Black Lies by Mercedes Mercier

Author:Mercedes Mercier [Mercier, Mercedes]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-04-26T00:00:00+00:00

27

The one time I need Sam to appear, she’s nowhere to be found. She’s the only one I trust to identify the inmate who assaulted James in the video, and keep it quiet. I’ve looked in the gatehouse and around the yard, but I’ve stopped short of going into the officers’ mess. I’ve never set foot inside their inner sanctum. I have no idea what they would do if I tried. The thought is intimidating enough to prevent me from finding out.

I glance at my watch: eleven-thirty am. The day is melting away. I’m planning to try ringing around a few cell blocks. She’s got to be somewhere.

As I dial, there’s a tentative knock on my doorframe. I look up and see Nick standing there, his hands folded together.

‘Sorry to interrupt,’ he says. ‘Could you let me know where I can grab some lunch? Before – ah, before Rose comes back from her meeting?’

I try to hide my smile. ‘She’s been a bit much today?’

‘You could say that. I don’t want to make any enemies on my first day, but I need a bit of space.’

‘I know just the spot.’ I hang up the phone, which has rung out. ‘You probably saw the big building on your left as you came in? That’s the local RSL. It’s a bit rough, but the food’s cheap and Rose avoids it because she always gets abused by drunk officers when she goes in.’ As I’m saying the words, I realise I know exactly where Sam is. It should have been obvious; the inmates have just been locked down for lunch. I stand up. ‘Actually, I’ll take you up there.’

‘Oh.’ He seems surprised. ‘Thanks.’

‘Settling in all right?’ I ask as we make our way up the hill.

‘Yeah, just trying to get my head around everything. It’s so different in here from anywhere else.’

We walk past two officers standing in the shade of a tree. They watch us silently, before one of them mutters something into his radio, turning his head away.

‘It sure is,’ I say. ‘Have you worked in a prison before?’

‘Never.’ I see his gaze linger on the officers.

‘You’ll get used to them,’ I say. ‘They don’t like any of us. Where did you work before?’

‘Oh, I did lots of different things. IT, commerce, marketing. I couldn’t find my “thing”, you know,’ he says. ‘I came to psychology later in life. I’ve only ever worked with youth, so I thought it was time to branch out and try something new.’

We pass through the metal detectors at the gatehouse without incident, then grab our phones from the lockers. Nick’s lights up, showing a picture of a beautiful dark-haired woman holding a baby.

‘Your wife?’ I ask.

‘Sister.’ Nick stares at the screen. ‘And my little niece.’ He abruptly clicks the screen off and shoves it in his back pocket. ‘I don’t have a wife.’

‘Oh, sure, sorry.’ I’m kicking myself. Why couldn’t I have kept my mouth shut?

‘All good.’ He gives me a brief smile.

‘Well, here we are,’ I announce, desperate to shift the tension.

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