“What is it with that? Your mom always wants me in before dark. Is there a high crime rate or something?”
Something. He’s an Anglo. We won’t be sharing all our heritage with him, outsiders may scoff, but here things seem possible which wouldn’t be understood anywhere else. While he’s here, we’ll keep him safe. Watch his back for things he isn’t aware of.
We set off early the next morning for the detention centre, arriving in good time with relatively few delays. I lock my gun and both our phones in the truck, and then proceed to the entrance. I then have to submit to a full pat down before I’m allowed inside. Drew wanted to bring in some books for Mariana, but I explained we weren’t allowed to carry anything in with us. Following my lead, Drew allows himself to be searched, copying my example as he did last time, holding his arms out wide, and making no protest.
I pass over my ID to be checked, explaining Drew, as a minor, is my responsibility. Then it’s just a matter of waiting until we’re called in.
We wait. There are several other visitors hanging around. One by one they disappear as they’re summoned into the visiting room. Drew looks at me when Mariana’s name’s not called, and I start to wonder whether she doesn’t want to see us. I’ve had brothers doing time who’ve preferred not to have contact with those outside. Places like this? There’s no telling how it can affect a person.
When the room’s empty except for us, and Drew’s now fidgeting openly, a guard approaches, his white belly barely contained by his uniform shirt tucked into his trousers.
He consults a list. “You’re here to see Mariana De Souza?”
“We are,” I agree.
“She can’t have visitors today.” A plain statement of fact, ignoring the number of miles we’ve driven to get here.
Drew and I exchange glances. “Why the fuck not?”
“She’s in solitary confinement.”
“What the fuck for?” It takes every effort to force myself to stay still, and not advance on him.Mariana in solitary?I know enough about her to believe she’d follow every rule, going out of her way not to cause trouble. Something smells here, something I don’t like.
He shrugs, completely unapologetic. “Nothing to do with me. I wouldn’t know.”
“Is there someone here who would know?” I’m trying to keep a tight rein on my temper.
“No one who’d tell you anything.” The guard even seems happy.
“I’m her brother.” Drew’s bottom lip is trembling.
“I’m her fiancé,” I back him up. “I want to know she’s okay. I,we, have a right to know.”
The guard shakes his head. “If there was anything wrong with her she’d be in the infirmary. It’s not your right to know what she’s done to get put in solitary. Both of you are out of luck. She’ll probably soon be deported which is all to the good. Got too many of,” he looks pointedly at Drew, “your sort in this country.”
Now I see red. “Drew’s a US Citizen. Mariana,my fiancée, who’s never known another country but North America, is training to be a nurse to give something back to society. Looks like you’re the sort we don’t need inmycountry.” I draw myself up to my full height, my dark hair flicking around me. “You proud of yourself? Keeping human beings who’ve done nothing wrong prisoner?”
My hands, twitching by my side, are already curled into fists. I’m not quite sure what would have happened if Drew hadn’t grabbed my arm, reminding me this is not the time or place forviolence. Getting locked up myself wouldn’t help either Drew or Mariana.
“Come on, Tse. Let’s go call Ms Beacham, the lawyer. Maybe she knows what’s happening or at least can find out.”
Yeah. Her lawyer should be able to find out. Having to be satisfied with tossing the guard my best sneer, I reluctantly turn, walk outside, and cross the parking lot to the truck. I slam the door shut, start the engine to get the air conditioning working, then grab my phone, impatiently drumming my fingers until it’s answered.
“Carissa Beacham? Tse Williamson. We’ve got a problem. We couldn’t see Mariana, she’s in solitary.” Drew’s hanging onto my side of the conversation, the only part he can hear. “They wouldn’t tell us anything, Carissa. Her brother and I are worried sick. Yeah, okay. I’ll wait for your call.” I replace the phone in my pocket.
I breathe out deeply, then turn to the teenager. “She’s going to do what she can to find out what’s going on.”
I hesitate, waiting a moment before pulling away, my eyes going to the building in front of me.Mariana’s inside somewhere. It’s killing me not to know what’s going on.If this was a normal prison, I might have ways of finding out, of finding someone we’ve got contact with on the inside. But here? For once I’m out of my depth. There’s not enough data to go on. All I know is Mariana would have done her best not to do anything wrong. I doubt she’d even talk back. I work with facts, link them together, dig deeper. There’s fuck all to go on here. No supposition, no comprehension. I’m frustrated as hell as there’s nothing more I can do about it.
When Drew looks at me questioningly, I put the truck into drive. “Better get you back.”
“I don’t like leaving like this.”
I know exactly how he feels. I give him the arguments I’m working through in my head. “Can’t do any good here. Soon as we hear from Carissa and know what the fuck’s going on, I’ll bring you back, okay?”
Two days away from the club. Two days for absolutely nothing, except covering miles driving a cage across Arizona. I’m tired as shit after I drop Drew off at the Rez, and am now nearing Tucson. My phone starts blowing up when I’m turning up the track to the compound. Two, no, three missed calls.Make that four.I’m so close I don’t bother to answer. I’ll find out what’s so urgent soon enough.
Parking the truck, I slide my cut on.What the fuck?Brothers are piling in, one word sounding from every direction.Rock,and that’s being strangely coupled with the woman who’s recently arrived on the compound,Becca.Fuck. I remember how I’d left those computers searching.I should have been there in case they’ve found something Drummer needs to know.I listen, absorbing what little information I can glean from their animated conversations. There appears to be a connection between the woman and our out-bad member. How the fuck does Becca know Rock? Data, or the lack of it, doesn’t add up. That this is serious shit means I need to force worries about Mariana out of my mind, and focus on the club.
