Page 6 of Fighting for Tawny

The news didn’t please Stoltz. He rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt and loosened his tie. Tawny wondered if he felt a noose tightening around his neck. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Whomever he spoke to must have upset him more than she’d first assumed. “I’ll have the guard escort you to a phone. Now get out of my sight.”

“Have a nice day, Warden.” Tawny shot him a sarcastic grin.

An explosion of vile expletives followed her out of his office.

Wendy looked up from her desk, her forehead wrinkled. “What did you say to him?” A twinge of nervousness in her tone replaced her usual cheerfulness.

“Nothing.” She refused to elaborate as she addressed the guard. “I have permission to call my lawyer.”

“You can take her into the conference room,” Wendy said. She pointed toward an open door on her left.

Tawny knew the guard wouldn’t leave her alone, so she would have to choose her words carefully to communicate with Special Agent Teagan Thomas, one of the agents handling the op. The agent had been nothing but a glorified paper pusher until Jiena had recruited her for the Laguna Beach satellite office of the FBI. Thomas was intelligent and efficient, and Tawny liked those qualities in her new handler. Jiena had shared horror stories of undercover ops gone awry—hers included when she infiltrated the Finnicelli crime family’s organization. She assured Tawny nothing like that would happen to her as long as she was in charge. Tawny trusted Jiena and her talented team of agents.

Tawny dialed the number she’d memorized on the landline phone. She turned her back to the guard so it would be harder for the guard to hear what she said. After three rings, a voice answered, “Winchester Law Firm. How may I help you?”

“I’d like to speak to TK Winchester. Tell her it’s Tawny Westfall.”

Teagan came on the line and spoke in a low voice. “Solitary again? Are you okay?”

“Busted up a bit. I have some news. Warden Stoltz wants me to start fire classes. Don’t know when. But it will help my case, right?”

“Yes. It’s a great opportunity so, don’t blow it.”

“I won’t. When will you visit?”

“When I have something to report. In the meantime, there’s money in your account for any incidentals you might need.”

“Thanks, Ms. Winchester. Appreciate your interest in me.”

“I know it’s tough in there. Just remember you’re not alone.”

After the call ended, the guard escorted Tawny outside for some fresh air. The late fall sunshine warmed her face. She turned toward the rays and closed her eyes. Images of the rocky coast of Laguna Beach filled her vision. She could smell the salt spray as the waves crashed against the rocks and hear the roar of the Pacific on a stormy day. Cut off from her family and friends, she had no idea what was happening back home. Incarcerated, she had to appear to be a woman without any support, without anyone who would care what happened to her if she disappeared or overdosed.

Tawny sat on a set of metal bleachers. Some of the women were shooting baskets. Her lips curled into a slight smile when she remembered how the guys of the LBPD teamed up against the LBFD in a basketball game and performed the macarena when they won. That had been a great day.

A basketball ricocheted off the backboard and bounced up into the bleachers. Tawny caught it and jumped onto the concrete. She tossed it into the air and approached a slim Black woman who watched her warily. Her name was Jo, and she was known around the cell block as a peacekeeper.

“Can I join the game?”

“You got game?”

“Yeah, I got game.”

“We don’t want no trouble.”

“Don’t want to cause any. I just want to have some fun.”

“Okay. You’re in.”

Eight women divided themselves into two teams. One inmate acted as a referee and tossed the basketball into the air. Jo and another woman leaped at the same time, but Jo was quicker and slapped the ball toward Tawny. She dribbled it, sidestepped the opposition, and passed the ball to Jo who sank a basket. The teams were evenly matched, and as the competition intensified, they drew a crowd of inmates who cheered for both sides.

The women played fair with no dirty tricks. Tawny and Jo scored the most baskets for their team, and after being neck and neck for most of the game, their side won by the last shot taken by Jo. Hot and sweaty, the women grinned, high-fived each other, and ambled off toward other parts of the exercise yard.

Jo and Tawny settled onto the bleachers and watched the other inmates in silence. Tawny glanced up at the tower and waved at Whitcomb. He might have responded with a chin nod, but she couldn’t be sure.

“Why’d you do that?” Jo asked.

“I don’t know. I guess to let him know I’m aware that he’s watching me.”

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