handed him some money, five extra dollars to become a better man, they said. I noted the handshake between Jimmy and the officer. Valentine, Prisoner 9762, was now James Valentine, a free man.
I quietly followed him as he headed straight to a restaurant for his first taste of freedom and ignoring the beauty of the world outside. He enjoyed his meal before catching the train.
I stayed a step behind, knowing his destination: Mike Dolan’s place.
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When he reached the small town, he went directly to Mike Dolan’s restaurant.
Their conversation confirmed my suspicions. Jimmy’s room remained untouched, a shrine to his past.
I watched him uncover his precious tools from a hidden compartment.
They were top-of-the-line, custom-made, the kind only marveling at their precision and craftsmanship.
They were worth a fortune, a testament to Jimmy’s skill and vanity.
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Jimmy’s reentry into crime was immediate.
First a safe in Richmond, then Logansport, and Jefferson City followed.
Each job had his signature—clean, efficient, and untraceable to the untrained eye.
But I knew better. But I knew his methods, his patterns.
He was good, but not invisible.
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Short story rewritten in the perspective of the character Ben Price by Dominique Tasipin.
The Original Author of the Short story is O. Henry

As a seasoned detective, I watched as Jimmy
Valentine was working away in the prison shoe shop.I could hear the tapping of his tools as he temporarily stayed behind bars.
The officer came in and led Jimmy to the prison office. Jimmy's face was neutral, and didn't show any joy when he was handed his freedom papers.
This wasn't a surprise to me because Jimmy Valentine was a man who never showed his real emotions.
He initially had a four-year sentence but only served ten months.
I found it absurd that he expected to serve only three. He had connections, friends in high places, and his early release was very much expected.
I'd seen too many like him before.


I've encountered lots of criminals, but none quite like Jimmy Valentine.
His crimes were always spotless with no traces left behind and no clues to follow.
It was almost as if he was challenging us with his precision and skill.
As a detective I had spent years pursuing him, driven by a mix of professional duty and personal arguments.

Ben Price
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Jimmy Valentine
“Valentine,” the chief officer addressed him, “you’ll be out tomorrow. Go make something of yourself. Stop breaking safes, and live a better life.”
Jimmy’s surprised look amused me. I hear him say “Me? I never broke open a safe in my life.”
The officer laughed. "Sure, and I've never seen the inside of a courtroom. How did you end up here then? Wrong place, wrong time? You men always have an excuse."
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