Kizzy fly by night.

Chapter 20.

Chapter 20.

HMP.

Matthew Rhodes woke up with a smile on his face. Today was going to be extremely positive. He got up and after the usual routine was finished he and the other prisoners looked forward to their visits. He was still feeling very upbeat as Officer Bowman had slipped him a phone the previous night. It sure paid to have outside influences and soon very soon he would have his precious daughter's number and all would be well in the world...for the moment.

He checked his appearance in the mirror and patted down some wayward strands of hair. Just because he was in prison it certainly did not mean that he would let standards slip. Smiling wide he wondered if he should have flossed but there was no time now. Prison seemed to be a stickler for rules and timekeeping. Exceptionally tedious...but such was life.

The visitors lined up outside like cattle and were shown in slowly. All were empty and devoid of any emotion. After going past body scans and leaving personal items with a burly guard behind a desk they were shown into a large sterile room that smelt of disinfectant. They took their seats at various tables and waited, eyes darting nervously about. Guards watched them suspiciously searching for any excuse to terminate the visit before it began. They took up positions in various corners of the room while another guard briskly walked past the tables giving them a once-over.

Matthew walked slowly into the room, his eyes scanning the tables.

"Dad"

He smiled walking towards him, "Son, how are you?" He sat down beaming, "It's good to see you...I trust you have that code for me?"

His visitor nodded, "Yes Dad."

Matthew smiled he knew his son wouldn't let him down...even if his mother had been a pig. He giggled inside. No matter, she was a dead pig now, had been for many years. To this day it still amazed him that no one had discovered her body. Good old River Thames, the fish must have feasted for months!

He appraised his son and felt his heart lurch slightly, was it really possible that HE was better looking...surely not. He shook the thought from his head and tried to focus. For now, all that mattered was his precious little girl and whether she liked it or not, he wasn't going anywhere.

He did her a huge favor by admitting to the extra murder and in return the least she could do was maintain regular contact in his life. His son adored him, that was understandable...who wouldn't, but the love had never been there and as soon as he had Melissa back he would be toast...black cinder toast. He laughed out loud at the thought and wondered if Melissa still called herself that ridiculous name...Kizzy something or other. His son laughed along with him just wanting to join in but clueless, he laid his hands proudly flat on the table and Matthew read the number imprinting it into his mind. He was lucky to have a photographic memory so that number would now be etched into his soul.

"How are things going with the girlfriend then?"

"She's clingy Dad, wants to know the ins and outs of everything."

He laughed, "Welcome to the world of women." He yawned and stretched, "You know I'm feeling a tad tired, it's exhausting in here. Do you mind if we cut it short today?"

His son's face flushed, "No of course not."

Matthew stood up and cracked his knuckles, "Till next time son, and thank you."

"I love you, Dad."

He turned back and waved, "And I love you too Phoenix."

He watched his Dad's back disappear and left the prison scarlet with rage. Why the fuck was he always going to be second best next to fucking Kizzy! What was so special about her? Why did he think more of her than him? He hated her with a passion and one of those days he would take great delight in wiping the smug look from her face, then she'd see who was top dog and maybe he'd throw her a crumb or two...but she'd have to be very lucky.

He took out the crumpled photo he had of him and his Dad, taken when he was a kid. He remembered that day and the happiness he had felt just to be in his presence. That picture meant the world to him. Shame no one else felt the same but that would change, he would make sure of it.