Read Online JJ09 - Blood Moon by Michael Lister - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Lister
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jumped into Anna’s Mustang and sped away.
Chapter Twenty-one
As I raced toward the prison, I tried to formulate a plan for getting back in.
I kept coming up short, but the irony of going from working so hard to figure how to break an inmate out to now trying to devise a plan to break back in wasn’t lost on me.
At a minimum I would be at the prison when the kidnapper called back. I could go inside the admin or training buildings, which were outside the fence, if nothing else. If anyone asked what I was doing, I could say I came back because I wanted to meet with the warden about my future.
Of course, I’d be surprised if anybody but Randy Wayne, the warden and maybe his secretary even knew anything about my suspension.
I arrived at the institution with one minute to spare.
The warden’s office was on the far left side of the admin building closest to the front gate of the prison, so I entered through the front door on the opposite end, something mostly only visitors did, and was greeted by Brandy Jean Bateman, the buxom blonde with perpetual relationship dilemmas, who was forever soliciting advice she never took.
“Just the man I wanted to see,” she said. “I’ve got a question for you.”
“I’ll be right back to answer it for you, but I have to run take care of something first.”
“Sure,” she said, sighing with a certain wistful resignation, as if all men made her wait. “Take your time. I’ll be here.”
I rushed past her as my phone started ringing.
Answering it as quickly as I could, I ducked into the Mens to take it.
“Are you back at the prison?”
“I am,” I said, entering the first of the two small stalls and closing the door.
“What’s that echo?”
“You really want to know?” I asked, trying to think of something to say.
“Wouldn’t’ve asked if I didn’t.”
“I’m in the restroom. All this has my stomach messed up.”
“Sorry,” he said, and he sounded liked he meant it, “this will all be over soon.”
“Speaking to Anna will help.”
“Here she is.”
“John?” Anna said.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I really am. I just miss you so much. They’re treating me very well. All I need in the world is to be back with you . . . and a nice long bath.”
“You’ll have both very soon. I’m gonna get you out of there.”
“I know how you are,” she said. “But take care of yourself too. Not just me and everybody else. Are you eating? Have you slept any at all?”
“I’m okay. I’ll be great as soon as you’re back safe and sound.”
“I love you so much,” she said.
“I love you. See you soon.”
There was a rustling sound on the phone and she was gone.
“Why are you risking your wife’s life, John?” the kidnapper asked.
“What?”
“I told you to do exactly what I say and not to ever lie to me.”
“I––”
“Why would you tell me you’re at the prison when you’re––”
“I am. I told you.”
“You lied.”
“I didn’t.”
“You’re not there.”
“I told you,” I said. “My stomach is . . . I had a . . . an emergency. As soon as I got back, I ran into the closest bathroom. I’m in the men’s restroom in Admin right now. It’s where I’ve been since the moment I got back.”
“I meant for you to be in your office. In the chapel.”
“I will be. I just had to––”
“You better not be lying, John.”
With that he ended the call.
“What the hell are you doin’ here?”
As I pulled the restroom door open and stepped out, I walked into the warden.
Anger reddened his fleshy face, flared his nostrils, furrowed his brow.
Bat Matson was a man who expected to be obeyed.
“Answer me,” he said, his jowls shaking a bit as he did.
“I asked him to join us,” Carrie Helms said.
I turned to see Helms, Randy Wayne Davis, and Pine Tree Peavey walking down the narrow hallway toward us.
Carrie Helms was in front, Randy not far behind her, Pine lumbering after them, eclipsing everything
Chapter Twenty-one
As I raced toward the prison, I tried to formulate a plan for getting back in.
I kept coming up short, but the irony of going from working so hard to figure how to break an inmate out to now trying to devise a plan to break back in wasn’t lost on me.
At a minimum I would be at the prison when the kidnapper called back. I could go inside the admin or training buildings, which were outside the fence, if nothing else. If anyone asked what I was doing, I could say I came back because I wanted to meet with the warden about my future.
Of course, I’d be surprised if anybody but Randy Wayne, the warden and maybe his secretary even knew anything about my suspension.
I arrived at the institution with one minute to spare.
The warden’s office was on the far left side of the admin building closest to the front gate of the prison, so I entered through the front door on the opposite end, something mostly only visitors did, and was greeted by Brandy Jean Bateman, the buxom blonde with perpetual relationship dilemmas, who was forever soliciting advice she never took.
“Just the man I wanted to see,” she said. “I’ve got a question for you.”
“I’ll be right back to answer it for you, but I have to run take care of something first.”
“Sure,” she said, sighing with a certain wistful resignation, as if all men made her wait. “Take your time. I’ll be here.”
I rushed past her as my phone started ringing.
Answering it as quickly as I could, I ducked into the Mens to take it.
“Are you back at the prison?”
“I am,” I said, entering the first of the two small stalls and closing the door.
“What’s that echo?”
“You really want to know?” I asked, trying to think of something to say.
“Wouldn’t’ve asked if I didn’t.”
“I’m in the restroom. All this has my stomach messed up.”
“Sorry,” he said, and he sounded liked he meant it, “this will all be over soon.”
“Speaking to Anna will help.”
“Here she is.”
“John?” Anna said.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I really am. I just miss you so much. They’re treating me very well. All I need in the world is to be back with you . . . and a nice long bath.”
“You’ll have both very soon. I’m gonna get you out of there.”
“I know how you are,” she said. “But take care of yourself too. Not just me and everybody else. Are you eating? Have you slept any at all?”
“I’m okay. I’ll be great as soon as you’re back safe and sound.”
“I love you so much,” she said.
“I love you. See you soon.”
There was a rustling sound on the phone and she was gone.
“Why are you risking your wife’s life, John?” the kidnapper asked.
“What?”
“I told you to do exactly what I say and not to ever lie to me.”
“I––”
“Why would you tell me you’re at the prison when you’re––”
“I am. I told you.”
“You lied.”
“I didn’t.”
“You’re not there.”
“I told you,” I said. “My stomach is . . . I had a . . . an emergency. As soon as I got back, I ran into the closest bathroom. I’m in the men’s restroom in Admin right now. It’s where I’ve been since the moment I got back.”
“I meant for you to be in your office. In the chapel.”
“I will be. I just had to––”
“You better not be lying, John.”
With that he ended the call.
“What the hell are you doin’ here?”
As I pulled the restroom door open and stepped out, I walked into the warden.
Anger reddened his fleshy face, flared his nostrils, furrowed his brow.
Bat Matson was a man who expected to be obeyed.
“Answer me,” he said, his jowls shaking a bit as he did.
“I asked him to join us,” Carrie Helms said.
I turned to see Helms, Randy Wayne Davis, and Pine Tree Peavey walking down the narrow hallway toward us.
Carrie Helms was in front, Randy not far behind her, Pine lumbering after them, eclipsing everything
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