Evie came back seeing Henley, walking but only just. If she didn’t have a broken rib she was sure it was cracked. But right now that was the least of her worries. Kim was dying and there was nothing she could do about it. James and Tom were a few miles away but she had no way of getting word to them and she had nothing in the cellblock which was going to help her. Water was it and flushing as much of it as possible through Kim’s system was the only plan she had, even though Kim was struggling to keep much of it down. She stepped back into the block, her left arm wrapped around her own middle. Sally came over to her as soon as she walked in, the question of whether she had gotten anywhere evident on her face. Evie shook her head and then winced. A look of concern appeared on Sally’s face.
“I’m fine. Henley’s refusal was… a little more on the physical side rather than just the verbal. How is she?”
“No change.”
Evie walked over to where Kim was lying. “Hey.” She eased herself down onto the chair next to her bed. “How you doing?” She picked up a bottle of water that was set on the side. “You think you can try some more of this?” Kim shook her head a little. She looked grey, washed out covered in a light perspiration. She was exhausted from the poisoning and her body’s efforts to fight off whatever it was that had invaded her system. Evie told Kim what Henley had said. Kim smiled weakly. “Guess I’d better… get to… work then huh?” Evie turned to the rest of the girls and told them to go on. No need that they all finish up late. “I’ll stay with Mikayla. Help her out there.” One by one the girls filed out of the block, leaving Kim and Evie on their own. Evie looked at Kim.
“Maybe I should just tell them who we are. We might be able to get you some help then?”
“Yeah… and maybe… that’ll just give… them the excuse to… kill us quick. You can’t … tell them. You have to… to get everyone… else out of… here.”
“I’m not going to do it by letting you…”
“Yeah… you are. And don’t tell me… that you wouldn’t be…. saying exactly the same… if you were lying here.” Evie stared at her. She was probably right. “Kim. We’re on our own. I can’t get to a phone. I can’t call Tom or James…”
“Then we’re just gonna… have to wait ….until they work things…. out and get themselves out here… Now help me up.”
It was another long warm day. Evie didn’t do much; she spent most of her time with Kim, making sure that she was at least staying upright. The other girls covered as much as they could, and in truth the guards weren’t that observant. As long as crops were being harvested, sorted, processed, they were happy. Evie couldn’t help but whether the conditions on some of the better plantations 150 years ago. When the day finally ended, Evie finished up practically carrying Kim back to the block and getting her back into bed. The girls got some cool water, and Evie managed to wipe down her arms and neck and face. If Tom didn’t turn up soon then she had know choice but to risk giving up their cover. What was their cover really doing now anyway? They’d just finished up being taken out of the game. Put into the same position that they people they were trying to find and rescue were in. Evie sat down next to Kim again. Kim was barely conscious and Evie was exhausted and her ribs ached. She had to think of something.
***
Jessup’s house was pretty impressive. It must have covered a good few acres and was itself set in a few more acres, surrounded by trees and high stonewalls. There was a long drive way with tall black metal gates at the end. Tom and James watched the gates open and then close behind the limo. They watched the two brothers climb out and head for the main doors, disappearing inside. Tom decided that he didn’t want to lose the Ruso boys. He pulled out the cellphone hidden under the passenger seat just in case anyone decided to give the car not much more than a superficial search. Tom punched a few numbers and got hold of CHP. He identified himself and then passed on the details, the address and asking for backup. Finishing the call, he told James that it might be a while before CHP get out here.
“Lets just see what happens. There’s been no emergency call from Evie or Kim so they must be coping at least.”
“We hope. I’d love to know what’s going on in there. What would a judge and a sheriff be doing passing the time with two mid level hoods from the City?” James wasn’t really expecting an answer; it was a rhetorical question and one that Tom wished he knew the answer to.
***
Inside the house, Jessup and Wallace welcomed Terry and Tim. They shared some dinner and some of the finest scotch that Jessup could find. After dinner over the scotch and Cuban cigars, Jessup started to talk about the deal he wanted to do. He talked about the party he was about to have and he invited both men. Both of them were keen and even more so when Jessup said that they could pick their company… that he had what he called his own stable of very willing girls. Jessup gave Wallace the signal and Wallace brought the photographs; photographs taken of each of the girls as they were admitted to the prison. Terry and Tim worked through them, one page at a time, each page hold four pictures. And then they came to pictures they recognized but not a whores. No. Cops. Jessup and Wallace were both dumbstruck and ultimately were more concerned with their own troubles and the potential of what they might be about to lose, rather than the fact that the Ruso brothers were on their way out of town. When they had left, Jessup was in a fury. He berated Wallace and Alvarez, cursing them both for bringing those two whores into the middle of their operation. And then he decided that there was only one option. Ultimately he told them that they needed to clean up their mess. He wanted the two cops at the prison dead. Before the night was through. They both left the house quickly, neither of them noticing what should have been a familiar jeep parked on the opposite side of the road as they pulled out of the drive.
***
Tom and James sat in the car for about an hour before they saw the Russo brothers exiting the house in something of a hurry.
“Well that was quicker than I expected.” James said
“Yeah. And they don’t look happy.” Tom watched as the two men got back into the limo and the car quickly exited, the gate only just opening in time for them. The tyres squealed a little as it turned out of the drive, onto the main road and then sped away. But the attention of both men was quickly drawn back to house. Now two more men came out of the main door. Now it was Wallace and Alvarez who exited and climbed into their own car. They followed the same route as the limo until they reached the end of the road and then they turned left, whilst the limo had turned right. Tom shook his head. He reached out and patted James on the arm.
“Come on. Let’s go and pay the judge a visit. I think it’s about time we started to find out what’s going on here. CHP can’t be that far away now.“
***
It wasn't quite lights out but dusk had almost set in. Suddenly there was a lot of noise. Evie looked up from Kim's bedside and the rest of the girls were suddenly restless. The outside lights had all been put on and the grounds immediately around the prison buildings were all fully lit. A police siren could be heard in the distance getting ever closer.
"What the hell...?" Evie asked to no-one in particular. Sally shook her head.
"Someone is about to get raided." She saw the look on Evie's face, the question. "Something's happened. They think someone is breaking ... has broken the rules... has something they shouldn't... Last time we had this, we'd strung up a still... we were each keeping a handful of potatoes everyday... its amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it." Evie was only partly listening. Somehow she knew they were coming for her and Kim.
"There coming here. There coming for me and Mikayla." She exchanged looks, her mind racing. There was no need for her to keep their cover now. One way or another it was about to come to an end; the only question was who was coming to end it? And how?
"Listen to me. I'm a cop." At that moment every head in the room turned to look at her. "We both are. Your families... they're worried... some of them had contacted the Governor. He brought us in... my team. That's either the other half of the team coming to get us out... to get us all out... or... or its Jessup and Wallace coming for me and Mikayla. Kim. I'm Detective Evie Taylor." The room was silent and the police sirens were getting louder.
"You're a cop?" Leann stepped forwards, towards Evie. Evie nodded and stared back. "You put yourself in here... to get us out?" Evie nodded again. "Look, if this is Wallace, there's no need for you guys to get caught up in this." Leann was still staring back at her and then she smiled. "Im glad Sally stopped me from throwing a punch at you." She looked around the room. "We pretty much stand together in here. It's the only way anybody survives. We'll take on whatever comes through that door."
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