Page 5 of The Freshman

“It more pay,” Henry saidto them.

“More insults andthreats.” Marie added this with a shudder.

One of the twins snorted, thenmuttered, “Oh yep, definitely more of that, but these ones meanit.”

Glen rubbed Marie’s shoulder. “We’reall in this together. It’ll be fine.”

Alfie turned his head and inwardlytutted. All in this together. That included Glen and Marie shackedup in the toilet, and Henry, their senior officer, asleep in hischair. The greatest team of unity ever.

Alfie turned at the squeeze of hisshoulder.

Henry looked up at him and offered aweak smile. “Don’t listen to the things they’ll yell. Just do yourjob and none of them will get you.” Henry stopped talking butdidn’t release Alfie’s shoulder.

Marie and Glen moved away to talkbetween themselves, and Henry turned back to Alfie with a seriousexpression.

“No riling themup.”

Alfie drew his eyebrows together.“Riling them?”

“No opening the hatches onthe doors and teasing them with your face, blowing kisses and thatkind of stuff.”

Alfie brushed Henry’s hand from hisshoulder. “Why the hell would I do that?”

“You might find thethought of frustrating them funny, but I’m telling you now, they’llfind a way to get you back, and it won’t be pretty.”

Alfie scrunched his face and steppedback from Henry. The old man had always thought it was strangeAlfie wanted to work in a correctional unit at such a young age.After four months, he had come to a sordid conclusion, and noamount of telling him he wasn’t interested in sexual thrills fromthe prisoners convinced him.

“I’m just here to do myjob,” Alfie said.

Henry nodded. “Exactly, keep thatstuff private, express your fantasies in the comfort of your ownbed.”

Alfie shook his head and went to swaphis keys for his house ones. He walked out of Larkwood, kicking outat the curb in frustration. He was too annoyed to sleep and curledup on the sofa with a bowl of cereal.

****

The protocol for H-wing was the sameas G. Any inmate at high risk was regularly checked throughout thenight. They were kept in the lower cells for easy access. Between 4AM and 6 AM, there was the dreaded roll call. Every prisoner had tobe accounted for, and that meant waking them and asking for theirnames. The inmates of G wing whined, whinged, and called Alfieevery curse word they could think of. It wasn’t pleasant, but Alfiecould handle their name calling.

At 4:30 on their first shift onH-wing, Henry stumbled from the office with a yawn. “It’s time forH’s roll call.”

Alfie nodded and took the clipboard ofcell numbers and names from him. “Should I radio for Marie andGlen?”

He frowned at the thickness of papers,then looked to see Henry holding the other clipboards, only hewasn’t holding any.

Henry clacked his tongue to the roofof his mouth, then bunched his cheeks in a pitiful expression.Alfie waited, not knowing what the hell was happening on the oldman’s face. He worried it was a stroke until Henry finallyspoke.

“The thing is, Ryan wantedyou to do the first roll call alone.”

Alfie rocked back on his heels.“Alone?”

“Yeah. Said it might scaresome sense it to you. Get you to rethink your career.”

Alfie stared through the gate into thegloomy prison. One hundred and fifty violent men were the otherside.

“It will take meforever.”

Henry tapped him on the shoulder.“Sorry, Fish, but it’s the captain’s orders.”

“Fine.”

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