I nodded. “If you want to talk with me, there are some things you should know first. I will keep confidential anything you say unless to do so would cause harm to you, someone else, or the security of the institution. Also, we are not alone here.”

She startled. Sitting up, looking around.

“No one is listening in on us. We have privacy. Just wanted you to know. It’s for my protection and yours.”

“Who’s here?” she asked, looking around the room.

“The pastor is having his lunch in the other office.”

“Makes me trust you even more. The thing is . . . Tony’s been doing real good. I was worried about him. He’s not like those other men. But he’s doing good. A lot better than I ever would’ve thought.”

“Is that why you stayed around? To look out for him?”

“I thought if I was here, he wouldn’t feel so alone, and that might help him make it.”

“And it has.”

“It has. Or had. But about a month ago, Tony started acting real sure of himself, like he didn’t need me anymore. He said that the most powerful man at the institution was looking out for him and that his last year would be cake. He was so cocky I couldn’t stand it. I hate it when he gets like that.”

“He say who the man was?” I asked.

“No. Never did. But when I’d go to visit on the weekends he’d have all kinds of money to spend at the canteen and he’d give me little presents. A nice watch. Earrings. A bracelet. Also started putting money in my bank account. Large deposits.”

“He say where it came from?” I asked.

“Only thing he ever said was the skipper took care of his mates.”

She sniffled and blinked and began to cry.

I handed her a tissue from the box on the desk.

“Last Saturday when I was visiting he said he had something very special planned for us this week. That he’d call and for me not to be scared. I had no idea what it could be, but I was excited. I got a call from him Tuesday night saying for me to come to the institution. Said he’d worked it out for us to be alone. I was scared. I knew it was against the rules. But I went. When I got there, the officer at the control room said Captain Skipper was expecting me. They didn’t have me sign in or anything. When I got into the sally port, a big man in a white shirt met me and escorted me to the chapel.”

“The chapel?”

“Yeah. No one was there. It was very dark. The officer told me to go into the sanctuary and wait for Tony. When I got in there Tony was waiting for me.”

She began to tremble, her tears coming harder.