“No visitors?” Cat asks.
McFarland ignores her but looks at me.
I’m cringing on the inside because I don’t want to play this role. But, if it gets us the info and riles up Cat in the process - I’m game.
“Any visitors?” I ask.
“Both men were here for a short time for their re-trials,” McFarland spits out as he opens the door to his office. “Please sit. Take a load off. Water? Coffee?”
“No, thank you,” Cat responds. “We can’t accept food or drink at any facility.”
McFarland looks at me.
“Listen, you overgrown…”
I grab Cat’s arm and hold her back. “That’s enough. We’re fine, Warden.”
“Ah, yes,” McFarland settles his large belly behind his desk. “Where were we?”
“Visitors,” I answer.
“Right, right,” he folds his hands on his desk. “Jeffrey Rose was about to undergo the first of the re-trials in light of that stupid female in Flamingo Cove. This is what happens with women’s lib.”
Thestupid femalehe referred to was Jody Temrowski, who messed up a bunch of evidence collection when she was working for the Flamingo Cove Police Department. Years of cases were being retried as a result.
“And Helfinger was awaiting transport to Indiana,” McFarland continues.
“Why transport them together?” I question. That’s the part that made no sense from day one. If you have two dangerous prisoners, wouldn’t you separate them?
McFarland shrugs. “Those were the orders.”
Cat plays with her necklace, sliding it up and down the chain. “Hmm. Whose orders?”
McFarland won’t even look at Cat.
“Thelittle ladyhas a good question,” I raise an eyebrow. “Who ordered them transported together?”
“I have that right here,” McFarland shuffles through the paperwork on his desk. “Yes, yes. Thalia Anders.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Cat mumbles.
“No visitors, but did they receive any mail?” I ask.
The warden’s eyes light up. “Oh, boy, did they.”
Cat and I wait for McFarland to elaborate. It seems we’ll be waiting a long time because he stared at us as if he wouldn’t say anything unless asked a direct question.
“And - did you screen their mail?” Cat’s frustration grows at McFarland’s delays.
“Of course we did, sweetheart,” he spits out.
She lets out an exasperated sigh, and I lightly touch the back of her hand. I swear sparks jump between the two of us.
I yank back my hand, shaking it out. “We need to see those letters, Warden.”
He raises his eyebrows toward Cat. “They’re pretty racy. I’m not sure a female’s sensibilities can take it.”
Cat’s about to go nuclear. I’m half-tempted to sit back and let her.
