(1969) The Seven Minutes Read Free Page A

to prurient interest. That’s to say, the work goes beyond customary limits of candor in its descriptions, and is utterly without redeeming social importance. The District Attorney believes that the book The Seven Minutes, by J J Jadway, would be found obscene if taken to court, and therefore
    you are to be put under arrest for selling that book.’
    Ben Fremont, mouth agape, face ashen, gripped the counter’s edge, trying to find words. ‘Wait a minute, wait, now, you can’t arrest me. I’m just a guy who sells books. There are thousands of us. You can’t.’
    ‘Mr Fremont,’ said Kellog, ‘you are under arrest, absolutely. Now, for your own sake, don’t cause any trouble. We want all your invoices from Sanford House for purchased copies of this book. We’ve got to confiscate every copy of The Seven Minutes on the premises, and take them into our custody. We’ll also have to take that advertisement from the window, and any other promotional materials concerning the book.’
    ‘What about me?’
    ‘I thought you remembered the procedure. Never mind. We have a police vehicle outside. You will have to accompany us to the Sheriff’s Office on West Temple Street for booking.’
    ‘Sheriff’s Office ? For what - for what, dammit, I’m no criminal!’
    Kellog became suddenly impatient. Tor selling an obscene work. Didn’t you yourself tell me ten or fifteen minutes ago -‘
    Iverson hastily came forward, placing a restraining hand on Kellog’s shoulder. ‘One minute, Otto. Let me tell the gentleman his rights.’ He addressed himself to the bookseller. ‘Mr Fremont, everything you said before your arrest and everything you are saying now is being recorded by a wireless transmitter attached to Sergeant Kellog’s person and relayed to a magnetic tape recorder in our pohce vehicle outside. You did not have to be apprised of your rights before your arrest. Now that you are under arrest, it is my duty to warn you that you need answer no questions, that you have the right to remain silent, that you have the right to the presence of an attorney. Now you’ve been fully informed. If you want to ask questions, answer questions, that’s up to you.’
    ‘I’m not saying another word to either one of you, goddammit!’ Fremont shouted. ‘I’m not saying anything until I have an attorney!’
    ‘You can make a call,’ said Kellog, controlled. ‘You can call your attorney and have him meet you at the Sheriff’s headquarters.’
    Instantly Fremont’s anger vanished, and what was left was fear. ‘I don’t have an attorney. I mean, I don’t even know one. I’ve only got an accountant. I’m just a -‘
    ‘Well, you can have the court appoint -‘ Kellog began.
    ‘No, no, wait,’ Fremont interrupted. ‘I just remembered. The publisher’s salesman, the Sanford House salesman out here, when he sold me the books he said - he said if there was ever any kind of trouble, to call him right away, because they were standing behind their book, and young Sanford, he’s the publisher, he’d pitch in, he’d get any one of us an attorney. I’m going to call their salesman. Can I call him?’
    ‘Make any call you want,’ said Kellog. ‘Only make it fast.’
    Fremont grabbed for the telephone. But before dialing he stared at the officers. It was as if some new thought had crossed his mind and he was considering whether to speak what was on his mind. He spoke. ‘Listen, do you guys have any idea what you’re doing?’ he said, voice trembling. ‘You think it’s nothing. You think you’re just arresting some poor little nobody bookseller and that’s the end of it. Well, maybe you’re not. You know what you’re really doing? You’re arresting a dead author and his book - you’re arresting a book, something a man had to say. You’re arresting and fingerprinting a freedom, one of our democratic freedoms, and if you think that’s nothing, you wait and see what can happen….’
    It was when he was driving along