Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires

Chapter 24

The steel gate closed with a crash behind the two corrections officers as they walked into the high-security ward of the county jail. They spoke with the desk officer who was assigned to control access to the wing, advising him that they were there to take Ralph Stevens to meet with his court-appointed attorney concerning the upcoming hearing to determine his fitness to stand trial. The three deputies agreed that since Ralph had already waived his constitutional right to representation that perhaps well enough should have been left alone and they should just sentence the man, the desk officer concluding that Ralph did not deserve the benefits of oxygen. However, they knew that the gears of justice ground slowly and that Ralph benefited from this, much to their dismay. The desk officer waved the two officers on, and they retrieved Ralph from his secured cell.

"So, my attorney wants to see me? I thought I fired his ass. It's not Espinoza, is it? It better not be Espinoza," Ralph said. He found working with the court-appointed legal-aid attorney frustrating, as he did not even want a lawyer. He wished the whole charade would end so that he could finally be shipped off to the state penitentiary, or the state hospital, as they chose, and he could get on with living the incarcerated life. At least it would be a life. He feared the consequences of his failure to comply with the demands of Scott Campbell.

"I don't know, sir," answered the female corrections deputy, a thin younger-looking white female, as her partner, a much larger man with a Hispanic last name and pale complexion whose physique resembled that of a bodybuilder, placed restraint chains and cuffs on Ralph and guided him toward the door. "All I know is that your attorney wants to discuss matters relating to your upcoming hearing."

Ralph accepted the deputy's explanation and went willingly with the two corrections officers out of the secured unit, past the desk officer, and through a maze of matte-gray halls. He was not familiar with this wing of the jail. "Hey, guys? Where are we going?" he asked.

"It's not much farther, Mr. Stevens," the female deputy answered.

"That ain't what I asked. I thought we were going to the interview rooms, you know, where we usually go?"

"Those rooms are in use. We had to make different arrangements. I apologize for the inconvenience." Ralph thought it odd that the officer was apologetic; he had never encountered an apologetic screw before.

The new wing had just been built, a countywide levy having only recently been passed that allowed the sheriff's office to add a much-needed expansion to the overcrowded facility. The wing was still under construction for the most part, and no one was housed there. Because of the relative newness of the area, there were few security measures in place—no cameras, no alarms, no monitoring devices of any kind. The corrections officers led Ralph into this area to a room with a plain steel door. The door slowly opened.

Ralph's new attorney was standing, his back to the door. Ralph took note of the fit young man's long black hair. The deputies remained in the room as they closed the heavy door behind them.

"Welcome, Mr. Stevens. I'd like to introduce myself," the new attorney said, speaking with a slight southern drawl. He turned around and offered his hand. "My name is Jack."

Ralph, though his hands were cuffed and the cuffs were locked to a restraint chain, reached for Jack's hand.

"Jack? Jack what?"

"Just Jack will be fine, thank you. You know, I'll bet I know why you think we're here. You're curious as to why I had to see you."

"Well, yeah, I thought I made it clear to the judge that I didn't want a lawyer. I'm pleading, and I will take whatever sentence he wants to give me."

Ralph sat in an uncomfortable metal chair as Jack sat on the table right in front of him. The deputies stood in opposite corners of the small room. "Well, that's mighty noble of you, Mr. Stevens. You see, what I can't figure out is why you're just pleading out. Throwing yourself on the mercy of the court. I don't get it. What gives, Ralph?"