The metal detector beeped and lit up bright red.
The corrections officer sighed and pointed to my feet. “Probably the boots. Steel toe aren’t allowed.”
Shit. They are steel toe.I bent to untie them, figuring they’d just run them through the conveyor belt like they did my wallet and jacket, but the officer shook his head again. “Step off the line. You’re going to have to find other shoes.”
“I can’t just take them off and run them through the machine?”
“This facility doesn’t allow steel toes.”
“Rikers allows ’em.”
His eyebrows lifted. “This ain’t Rikers now, is it?”
“So, what? I’m supposed to go in barefoot?”
“Nope. Shoes required.”
“What if I don’t have another pair?”
“Sounds like ayouproblem.” He jerked his chin to the person behind me. “Next!”
What a dick.This might’ve been the first time I’d wished I still had a badge to flash since leaving the force.Though something told me not even that would’ve softened this guy. Luckily, I’d packed a pair of sneakers in my bag, in case I wanted to go for a run. My suitcase was in the rental car, though, a solid hike across the parking lot. By the time I made it back and got through the metal detector, it was more than thirty minutes later, and the officer acted like he’d never seen me before.Fine. Whatever. I was just glad to get in. I’d been a nervous wreck all day waiting for this.
After clearing security, I joined yet another line to get into the actual visiting room. When it was my turn, I gave the name of the prisoner I was here to see. The officer scanned his clipboard and pointed to a wooden table backed by a thick glass panel. A phone dangled from a hook on the wall beside it. “Seat thirteen. The inmate will be brought out.”
The room smelled like industrial cleaner, and the plastic chair creaked every time I shifted—which was often since I was nervous as shit. Ten minutes went by, and a few men wearing khaki-colored prison uniforms came and went on the other side of the glass. Then eventually, the door buzzed at the far end and Vince Ginocassi stepped in. The CO escorted him to the seat across from me and uncuffed his wrists. He didn’t look too surprised to see me, probably because he wasn’t—I’d had to request to have him put me on his visitors list. Though he didn’t look happy about it, either.
His eyes locked on mine through the glass. No nod. No smile. Just the same cold stare he’d perfected long before landing in here. I picked up the phone and brought it to my ear. After a long beat, Vince did the same. His jaw was tight, and he didn’t say anything.
“Hey.” I smiled nervously. “How you doing?”
“What do you want?”
Okay, then.Straight to the point.I shifted in my seat and cleared my throat.
“I, uh, called in a favor with a guard who’s an ex-cop. Met him before his shift started this morning. You’ll have some fresh food waiting in your cell when you get back. I went to Defonte’s and got you the Nicky Special—Italian bread with capocollo, salami, ham, fried eggplant, provolone, and marinated mushrooms.”
He licked his lips. “Sounds like you’re trying to butter me up.”
“I just figured it was a good peace offering.”
His eyes shifted back and forth between mine. “What are you really here for? I know you didn’t come all the way to make sure I had a good meal and shoot the shit.”
I shook my head. “No, you’re right. I didn’t.” I took a deep breath. “I came to tell you…I’ve been seeing Juliette.”
“If that’s all you’ve got to say, you wasted a trip. I already know that.”
My eyes widened. “You do?”
He rolled his eyes. “I know everything that goes on with my family, blood and otherwise, even while I’m on the inside.”
I wanted to askhowhe knew. Was Tommy the leak? Did Frannie tell him? But none of that mattered right now. What mattered was that Vince knew…and I was still breathing.
Vince leaned back in his plastic chair, studying me. Eventually he shrugged. “So?”
I wasn’t sure what he was waiting for—more details, an apology... I hesitated before answering. “So…I’m inlove with her.”
“And you wantwhatfrom me?” He leaned in, his voice low. “Say what you came to say. You might not ever get an opportunity like this again. There’s nothing I can do about whatever it is you feel the need to discuss.”
