Chapter 14

~John’s POV~

There was something going on between them even if nobody cared to admit it.

I didn’t even want to know what those two did in the privacy of their small cell but with the two very visible love bites baring themselves on the boy’s neck; it wasn’t hard to guess. I turned away from them in annoyance, only to come face to face with the other kid; Kyle. Now this one was a down right pain in my ass.

He looked at me as if I’d given him the moon and up until recently I’d thought I could ignore it but now it was just getting ridiculous. This was a prison not a fucking soap opera.

I shook my head then turned away from him and with nowhere else to look without having to deal with the goo-goo eyed inmate, I looked down, dropping my forehead onto my arm.

“Hey are you okay?” Kyle was quick to interrupt. I felt the pressure of his small hand against my arm and heard the concern in his voice and I shook my head. This is what infatuation did to a person; turned a stone cold criminal into a ...Kyle.

Yet even while the thought struck me, I couldn’t ignore the fact that it felt damn good to have someone feel concerned about my wellbeing. It had been awhile since anyone other than Nate gave a shit and I turned my head briefly to the side to appraise the kid.

I took in the too-pretty-to-be-male face with those large brown eyes, the too long eye lashes and the plump pink lips and the thoughts I had tried to suppress rose to the surface and I gritted my teeth against their assault.

“Look, you seem like a decent kid and all, but I don’t do relationships, more than that, I don’t do relationships with inmates so stop wasting your time...good?” I got out then dropped my head again before he could answer.

“You’re all talk but I can tell when someone likes me.” he said and I chose to ignore him. He was only a child after all; they had a tendency to say foolish things.

When I felt the hand pass through my short cropped hair not a second later, I stiffened and pulled away, glaring at him as I did. “What the fuck is your problem kid?”

He only offered a smile.

“The ‘badass’ act doesn’t work on me Johnny, so you might as well drop it.” He told me with a confidence that sickened me and I reached over to grab the hand that was moving toward me again, and twisted…hard. He cried out in pain and when I dropped it, he held it protectively to his chest; pouting. I looked away.

“I’ll give you two weeks.” I heard him say then and my brows furrowed.

“Two weeks for what?”

“Two weeks before you fall in love with me.” he said it once again so confidently I had to really take a good look at him. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh at his stupidity or strike him over the head for his unwelcome cockiness. I did neither; only continued to stare at him with narrowed eyes.

“You won’t be able to help it; I’ll be around you so much you’ll just give in to what you already feel.” He continued and this time I did laugh.

“You must be on something kid.”

He only grinned and I gritted my teeth then glanced over at Nate who was deep in conversation with Riley. He looked so engrossed in the kid I had to look away. Everybody in this place was losing their minds.

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~Nathan’s POV~

I smiled as I watched him trying desperately to keep the love bites covered as he talked and talked as only Riley could. His mood had seemed to heighten drastically with the coming of the morning and surprisingly; I found I liked him this way. I liked him…happy.

“…but I think I’d rather just get a tattoo… piercings are kinda messy. Did it hurt when you got yours? I hear they do, but I’m sure some people exaggerate.” He was saying then blushed when he caught me looking at his neck.

“Stop looking.” He said then, snapping a hand over the marks and I shook my head in amusement.

It was times like this that his innocence really struck me and made me think back to how far he’d come these past months.

“It doesn’t hurt much, in fact if you think about something else you hardly feel a thing.” I lied and he nodded in contemplation.

“I probably wouldn’t get something that big though, maybe just something on my arm. What do you think they charge to do that stuff in here?” he asked then and I frowned.

“In here?”

“Yeah, do you think they charge cash or like barter stuff?” he continued and my frown deepened.

“It doesn’t matter what they charge, you’re not getting a tattoo in this place. The first thing you’ll leave with is a disease and you can be certain the only bartering they’ll be doing is with your body.” I finished, working to quash the feeling of anger that had arisen at the thought of Riley with any of the disgusting perverts in here.

“Then where do you expect me to do it. I’m not getting out of this place anytime soon remember?” he said and the happiness from earlier all but disintegrated as I watched him.

“You’d have sex for a tattoo?”

“Of course not.” He grumbled, then shook his head and turned away from me, “Just forget it.”

“You’re moody today.” I commented.

“Yeah well the thought of having to stay in this place for any length of time would kill anybody’s mood.” He said, then pushed up from the seat. “I’m gonna finish the rest of REC in the library.” He announced and just like that he was gone.

I shook my head.

“John!” I called, turning to face my fellow agent who seemed just about ready to strangle Kyle who sat by his side across the small room chatting his ear off.

When he looked up and saw me waving him over, the relief on his face was unmistakable.

“You got something for me?” he asked the second he dropped into the seat before me. “We’re doing a drop tonight, then I’m turning the second meet-up over the Eddie.” I explained.

His brow furrowed, “Why Eddie?”

“Because we’ve used you too many times already, I can’t afford for anyone to get suspicious right now. Not even a dying man needs to go to the infirmary as often as you have been. Eddie will get himself in there; I’ll organize for one of our guys to escort him; he’ll form a distraction and he’ll plaster the device close enough to the warden’s office for our guys outside to get a read; if they hear anything worth much they’ll get the message our way and we’ll know how to proceed. And if that doesn’t work we’ve already got a guard slowly making his way up as the warden’s right hand anyway.

“Do I need to remind you how many laws we’re breaking to make this work?” John stated the obvious and I nodded.

“When we uncover the truth, the last thing anyone will care about is the laws we’ve broken. This is bigger than all of us.” I told him and he nodded in agreement.

“I’ll go over the layout with Eddie a few more times.” He said and I watched him push up from the chair and make his way over to where Eddie sat with the others.

Just then, my name sounded over the intercom and I pushed up from my seat. “Right on time.”

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~Riley’s POV~

It was just as I’d found a book worth reading that I heard my name over the intercom and I was being escorted down the corridor. I hadn’t expected Jerry today; this would make it his third visit for the week. It was strange but welcome and I grinned at what it could mean. There might be news!

When they released me into the visiting area, I noticed two things; one Nathan was also there and two; it wasn’t Jerry who had come to visit but Malone; not a friend of mine, but someone I’d seen walking the hallways in my senior year; I think I had had chemistry with him. My brows furrowed.

The guard uncuffed me and I shuffled over to the seat, eying my ex class mate awkwardly, then my eyes shifted to Nathan who sat a few seats away in deep conversation with a woman I didn’t recognize.

“I-I shouldn’t even be h-here.” My visitor stuttered and I turned my attention back to him.

My brows furrowed.

“Then why are you? I mean… I’m glad to have a visitor but…we hardly know each other, why are you here?” I didn’t know how else to ask it without sounding impolite and I hoped I didn’t offend him.

He was fidgety. I watched him as he twisted his hands in front of him then looked around the room; once, twice, three times before he answered my question.

“I ah…you didn’t do it. You didn’t kill that guy.” He said finally and I really looked at him then, turning my head slightly to appraise him.

“I know that…is there a reason you’re telling me this?” I asked; confused by the entire situation.

“Because…because I know who did it.” He said then and my eyes widened, my breath became shallow and my mouth ran dry. “And I want to help you but-” He continued.

I ran a hand through my hair and straightened in my seat. I gasped in surprise as I registered his words, then I reached over to take hold of his hand.

“Really? You do? Who is it? Did you tell anyone? You should tell the guard! Or my lawyer, wow I can’t believe this.” I let out, my mind whirling. “How do you know who it is? Who did it? Jesus this is perfect!” I exclaimed and when he pulled his hand away from mine and jumped up from his seat I knew I had been too loud.

“I s-shouldn’t be here…they’ll…I’ll help you though I promise…” He said, then he was bolting from the room and I jumped up to follow.

“Wait! Please don’t-“

I got out only to be held back by a guard who slid the cuffs around my wrists once more. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, to jump for joy or shout on the top of my lungs. I couldn’t believe it! It had been months…months I’d been sitting here slowly losing hope and this pops up.

“I can’t believe it.” I whispered to myself as the guards ushered me from the room.

“I can’t believe it.” I said again, I looked behind me, stretching so I could see the door my savior had gone through and my eyes locked with Nathan’s.

He looked confused, his brows furrowed and his eyes crinkling and I offered him a grin with all the hope and happiness that had welled up within me at that moment and just before the guards pushed me into the hall his mouth turned slightly up at the corners while he shook his head in confusion.

“I just need to make a phone call…please could you just take me to my cell for a sec?” I pleaded with the guard, who finally relented. When we got there and he uncuffed me, I ran to the small table in the room and took up the only quarter dollar that rested there, before slipping in into my pocket and holding out my hands once more to be cuffed.

The whole time I walked down the corridor; my mind was reeling with the possibilities and my chest grew tight at just the thought of freedom. As soon as they delivered me back to the library to continue what was left of REC period; I was quick to make my way to the cafeteria where the phones were kept.

I released a breath of relief when I saw that there were no lines and jumped at the chance to make the call.

I inserted the coin and waited.

Ring

Ring

Ring

I bit my lip and wiped my sweaty palm onto my pants.

Ring

I felt my eyes begin to water at the thought of nobody picking up. Once you put the quarter in you couldn’t get it back whether or not the call went through and that was my last one.

“Come on...please.” I whispered into the phone.

“Hello?”

At first the words wouldn’t come when I heard her voice and I swallowed hard to dislodge the lump.

“M-mom?” I whispered brokenly.

There was silence then the phone went dead and I removed it from my ear; staring at it as if it had offended me.

It had been awhile since I’d heard her voice and it brought back so many memories now. Memories that were too difficult to stomach. I missed her. I slammed the phone onto the hook and stared at it for a second before shaking my head and biting my lip. I needed to focus. I’d made the call because I needed to update Jerry on the situation.

A lump formed in my throat again as I thought of my empty pockets. I’d run out of quarters which meant the only way I’d be able to update Jerry would be to wait until his next visit; a week from now. I couldn’t wait that long so I turned to face the room; my eyes landing on my crew’s table; I’d have to ask them.

“Fuck.”

I walked over to the table; my palms sweaty and took in their faces. Nathan was now among their ranks, as was Kyle; who I knew was broke, then there was John and the others. I took a breath.

“I need a quarter, it’s an emergency.” I said hesitantly and judging from the raised eyebrows I received; it was clear I hadn’t properly portrayed the ‘emergency’.

John was, as expected, the first to speak.

“Why would we give you the one thing we all need to keep in touch with our families? What’s the big emergency?” he said scathingly and my eyes drifted to Nathan for help. He offered none but looked as if, like the others, he was waiting for an answer to John’s question.

I sighed. “There’s somebody who knows the truth about the murder I was convicted for and he could get me out of here.” I said, then when no one offered a response I continued.

“He knows the real killer and I need to tell Jerry so he can look into it, but I don’t have any money to call him and he won’t be back till next week. I can’t wait that long.” I went on, my desperation now evident in my tone but I didn’t care. I was desperate.

“Number one: who’s Jerry? and number two: how’d somebody just happen to appear with this information after all this time?” Eddie questioned; looking skeptical and I explained who Jerry was then told them about the visit I’d received that day. The still didn’t look convinced and I started to panic; looking at Nathan once again.

“Please Nate, I need to call Jerry I don’t want the guy to get cold feet.” I pleaded and he leaned back in his chair to appraise me with folded arms.

“Tell me what happened to get you convicted in the first place. I know the gist of it but I want to hear the whole from you.” He said and I stared at him in disbelief, then back at the phone sitting across the room.

When I looked at the others they were waiting patiently and with a sigh I pulled out a chair, dropped heavily onto the seat and leaned forward so that my elbows rested on the table before me. Then I looked at them each; my eyes passing over their faces before I began to speak.

It didn’t take long, but I told them everything; including the fact that I’d voluntarily injured him in a room full of witnesses and making sure not to leave out the fact that I had threatened his life. While I explained the facts; recounting my innocence and my horror at his death, their expressions didn’t change and I felt disheartened.

I continued with my recount of the unfortunate events that had led to my conviction; telling the absolute truth, pouring my heart out into my account.

When I was done, I felt defeated. I had no idea what else I could say to get them to help me which was why when John slammed down a quarter onto the middle of the table I stared up at him in shock and as if in a domino effect, one by one the men reached into their pockets and pulled out a quarter, depositing the coins onto the table before me.

I didn’t know what to say and so I stared at them all in surprise; my heartbreaking at their display. These were the men same men who had gazed upon me with contempt every time I sat with them. The same untrusting men I had grown weary of as time had passed. The same men I thought had detested me for my very presence in their crew. I couldn’t respond as everything inside me melted and I felt like weeping.

Nathan was the last to deposit his coin but he was the first to speak; a small smile crossing his face. “Go make your call.” He said and my bottom lip quivered. I was touched.

“Thank you.” I whispered; my eyes skating over their faces, then I scooped up a handful of coins and pushed out of the chair; hightailing it to the phone before anyone else could think to do the same.

…………………………………………

~John’s POV~

“Never thought I’d say it, but I believe the kid.” I said watching him as he inserted the coin into the slot.

Murmurs of agreement went up from the others. “So he was framed, the important question is; why and by who.” I continued.

“A room full of witnesses heard him threaten and assault the guy…there’s a possibility the real killer held a grudge against the victim and used the opportunity to take him out.” Paul said and I nodded.

“Or someone held a grudge against Riley and wanted him to suffer.” Someone else spoke up and I shook my head in contemplation.

“It could be anything but why now? The kid’s been in here for months, why’d this visitor just show up out of the blue?” Eddie questioned.

“I’m really glad you guys are finally on his side. He thought you hated him.” Kyle said with a grin and I frowned at him.

“Why exactly are you here?” I questioned in annoyance and he rolled his big brown eyes; sending my heart doing ridiculous little flips that just soured my mood completely.

“We have official ‘crew issues’ to discuss, you need to leave.” I growled and when Eddie interrupted to stand up for Kyle I cut him a look and he quietened.

“Then make me apart of the crew so I can stay. I’m not a squeal, yall can trust me.” he said and when I pulled the weapon from my boot and slammed it down into the center of the table he froze; staring at the pocket knife that stood embedded in the furniture in horror.

“Leave.” I issued and with a glare directed my way, he pushed up from the table and made his way over to where Riley stood talking on the phone.

“I’d ask what your problem is but dissecting your moods isn’t a part of my agenda today.” Nathan said drily and I pulled the knife from the table and returned it to its hiding place.

I studied him as he snuck a look at Riley. “Looks like your cellie could go free.” I commented to get a clear view of his reaction, but Nate being Nate remained devoid of any.

“We could help him. Get some people on his case.” Eddie suggested, but I shook my head.

“We need all our men focused on our case right now, the kid’s gonna have to wait.” I interrupted, “and speaking of our case, just thought I’d remind everyone that we all need to remained focused on the mission; everything takes a back bench to this…everything.” I emphasized, focusing my gaze on Nate who stared at me with narrowed eyes.

“You have something to say to me John?” he asked in that deadly tone I’d long ago grown accustomed to, but I still felt that nervous shiver run through me. I held firm.

“Yeah I do, but right now I’ve got more to say about our case, so it can wait.” I finished and at his nod I leaned in.

“What did Natalie say?” I questioned, referring to his recent visitor and he leaned forward; voice lowered.

“It’s all set. She held up her end; so we need to get Eddie to do his part. We just have one small problem…” he continued and I sighed. Of course we did.

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~Nathan’s POV~