by Hope Stone
I nodded, impressed. “Free-range eggs. Very nice.”
Cheryl looked at me as if she’d forgotten something. “Would you like to take some fresh eggs with you, dear? We have plenty.”
I smiled. “If you can spare some eggs, I will take them off your hands.”
“Yes. Of course we can.” Cheryl patted my arm in reassurance.
I turned to Bella. “Do you love the horse as much as your father does?”
“Yes. He must be missing Moonlight. She’s his favorite. The dark one. I like Moonlight, too. ‘Cept she can be temperamental. I hope she remembers him. If she doesn’t like people, she will just buck them off.”
The lightness of her childlike spirit made me smile. I listened to the rustling of the wind through the trees. I noted the workers coming to and fro from another shed at the back of the property. It prompted me to ask the question, “How are the workers getting on out here without Colt?”
“They all used to work for me. Well, all of them except three new ones. We passed the farming business down to Colt. So it’s like riding a bike for me and Clive. We stepped right back into our old roles.”
Cheryl walked with her hands clasped behind her back. We approached a red timber barn full of hay. The smell of horse manure and feed passed my nostrils. Bella ran ahead to the horses, all of which were standing tall behind stable doors made from wood. The first head I saw was the majestic Moonlight. She bowed her head to us, flaring out her nostrils.
My mouth opened wide. I felt like I was in the presence of royalty. Her coat shone black as night with parts of it reflecting from the sunlight. Her beautiful, huge eyes watched, checking me out. Cheryl gave me an encouraging push toward her.
“It’s okay. She sorts out who is who here. Play nice, and she will play nice with you.”
Tentatively, I stepped forward. Moonlight quietened, and I reached out my hand, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t want her to bite me. I stroked her nose, and she lowered her head and nuzzled my neck. Startled, I jumped back. Moonlight reared her head up, and she appeared to be just as scared as me. Maybe horses are mirrors to us. I didn’t know.
“Easy now. She will be fine. She likes you. That’s why she did that. Take it as a fine compliment from her. She’s been known to give the workers a nip or two. She lets us know who to fire and who to keep.”
“Wow. She is something truly special.”
“We think so.”
“Grandma! Grandma! Can I feed them?” Bella pleaded.
“Sure you can. Go right ahead.”
Bella went to a haystack on the side, and I watched as she lifted the golden straw into the stables of the Palomino horses. She was beyond her years.
I was tired, just watching her. “Where does she get her energy? I mean, she’s like a little adult.”
“That she is. She’s doing great in school, by the way. Gets along with all the kids. They come here and run around. They never want to leave. But why would you?” Cheryl raised her hands as she turned around the stable.
I giggled a little as the chickens clucked near my feet, and the horses kept watch. It reminded me of a scene out of Babe. She was absolutely right. “Can I ask you another question?”
“Go ahead, shoot.”
“Think Colt can keep it together when he gets out?” I wiped the little bit of sweat on my face. It must have been from being enclosed in the barn.
“He can. He just got caught up in life’s moments, trying to make a buck for his family. He was looking for extra cash flow. Now he can see what that cost him,” she said gravely.
“I’m just glad he’s getting out.” I had my own secret reasons for wanting Colt to get out, and they were two-fold. “I appreciate you showing me around a bit more, but I do have to get back.”
“I understand. Come on, let’s make our way back to the house then.”
I knew for certain that Bella was in good hands. I said goodbye, mentally, to the horse and gave Bella a hug. “Soon, your father will be here to give you a hug.”
“I hope so. Thank you, Ms. Atwood, for checking on me. I appreciate it. I like you. You’re a nice lady.” Seeing a little girl happy in foster care was a social worker’s dream.
“Thank you, and you are a sweet, smart little lady. See you next time.”
She flapped her little hand at me as Cheryl held her hand up in goodbye. I waved to both of them and made my way to the office. Damn, I forgot the eggs. I cursed as I rode back to the office.
Even though the visit to see Colt’s family gave me momentary relief, my blood pressure shot right back up as I thought about Hector. As I fumbled around in my brain for the answers, my phone rang.
“You have a collect call from USP Atwater. Do you wish to pick up the charges? Please state yes or no clearly.”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Hello, Amber speaking.”
“Hi, Amber. It’s Colt. I think I have a solution to your problem.”
Colt
The promise of freedom can kill you. It can break your mental state into a thousand jagged pieces and leave you waiting for every moment to pass. All I had to do was stay out of trouble, but the ticking of time was killing me.
“Aye. What’s good, farm boy?” Errol heard me thumping on the prison wall.
I was tired of being caged in. Some days were better than others. I would look at the wall and think about Bella and her big smile. Other days were not so good, and I wanted to die thinking of what happened to Anna. I’d made my bed, though, so I had to lie in it.
“Nothing. Stir crazy. I’m waiting for Frank to send word.”
“Right. You think he’s going to be able to find Anna’s killer?”
“I do. He’s the man. I have another problem now. I have to speak to Austin. He wasn’t in the yard yesterday, though,” I mumbled.
“Try again. Austin’s always around. He ain’t going nowhere, you know that. You better keep your head down. Raymond’s sniffing around here like a dog in heat. You don’t want any beef. He’s notorious for trying to break guys before they leave. He’s done it with five guys now. He managed to keep them here.”
I winced when I thought about it. “I know. Don’t remind me. Is he on duty today? I guess it doesn’t matter if he sends his in-house goons, too,” I answered my own question.
“You’ve never lied. He doesn’t care for the law, even though he’s supposed to be on the right side of it. That’s why I stole.”
I snickered and banged the underneath of the upper bunk where Errol was sitting. “You are full of shit, Errol! You steal because you want money and fame.”
He started laughing. “You damn right.”
Light footsteps padded toward the cell. Restrained tension eased from my shoulders as I looked out and saw it was a woman guard. Her hard-nosed gaze penetrated the cell.
“Y’all ready or what? Hitting the showers today, Colt?” Just like the others, she held her hand over her prized possession—the brutality baton.
“Yep. I’m ready to go.”
“Errol?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then let’s go, boys.”
Same shit, different day. We made our way to the yard. There was no point in showering before then. I spotted Austin in the yard. He was sitting on the bench, the same as last time. Frank was with him again, and they were deep in discussion.
Frank’s cool demeanor cracked slightly. I watched the edges of his mouth twitch as he spoke.
“Thought I might find you here.” The overcast sky gave me the impression we wouldn’t be in the yard long. “You got news, Frank?”
His steely eyes glanced around the yard. Austin sat silently, observing the scene. I gave him a head nod, and he nodded back.
“Your guy is Thomas Peterson. White guy. Some little gangsta wannabe chump, a drug gopher for Las Balas. We got a location. I know where he eats, where he shits, and where his momma lives. It might take a couple of days. I’ll send the word like I said.”
/> I thought I would feel something else when he gave me the news—triumph or a sense of retribution—but that’s not what I felt. I only felt a vast emptiness. Frank stretched his fingers back, giving me a look over.
“Okay. I got something else I need to be looked into. What do you know about Hector Atwood?”
“Ah. That kid. Word on the street is Las Balas got beef with him. All right kid. Nothing to say. He ain’t brought trouble our way. Why?” Frank quizzed.
I lowered my tone as the clouds got a little grayer. I felt the chill on my skin and goosebumps starting to rise. “A friend of mine is his sister. He’s out now. I just wanted to know if the kid is legit. He’s got a hit out on him. Two hundred thousand down.”
Austin popped out his bottom lip and got up from the bench. “Looks like rain. He’s a good kid. I talked to him a few times. He got into a few brawls, and I told the guys to back off him.”
“I got an idea to get Las Balas off his back. The kid’s sister is my social worker. I owe her in a way. She’s taken care of my daughter. I need to make sure everything is good.”
Frank’s cold eyes crinkled from a smile. “Ah. That nice piece that comes around every month to talk about prison reform. I would want to make sure about that, too.” Frank slapped Austin on the arm, and they shared a laugh.
“She’s really sweet. I think I can get the Russians involved.” I ignored their innuendos, eyeing the sky again.
Frank squinted as the raindrops began to fall. “You mean Vlad’s guys?” He spat to the side as the other pussies started heading undercover to shield themselves from a few droplets of rain.
“Yeah.”
“Might work. The way I see it, you did the team a solid, so he has to meet you halfway.”
“Exactly,” I agreed.
The splattering of rain turned to heavier drops, and it coated the yard. Prisoners in their sandy uniforms started moving from the yard and ran to the entrance. I found the rain refreshing, and I wished it would wash all my sins away.
An announcement came, and then the bell. “All prisoners, please return to your cells. If the weather changes, we will run another half-hour later in the afternoon. All prisoners back to your cell blocks.”
“Stay tuned, brother. Keep your head up. Be careful. You have minimal time to go. Raymond’s been on the warpath. He sent two already on the south ward to the hole,” Frank spoke out the side of his mouth as we marched back to our cell dens.
“I’ve been warned,” I responded with a somber tone.
“See you on the next merry-go-round, brother,” Austin said as his rangy frame departed down the prison hallway. If I had a magic wand to take these guys out of prison with me, I would.
Once back inside the cell, I called Vlad from a burner phone that was delivered to me inside of a library book. “Hey, brother.”
“Brother. Good to hear from you. You all right in there? See Frank yet?”
“Yep. I’ve seen him. We’ve talked. Everything’s good.” I put my hand behind my head. “I need a favor.”
Vlad, with his thick Russian accent, responded, “Anything. You know that. What do you need?”
“I need access to the Russians.”
Vlad scoffed. “Okay. No problem. I’ll have Mikakov call you. Have your phone ready.”
“Done.”
“Bye, brother.”
Errol’s soft snore was a noise I’d become accustomed to. It sounded similar to my horse’s snore. That shit made me laugh, and not too much was comedy in this godforsaken pit. I drifted off to sleep and dreamt about Amber.
We were riding bareback on the golden curves of my Palominos deep into an emerald forest. We stopped midway and got off. She shook her champagne-colored hair at me as I chased her around. I caught her and laid her down in a bed of leaves. I stripped her down and devoured every inch of her voluptuous body.
I must have moaned in my sleep, as Errol’s voice cut through my dream.
“Yo, farmboy. I don’t know what you’re doing down there, but I’d appreciate it if you stop it.”
Disabled, I wiped the slobber from my mouth and adjusted the hard-on in my pants. The phone vibrating under my pillow dazed me. I punched underneath the top bunk in response to Errol’s comment.
I picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Colt. It’s Mikakov. You need something?”
I woke up a little. “Yep. I need to organize something for when I get out.”
“Go ahead. What is it, brother?”
“Can you cover a debt? A guy I have dealings with has a hit out on account of Las Balas.”
I heard Mikakov crack his knuckles on the other end of the line.
“Las Balas, you say? I’m always happy to oblige. Anything to make their life a living hell is fine by me. Say the word and what’s next. We’ll be in touch when you get out.”
“Good.” I shut down the phone. Two problems solved. Now the last one.
Amber and me.
Amber
There were only three months left before Colt got out of prison. Every visit, I was more and more turned on by him. Every footstep on his property, my heart became more invested in Bella and his mother. Now he was firmly intertwined with my family affairs.
Today was my third visit out to Colt, minus the collect calls. It was a standard monthly arrangement for a mental health check and to confirm everything was okay on the inside. As I got ready in my bathroom, I added a lick of mascara to enhance my cinnamon-colored eyes. I didn’t have to straighten my long, thick blond hair. It had its own set of waves going on. As I couldn’t wear anything revealing to prison, I chose a form-fitting white bodysuit top covered with a blazer, long, tailored trousers, and heels. I added some fresh lip gloss to enhance my bow-shaped lips.
The rain was coming down like bullets in Merced, but inside my car, I felt like sunshine. I wanted to keep this secret crush deep inside. If anybody at work found out, I would be either fired or suspended. I was not willing for that to happen because of a crush. I had to keep my mouth shut. First, I had to drop by the Department of Human Services. I pulled up into the parking lot. I was not staying long. I just had a few things to take care of, and then I was off to see Colt.
Lucy greeted me on the walk in. “Oh. Aren’t we looking fresh and dainty this morning.” The slant in her eyes gave away her jealousy. Her jokes were becoming less and less funny.
“Morning, Lucy. How are you?”
She had a coffee cup in her hand, and her fingers were drumming on it. She smirked naughtily. “Not as good as you, apparently.”
I shook my blond hair at her. “What are you talking about? Don’t you have enough cases on your plate? What’s happening with those two Mendez twins? Did you have to separate them?” I dropped my bags at my desk and diverted her attention back to work. The manila folder with Colt’s information in it dropped to the ground.
“Ugh. That case is dragging and keeping me up at night. Their father is on drugs again, and he tried to show up to the mother’s house, demanding to see them. He was out of his mind on coke.”
“Sounds crazy.” I was distracted and about to pick up the paperwork.
Lucy beat me to it. She bent her wide body down to pick up the folder and saw Colt’s photo clipped inside. Her eyes popped open wide. “Is this the hunk you get to go see in the prison?”
She gasped, looking at me. The office was half-full and all heads rotated to me with great interest. Embarrassed, I snatched the file back from her.
“Give me that, Lucy,” I hissed.
She put her hand on her hip, blocking me from sitting down. I hardened my gaze to the ground, pretending something was there.
“You didn’t answer my question. Is this the guy you get to go see?”
“Yes, his name is Colt. If you don’t mind, I have to go now. I have an appointment.”
Lucy reeled back. “Oh. I would have several appointments if I could. You work it, girl.” She opened her mouth, giving me a suggestive wink.
As I rode over, my phone rang. I fidgeted around and put the phone in its holder near the dash, pressing the green call button. I frowned as it was a private number.
“Um, hello. You’re on speaker,” I warned.
“Hey, big sis. It’s your bro.”
I almost swerved into another car in the next lane. I gripped the wheel hard and focused. I waved, mouthing sorry at the unsuspecting driver.
“Hector! Oh my God, why did you take so long to contact me? I’ve been worried sick about you. It’s been a month.” The words tumbled out of my mouth as I turned into the long road to the penitentiary.
“I had to adjust some things. I’m in San Francisco.”
I swallowed down the bad feelings I harbored. “Are you okay? Are you staying with good people?”
His tone sounded even and calm. Like he was laying low and out of trouble. “I’m good. You don’t have to worry, I’m staying lowkey. You heard from that guy inside? Anything he can do?”
“Yes. His name is Colt. He is connected. He’s working on something. It might take some time but hang in there. As long as they don’t know where you are, then you’re good.”
“I ain’t got too many around me. I do want to come back. I can’t hide out here forever. Plus, Las Balas runs out of San Fran. It’s not that far. So, either I’m going to be on the run ‘till I come up with the money, and they still might kill me anyway, or I’m out and have to leave completely.”
Fearful thoughts crept into my mind as I imagined the news report.
A young man, only twenty-five-years-old, was found dead today. Another taken by gang affiliations to the notorious Las Balas crew.
“None of that is going to happen. It’s all getting smoothed out. Can you send me a number or something? How can I reach you with information?” I pushed. I parked in the USP parking lot, waiting for his answer.
“I will text it through. Delete it as soon as you get it. Don’t let anybody see it.”