Page 49 of Exposé

"I can't." I tucked my hair behind my ear. "Your papers are a minefield of secrets."

"Yeah. Except I didn't do anything but question a superior about expensive pencil sharpeners through the 'low side' messaging system. The next thing I knew, police were at my door charging me with this ridiculous communication fraud. But we all know it's because I went to Congress about their spending."

I groaned. "So you’re saying you're a whistleblower?”

“Yeah, before laws were put in place to protect people like me.”

“Listen, I think if I were to talk to any inmate in here, they'd all say they were innocent."

"That's true, but they didn’t have people perjure themselves on the stand saying they'd spoken to me about classified information." He shook his head. "I'd never met them in my life—couldn't even tell you their names if they hadn't introduced them to the jury." He shrugged, his shoulders falling with a sigh. "It's okay if you don't believe me. But here's another question: if I'm in a low-security prison, why am I being denied contact with the outside world? They say I haven't received any letters, but the guys that work in the mail room have told me they were given explicit orders to give them to the warden—the ones comingandgoing—why is that?"

That's illegal.

Hairs stood on end as I shrugged. "I don't know how the prison system works."

"You don’t seem that dumb.” He scowled, and my teeth ground together. "They claim I'm trying to retaliate against the man who tried to kill me in here. Why do you think I'm in solitary?"

"Are you?" I cocked my head to the side. "Trying to retaliate?"

God, I'm underprepared for this interview.

"No. I'm insulted you'd even ask."

"Alright, wait." I held my hand out like a traffic guard. "You mean to tell me the DA's office concocted this whole story about you and then tried to have you killed in prison? That seems far-fetched."

"It wouldn’t be the first time the government offed a whistleblower.”

"Time's up." Becca handed him a small circular white pill.

"This isn't myAmiadarone."

Becca shook her head and grabbed the notepad on the side, flipping one sheet up and folding it over as I backed into the office on the off chance 'Jim' walked in unannounced. "Says here Dr. Phillips requested you switch toDronedarone."

"Why?"

"It's more effective at treating your AFiB."

"I'm not taking it. There was no reason to switch my medication." His eyes widened as he swiped the medication from her hand, knocking it to the floor.

"Mr. Rogers. What are you doing?"

"I'm not taking it."

"You know I wouldn't do anything to harm you—"

"Do I?"

She sighed and tipped her head back before bending over and picking up the pill. "I've been nothing but kind to you. I see you every day. If I wanted to hurt you, I could have done it already with that needle I just put in your butt, for God's sake."

He sat for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing, then gave her a curt nod. "You're right.”Kane Rogers held out his hand with a paper wedding band on his finger. Becca placed the pill in his hand and put a small paper cup in the other. “I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted.”

Cupping his hand to his mouth, he tipped it back and swallowed the pill, then slid off the bed, the door opening in time.

"All done? I have other inmates to get to."

Becca nodded. "Just finishing up." Her gaze flashed to mine hidden in the office, then back to Jim, who stepped into the room, noted by his heavy boots hitting the floor.

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