Page 36 of The Care of Broken Things
It was the click-click of the heels that stopped him. He only ever heard heels from two sources, and his sister was never on this side of the gate. He straightened his back and was more or less composed when the warden came into view. Her face went through a quick series of contortions before smoothing out.
Warden Cruces’s face was a mix of anxiety and exasperation—mostly exasperation. “What did you do now, Fuller?”
An arm slid around his shoulders. Eli, putting his body between him and the new threat.Safe.
“I got married. Chesterson was just congratulating me.”
Chesterson, who had recovered her stun gun and shoved it back into her belt, was on her feet. “He became violent, started going for Jameson. I did what I had to. You can check the cameras. I—”
The warden held up her hand. “You can wait in my office. You too, Jameson.”
Chesterson was glad to make her escape, but Jameson’s already puffy body swelled with indignation. “I can’t very well leave you alone here. That boy is a loose cannon. Remember the time with the ear? When Alvaro saw that he threw up all over himself. Nasty boy. Like an animal. He—”
“My office, Jameson.”
Jameson huffed and let the tip of his truncheon bump up against Samuel’s shoulder, a reminder that he wasn’t done with him. Good. Samuel wasn’t done with him either. He waited until the man had gotten his lumpy ass out of sight before he turned back to the warden. “Don't cost Eli any visitation privileges. It was my fault and won’t happen again. I’ll—"
“Enough, I'm not going to do anything. No, it looks like you and your trophy wife have gotten the worse endof it already. But you need to start thinking before you act, Fuller. You’ve been fortunate so far. No permanent injury, but one of these days—”
“He’s in prison,” Eli interrupted. “Yourprison. How fortunate can he be?”
The warden glared. “If you think you’re going to guilt me, Thompson, you don’t know your audience.I know who I’ve failed, and I never forget their names. Fuller, can you stand?”
“Yes.”
“Then take your ass to the dormitory. The guards will want to see you being nice and docile. And Thompson? Whatever you think you’ve seen, the reality is worse, and the only reason you don’t know it is because you’re being protected. Remember that in here it goes by rank and experience. That makes Fuller older and wiser than you. Make sure you listen. You’ve made things hard enough for him as it is.”
Eli didn’t care about getting ice, he just wanted to get to a phone and reassure Nathaniel he was all right. Samuel had to bribe Bertie to get off his call. He always kept bribes on him—mostly candy. It was amazing just how many big murderous convicts had a sweet tooth. Hell, he was one of them.
Bertie hung up for a Snickers, and Darnell decided he would practice the virtue of patience for a while longer for some Doritos. He was negotiating with his next esteemed client when Eli handed over the phone. “Your sister,” he said.
Mystified, Samuel pressed the receiver to his ear. “You’re still with the professor?” He was glad of it, but a little surprised. He assured Jenny he was fine and conveniently left out the part about getting tased. He’d tell her later, unable to lie, but didn’t believe in giving her too much bad news at once.
He was wrapping it up with her when he heard a new voice in the background. “Let me say hi! Let me say hi!”
And then the voice was in his ear directly. “Samuel! Guesswhat!”
“Hailey?” he guessed.
She laughed, familiar even when he’d never heard the sound before. “I was so excited I forgot that part. Yes, it’s me. And guess what? I finally wore mom down!”
Her voice was so sweet and bright—the antithesis of everything the prison stood for—that he instinctively clutched at the receiver, trying to pull that sunshine and warmth inward. “You mean—”
“I finally get to see you and daddy! Isn’t that amazing?” And then she laughed again, the sound like pealing bells on a summer day.
“Does your—did you tell me first?”
“Tell you what?” Eli demanded. He’d taken over the negotiation with Cleaver where he’d left off.
“Don’t tell him!” came the shout. “I want it to be a surprise.”
Eli was already at his elbow. “Something wrong?”
His brain churned, spun, and failed. “Jenny finally got her skin tag removed.” He didn’t know where the excuse came from, but with it he knew he’d just doomed himself to prison for life. If he ever left its protection, Jenny would wring his neck. Skin tags. As if she had anything like a skin tag. But Hailey’s laughter was in his ears again, so maybe it was worth it.
“There’s a big line now, isn’t there? I guess I’ll let you go, but I’ll see you Monday! Love you! Be safe!”
When she hung up, he was left with the dangling receiver, shaken by his transformation. Abruptly, he wasn’t Samuel the murderer, but Samuel, Hailey’s friend. And someone she loved? Maybe she’d just said the words out of habit. It was a common way to end phone calls, after all. But her voice had been so warm he could almost convince himself thatshe’d meant it.
