Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
I felt the tip of my tongue press against my teeth, a nervous habit I couldn’t shake. My mind raced, trying to process it all while maintaining my professional demeanor. “I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I promise I’m going to do everything I can to help you,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
“Who else is in Grayson’s circle, Chuck?” Johnson faced the young man at an angle to make himself appear smaller and less threatening. He spoke softly but there was a note of command I knew Chuck would respond to.
I didn’t recognize the names of the guards he mentioned, but judging by Johnson’s face, he did. “Is there anyone else?”
“Not that ever came to me. Jermaine never mentioned anyone else either.”
“OK. I’m going to take care of this. Is there anyone other than you and Jermaine who are at immediate risk?”
Chuck shrugged. “I keep my head down, man. Jermaine might be able to tell you more, but we both keep to ourselves.”
The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, suddenly feeling oppressive. I glanced at the security camera in the corner, wondering if anyone was watching. The thought sent a chill down my spine. This situation with Grayson had really shaken my belief in the idea I was safe here. Maybe Dr. Raven was right. Maybe I should work in a hospital.
I couldn’t ignore this. But reporting it through official channels? That could make things worse for him. The prison hierarchy was a tangled web, and I didn’t know who was involved or how deep it went.
“Nadine,” Johnson’s deep voice cut through my musings, and I sucked in a breath. “Don’t even think about taking this on yourself. Me and Roberts have it now. We’ll take care of this.”
“I don’t know what to do!”
Johnson stared at me for a long time, holding my gaze with a hard one of his own. “I’m going to give it to you straight, Nadine. Grayson’s a raging lunatic. He got this job because of who he knows, not because he’s actually qualified or even suited to work here. It’s going to take us a while to clean all of this up. So, my advice to you is to leave. Now. Once Roberts comes back, he and I will walk you out.”
“What? But I need this job!”
“Do you want to die?”
I gasped, stepping back away from Johnson, all too aware I was ill-equipped to take on a man his size. Grayson was just as big. I was sure Johnson was hoping I’d come to that realization when he stepped back and softened his expression.
“Go home. Pack anything you need with you. Go to Nashville. I’ll give you a number to contact Pain, and he can make sure you’re set there for as long as you need.”
Everything in me stilled. “Pain?”
“He didn’t want to give you his phone number before he left because he knew you wouldn’t take it. But he knew something like this might happen before we could take care of it, and he left me and Roberts instructions. Part of that was to send you to Nashville with his number and some cash.”
I didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to feel. I was certainly terrified, but I knew in my gut Johnson was giving me sound advice. I had just thought to myself how I didn’t know who I could trust. Well, that was a lie. I knew I could trust Dr. Raven. Pain. And he said to trust Roberts and Johnson, so that’s what I was going to do. “All right. I’ll do what you tell me to do.”
Chapter Five
Nadine
The fluorescent lights flickered overhead as I hurried through the dingy corridors, my shoes squeaking softly against the scuffed linoleum. Grayson’s threats echoed in my mind, his leering face burned into my memory. My heart pounded and my palms were slick with sweat.
I hurried through the security checkpoint for employees leaving the building and out the doors into the muggy Indiana night, sucking in a gulp of fresh air. Hands shaking, I fumbled for my keys as I approached my beat-up Ford Fiesta in the parking lot. I left early, so even though there were several cars in the area, the grounds were pretty empty. “Come on, come on,” I muttered, nearly dropping the keys before finally jamming them into the lock. I slid behind the wheel, making sure to hit the lock. Paranoid didn’t begin to describe how I felt.
I started the vehicle and sped off, needing to get my shit together and out of town as quickly as I could. I might not know Roberts on a personal level, but Pain trusted him. I’d seen how those two and Johnson had interacted in the past, and knew they had a relationship of mutual respect, even if the mitigating factor was money. I wasn’t naive enough to believe Roberts and Johnson weren’t getting a kickback. I also knew the only reason either of them was helping me now was because Pain told them to.