Cross My Heart (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“Come with me.” The warden led them down the hallway and into a control room lined with screens showing CCTV footage of vast areas of the prison. “See here.” He pointed to an array. “This is maximum security. The guards here watch the inmates twenty-four/seven. The cell doors are controlled from a central area. Two or more guards are in control of the opening and closing of doors and gates at each checkpoint.”

“What about when Stone goes to the library?” Carter stared at the screens. “Who does he meet and why is he really there?”

“The library is a privilege he earned by being a model prisoner.” The warden gave them an impatient shrug. “They have to have an incentive to behave. He put in a request to have his lawbooks added to the library, he also offered his services to any prisoner who believed they’d been railroaded by the system.”

Jenna gaped at him. “So, he does have contact with other prisoners. You said he wasn’t in contact with anyone.”

“That’s right. He’s not, apart from the guards, the medical staff, and one prisoner, who is a trustee. He collects orders for books, delivers them, and returns them to the library. Trust me, Stone is under guard the entire time and there are no conversations allowed between the trustee and Stone.” He gave Jenna a long look. “He doesn’t speak to the prisoners who seek his help. He’s given their case files and makes suggestions is all. The files don’t get to him via the inmates. They come from the previous counsel on the case. All his notes are read before they’re handed to the inmates via a guard.”

Unsettled, Jenna met the warden’s gaze. “Can you assure me that there is absolutely no way Stone is communicating with the outside world?”

“Yes.” The warden nodded emphatically. “We have many maximum-security prisoners here. Some are so high profile they’re kept in solitary confinement for their own safety. They all would find some reason to kill each other, and the slightest thing can trigger them. Most are cunning and very smart. It wouldn’t take long for them to devise a plan of escape. This is why they’re not permitted to speak to others of like mind in the max wing.”

Unconvinced because her gut was insisting something wasn’t right, Jenna reluctantly nodded and turned to Kane. “I’ve seen enough.” She looked at Jo and Carter. “Are you ready to leave?”

“Yeah.” Jo smiled at the warden. “Thank you for your cooperation. The visit with Stone was very illuminating. I hope I’ll be able to speak to some of your other prisoners in the future?”

“Only too happy to assist, you Agent Wells.” The warden beamed at her. “The guard will take you back to the helipad.” He waved them into the hallway. “Good day to you.”

Not making eye contact with anyone, Jenna moved swiftly through the jail, earplugs firmly in place and humming like a deranged lunatic. When she finally climbed into the chopper she slumped back in her seat, totally drained, and looked at Kane. “I’m sure glad that’s over.”

“You can say that again.”

Forty

Back at the ranch, Jenna stared at the recording device playing back on the kitchen table in Kane’s cottage. The sound of Stone’s confident voice sent chills through her. The constriction in her throat was like a cord tightening, and she touched her neck just to be sure there wasn’t really one there. As the last few threatening words echoed in her ears like a death knell, she closed her hands around her coffee cup just to feel the comforting heat, and found the cup empty. Trying to keep her voice steady although her mind was racing one hundred miles an hour in panic mode, she lifted her gaze to Jo. “What is he planning?”

“More like, what has he planned.” Carter moved a toothpick across his lips and raised both eyebrows at her. “He sounds way too overconfident to be making those threats without having some type of plan to back them up. He must be communicating with other prisoners and not those in maximum security—I doubt he could trust them, as most of them have their own form of psychopathy. He’d more likely chose those inmates who have regular visitors or are allowed to correspond with the outside. Remember, this guy is loaded, he could be bribing anyone inside the jail. You never caught his accomplices on the outside or those who control his fortune. I believe he still has contact with a few very well paid and dedicated followers.”

“His affairs were put in the hands of a lawyer he trusts. I doubt he is corruptible.” Jenna rubbed her temples. “You heard it straight from the warden’s mouth. It’s impossible unless he has every guard on his payroll.”

“Then we ask for the CCTV surveillance from the prison and spend the time to go through it for ourselves.” Kane refilled the coffee cups from a fresh pot and slid a plate of sandwiches he’d just made onto the table. “Stone is a smart man. He’d have found a way, somehow. Maybe it’s something to do with the cases he’s supposedly helping with.” He looked at Jenna. “How vigilant are the guards? I heard a ringtone during our visit to the warden’s office. How many guards are playing with their phones in the control room?”

Jenna nodded. “True, but will the warden release the tapes?”

“I could ask to use them as a follow-up to my behavioral studies.” Jo placed a sandwich on her plate and examined the contents. “It would be a normal thing to do, as in observing a person in their day-to-day activities. I’ll call as soon as I’ve eaten this delicious sandwich Kane has made.” She smiled at him. “A man of many talents, I see.”

“Food is a passion, so I learned to cook good food, real fast.” Kane grinned back. “I was making my own meals as a boy.”

Trying to keep Kane away from his favorite subject, Jenna tapped on the table. “Moving right along.” She turned her attention to Jo and Carter. “I guess you don’t have plans to hang around?”

“Not today, no.” Carter removed his toothpick, flicked it into the trash, and selected a sandwich. “We’ll head home but we’ll be right back if you need us.” He shrugged. “Right now, without any leads on any possible suspects or the missing woman, there’s not much we can do to help.” He motioned with his sandwich to the open front door. “How come you have guys in military fatigues working on your house, Jenna?” He flicked his gaze to Kane. “There’s an entire camp out there. What gives?”

Jenna searched her mind for a plausible excuse. “After my house was trashed, I had the damage repaired, but the mayor wanted my security upgraded. This”—she waved her hand absently toward the door—“is part of a military training program. Apparently to see how fast they can secure the perimeter of a sensitive area.” She shrugged. “It works for

me, but I’ll be glad when they’re through checking us back and forth through my own gate. It’s a pain and I’m sure Dave is sick of me living here by now.”

“Right.” Carter gave Kane a wink. “I’ll go do a preflight check and then we’ll be on our way.” He snapped his fingers and Zorro jumped to attention. “Wheels up in five.” He strolled out the door.

“I’ll make that call.” Jo pulled out her phone and called the warden.

After some delay and back and forth, she disconnected and smiled at Jenna. “He uploads everything into the Cloud, he’s texting me a link so we can access the files direct.” Her phone chimed a message. “That was fast. I’ll forward it to you.”

“Got it.” Kane looked at his phone. “We’ll get Rowley and Rio onto it this afternoon.”

“Mind if I take the tape we recorded today? I’ll send you a copy.” Jo finished her coffee and stood. “I’d like to study it some more.”

Jenna pushed to her feet. “Sure. Thanks for coming. That was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry. I’d like to do it again but with psychopaths who don’t want to kill me next time.”