Chapters (95)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by David Swinson
- Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
I know that feeling well. It’s not like he’s having the shakes or anything you get coming off of heroin. It’s just a mental need. Something to ease all the shit. Self-medication. Something you’re fucking used to. Your body and mind don’t know anything else. I want to tell him I understand, but for obvious reasons…
“They’ll debrief you tomorrow, Robby. And your attorney will work out a good deal. I’m sure you’ll get probation and be released soon. You’ll start feeling better every day. You’ll be clean.”
“I don’t know. I’m not…I have to get out of here.”
“You will. You’re valuable, Robby. Your attorney knows that. The prosecutor knows that.”
“They have to take me back now. I just wanted…I don’t know. You’re probably right.”
“You’ll get through this, Robby. Stay strong, my friend.”
I don’t know what else I could’ve said. But I’d hate to be in his position.
I could be you, Biddy.
What separates us, and keeps me from where you are now, is my meager pension, my skill, and my drug of choice.
Damn.
“Okay. Have to go.” And he disconnects.
I call Hurley, but it goes to voice mail. I leave him a detailed message about the call and tell him that maybe he should look into it.
Seventy-Nine
Seventy-Nine
I didn’t expect Monday when I woke. The phone ringing snapped me out, but I’m not sure it was out of sleep.
Monday. It somehow slipped in without my knowledge. I don’t know what happened to the weekend.
The only reason I answer the phone is because it’s Hurley. It’s late morning, so maybe he got finished with the debriefing or is finally responding to my message.
“How’s it going, Joe?”
“I catch you sleeping?”
“Naw, I’m good. How’s everything?”
“Not so good, Frank.”
“What?” I’m afraid to ask.
“Got a call earlier from DC jail. That’s where we are now.”
“So you got my message?”
“Yes. But I’m afraid Givens hanged himself. He’s dead.”
“What the fuck! No. How? How could that happen?” I ask, even though I know of several ways it can happen. And does.
All the time.
“He was separated from general population for his own safety…”
Pauses after realizing how stupid that sounds.
“Guard found him in the cell. He tore up a pants leg from his prison uniform, tied it to a top bar, knotted it around his neck, and dropped hard, with his butt barely off the ground. So it probably took time, but it worked.”
“And you’re sure that’s how it went down? Suicide?”
“No, but it doesn’t look like there was a struggle. An autopsy will tell us more. Millhoff is handling it. Sorry, man.”