If it was breakable at all.
9
Ronan
After they were back on dry land, Fitz took everyone to a Mexican restaurant for lunch. Ten always felt better after gorging himself with enchiladas or tacos after visiting a prison. He’d ordered both and hadn’t left even a shred of lettuce on his plate. Everly had done the same thing with a burrito that was nearly the length of her forearm.
Now, everyone was enjoying the sunshine on the beach. The kids were playing in the surf. Running in and out of the water, screeching and splashing. Ronan’s first thought was ofthat scene inJawswhere the scientist explains how sharks are attracted by swimmer making noise and splashing. He supposed the kids were safe enough on the beach, but going in the ocean any deeper than his ankles gave him the shivers.
Ten and Cope sat side by side in beach chairs, talking softly. Ronan knew it was about what happened at the jail. Ronan had seen his share of spirits over the years he’d been with Tennyson, but never had heard such a venomous voice before. He knew Ten and Everly wanted to do everything they could to help Bellamy, but Ronan couldn’t help wanting to put his head in the sand on this one.
“This is my bad,” Jude said, plopping into the lounge chair beside Ronan.
“What, showing the kidsPearl Harboror some other yet to be named sin?” Ronan found his first smile in what felt like hours.
“I’ve waited seven long years to enjoy movies like that with Wolf. You know how hard it is to watchFrozenorFinding Nemofor the billionth time.”
“I do,” Ronan agreed. Although, at the moment, he’d give anything for Everly to be little again, wanting to watchFrozenon a loop.
“I’m talking about the prison,” Jude said on a sigh. “Wolf and I were searching online for fun things to do on this trip and the naval prison came up. It never crossed my mind that there could be ghosts still living there. I’m so sorry, Ronan. I saw how bothered Ten and Everly were with what happened and you know I wouldn’t hurt them for anything.”
“It’s okay, Jude. I didn’t give ghosts much of a thought either. I knew it was possible there would be a build up of evil soaked into the building, but not ghosts. Hell, the prison closed in 1974.That’s fifty-two years for the spirits to have fucked off to other locations.”
“Unless they couldn’t fuck off,” Ten said, lowering himself into the chair on Ronan’s other side. “If the warden, or whoever that was, is holding spirits against their will.”
“Is this one of those times where the warden didn’t see the light? Or that it didn’t come for him?” Ronan asked, thinking about his dead ex-husband Josh and how something very different came calling for his evil soul.
“That’s a good question.” Ten was silent for a few seconds. “I suppose it’s possible, but I think it’s far more likely that the warden is happy living in the prison. Lord and master over the building and the souls he managed to trap inside.”
“Do you know how to free Bellamy from his clutches?” Jude asked.
“That’s what Cope and I were talking about. We have a couple of ideas, but that would require us going back out there and to be honest, it’s the last place I want to visit again. I’d rather spend the winter on an ice floe in Alaska than go back to that prison.”
“I’ve got some information about the warden and the riot,” Fitzgibbon said, taking a seat on the sand in front of Ronan. “It seems Warden Donald Benedict was a bit of a tyrant. He was a highly decorated veteran who served in the Spanish-American War and World War I. His reward for a job well done was becoming warden of the naval prison.”
“Sounds like he was a good sailor,” Ten said. “Where did things go so wrong?”
“I’m guessing things were always wrong with him. It’s much easier to hide being a psychopath when you’re serving inthe military. Killing and maiming others during wartime is expected.” Fitz sighed.
“There are a lot of guys who join the police force for the same reason,” Jude said. Ronan nodded along with him.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Fitz admitted. “Anyway, back to Benedict. He wanted things done his way and wasn’t above bending the Navy to his will when it came to punishments, contraband, and his little habit of finding infractions to keep men in prison once their original sentence had run out.”
“What is the source on that?” Ronan asked. He couldn’t imagine the United States Navy would want it to get out that they had a rogue warden running roughshod over it and the prison.
“The warden was under investigation when he was killed. In fact, one of the guards with Benedict that morning in the cellblock had been charged with arresting him when he tried to add time to Bellamy’s sentence. He would have been court marshalled within a day or two had he not been stabbed to death.”
“Shit,” Ten muttered. “So if Bellamy had kept his cool, he would have been released that day after the warden’s arrest?”
“It sure sounds that way,” Fitz agreed. “In addition to the complaints made about Benedict at the prison, there were other allegations brought against him, that had been swept under the rug until the Office of Naval Intelligence began its investigation.”
“I’m guessing he was a sexual predator.” Ronan wore a sour look. There was nothing worse than a man who hurt woman, unless it was a man entrusted to protect and serve his country.
“There were reports of sexual assaults in every place he served. Of course these cases were all of the he-said, she-said varietyand Benedict came out on top every time.” Fitz wore a disgusted look.
“Is there anyway you and Cope or Everly could help Bellamy without another trip out to the prison?” Ronan asked. He knew what Ten’s answer would be before he opened his mouth.
“I don’t think so.” Ten looked exhausted.
