Page 23 of White Rabbit

“Fine! Fine.” I hiss, holding my hands up in surrender. “I hate seeing you like this, Andrew. But I refuse to be threatened and intimidated into behaving. I’m not a fucking child.”

His mouth twists as he glares at me. “You’re a selfish cunt, Ava. You ruin everything.”

The metal door clangs shut as he vanishes from sight once again.

Exhaling, I lean against the wall before sliding down to the floor, amongst the dust and dirt. I let the tears flow freely for a few minutes before wiping at my face with the palms of my trembling hands. Taking a deep breath and straightening my shoulders, I let out a shaky laugh.

“Why does everyone think I only paint fucking flowers?”

Knocking on the door to Warden Williamson’s door, I try to stay calm. The man makes me nervous, and not just because he is my boss.

“Come in!”

Pushing the door open, I enter his office cautiously. The warden doesn’t look up from the paperwork he’s reading as he gestures to the seat in front of his desk.

“Take a seat please, Officer Walters.”

“It’s Bishop, Sir.” I cough awkwardly as I lower myself into the chair. “Officer Bishop.”

Pale blue eyes flick up to my face. “So it is.”

Silence stretches in the room. Glancing anxiously around, I wait for the warden to finish up whatever he’s working on.

His office is very decadent compared to the rest of the facilities here at Ogmore. There’s no gray or beige paint, instead the walls are a deep shade of green. The furnishings are all dark wood and give the room a classy feel. In fact, if I wasn’t able to look down into the prison yard from the window, I would expect this to be the home office of someone important or wealthy.

“Let’s get to the point, shall we?” Clasping his hands together, he looks at me expectantly. “I would like an inmate named Elijah Creed to be given a place in your art class to enable us to keep a closer eye on him. I want to know who he interacts with. Who may have issues with him. That kind of thing.”

I blink slowly, processing his words. He wanted Creed in my art class. Why? The warden never got involved in the day-to-day activities at Ogmore unless there was an ulterior motive. I’m not sure how encouraging Creed to learn watercolors looked good during an audit.

Getting to his feet, Warden Williamson walks around his desk and he’s practically standing in front of me. He’s in his mid-fifties, with graying hair and eerily cold light eyes, a glacial shade of blue as he stares down at me.

“There was an incident recently, and before things escalate, I would like to observe him a little more.” The warden leans back against the edge of his desk and crosses his arms. “The only thing he’s expressed interest in since arriving at Ogmore, has been your workshop.”

I nod, not trusting myself to say anything just yet. I’m not entirely surprised to hear that Creed wanted to be on my class register. Most of the inmates did. He also hadn’t hidden his interest in me, attempting to flirt with me every time he was in my vicinity.

The warden continues, “Now, I’m not in the habit of rewarding unacceptable behavior but Creed is an exception to the norm.”

There’s a glimmer in his eye that sets me on edge. What was it about Elijah Creed that had everyone nervous, tiptoeing around him like he was a fragile bomb on the verge of detonation?

“Sir, if you want me to move him up the waiting list, I can do that.” Warden Williamson was talking to me like I had a choice, but I knew he’d already made the decision. It wasn’t my place to question him here, only to follow orders.

Besides, a part of me wanted this. An opportunity to get to know Elijah Creed had fallen at my feet and I wasn’t about to turn it down. Not when he was under my skin and inside my head.

“Ahh, you may not have heard yet, but a space is about to open on your roster.” Warden Williamson chuckles dryly. His brown lifts as he gives me a knowing look. “No doubt Officer Jones will fill you in.”

What had I missed?

“Well, I’ll get that sorted as soon as possible then, Sir.” I try to keep my voice casual and not betray the way I was buzzing with energy at the thought of getting up close and personal with Creed. This would be my only chance to get to know the monster behind the man. To figure out what makes him tick and work out what it is about him that has consumed me.

“Good. Good,” Williamson almost whispers and if I didn’t know better, I would think he was afraid of something.

I sit, waiting for him to dismiss me as he’s lost in his thoughts. Warden Williamson was a quiet, precise man who needed things to go to plan. When it didn’t, he unraveled. I had only seen it once, but it wasn’t a pretty sight.

“Right, well, pop along to medical and offer him the space.” He finally looks me in the eye and a shiver runs through me. What does he know that I don’t?

“Medical? Now?”

He nods, “That’s what I said.”

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