Don't stand so close to me |✔️

CHAPTER 9

A picture of Ant's and the rest of the inmates cells☹️

Officer Barlow headed wearily back to his office, a thick sheaf of papers in his hand. Hearing running feet, he peered around the corner to see Ant and his cronies bolting down the corridor, laughing so hard they had tears streaming down their faces. Sighing at the thought of another layer of reports about to be added to the batch in his hand, he headed in the direction they had come. Officer Patterson came storming around the corner, knocking the papers out of his hand, scattering them like so many leaves in a fall wind. Barlow's mouth dropped open and his eyebrows rose high at the sight of the reverse black-face on the irate man.

Patterson quickly swallowed the tirade he was about to loose on the poor soul blocking his path when he realized it was his supervisor standing there. Gurgling to a halt he brought a hand up to cover his mouth, wilting slightly as Gary continued to stare. Hoping to ingratiate himself, he dropped to the floor and gathered the scattered papers, shuffled them back into some semblance of order, hauled himself back to his feet and offered them to Gary. "I... uh..." he began.

Gary held up a silencing hand, took the papers, blinked, then turned silently and resumed his way to his office. Thankfully his office was near, and he made it without another incident adding itself to the pile. Opening the door he was surprised to see Officers Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle crammed into the tiny chairs, waiting for him. He growled, "This better be good..." and dropped into his seat with a sigh.

The two pale faces glanced at each other, then back to him. Both swallowed and nodded. "It is," Robert said. Gary regarded them narrowly, then reached behind and flipped the door closed, clasping his hands on his desk and leaning forward. "Okay, let's have it," he said quietly.

For a moment the two remained silent, unable to meet his eyes. Then Aaron sighed and closed his eyes. "We're being blackmailed."

"What are you being asked to do?" Again the heavy silence as the three stared at each other.

"Close our eyes to some things that are happening," Robert said in a shaky voice, "to some things that are coming in." Gary leaned back in the chair regarding the two before him.

"What do they have on you and who gave it to them?"

Dropping a small folder on Gary's desk Aaron said, "Pictures, and we're not sure, but we think it was Patterson."

Gary opened the folder and flipped through the three pages inside, his face carefully blank. "Have you told your families?" he asked, closing the folder without comment and passing it back to them.

Aaron looked away and swallowed hard as Robert put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Yes," he said, "just this morning." Gary nodded.

"Okay. Okay." He thought for a moment. "Why are you coming to me? Why now?"

Sam quietly wiped at his eyes and turned back to Gary. "Because of the last bit that came in. 'Til now it's been relatively innocuous, but..." He shook his head.

Gary nodded again. "Good. Okay, you're going to tell me every last detail there is, every name or date, and every suspicion you have. Right now."

"We need to see the Warden now," Gary said.

MacLheiny looked up at him from over the tops of her half moon glasses. "He doesn't have any appointments with you or them this evening," she droned.

"Then he should be free," Gary crossed his arms.

"No. No appointment, no entry."

Gary scowled at her. He might have been scowling at the wall for all the good it did. "Aaron, can you hold her down while I buzz us in?"