Daddy's Little Girl (Complete book- limited time only)

Chapter 12: Foul Play

Brandy sits across from, yet significantly lower than, Warden Winston. The height difference between the Warden's plush leather, high back chair and the puny accent chair Brandy now warms, is nearly a foot. Figures of authority often like to sit high above everyone else, enhancing their own imaginary feelings of power. It works. Brandy feels small, like a young child sitting before the principal at school. She is already uneasy as it is just being in this building for reasons unknown to her. The desk is massive both in width and depth. Brandy feels as if she is sitting a mile away from Kelly. She can hardly see the top of the desk from her vantage point.

Kelly wears thin framed reading glasses, low on her nose. She stares down over them at Brandy. This makes Brandy even more uncomfortable.

"Detective Page...you're probably wondering why I have ask to meet with you."

Brandy fumbles her words, "Well, Your Honor...uh, Warden Winston, Kelly, I, uh..."

"Brandy, relax. You can call me Kelly." A genuine smile forms on her lips.

Brandy feels humiliated, and curses herself, I can't believe you called her Your Honor...You stupid shit!

Brandy takes in a deep breath and starts again, "Sorry. Kelly, maybe you should just tell me why you asked me here."

The Warden peers at Brandy, she knows this is an uncomfortable atmosphere for her. "It's hot in here, isn't it? Why don't we take a walk, get some fresh air?"

Brandy gladly accepts.

The Warden leads the way as Brandy follows close behind. Kelly carries a clipboard and a large manila envelope. They proceed to exit the administrative building into the courtyard. As they walk along the seemingly endless length of fencing, Kelly pulls her phone out and quickly sends a text message to someone. She pockets the device.

Brandy observes her surroundings, "There must be twenty miles of fence here."

Kelly looks to her, "At least. We have to keep the bad guys in somehow."

"Yeah, except for Lynn Holbrook."

Kelly stops walking and turns to Brandy, "So, Harvey told you about the budget cuts?"

"Yes. He said two hundred inmates were freed."

Kelly looks away. "I wish it wasn't true, but, unfortunately the state cut our funding. We had to let a dozen of our guards go as well."

"That sucks." Brandy can relate, she's been fired before.

"Yes detective, it does suck. The state has a strict policy that the prisoner to guard ratio should be twenty to one. Since we cut back our prisoner population, sadly we had to cut back on our guard staff as well."

They cut through the courtyard, across a large field of grass to the far side of the property. Kelly points out locations and areas of interest. She shares a little history about the prison but Brandy can't hear a word she is saying, her thoughts are too loud. She's too curious about this meeting to listen to Kelly's chit chat. Brandy wonders if the Warden is stalling for some reason. Why doesn't she just tell me why I'm here?

As they round the side of a large building, Kelly hands the manila envelope to Brandy.

"What's this?"

"It's the reason I asked you here detective."

Brandy pulls the envelope's contents out. A thick packet of paper. Pages of names and addresses. Many of the names are marked with a highlighter slash through the text.