Dirty Truths

by Renee Miller

Fucking bitches. Both of them, Desiree and Kristina, turned on him and after all he’d done to make them what they were today. He’d improved their position in life, supported them financially, and taught them what made a good woman.

  His new lawyer, one who could scratch his own ass and try a case, would see he got out of this hole. They’d appealed immediately after the last disaster. Daniel awaited an answer from the Superior court. He’d blow the bitch out of the water when they freed him. She’d pay for all of the time he wasted in this shithole. When he was finished, then he really would be guilty of murder, but he didn’t intend to get caught.

  Keys jingled outside his cell. Daniel rolled over and sat up. It was time to go. He hoped they had better control over the rat population in the main block of cells. Up here, the damn things had formed an army, one that preferred to come out in the cover of darkness and jump on his bed. The first night he recalled the guard’s chuckles when he’d freaked out. He didn’t allow them to enjoy the spectacle again. Instead, they found a special treat in the mornings if Daniel caught the little bastards. Snapping a rat’s neck was pretty easy, as long as the fucker didn’t bite you first.

  “Come on, Riley. Time to meet your new roommate.”

  The fat one, Solmes, opened his cell and stood back. Daniel rose and stepped through the open door. “So, who’s my new roommate?”

  “Not sure. I just move you. I don’t make the room assignments.”

  He nudged Daniel’s shoulder. They walked through the security door at the end of the long hallway and down the stairs to another security door. In there, they handed him new bedding and pushed him through once more.

  As he passed the cells, he kept his eyes trained forward, refusing to acknowledge the idiots who taunted him. Catcalls and jeers echoed across the cement walls, “fresh meat” and “sweet cheeks” the most disturbing of them all.

  A couple of guards stood near the far end, on either side of an open cell. They paused just before it. Daniel turned while Solmes walked inside and did whatever it was he felt necessary to do in there. He ignored a clicking to his left. Some prick trying to get his attention, probably hoping to scare him. Daniel Riley didn’t scare easily. These jackasses were in for a shock.

  “Aw, you’re pretending you don’t know me. I’m hurt.”

  Tiny fingers ran over Daniel’s spine. Cold fingers that crept up his back and traveled straight to his heart. He turned, his gaze meeting the one person he didn’t want to see in here. Wade Bowen.

  “Hey buddy,” Wade smiled.

  “Fuck off.”

  “Oh, now is that any way to treat an old friend?”

  “We aren’t friends.” Daniel turned back to the guards, wondering what the hell was taking them so long.

  “I hoped we could kiss and make up, Danny. You don’t want to make up? Kristina would want you to have a friend or two in here. You know the nights are long, and painful, when you don’t have the right friends.”

  Daniel stiffened at Kristina’s name and turned back to Wade.

  The jerk grinned and leaned on the bars. With his head shaved his eyes stood out, colder than Daniel remembered even with the wide smile.

  “Kristina is going to pay for this. I promise you,” Daniel said.

  “I don’t think so. You’d have to make it out of here alive to see it happen.”

  “Riley!” the guard called.

  Daniel didn’t move. His body remained frozen in place at Wade’s words.

  Wade laughed and retreated into his cell.

  Someone touched Daniel’s arm. He turned. Solmes nodded to the cell ahead.

  “I want a different cell,” Daniel said.

  “Oh? Well let’s see if we can find one with a view then, shall we? Wouldn’t want you to be unhappy with your accommodations.” The guard shoved him forward.

  Daniel resisted. “That asshole just threatened me. Didn’t you hear him?”

  “Who? Bowen? Don’t worry about him. He’s moving soon. Besides, he wouldn’t mess up his good behavior. He’s hoping to get out early. I heard he has a fine piece of ass waiting on the outside for him.”

  “What?”

  “Oh, that’s right I forgot. You and Wade go way back don’t you?”

  “How do you—”

  “How do I know that? I go way back with Wade too.” Solmes winked and pushed him forward.

  Daniel walked to the cell, his mind reeling. What the hell? They were fucking with him, because he was the new guy. Stupid asses. “I’ll call my lawyer and I’ll make sure you lose your job. This is unprofessional,” he warned.

  “Oh now honey, you won’t be making any phone calls.” Solmes moved closer, pretending to mess around with the mattress on the lower bunk. “Last I checked, dead men can’t use telephones.” He laughed and straightened to nod toward the shadows before exiting the cell.

  Daniel glanced to the right, where a large man stood next to the cell doors grinning at them.

  He waved and then blew a kiss in Daniel’s direction.

  Daniel shuddered. This wasn’t right. They couldn’t do this to him. “I demand to speak with someone in charge.”

  “Sorry, it’s his day off. Maybe tomorrow. I’ll see you in the yard, Riley.” Solmes waved, winking as the other two guards pulled the doors closed.

  The echoing clank as the lock slid into place sent a chill up Daniel’s spine.

  The man advanced, brushing against Daniel’s shoulder as he climbed onto the top bunk.

  “Hey Chunk,” Wade’s voice called from his cell.

  Chunk?

  “Yeah?” the man replied. His dark gaze on Daniel.

  “You make sure my friend gets real comfortable. I want him to feel like he was at home.”

  “Oh, I’ll make sure he feels real welcome.”

  Daniel moved to the far side of the cell, his back to the wall.

  The man—Chunk—grinned and rolled onto his side. He ran a finger over the rough wool blanket and raised an eyebrow.

  “Stay away from me.” Daniel warned. His voice sounded shaky and he thought he might vomit.

  “Don’t worry, Sugar. We won’t get acquainted till the lights go out.”

  CHAPTER 35

  “What’s that, Mama?” Cadence pointed to the wall that stretched high above them, the top lined in barbed wire.

  “Wire,” she replied, urging the toddler forward.

  “Ugly. Don’t like it.”

  Smiling, Kristina ran a hand over her daughter’s dark curls, and adjusted the little bow that held her ponytail in place. The damp spring morning had grown into a beautiful afternoon. She looked up to the sky, breathing in the warm air. The clouds rolled lazily across the sun. She could hardly believe the day had come.

  Cars whizzed past them, many paying no heed to the yellow caution light that hung overhead or the orange signs indicating men at work a few blocks ahead, warning them to slow down. The last time she’d visited the penitentiary had been shortly after Daniel’s conviction. He had requested she speak to him, and to stop the relentless calls from the press and the nagging curiosity in her gut, she’d gone. He had little new to say, other than his vow to prove she was lying. Strangely he didn’t mention Wade, and Kristina wondered at the time if Wade had been moved to another facility to avoid contact with Daniel. She had no way to find out though.

  Another inmate, a terrifying man serving two life sentences already, took exception to Daniel’s attitude just a few months later and had stabbed him several times with some kind of tool while working out in the yard. He’d succumbed to his injuries days later. She didn’t shed a tear.

  Before the prison, Kristina stopped and checked her watch. Almost time. She’d been told to wait across the street. Thomas told her to try to blend in. She chuckled and looked around. Pretty hard to blend into nothing.

  Cadence bent to pick up something from the sidewalk and Kristina opened her mouth to admonish her, but the little girl beamed up at her before the words left her mouth. “Look, a pinny
.”

  “A penny,” Kristina corrected. “It means good luck.”

  A thud and voices across the street. Kristina turned. She took Cadence’s hand in hers, and pointed to the steps of the prison, where a lone figure stood.

  He walked down the steps slowly, shielding his eyes from the sun.

  Wade.

  Kristina longed to run into his arms, but remained rooted to the sidewalk, her heart pounding faster with each step he took.

  He stopped at the edge of the steps, his gaze locked with hers.

  She covered her mouth as a sob escaped.

  He grinned.

  Time stood still as Wade ran the rest of the way, sweeping her off her feet as his arms closed around her so tight she lost her breath. He released her only to kneel down and touch Cadence’s cheek. Her daughter smiled up at him and leaned closer to Kristina.

  Wade stood and turned back, his eyes brimming with tears. He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard.

  She laughed as he hugged her.

  “God, I’ve missed you,” he murmured against her lips.

  THE END

  OTHER BOOKS BY

  Renée Miller

  Welcome to Albertsville: Population 397 and falling.

  When Ryan Cassidy claims a house left to him by his estranged grandparents, he becomes tangled in the mystery of a town crushed by a deadly secret spanning generations.

  The town's power core, which includes the reeve, his council members, and the local police, smother opposition with deceit, brutality and fear. They will stop at nothing to keep the horror they've committed buried.

  A severe winter storm leaves Albertsville snowbound—a trap only the dead can hope to flee—and Ryan becomes a liability that must be silenced at any cost.

  The answers to the town’s mystery and its salvation are hidden...In the Bones.

  Jackson Murphy wants, freedom… at any price.

  Murphy wants to end his marriage and keep his money. There are many ways out of a bad marriage but Jack chooses the most expedient one.

  He commits the perfect murder but his brilliance leads to trouble. Soon, his business partner wants out, his mistress insists on a wedding ring, his blackmailing cousin comes back for more, and an enterprising competitor tries trying to squeeze Jack out of business.

  Each problem he eliminates creates two more. Jack ends up on the run from the Mob and a tenacious police detective.

  What they don’t yet know is this: what Jackson Murphy wants, Jackson Murphy gets.

  Coming in 2014 from

  Crescent Moon Press

  Lucky

  Everything Caerus Thornton touches turns to gold... or dies.

  Thanatos, god of death, has an almost flawless record until he encounters Caerus. For some reason, he can’t fulfill the simple task of delivering death to the tiny blonde fated to die in the delivery room.

  Furious at his failure, the Fates exile Thanatos on Earth, where he must remain until he redeems himself in the eyes of his fellow gods.

  Somewhere along the way Thanatos finds himself falling for the woman he's spent more than two decades trying to kill.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Renee Miller lives in Tweed, Ontario. Books have always been a treasured item in Renee’s home, and she reads all genres, preferring strong character-driven plots. She’s also a big fan of humor and tends to root for the bad guys.

  Reneemiller@bell.net

  www.twitter.com/ReneeMJ

  www.facebook.com/pages/Renee-Miller/548882035137022

  Blog: www.authorreneemiller.com

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