Tate

I’d spent the entire night pacing the cell and exercising. A man never knows how he’ll process something as sensitive as murder until it happens. Oddly, my decision to kill Gravy didn’t haunt me through the course of the night. My concern was not knowing how Officer Madden was doing. The thought of my actions causing her grief was more disturbing than the act itself.

The sound of the cell door’s food slots being opened warned me of her approach. Concerned with my future, but more worried about her welfare, I stood in the center of the cell and waited.

“Reynolds, it’s time for…” Her eyes met mine. “Oh, I didn’t see you. It’s time for breakfast.”

“How’s my favorite prison guard today?”

She laughed. “Considering who I work with, that’s not much of a compliment.” She pushed the tray through bean hole. “I’m doing well. Just a little tired, how are you?”

“I think I might be tired as well.”

“Surprised me that you weren’t exercising,” she said. “I think this is the first time I caught you slacking.”

“I finished about an hour ago.” I reached for the tray. “My internal clock must be off. I had a tough time sleeping.”

“Because of what happened?”

It wasn’t because of what happened. I hoped she could find a way to view Gravy’s death as being part of the atrocities of being a prison guard and nothing more.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Not really.”

“What, then?”

“I was just worried about you, I guess.”

“That’s sweet. I’m okay. I didn’t really see anything, and I didn’t look at him afterward, so…” She shrugged. “It was kind of like seeing it on the news. It wasn’t that big of a deal. I told my dad about it, though.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he got what he had coming. Pretty much what I figured he’d say.”

I found the remark odd. “What do you mean? What he had coming?”

“He was charged with raping a girl. Did you know that?”

I let out a sigh. Lying to her wasn’t something I really wanted to start doing. “I did.”

“I found out last night,” she whispered. “I thought about it for a while, and then called my dad. He said prison justice takes care of what the legal system isn’t allowed to.”

I chuckled. “Your dad do time in the joint?”

She chuckled. “No. But he despises the legal system when it doesn’t work. He screams at the television sometimes. When cops get away with murder.”

“Sounds like a good man.”

“I told him about your first charge. He said they arrested you for wearing a kutte and having tattoos.”

“I like him already.”

She smiled. “He’s easy to like.”

“But you’re okay?”

“I’m good.”

Naturally I was curious about the surveillance footage, and if they’d found out anything in reviewing it. Not so much so that I was going to ask.

“You were right there,” she said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“Did you see what happened?”

“I watched him die,” I said, not really knowing why I chose to bring it up.

“Oh. Wow. That didn’t bother you?”

“I didn’t sleep all night, but I don’t think that kept me from it. Like I said, I was more worried about you than anything.”

She fought to keep from smiling, but only prolonged the inevitable. Her mouth curled into a grin. “Have you heard about your charge? If they’re dropping it?”

“I haven’t. Hopefully I will today.”

She crossed her fingers and raised them to the window. “You owe me a ride and a coffee.”

I raised my hands over my head and stretched. “I can’t wait.”

The thought of spending time with her away from the prison was exciting. For many reasons, I’d been out of the relationship game for years. Unlike many of the men, I wasn’t a man whore or a player, I simply felt I couldn’t afford a girlfriend.

The decision wasn’t based on finances alone.

For many reasons, I now viewed things differently.

“Okay. I better go,” she said. “I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you get out of here today.”

I crossed mine and touched them to the glass, hoping my level of excitement to spend time with her wasn’t all for naught.