Chapter 5 #2
“I don’t see why not. I’ll run it by Brooks to see what he says. I’m sure he won’t have any issues. You’ll be going in as a family member, not a cop.”
“Thanks, Captain,” Kevin said and stood in his side yard looking at all the cop cars, and it brought back memories of all the times they had been there for Karen.
He also noticed the same neighbors were standing in their own lawns watching.
He was beyond worrying what they thought of him.
“I’ll be glad to get the fuck out of this neighborhood,” he said aloud, not caring who heard him.
Almost two weeks later, Kevin looked over at Ryan as he turned off his truck and stared at him.
“You ready for this?” They were in the parking lot of the prison where Karen had been transferred to the previous month.
“I don’t want to get my hopes up,” Ryan said while he looked at Kevin sadly.
“Yeah, I don’t know what she’ll be like now that she’s here, but the last time I saw her, she was different. Humble, resigned to her fate, but also hard.”
“Hard how?”
“I don’t want to say indifferent, but that’s a part of it, it’s also like she isn’t worried about what’s going to happen. She went ballistic at the other prison when she realized that my life was in danger. That’s why she attacked that other person.”
“Damn,” Ryan shook his head at him, then sighed heavily. “Do you think she’ll answer some questions for me?”
“Like?”
“Like why she treated me like she did over the years. Sure, I heard her explanation, but that doesn’t tell me exactly why.”
“We can only ask her.” Kevin opened his door and the two of them exited their truck.
Earlier that day, the other three men had left with their trucks and trailer full, and headed back to Colorado.
Ryan and Kevin wanted to see Karen one last time before they headed that way. They walked solemnly toward the gates.
“Do we need an appointment?”
“Normally, we would only be allowed in during set visiting hours, which is one day a week. The DA called ahead to allow us to come in to see her. Special circumstances.” He saw Ryan’s confused expression and nodded.
“If this was a cop case, then we could come anytime. Since I’m now retired, and this isn’t my case, I had to call ahead.
It’s Tuesday, I’m not going to wait around until Saturday to come see her. ”
Ryan only nodded and it took several minutes for them to sign in, get scanned, then led to the visitor’s area.
They sat there for another fifteen before Karen was led inside.
Ryan sucked in his breath when he saw his sister dressed in an orange jumpsuit, and her hands cuffed before her.
He frowned harder when he saw she had a black eye.
The guard led her to her chair, looked at Kevin, and removed the cuffs. She stepped back twenty feet, ignored them, but alert.
“Hey,” Karen was the first one to speak, then looked at her brother. “Hello.”
“Hi.”
“Thank you for seeing me.”
“I almost didn’t, but Kevin showed me the video he took of you. I’m not going to beat around the bush here, Karen, why were you such a fucking bitch to me my entire life?”
“Jealousy.” She didn’t hesitate to answer.
“I was alone with Mom and Dad for ten years before you came along. Then all of a sudden, you had all their attention. I know it’s not an excuse, but that’s all I can say as to how I felt back then.
” She shrugged, then really studied her brother.
“You grew up. May I ask you a few questions?”
“What?”
“Are you happy? I see you’re wearing a wedding ring. Are you married? And I know I have no right to ask this, but how did you lose your eye?”
“Yes, I’m happy. Yes, I’m married, and she is the love of my life.
As for losing my eye, I can’t really say anything.
I can say that I was on a military mission when it happened.
” He saw her understanding, then asked her a few questions.
“How did you get the black eye? Why did you save that money for me? Do you need anything?”
“The black eye was because someone thought because I was new to the jail they could tell me what I had to do for them. I set her straight during the first couple of days. I sent the message that I won’t tolerate any shit from anyone.
They give me a wide berth now.” She grinned, then shook her head.
“As for the money, I was so pissed that you weren’t here when Mom and Dad died, that I guess I lost it.
I thought that if you didn’t care enough to be home for the funerals, then you didn’t deserve it.
Then when I did see you, don’t be offended by this, but you looked like absolute shit.
” She looked between her ex-husband and brother, and shook her head.
“I never told anyone this, but I stood in the shadows when you and Kevin sat in the living room one night. Before the end of it all, years ago, you told Kevin what you had gone through on a few missions, and when I really thought about it, I didn’t have the heart to keep that money.
I gave you some, but not all of it. I know that wasn’t right, but I hope you have it, and can forgive me one day.
” She quickly held up her hand. “I’m not asking for forgiveness now.
I know I was a fucking bitch to you, and I’m willing to accept anything you want to give me.
” She saw his shock, and shrugged. “As for needing anything, not really.” Again, she shrugged.
At their looks, she chuckled. “I have a job here, and earn money. It’s not much, but it keeps me busy. ”
Kevin looked at his ex-wife, stunned by what she had just said, but he didn’t want to argue with her. “Has the DA come to talk to you yet? Were you charged with Strokes’s death?”
“Not yet, he did come to tell me that they were able to arrest several members of the gang she contacted, but they didn’t say anything after that. Oh, and he said that because of those arrests, they were able to get over fifty more people. I don’t know what it all means, but I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Thank you,” Kevin nodded, and he didn’t want to tell her that the first arrests had been made outside of his own home.
“You look like you have something to say, Kevin. Just say it.”
“The house is for sale, and I’m moving,” he spoke bluntly, and waited for the screaming to begin, but to his shock, she only looked at him intently, then nodded.
“Okay. I’m not going to ask where you’re going, but I am going to wish you well, and I hope you have a happy life. I know I have no right to ask this, but will you write me?”
“Maybe, but know this, I will not say where I’m staying. I will be closer to Caleb though.”
She sat up straighter and looked directly at the guard. “Can he pull out his phone and take a video for me? It’s for my son.”
The guard came closer and stood behind Kevin as he did as requested, and aimed the phone toward Karen.
He held his breath, and listened. When she was done, he nodded, and said their time was up.
No one said anything, and because there was no touching allowed, they couldn’t hug her goodbye for the last time.
In the truck, Ryan looked at Kevin and they remained silent, but shook their heads as he started the truck, and pulled out of the parking lot of the prison. About five miles down the road, Ryan looked at him.
“Holy shit, she’s changed.”
“Yeah, I don’t know if she was always in there, or if she’s like this because of where she is.”
“I don’t care, I’ll take it,” Ryan chuckled, and the two of them settled into the long drive ahead of them.