Chapter 11 #3
“I will. I promise.” When he turned the kid loose, Briley took off at a jog and disappeared down the hallway.
Kyle pinched the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger. “I do not feel good about leaving here.”
“We’ll be okay.”
“I’m calling the police department to ask them to keep units driving by and watching.” Kyle led her toward the truck and turned to face her when he reached the door. “If anything happens to you, I swear to god …”
“Just go home to Myla. Give me a call later. I’ve got to get them something to eat and find a way to calm them down.”
“If you need me, you just call, babe. I mean it.” Kyle leaned out and kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you, Gina. I’m not going to let anything happen to you or those kids.”
“I know.” She dropped her forehead to his chest and sighed. “I love you too.” She giggled. “But you really need a shower.”
“Yeah, I guess I probably do! I’ll call you later.”
“Please.” She lifted her face to look into his eyes and sighed as he pressed his lips to hers. She didn’t care how dirty or smelly he was, just that those strong arms were around her, holding her close. When she pulled back, she smiled. “I feel better already.”
Kyle laughed. “Good! That was the goal. See ya later, babe.” He climbed into the cab of the truck, but just as he started to back out, he put down the window.
“And tell Hadley if she needs me, she should call me. I don’t care when it is—day, night, during a tornado, flood, or a UK Wildcats basketball game. I’ll be there.”
“I’ll tell her but, trust me, Kyle, I think she already knows that.” Her cheeks hurt from the wide smile pulling at them, and she waved as he backed into the street, only to hear him give a little honk as he rounded the corner and disappeared.
It was time to go inside, find something for them to eat, and try to unwind. And Gina figured that last one was going to be pretty much impossible.
As he drove, a plan hatched in Kyle’s mind. He’d have to do some fast work, but he’d get it done. As soon as he got home, he started poking through the website and got the information he wanted. Luckily for him, it looked like the next morning was a good time to put it in play.
To get a jump on it, Kyle took Myla to school on Thursday. That let him get on the road earlier. When he got there, a huge sign greeted him.
EDDYVILLE STATE PENITENTIARY
ALL VISITORS MUST STOP AT SECURITY
NO EXCEPTIONS
He pulled up to the security booth and a stern-looking officer glared down at him. “Name?”
“Kyle Miller.”
“Photo ID?” He handed the man his driver’s license. “Purpose of visit?”
“I’m here to see an inmate.”
“Inmate’s name?”
“Nate Ivitts.”
“Nature of the visit?”
“Just to talk to him. I’m dating his ex-wife.
She wanted me to come up and update him on their kids.
” The man nodded, and Kyle was surprised at how easy it was to get the opportunity to go in.
Then something ran through his mind. “Does he already have a visitor? Because if he does, I can come back another time.”
“He did, but she’s gone.” Margie, Kyle whispered in his head.
Of course. She’d already been there. Not surprising at all.
The man handed him a badge with a pin. “Okay. Ever been here before?” Kyle shook his head.
“You have to keep this on at all times. I keep your driver’s license until you come back out.
You’ll be screened when you go inside and if you are found to have any contraband, you can be detained and charged. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. I do.”
“Okay. Go straight up that drive and park on the left over there. The door will be directly across the parking lot. Do not wander the grounds, do not pick up anything, do not drop anything. Keep your hands by your sides, not in your pockets or holding anything.” The man touched something inside the booth and a horn started to honk, accompanied by the gate sliding open slowly.
Once it was fully open, the guard pointed through it. “Have a nice visit, sir.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Kyle drove through and parked where he’d been told, but once he got out of the truck, he almost went back to it.
The building was imposing, and he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be stuck inside there.
No wonder criminals kept committing crimes after they were released.
Being there for any length of time would warp anyone.
The guards at the gate took his wallet, belt, watch, and rings, then sent him through the metal detector.
When they were satisfied that he was contraband-free, they left him sitting in a waiting area with a few other people until he was called.
He wasn’t quite sure what to expect. There were no pictures of Nate in Gina’s house, at least not that he’d seen, and he had no idea what the man looked like.
When they called, “Ivitts,” Kyle stood and stepped to the door.
The guard ushered him through into a small area, the first door locking behind them, then through a second door, and he heard that one click behind him as well.
Along the walls were booths with double layers of what he was sure was bullet-proof glass separated by about an inch, holes drilled in it at staggered intervals so no hole in one sheet was in line with a hole on the other, but sound could still pass through.
The guard stood there, but Kyle didn’t quite know what to do.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never met him. Can you tell me which one he is?
” Instead of speaking, the guard pointed to a man behind the glass down in one corner, with no other prisoners anywhere near.
Kyle made his way over and watched the man’s face—expressionless. When he got near, he pointed to the chair, and the man nodded, so he sat. “Are you Nate?” he asked, almost whispering, not knowing quite how to go about what he was doing.
“Yeah. Who are you?”
“I’m Kyle Miller. I’ve been seeing Gina. I didn’t know if you’d talk to me, but—”
“You need to watch out for them.”
Kyle nodded. “I fully intend to. She told me you called her. I’m not mad. I’m just really concerned.”
“You should be.” Nate leaned in and whispered, “She’s crazy.”
“That’s what Gina said you told her.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure what she’s capable of. It’s like she’s laser-focused on Gina and the kids and won’t stop. You have a kid, right?”
“A little girl.”
“Then you need to watch out for her too. My mother is always looking for revenge against somebody or something. I’m not sure what she might do, so always watch your back.”
“She’s been following us around. Did you know she paid some guys to try to grab Hadley?”
“What?” Nate looked like he’d been smacked in the head with a brick. “Are you sure it was her?”
“Yeah. Police caught one of them and he’s singing like a bird. It won’t be long before they’re looking for your mother.”