In response, an error message appeared.Inmate not found. The inmate’s sentence may be discharged.
“Drat,” Nora said. “Their database doesn’t include information about inmates who’ve completed their sentences. But there’s a number listed here—” she squinted at the screen and scrolled down slightly—“for their Department of Corrections.” She punched the string of numbers into her cell phone. “They might be able to provide information about someone who was formerly incarcerated over the phone.”
While Nora conducted her conversation, Britt became increasingly attuned to Zander’s physicality and nearness.
She sensed his body’s warmth. Noticed the cadence of his breathing. Imagined the blood pumping through his fit, hard body.
His hands set atop Nora’s desk, fingers loosely clasped. The tip of one thumb rested against the center of his other palm. His nails were short and clean. A delta of veins ran beneath the skin on the outside of his hands, leading to his knuckles.
She wanted to trail a fingertip along one of his veins, dip it into the hollow of his palm.
The thought caused a delicious sensation to draw at her middle. Her skin flushed with heat.
Great Scott! What was her problem?
It was so ill-advised to indulge in these flights of fancy over her friend. Her friend!
Nora disconnected the call and adjusted to face them. “Ricardo was released in November of 1983.”
“Same as Frank,” Zander said.
“According to the woman I just spoke with,” Nora said, “Ricardo was only incarcerated in Illinois that one time. And this date here,” she circled the birth date next to the nameRicardo David Serraon the notepad, “is his birth date.”
“Can you check to see if he was ever incarcerated in Washington?” Britt asked. “In case he ended up here like Frank did?”
“Sure.” A few swift clicks and Nora navigated to the inmate site for Washington. “This site, I’m more familiar with.” Her fingernails clicked keys. “Ricardo’s not currently in jail in Washington. Like the last website, this one won’t give us information about former inmates. If we want that kind of data, we’ll need to send them an email with a request.”
“I’m for that,” Zander said.
“It might take them a few days to get back to us.” Nora filled out the form, then hit Submit. “There’s one other inmate database we should check. The federal inmate database. It’s slightly more comprehensive than these other two.”
“It contains the names of prisoners convicted of federal crimes?” Britt asked.
“Exactly.”
“Like?”
“Art theft, for one.” The faintest upward curl lingered at the edge of Zander’s mouth as he met Britt’s eyes.
“Here we are,” Nora said a moment later.
The words jolted Britt’s focus back to her sister.
Had she stared at Zander a mite too long just then? She’d gotten lost in the ocean blue of his eyes.
Details about Ricardo were centered on Nora’s screen.
Ricardo David Serra
Age: 65
Race: White
Sex: Male
Released: January 22
“January twenty-second of this year?” Britt asked.
