Page 53 of Thick

“I’m good.”

Naturally I was curious about the surveillance footage, and if they’d found out anything in reviewing it. Not so much so that I was going to ask.

“You were right there,” she said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“Did you see what happened?”

“I watched him die,” I said, not really knowing why I chose to bring it up.

“Oh. Wow. That didn’t bother you?”

“I didn’t sleep all night, but I don’t think that kept me from it. Like I said, I was more worried about you than anything.”

She fought to keep from smiling, but only prolonged the inevitable. Her mouth curled into a grin. “Have you heard about your charge? If they’re dropping it?”

“I haven’t. Hopefully I will today.”

She crossed her fingers and raised them to the window. “You owe me a ride and a coffee.”

I raised my hands over my head and stretched. “I can’t wait.”

The thought of spending time with her away from the prison was exciting. For many reasons, I’d been out of the relationship game for years. Unlike many of the men, I wasn’t a man whore or a player, I simply felt I couldn’t afford a girlfriend.

The decision wasn’t based on finances alone.

For many reasons, I now viewed things differently.

“Okay. I better go,” she said. “I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you get out of here today.”

I crossed mine and touched them to the glass, hoping my level of excitement to spend time with her wasn’t all for naught.

Chapter Nineteen

Bobbi

Perry stomped into the observation station with a sheet of paper in his hand. Upon reaching his work area, he attempted to throw it amongst the mess of paperwork that was smeared across the surface of his desk. Instead of landing where he intended it to, it was caught by a gust from the air conditioning system. As it floated toward the floor, he kicked at it, missed, and all but fell on his ass.

I laughed silently at the sight of his idiotic behavior. “Everything okay?”

“You can go get your boyfriend and walk him to the gate.” He reached for the piece of paper that had fallen to the floor. He crumpled it in his hand and then waved it in the air. “Just got word they dropped his charges. Wonder who he’s paying off.”

I struggled to hide my excitement. “I’m sure the chief of police is on his payroll.”

“Wouldn’t doubt it.”

I was thrilled that Tate was being released, and even more so that I was going to be the one to tell him.

I stood. “You really want me to do it?”

“You bitched last time that you didn’t get to say goodbye. Take him to the gate and give him a big hug.”

I turned toward the door. “I’ll give him one from you, too.”

“Don’t bother.”

Briskly, I walked to Tate’s cell. When I reached it, he was doing sit-ups. It was painfully obvious that he’d spent a lifetime sculpting his body, but I wondered if his regiment was different when he was at home.