Page 21 of Fighting for Tawny

“Yes, that’s not a secret. She commented on the basketball game. A better question would be how she got her hands on the rat poison.”

“We’re looking into that.”

“And?”

Stoltz scowled. “Who’s the interrogator here?”

“Look, Warden, just admit you’ve got nothing and give us back our privileges.”

“No. Not until Bette Simpson is back in custody.”

“You know that’s unrealistic.” Tawny hadn’t been handcuffed on this visit to the warden’s office, so she crossed her arms. “You don’t have the right to treat us so inhumanely. I want to speak to my lawyer.”

Stoltz raised a dubious brow. “TK Winchester? She’s a sham. You’ve been scammed, Tawny, if you believe she can do anything for you.”

He smiled with cold mockery as he ripped away her power. Or so he thought.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Tawny stared at Stoltz, mouth agape. “You investigated my lawyer?”

“Out of concern. After your bad experience with your public defender, I wanted to protect you.”

“Protect me? You invaded my privacy.”

“For a good reason. There are so many unscrupulous people nowadays just looking for an opportunity to scam somebody. I checked the visitors’ log. She hasn’t been to see you once.”

The salacious gleam in Stoltz’s eyes alerted Tawny to the fact that he enjoyed his control over her. “Okay, fine. Let me confront her and prove you’re right. If TK Winchester can’t convince you to return our privileges, I’ll fire her and drop my appeal. I’ll be yours for the duration of my sentence.”

Tawny knew she hadn’t misinterpreted the gleam in his eyes. They turned dark with undisguised lust. His lips parted, and his tongue flicked over them. She shuddered with distaste.

“All right. You may call Ms. Winchester from my phone.”

Tawny pressed the number. Stoltz yanked the receiver from her hand and punched the speaker icon. After several rings, Teagan answered the call.

“Yes, hello. This is TK Winchester. Warden Stoltz, has something happened to my client, Tawny Westfall? I’ve been following the news about Bette Simpson.”

“Tawny is fine,” he snapped. “She’s here with me.”

“Tawny, are you okay?”

“No. None of us are. Warden Stoltz is holding our privileges hostage. No TV or recreational time, no exercise in the yard, and worse, he’s suspended classes and tutoring until Bette Simpson is apprehended.”

“Give me ten minutes to take care of this.” Teagan disconnected the call.

Stoltz snickered. “Need any more proof?” His gaze focused on the curves of her breasts.

“She said to give her ten minutes. It hasn’t even been one.”

But Teagan didn’t need ten minutes. Within six, Stoltz’s phone rang. When he recognized the caller ID, the color drained from his face, and his eyes widened in dismay. He picked up the receiver but didn’t put the caller on speaker. It didn’t matter. Tawny could hear both sides of the conversation.

“D—Director Dickinson, g—good evening,” Stoltz stuttered.

Tawny almost chuckled aloud. No wonder Stoltz trembled, for he spoke with the director of the Department of Corrections, Jerry Dickinson.

“No, Warden Stoltz, it most definitely is not a good evening. You’re running quite the shitshow over in Chino. One inmate is on the run, and another is making a serious accusation against you, which I have no reason to doubt is true. As of right now, you will reinstate the women’s privileges. Your job is to rehabilitate them, not to heap more punishment upon them. You can expect a visit from me tomorrow morning at nine a.m. sharp.” Director Dickinson ended the call without giving Stoltz an opportunity to defend himself.

“Need any more proof?” Tawny mocked him.

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