Chapter Twenty
I promised that I would see what I could do about reopening Broadlake’s case, and then Robbie and I left, slamming the cold metal door behind us.
Maktel and Ivan stood tense at the doors but gave no hint that they’d seen or heard anything unusual. Sprawled in reception, Bastion and Hanlon had swapped chairs but still looked relaxed.
Pritchard was there too and had resumed his bouncing. ‘I hope that interview helped you, Inspector Wise!’
God, had I ever been so eager? I didn’t think so.
‘Yes, thank you. I need to see Shaun Bolton next.’
Pritchard gaped at me. ‘Inspector! You requested to seeoneprisoner. I can’t bring Bolton to interview! He’s in isolation. For good reason.’
‘Well then, you can take me to isolation.’
His jaw dropped like I had suggested he snort cocaine off my shoes.
‘Quickly, Pritchard!’ I snapped. ‘I haven’t got all day!’
Used to orders, he straightened to attention. ‘I’ll speak to my father. One moment.’ He stalked off and returned five minutes later. ‘You’re cleared for ingress, Inspector. Follow me.’ He turned to another officer loitering by the reception area. ‘Freddie, return prisoner 3871 to his cell.’
Freddie looked grumpy at having to do some work, but he nodded and started towards Interview Room One while we followed Pritchard.
As the ogres and Bastion fell into step, Pritchard screeched to a halt. ‘Oh, you can’t come. I can get you and him in’—he jabbed a finger at Robbie—‘just about, but no way in hell can I get you lot in as well. You’ll have to wait here.’
‘You little puny—’
‘Ivan!’ Robbie’s voice cracked like a whip.
Ivan grimaced. ‘Your Excellence, I cannot protect you if I—’
‘You do not need to protect me here. I am in a high-security prison. What can go wrong?’
Hanlon let out a long groan. ‘Now he’s done it. We’re going to get attacked by a basilisk, or the phoenix, or a herd of unicorns, or—’
‘Hanlon!’ Maktel snapped. ‘That is enough. We will await you here, Your Excellence.’ He pulled the other two ogres forcefully to the waiting room.
Wincing, Bastion joined them.
I reached out to Loki.You stay here, buddy. I don’t want you to set off some detection in the prison. Security will be higher there.
But Loki—
I’m all right,I interrupted.Feel me. I’m steady. I’m okay. I’m doing the job. Stay with Hanlon. Please?
He didn’t reply, but his little claws left my shoulder and I felt him get further away.
Looking obnoxiously pleased with himself at getting the ogres to obey him, Pritchard led the way into the heart of the prison.
The corridor beyond the interview block was ominous in the way it swallowed sound. It felt as if you could scream here and no one would hear it. Or if they did hear it, they wouldn’t give a shit.
The hallways were dark with Victorian brickwork, damp, rigid and austere. The lights, by contrast, were modern LED strips bolted into the ceiling, but their presence only sharpened the shadows, throwing hard lines across the floor.
My boots echoed, the small heel clacking with every step. Next to me, Robbie’s footfalls were eerily silent. A predator prowling.
Pritchard led the way, the keycard on a lanyard around his neck bouncing wildly with every jaunty step he took. Every ten metres, a camera dome watched us, and every twenty there was another metal door with a keypad and a biometric scanner. No one moved through Wraithmore without leaving a trail, us included.
‘Identify,’ a voice crackled overhead.
