Read Online Detective by Arthur Hailey - Free Book Online

it was part of his or her
freedom of choice and not "suicide."
As to the objecting lawyers, the
governor commented acidly, "They are
less concerned about condemned
prisoners having another day in
court than about having their own
day in court."
    Ainslie wondered how much thought,
if any, the demonstrators gave to
the silent: a murderer's victims.
    Driving past the parking lot,
Ainslie and Jorge neared the main
gate, a two-lane entranceway with
uniformed figures standing guard.
Normally at this point all arrivals
were asked for identification
documents and questioned about their
business at the prison. Instead,
uniformed guards in distinctive
kelly green pants and white shirts
waved both police cars through. At
the same time a tower searchlight
encompassed the two cars and tracked
them toward the prison buildings.
Ainslie and Jorge put up hands to
shield their eyes.
    They were similarly cleared through
two other checkpoints and, within
seconds, were approaching the Admin-
istration building. Ainslie had
visited the prison several times
before, usually to interview crime
suspects, and once to arrest an
inmate on new charges, but never had
he reached the interior so quickly.
    The Highway Patrol car stopped at
the Administration entrance, and
Jorge maneuvered the Miami
blue-and-white alongside.
    As Ainslie stepped out, he saw a
tall, slender black man, wearing a
prison guard's uniform with a
lieutenant's rank badges, move
forward. Probably in his
mid-forties, he had a trim mustache
and wore half-glasses over
penetrating eyes. On one cheek was a
long scar. His speech was brisk and
confident as he put out his hand.
"Sergeant Ainslie, I'm Hambrick."
    60 Arthur Halley
    "Good morning, Lieutenant. Thanks
for the arrangements."
    "No problem; let's just keep
moving." The lieutenant led the way
inside, walking quickly down a
brightly lit hallway a tightly
controlled linkage between the
strict security outside and the
formidable cellblocks ahead. The two
paused briefly for clearance through
two separate sets of electrically
operated steel gates, then a thick
steel door opening to a main
cellblock corridor, as wide as a
fourlane highway and running the
length of the prison's seven
cellblocks.
    Hambrick and Ainslie stopped
outside a secure control room
enclosed by steel and bulletproof
glass. Inside were two male guards
and a female lieutenant. The
lieutenant approached the two men
standing outside and slid a metal
drawer outward; Ainslie inserted his
Glock 9mm automatic pistol, a
fifteen-round ammunition clip, and
his police ID. The items were drawn
inside the control room, where they
would be placed in a safe until
retrieved. No one had asked him
about the recording device under his
coat, which he had strapped on in
the car. He decided not to volunteer
the information.
    "Let's move it," Hambrick said,
but at the same moment a group of
about twenty people emerged from the
hallway behind and blocked their
way. The newcomers were well-dressed
visitors; all appeared intent and
serious as prison guards hustled
them through the corridor. Glancing
at Ainslie, Hambrick mouthed the
word "Witnesses."
    Ainslie realized the group was
headed for the execution
chamber "twelve respectable
citizens" as required by law, plus
others whose presence the prison
governor had approved, though there
were always more applicants for
execution viewing than available
seats. The limit was twenty-four.
The witnesses would have been
assembled
    DETECTIVE 61
    not far away and brought to the
prison by bus. It was a sign that
events were moving on schedule as
7:00 A.M. approached.
    Scanning the group of faces,
Ainslie recognized a woman state
senator and two men who were members
of the state House of
Representatives. Politicians were
competitive about attending
executions, hoping their presence at
such weighty law-and-order scenes
would garner votes. Then he was
startled to see one face: Miami City
Commissioner Cynthia Ernst, who had
once been important in his life, but
he