by Erin Wade
Dawn mustered all her courage, closed her eyes against her shame, and opened the door. The room was dark except for the nightlight on her bedside table. Niki was asleep.
It would be just like Niki to make things as easy as possible for me, Dawn thought as she tiptoed across the room and slipped into her bed.
Dawn lay awake, trying to push the thoughts of Niki from her mind. “I’m not a lesbian,” she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 13
Dawn awoke early the next morning, pulled on her scrubs, and picked up her shoes. She locked the door behind her, making certain Niki was safe. She sat on the floor while putting on her shoes and then headed for the infirmary.
“Warden Davis would like to see you in her office,” Dr. Reynolds informed her when she entered the room.
Dawn checked the computer charts of a few patients and then headed for Val’s office.
Val was on the phone and motioned for Dawn to sit in the chair across from her. Dawn looked around the room as Val continued talking. She caught her breath when she saw Niki’s case file lying in the center of Val’s desk. A hundred terrifying thoughts ran through Dawn’s mind. The scariest one was, Is Val transferring Niki to another prison?
“Thank you, Director. I appreciate your continued faith in me.” Val hung up the phone and smiled at Dawn.
“I wanted to personally thank you for your help in securing the prison and preventing a possible riot.” Val looked down at her hands and opened Niki’s file. “I know I could not have accomplished that without the help of you and Niki.
“Since your arrival here, Niki Sears has made a miraculous turnaround. She has taken advantage of the educational programs the prison offers and has completed a semester toward her nursing degree.
“The fact that she already had a BS in biology certainly helped. She’s at the top of her class here.
“I’ve made arrangements for Niki to continue her education at the Harris College of Nursing at Texas Christian University. She’ll have a full ride—books and tuition. She’ll also receive a small stipend each month for her personal use.
“I’ve also arranged for the best rhinoplasty surgeon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to fix Niki’s nose. By the time she walks out of here, she’ll be as beautiful as any woman you’ll ever meet,” Val continued.
“It’s just my way of apologizing and saying thank you to her. Flo tells me Niki would have died in here if not for you.”
“Have you told Niki?” Dawn asked.
“No, I wanted you to know. She seems to have developed a dependency on you, and I’m not sure it’s healthy.”
I’m the one with the unhealthy attachment, Dawn thought.
“She’ll complete her sentence on the thirty-first of next month,” Val added. “She will walk out of here a free woman, pending a psych evaluation. I need you to talk to Niki and prepare her for her psych interview.”
“Who will do the review?”
“Dr. Merrick. He has Niki scheduled for three o’clock Friday afternoon.”
Dawn grimaced. “Merrick? I’ve heard bad things about him.”
“Such as?”
“He’s quick to prescribe drugs to patients and has actually caused addiction in a few of them. He mustn’t prescribe drugs to Niki.”
“I think those stories are exaggerations from malcontent inmates,” Val said, throwing back her shoulders. “I’ve found his work to be exemplary.”
“Inmates have told me he was sexually inappropriate with them. May I attend the session with Niki?”
“No, it’s not allowed. Doctor-patient privilege and all that.”
Dawn shrugged. “I’m certain Niki will be thrilled with your arrangements. In many ways it seems only a few months have flown by since I was incarcerated. In other ways it seems like a lifetime ago.”
Val walked around her desk and placed a comforting hand on Dawn’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“But not sorry enough to tell the truth.” Dawn stood and left the room.
##
“Hey, you sneaked out of our room this morning.” Niki bumped Dawn’s shoulder, letting the doctor know that things were good between them. “Everything’s copasetic.”
“Look at you, using fifty-cent words,” Dawn teased. “Want to get breakfast?”
“Of course. You know me, I’m starving.” Niki linked her arm through the blonde’s and started chattering about a patient with an organism in her eye. “It’s repulsive. She told me she had an orgasm in her eye.” Niki giggled. “I had to leave the room to keep from laughing in her face.
“I cleaned it but turned her over to Dr. Reynolds. I thought it was Staphylococcus aureus, but after I cleaned it, I saw a parasite in her eye A tiny worm was swimming around in there.”
“Now you’re just showing off,” Dawn said, her eyes twinkling. “Staph infection is so much easier to say.”
“Yeah.” Niki grinned. “I just threw that in to impress you.”
Dawn smiled as they entered the cafeteria. “You’ve always impressed me.”
##
“Dr. Fairchild, report to the emergency room.” The public address system blared throughout the hospital.
“We’re up.” Dawn drained the last drop of coffee from her cup, and they headed for the emergency room.
Dr. Reynolds looked up as Dawn entered the operating chambers. “I need your help. First birth and it’s a breech baby. I need you to reach in and turn it. Your hands are smaller than mine.”
“Are you insane?” Dawn whispered. “That’s too dangerous. Breech babies are always delivered by Caesarean.”
“I’ve never performed a Caesarean,” Reynolds said under his breath.
“I’m a surgeon,” Dawn declared. “That’s what I do. Unless you have a problem assisting me.”
“I’d be proud to assist you, Dr. Fairchild.” His sheepish smile made it clear he was happy to give up his spot as lead physician.
“Put her under just like you would for any other surgery,” Dawn instructed the anesthesiologist. “This is a simple procedure.”
Niki arranged Dawn’s operating utensils and stood by to assist the doctor.
Dawn prepared to make the incision.
“She’s hemorrhaging!” Niki gasped. “Dawn, she’s hemorrhaging badly.”
“Her vitals are dropping,” the anesthesiologist said, his calm announcement alerting Dawn to the dangers of moving slowly
Without hesitating, Dawn made the abdominal incision and prepared to make the incision into the uterus. “Did you try to turn the baby yourself?” she asked Reynolds.
“I might have.”
“Might have? Dammit, did you or not?”
“I did,” Reynolds mumbled.
“You ruptured the umbilical cord,” Dawn said. “We must get the baby out quickly, or it’ll drown in the blood.”
Moving with the confidence of an experienced surgeon, Dawn clamped off the umbilical cord to prevent additional blood from flooding the mother’s uterus. She carefully lifted the newborn from the cavity and handed it to Niki.
“Vitals are returning to normal,” the anesthesiologist informed the team.
Niki cleared the baby’s mouth and washed its face. Within seconds, the infant’s cries filled the operating room. Niki passed the crying baby to a nurse and resumed her position beside Dawn.
Dawn suctioned the blood from the patient’s uterus and abdominal area, removed the placenta, clipped off the umbilical cord, and double-checked to make certain everything was cleaned properly. She sutured the uterus, the umbilical cord connection, and the abdomen. “All done,” she said, breathing an exhausted sigh.
From the observation room, Val watched the scene below her. She was aware that Dawn’s swift action had saved the new mother. If Dawn hadn’t been there, the mother probably would have died. Not that Dr. Reynolds was inept; he was just in over his head.
Dr. Dawn Fairchild had nerves of steel. Nothing rattled her in the operating
room. Val admired the doctor’s self-confidence and her ability. “What will I do without you?” she mumbled.
Chapter 14
Dawn stripped off her blood-covered scrubs and stood under the hot water. She hurriedly shampooed her hair and soaped and rinsed her body. She wanted to leave plenty of hot water for Niki.
“Your turn, Nik,” she called out, towel-drying her hair as she walked from the bathroom.
Niki’s broad grin greeted her. “I like it when you call me Nik. It’s like a term of endearment.”
“It is.” Dawn beamed. “You’re the best surgical nurse I’ve ever had.”
Dawn had mixed emotions about Niki’s release. She was afraid the petite woman would backslide. She was aware of how difficult—sometimes impossible—it was to overcome drug addiction. She worried that others would take advantage of Niki, even break her heart.
Dawn worried her bottom lip as she tried to overcome her fears for Niki.
“It’s so damn sexy when you do that thing with your lip,” Niki murmured standing in front of Dawn. She tilted her head back to look into Dawn’s face.
One movement. A few inches and I’ll know how her lips taste. Dawn choked. She stepped back as a coughing spasm shook her body. “I . . . excuse me. Water. I need water.”
“Are you okay?” Niki asked from the bathroom doorway.
“I’m fine. I just got choked.” Dawn sat down in a straight-backed chair and pulled the room’s only other chair in front of her. “We need to talk.”
“We need to talk,” Niki huffed. “The beginning of the death of any relationship.” Niki didn’t sit but turned her back on Dawn and walked a few feet away.
Dawn tried to lighten the mood. “No, silly. It’s about your release.”
“My release?” Niki whirled around. “I’ve been so happy working with you that I’d forgotten about getting out of this place. What will you do? Who will protect you?”
Dawn chuckled. “I’m sure the warden will take care of me.”
“I’m sure she will.”
Niki’s sullen attitude shocked Dawn. “I thought you’d be happy.” Dawn frowned, and when Niki opened her mouth to reply, Dawn held up her hand to stop her.
“Listen. Warden Davis has arranged a scholarship for you to the Harris College of Nursing at Texas Christian University. It’s a full ride. Tuition, books, and a stipend for spending money.”
Niki glared at her. “Who do I have to do for that?”
“What? No, Niki, it’s not like that. Val is doing this to thank you for helping prevent the prison riot. This is a good thing.”
Dawn stood and caught Niki by the shoulders, forcing her to look into her eyes. “I would never be involved in anything that wasn’t in your best interest. You know that. I . . . I care for you.”
Dawn dropped her hands to her side. She didn’t trust herself to continuing holding Niki.
“She’s arranged for the best rhinoplasty surgeon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to fix your nose. You’ll be even more beautiful than you are now.”
Niki’s hand went to her cheek. “What about the scar? I don’t think I need surgery on my face. The scar is almost gone.”
Dawn’s fingertips gently traced the small scar that ran from Niki’s ear to her cheek. “It’s barely noticeable. I think it adds character to your beautiful face. Like a tiny butterfly on a rose.”
Niki pressed Dawn’s hand against her cheek and turned her head to kiss the palm. “I love you,” she whispered.
“Not here,” Dawn breathed, trying to ignore the fire burning its way through her body. “Not in prison.”
Niki blinked back tears and backed away slowly, releasing the soft hand that had made her feel more loved than anything in her life.
Chapter 15
Val reread the reports she was receiving from various departments. She almost gagged when she realized that prisoners in Texas were being fed a product similar to dog food.
VitaMaxPro was a soybean-based powder that all Texas prisons were using as a meat substitute for chicken and beef. Four real-meat hamburger patties became eight patties with half the nutrition when VitaMaxPro was added. She buzzed her secretary.
“I want to speak with Sue Creighton now!”
The prison dietician was in Val’s office within ten minutes.
“You wanted to see me?” Sue steeled herself for the tongue-lashing she knew was coming.
“Sue, please tell me if I’m wrong. I have received information from several departments and supporting entities within the prison system, and it appears we are feeding all Texas prisoners dog food three times a day.”
Sue studied the warden before responding. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Yes, ma’am?” Val gasped. “Is that all you have to say?”
“I’m only following orders,” Sue said with a shrug. “When the edict came down—before you came—I fought it, but the TDCJ director ordered me to be a team player.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Val demanded.
“Do as I’m told and keep my mouth shut.”
“Why didn’t you go to the FBI or someone?” Val croaked. “This borders on criminal.”
“And then stand in the unemployment line?” Sue smirked. “No thank you.”
“I promise you protection,” Val said. “Tell me what you know about this.”
“Director Craft signed a big contract with VitaMaxPro and took delivery of enough of the stuff to feed the Texas prison system inmates for a year. It’s stored in a humongous warehouse in Paducah. We receive a monthly shipment of it.
“Craft ordered all prison dieticians to rewrite prison menus to incorporate VitaMaxPro as a meat substitute three times a day on a daily basis.”
“Is that healthy?”
Sue snorted. “Not at all. Even the owner of the company called it overuse and didn’t condone it.”
“Thank you, Sue.” Val raked her fingers through her hair and sighed. “As I said, I’ll protect you.”
Sue nodded and walked to the door. She turned before opening it. “Warden, if you pursue this, who’s going to protect you?”
Is the entire system riddled with criminals? Val thought as she looked at the $41.6 million contract signed at the beginning of the year by Buddy Craft, director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Documents showed at least six politicians had pushed the purchase of VitaMaxPro.
Buddy Craft is so entrenched in the Criminal Justice department that a Texas tornado couldn’t unseat him. The only one who will lose their job is me.
Val wrestled with her conscience. Did she keep her mouth shut and keep her lucrative position or report what appeared to be illegal activities to the authorities?
Can I really make a difference when the TDCJ is a quagmire of crooked politicians and officials?
The criminal activity went far beyond the walls of her own prison. It was entrenched in every Texas prison, affecting every prisoner.
She spent the night researching the possible side effects of consuming to much VitaMaxPro. Miscarriage! The word was in every report. Ingesting large amounts of VitaMaxPro could result in a pregnant woman miscarrying.
She pulled up studies that had been conducted on women inmates in Texas. Their miscarriage rate was double that of other states. How had Craft and his cronies kept this quiet?
Val knew that if she opened this can of worms her career would be over. If she remained silent she became complicit in one of the biggest Texas scandals since the Sharpstown scandal thirty years ago.
One document made up her mind for her. It was Craft’s directive pressuring his subordinates to market the new soy-based chicken and beef supplement to Texas school children.
Why is Craft pushing VitaMaxPro? she wondered.
Chapter 16
Following their usual routine, Dawn and Niki entered the cafeteria at 7:00 a.m. The room was filled with new guards who were wolfing down their food. “The warden said eight o’clock sharp,” a stout-looking woman shouted over the di
n.
“What’s going on?” Dawn asked the guard in line in front of her.
“We’re having orientation, and the warden is addressing us this morning,” the woman answered. “All personnel are supposed to attend. I think you’re included.”
“I doubt that,” Dawn replied.
“I would love for both of you to attend.” Val’s sultry voice made the fine hair stand up on the back of Dawn’s neck. “I’d like to get your feedback on my talk. After you finish breakfast, please join us in the auditorium.”
##
Niki looked around at the room full of new guards. She hoped they were better than the old regime. She turned her attention to Val as she ascended the platform at the front of the room.
“How many of you know why we had job openings?” Val surveyed the group, looking for a raised hand.
A black female guard stood up. “Because a third of your workforce was charged with sexual assault or sexual contact with inmates.”
“That is correct,” Val said, frowning. “In Texas, sexual contact between staff and inmates is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison. Consent is not a defense. Any guard who participates in sexual contact with an inmate will be fired and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I will not tolerate prisoner abuse or harassment.
“If you feel that you will be tempted to abuse the prisoners under my protection, you need to resign today. If you ever feel that you can’t treat the prisoners humanely, please let me know. This is a tough job, and occasionally you will need to get away from it to feel human.
“Some of our inmates are criminally insane. They are dangerous and will kill you, so pay attention during your training,” Val continued. “You must deal with them without abusing them. You will be taught to diffuse dangerous situations while protecting yourself.
“Some of our inmates suffer from nymphomania. They will make advances and try to touch you. They will try to seduce you in every way possible. Do not let them. We now have one officer for every ten prisoners. You will work two to a team and will rotate partners every thirty days.
“You will be required to take a lie detector test every sixty days.” Val paused, scanning the audience as she let her words sink in.
