by Nana Prah
Hana dropped her chin to her chest. Deep in her heart she had to know she would eventually go home to face the consequences of her actions.
Sarita kept an eye trained on the door’s window as she spoke. “Where are you from?”
“South Korea.”
Knowing the answers, didn’t stop her from pressing on with her line of questioning. “How come you’re in here?”
“I was kidnapped.”
Sarita chuckled. “We all were. Orders of US immigration. None of us came here willingly. My question is what are you being deported for?”
In the common area Gladys held her canteen bag in one hand as she headed to the door. She looked around at all of the faces peering out at her from behind locked doors and wiped away her tears.
“Let us out to say goodbye, Greene,” Sarita yelled. “It’s the last time we’ll see her again. Be a sport.”
The detainees in the other rooms waited, not daring to make a sound. Gladys gave him her violet-eyed, puppy-dog stare. To everyone’s surprise, Donnelly pushed the buttons to open the cell doors. “Make it quick,” she ordered.
The majority of the inmates gravitated to Gladys.
“Can we hug her?” Otoo’s Nigerian accent sounded hopeful.
Greene gave his approval with a curt nod.
Sarita rushed forward. “I’m so happy for you,” she whispered into Gladys’ ear. “Take care of yourself and God bless you.”
Gladys sniffled. “Keep the string away from your eyebrows.”
Sarita laughed as she stepped away. She hadn’t known Gladys for long, but she’d made a tremendous impact on both her and the unit. With her astounding optimism, she’d been the beacon of hope and a wealth of information.
Back in the room, Sarita left her cell door open and joined Hana in watching the goodbyes.
Donelly’s generosity ran out. “Everyone back in their cells.”
Not until all of them were in their rooms with the doors locked did the main gateway to freedom open. Gladys waved and threw a kiss. Sarita heard her contagious laughter until the door closed behind her.
***
On a normal day Matt hated working nights, but everything had flipped upside down ever since meeting Sarita. She’d invaded his dreams during his daytime sleep. The thought of seeing her live and in person excited him more than it should.
After he and Spencer took over the unit, Matt did the rounds. When he paused at Sarita’s door, she stood in the way. At her smile his heart tripped. No one should be that beautiful, with her long dark wavy hair, large brown eyes, and luscious pink tinged lips. He waved her to the side so he could see her new cellmate and then, winking at Sarita, continued on with his work.
The nature of the ICE unit consisted of change. The inmates came and went on a daily basis, unlike the other floors. Gladys had been the longest existing resident since ICE took over the floor. He grinned at the woman’s good fortune when he saw that Gladys’s room only contained her cellmate.
What would these women do without her beautician skills? He chuckled as he remembered Sarita’s crooked eyebrows from a few days ago. All inmates accounted for, with ten minutes left until rec, he reviewed the information he’d gathered during the day. Sarita Cerez existed as an enigma. Before leaving work that morning, he’d taken a trip to records to see if a friend could dig up her file. Her presence had him breaking rules all over the place.
After searching, his friend told him his department didn’t possess it.
“Where would it be, Sam?” Matt asked.
“How long has she been here?”
Matt’s world had stopped in the exact second he’d first seen her and then continued on a tilted axis where nothing made sense anymore. He couldn’t very well tell his records buddy that meeting her exactly six days and seven hours ago had filled him with unease. Were the winds of change resonating around her for the better or worse? Instead he said, “About a week, give or take a day.”
“By now it should’ve been here. Since it’s not, I’m presuming it’s with the higher ups.”
Matt rubbed the back of his neck. “Is that normal?”
Sam shrugged. “You know as well as me that they do what they want. It’ll come down here eventually.”
“Has it happened before?”
“There have been a few times where I’ve been given an inmate’s file and noticed the date was a week or two prior, sometimes even a month.”
Matt sat at the edge of his chair. “What ended up being unique about those inmates?”
“High profile cases. People who’d garnered a lot of publicity before being imprisoned.”
“Have you ever experienced this with an ICE case?”
Sam raised then dropped his hands on the desk. “Why didn’t you mention she belonged to ICE? We don’t get their files down here until they’re sent away.”
His jaw clenched. Something didn’t sit right about Sarita.
Out of all the inmates he’d met throughout his career, she seemed the least likely to be in jail. Even as ICE. Her intelligence and shrewdness should have prevented her from getting caught. Especially since it happened on an internal flight from Florida to Baltimore. There had to be more to her story. Would hoping she wouldn’t be deported make the wish come to fruition?
“As long as they’ve been a prisoner in this institution, all files end up here, or at least a copy of it does.”
Matt nodded, his mind swirling with the findings. “Thanks, man. I owe you one.”
Sam wiggled his eyebrows. “How about an introduction to your sister?”
Matt grinned, knowing his friend was only half joking. “If you could get me a letter from HR telling me I’d never have to work a night shift again, then I’d think about it.”
The mystery of Sarita grew even bigger and he didn’t know how to unravel it.
She’d proven adept at evading questions, even direct ones. As if she’d been educated to do so. But then again being an illegal immigrant could have been training enough.
“You all right, man?” Spencer asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“I’ve asked you the same question, twice.”
Matt was surprised. He never lost focus while at work. Unless his lips were attached to a gorgeous Columbian woman. “What did you ask?”
“Are we going to let Cerez sit out for a couple of hours tonight?”
“Why would we do that? She’s no longer on pass.”
Spencer emitted an exaggerated puff. “So you two can get to know each other.”
Matt’s left cheek twitched. “What for? She’s an inmate being shipped off, never to be seen or heard from again.”
“Don’t play dumb. Not with me. I’m too smart for that shit. You know I won’t razz you like the other guys.”
Spencer ranked as one of the best guards Matt had ever worked with and he considered him a friend. “She’s heading to Columbia,” he repeated, his tone incredulous.
“That’s rough.” Spencer nodded. “All the more reason to get to know her now.”
“What’s the point?” Matt grumbled.
“Life’s short, and sometimes there is no point. We have to do what makes us happy.”
“Thanks, oh great wise one. She’ll refuse the offer.”
Spencer crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you know? Everyone wants the opportunity to be out for a couple of hours later than they’re supposed to.”
His friend would never understand that Matt knew her, somehow understood her. “After rec she’ll head back to the cell.”
“I don’t believe it. I’m sure she’d give anything to stay out here with you.”
“Want to make a wager on that?”
Spencer clapped his hands together. “What are the stakes?”
“A round at McGiverns. Including a huge bowl of their hot wings.”
“You’re on.” Spencer poked his own chest. “I’ll be the one to ask her. I don’t want you negatively influencing her.”
“She has a mind of her own and a strong will.” Matt raked a hand through his short curly hair. “The answer will be no.”
“We’ll see,” Spencer said, before pushing the buttons to let the inmates out of their cells.
Chapter 13
Hana retreated into her cocoon of silence, which suited Sarita well enough for the moment. At least she’d talked the girl into leaving the room to go to rec.
As anticipated, the inmates swarmed around her asking a barrage of questions.
While in the eye of a storm, Sarita had been amazed at the young woman’s composure. When the others couldn’t get a word out of her, they tried to pumping Sarita about Hana’s unfortunate incarceration.
Sarita shrugged. “She’s not talking.”
“Break it up.”
Carter’s voice made her knees go weak. She looked over at the source and saw his eyes focused on her. Her breath caught in her throat.
The others walked away as she wrenched her eyes from his. Her fingers itched to touch his cheek. Maybe explore his lips with her thumb. Too handsome.
The interrogation experience frightened Hana. The clue came from the death grip on Sarita’s arm. Her little nails would draw blood soon.
Sarita held her hands up in front of her. “She’s not talking.”
“Break it up.” Carter’s voice made her knees go weak. She looked over to meet his eyes focused on her. Her breath caught in her throat.
The others walked away as she wrenched her gaze from his. Her fingers itched to touch his cheek. Maybe explore his soft full lips with her thumb. Too handsome.
The interrogation experience had frightened Hana. The only clue came from the death grip on Sarita’s arm. Her little nails would draw blood soon.
Sarita extracted herself from Hana’s grasp. “It will all be fine,” she reassured while taking her on a tour of the unit, which took all of thirty seconds. It consisted of one large room, not counting the small office near the phones.
“What do you want to do first, take a shower or use the phone?” At Hana’s arched bow, Sarita realized she’d yet to explain about the phone calls. “We can make collect calls while we’re out on rec. Do you know anyone’s number you can call?”
“I will use the phone first.” Hana’s voice came out strong, belying the fear lurking inside. The girl had gone up one notch on Sarita’s respect meter.
As they headed to the phones Sarita had the delicious sensation of being watched. Looking over her shoulder, she caught Matt’s gaze on her backside. When he lifted his eyes and saw her staring, he had the audacity to wink.
Happy, she turned away. When it got to be Hana’s turn, Sarita showed her how to make a call and hung around to eavesdrop while waiting for the other phone to be free.
Sarita could tell the moment the person on the other end of Hana’s line answered. The young woman’s face morphed from that of a lost child to an independent, beautiful woman.
Sarita gathered from the softness in her voice that Hana spoke to a man she cared for in a romantic sense. What Sarita wouldn’t give to understand Korean.
As long as Hana wasn’t planning her escape, all would be well. Sarita would never be able to live it down if her charge electrocuted while attempting to scale the fence.
The next phone became free a few minutes later.
“Two days?” Sarita asked into the phone at Corinth’s hello.
“Can’t give a specific number,” Corinth replied. “They want the scare tactics to work.”
Sarita’s forehead touched the wall. She sighed, ensuring that Corinth couldn’t miss her frustration. “Fear is not an issue here. She’s clawing off my skin with it. I think all lessons have been learned at this point.”
“It’s not my call. She’ll most likely be getting a visitor tomorrow. If that’s the case, then so will you. Be ready.”
“You?” It would be great to see her friend again.
“So you can strangle me? No thanks. Lombardo.”
She considered him a friend. They’d contemplated dating a few years ago, but figured if they had to think about it rather than falling into it, then it would be better not to get involved. It didn’t stop his flirting ways.
“I can hear you smiling thought the phone, Cerez.”
“You can’t hear a smile.”
“Anything you need?”
“To get out of here.”
“I heard you made a friend. Tall, light skinned, and scrumptiously handsome.”
“Be careful. The phones have ears.”
“Not my lines.”
Her boss wielded and exuded power. Enough to bypass prison security phone systems, which she knew for a fact were monitored. More than enough to know what went down within the walls of the jail.
Corinth Gladstone claimed the title of one scary lady.
Sarita observed her environment. The woman had a tendency to get crafty with missions. The second agent could be anyone who worked in the building, from the janitorial staff to the librarian or perhaps even an inmate. She sucked in a breath, wondering if could be Carter.
“Your hunky man is not one.”
“One of what?”
“Us.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?” The woman possessed an uncanny instinct. Sometimes Sarita thought she had psychic abilities. “He’s not my man.”
“But you want him to be, don’t you?”
Sarita ripped a page from Hana’s book and kept her mouth shut. The girl continued speaking rapid fire Korean on the phone and didn’t seem to be easing up. She felt sorry for the poor sap who had to pay that phone bill.
“Don’t you?” Corinth’s insistent question trailed down the phone line.
“So what if I do?” Her voice held a touch of petulance.
“Absolutely nothing. It’s about time. You’ve been without a man for much too long in my opinion.”
Sarita grumbled under her breath, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Hana hung up her phone and stared unblinkingly at Sarita. She’d become the girl’s lifeline.
“I’d love to stay on the phone to be harassed some more, but I have to go.”
“Enjoy your visit tomorrow.”
Corinth sure knew how to manipulate a person out of a bad mood. “You know I will.”
***
Hana being in the shower meant a small respite from babysitting. Sarita sauntered to the desk. She planned on taking advantage of Carter being alone while Spencer sat in the television area.
“Hey, Carter.”
“Cerez.” His curt response would’ve disappointed her if she hadn’t observed him staring at her with desire blazing in his eyes earlier.
“You guys are going to miss me out here with you tonight, aren’t you?”
He surveyed the room, a few seconds later his gaze landed back on her. Although his expression remained neutral, his respirations increased. “Since Gladys is gone, the unit needs someone to do her job. Do you want the position?”
She observed the activity of the unit. Inmates sat playing board games. The majority were getting their weekly dose of the series Scandal. If she went around to the rooms, she’d see that a few had decided not to leave their cells.
“It would mean you get to stay out longer after rec finished,” he prodded.
Spending more time with him would be a dream come true. Even if they never kissed again, which would only occur if the building collapsed, she’d be content being in the same room with him, talking.
Regardless of her mental tug of war, she had no choice but to choose responsibility over her own desire. “Doesn’t the job go to the inmate who’s been here the longest?”
His gaze probed hers. She could almost hear his mind screaming that she should say yes. “We can assign anyone we want.”
Her mind overruled her heart. “I can’t.”
His head jerked back the tiniest bit.
She plastered on her brightest fake smile. “Thanks for asking, though.” She tore her ey
es away from his pained expression. Her heart felt like Bruce Lee’s fist had squeezed it. “How about Berlinda?” she asked. When she looked up at him the wounded look had disappeared. “She’s neat and has been here for over three months. She knows the ropes. From what she’s told me, India is pretty slow on taking their people back.”
“I’ll talk it over with Spencer.” His flat tone didn’t bode well. Neither did her twisting gut.
“I’d love to do the job, but--”
“But what, Cerez?”
I have the South Korean President’s daughter to protect. You know how it is. Duty first. Sorry I can’t spend time with you when you’re all I think about. The words pushed themselves to the forefront of her brain and she struggled to keep them from slipping out of her mouth.
“Are we still going to the library tonight, Carter?”
Sarita jumped at Natasha’s high pitched voice coming from out of nowhere. “Am I interrupting something here?”
“Don’t be silly. Is there library tonight, Carter?” Sarita repeated.
“As far as I know,” he mumbled, “there’s been no change in the schedule.”
Natasha didn’t look as if she’d leave the guard’s desk any time soon so Sarita sat at a nearby table to wait for Hana who’d been in the stall for over fifteen minutes. Not a surprise. Other newcomers stayed in the shower for extensive periods of time when they first arrived.
Sarita had never experienced the phenomenon, but guessed they endeavored to wash away the reality of their current circumstances. The harshness of their lives would flow down the drain with the water.
The showers were a tiny haven of solitude. The only place on the unit a person could be alone, unobserved by either security cameras, guards, or worse, other inmates.
A minute later Hana stepped out of the shower, fully dressed, with her hair wrapped in a towel. Eyes red-rimmed and puffy.
Shower time also allowed inmates to cry hidden by the noise of running water.
Hana exchanged the flip-flops for her own shoes. Her eyes grew wide as she searched the unit. Sarita stood so the girl could see her.
