Chapter 30

2013

“You want to what!” said, Nathan Grimes, and he said it loudly.

“Dad, the man spent fifteen years in a maximum-security prison. And when he came out he’d lost a wife a daughter and really any chance at a decent life. Yes, you could buy him one, talk about an unacceptable consolation prize. Anyway, after talking to Jack last night; I finally got it. I finally understood the man’s, my dad’s, bitterness. So yes, that’s what I’m asking for, and I know you can do it. I need to know dad. I need to know so I can fully appreciate what he went through. It’s the only way apart from doing fifteen years behind bars myself,” she said.

The man across from her was shaking his head, but then he had a thought.

“Okay, and I’ll try to set it up. It might take a few days, not sure. But maybe,” he said. “But in the interest of full disclosure, my dear, I cannot walk on water, nor can I change water into wine. But, those admitted to, I have discovered that I can change money into beer with relative ease. So, again, maybe.”

“Okay, good,” she said, and she did laugh.

“Selena and me?” said Victoria.

“Yes, but you’ll have an escort. Since this is mainly for her, she’ll be the faux boss on the tour. And, it was her idea. I can’t say I wasn’t a bit concerned about it, her taking this on; but, after thinking it over, I came to believe that it is a good idea. And you will be safe; that I am able to guarantee and have already seen to,” he said.

“And, I’m included for what reason,” said Victoria.

“Because you will be able to say with some truth that you finally understand to at least some degree what he went through. And, that’s important because he needs to know you do, at least at some point.” said Nathan. She nodded.

“I see,” she said. “Okay. I’m onboard.”

“Vic, this is the big push. We aren’t dealing with a normal guy here. Line up a hundred guys just out of that place and ask them if they could forgive their wives for abandoning them for ten million dollars, and I guarantee you they’d all, one hundred percent of them, would not even hesitate to take the money. But not our John Michael. Money doesn’t mean a damn thing to him. Love and respect are the only things that matter to him. We have to prove that we do in fact love the guy and sure as hell respect him,” said Nathan. The woman he was talking to nodded.

“Yes, you’re right in all respects. Okay, let’s do it. I, we, really need to take care of the man. He may not be a saint, but he’s a pretty close doppelgänger for Job!”

“Hmm, yes, yes he is,” said Nathan.

“Missus Sizemore, you’re with the Presser Syndicate then,” said warden Cameron.

“Yes, warden,” said Selena Sizemore, “and this is my aide Vicky Johnson.” The warden nodded in the direction of the second woman.

“I’m informed by the Lieutenant Governor that you wish to interview inmates at will and see the real thing as he informed me,” he said.

“Yes,” said Selena. The women nodded.

“Captain Reynolds here will be your guide, and a meeting room will be set aside for any interviews as per your organization’s request,” he said.

The conversation and questions and answers went on for some time before Captain Reynolds motioned the ladies to follow him.

“C-block you say,” said Captain Reynolds.

“Yes, my boss hired an ex-inmate, Darrell Cabot, and he lent us an insight into life for inmates there,” said Selena. “But also D-block.” The man nodded.

“Cabot? I remember him, a big guy. It was a while back. Got himself a fancy lawyer and got out early. Yes indeed,” said Captain Reynolds, “I remember Darrell Cabot: never caused any trouble. The way I heard it he and his cellmate at the time, a guy named Steele, were in the Christian brotherhood. They even had the same high tone lawyer. Actually, they both ended up getting out early. Steele killed a cop; he should’ve gotten the needle, but well, lawyers...” said Captain Reynolds. The guide didn’t notice the look on the face of the older woman.

The tour went long, the grim faces of men condemned to long years behind the cold steel bars told stories without words. It was clear to Victoria Grimes that she’d really had had no idea how bad her used-to-be man had suffered. They did stop briefly on their tour at this or that cell and talked through the bars to the lost souls therein.

Exiting the block, their guide led them to the room set aside for interviews. The smell of the block, the desperate looks on the faces of the inmates as the two ultra-beautiful women passed them in their cages sickened Victoria. She was doing her best to not breakdown and succeeding but barely. She could never really know what her husband had suffered in all of those now long ago years, but she’d now had a taste of it; and she shuddered at the thought of even that little.

There was but one name on the list of men to be interviewed: Carlos Mantea, age sixty-seven, serving life for multiple crimes of molestation of children. The name had been served up by Darrell in the talk that Nathan had had with the man before the women were scheduled to make their tour.

The man was ushered into the room and his hands were cuffed and chained to the table in front of him as he took his seat. The two women came in but a minute after him. Captain Reynolds, their escort hung back against the wall of the ten by ten sound proof room.

“Madre de Dios!” said the prisoner, as the women took their seats across from him. “Such beautiful ladies.” For what seemed a long time the occupants of the room just stared at each other.

“We were given your name by Darrell Cabot,” said Selena.