AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ve been here every day from the moment they open the cells until they lock us up again. Beverly even goes with me to the woodworking class, don’t you?” He leaned forward and petted the beaver’s head. She leaned into his touch like a dog.
“Awww, hi, Beverly,” I said.
She looked at me and whined. I waved since I couldn’t get past her dam and into her room.
“She missed you,” Jag said. He smiled, sly and mischievous. “I missed you.”
My stomach was going for gold on the uneven bars now. I ignored it. He barely knew me and was only being charming because he wanted me to bust him out of here.
We could bust his nuts first,my brain said.I bet he could bust our clit.
Urgh, no wonder I had started drinking. My brain never shut up.
“Did anyone try to hurt Beverly?” I asked Jag.
His smile vanished like water down a drain. “My cell is on the other side of the prison, so those bastards get to Beverly before I can in the morning.”
My heart dropped. “Oh, no.”
“So far, they’ve only threatened her like she’s a person who will understand. I nearly ended up in the hole for beating one of the bastards,” his voice turned cold. “But they didn’t snitch. Aquamarine entered her cell yesterday and Beverly bit her.”
I chuckled but it died quickly. If the wrong guard had been on duty, they would have stuck Beverly in the hole for biting Aquamarine.
“Yes, good girl for being bitey,” Jag cooed, scratching Beverly under her collar. “But it’s only a matter of time before someone tries to really hurt her.”
I clenched my jaw. If Jag, Elliot, and I ever had to fight a guard or prisoner to protect Beverly, we could all end up in solitary at the same time. Then who would look after her? Some of the other people were friendly to her, but would they be willing to fight both guards and prisoners for her sake?
I couldn’t keep Beverly safe forever. Not to mention that a kiddie pool in a prison cell wasn’t a healthy place for a beaver.
But Ram knew Juniper could break into the prison. If I called my friend for help, she’d end up in a whole lot of shit. I pinched the bridge of my nose. I was going to have to break Beverly out myself, but contrary to what Ram had told Jag, I had no idea how.
“You okay?” Jag said.
I dropped my arm to my side. “Who brought the pool?”
Jag shrugged. “It was on the floor outside her cell one morning along with a pump. I assume a guard bought it on the way to work, but who knows? This place is thick with contraband.” His lip curled. “Yet they pick and choose who they punish for it.”
Moe, I thought with a pang of guilt. He had refused to speak to me after my careless comment, so as far as I knew, he was still in solitary.
“It’s because Ram bribes the guards. He has money from illegal activities the cops don’t know about and friends on the outside willing to smuggle him shit.”
Fuck, I might need to ask him to bribe them for Beverly’s freedom, but what would that cost me? I had helped put him in prison in the first place.
Jag picked up a bowl of salad from the bed frame and fed a lettuce leaf to Beverly. “I would have never talked to him if I had known what he was like. His gang ransacked your room, by the way. And mine.”
I had expected it. The cells were kept open during the day and only a guard could lock the doors. Theft was common. “I stole all my valuable possessions from them, anyway. I’ll just steal it all back.”
Jag grinned. “I knew I liked you.”
My stomach fluttered again. I eyed Jag. He had the sort of admiration for stealing that other thieves often showed.
“Are you in for theft?”
“No.” Like last time, he didn’t elaborate.
“Hi, Jag,” said a deep, soft voice. I whirled to find Elliot next to me.
His jumpsuit was wrinkled, his eyes bloodshot and baggy. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, and he probably hadn’t. They never turned off the lights in solitary; I hadn’t slept much either, but I never did, so I was used to it. Elliot didn’t seem to be. He almost wavered on his feet, and I reached out a hand to catch him if he fell.
