already? Thank God. I can’t believe how much noise that girl is making. I haven’t slept a wink all night.” He stood and took another pull on his cigarette.
“Smoking is not allowed in the cells,” Bridget snapped. “How did you get those inside? Didn’t anyone tell you to leave them in your locker?”
“Little girl, I’ve been smoking two packs a day for most of my life. Do you think I go anywhere without a pack on me? I’d start going through withdrawal in less than an hour.” He grabbed his backpack and put out the cigarette on the stone floor. At least he picked up the butt and put it in his pocket. “Wake up Sleeping Beauty there and my idiot nephew and let’s get out of here. This is the last time I let them plan the activities on my visit.”
“Sir, it’s not time to leave, but we do need all of you to gather with us in the common room. Gather your stuff and we’ll wake the others.” Bridget pointed to Angie. “You wake up the female.”
“Her name is Tamera.” Angie said flatly. Bridget was too involved in her role as guard. Angie was surprised she hadn’t said female inmate. She moved into Tamera’s cell and shook the woman gently.
“What’s going on?” She said, her words garbled.
“We need you to come with us. There’s been an incident.” Angie said gently. “Slip on your shoes and grab your stuff.”
“Where’s Tad?” Tamera moved like she hadn’t been asleep. “Is my brother all right?”
Angie sat the backpack that had been on the floor on the bed while Tamera slipped on her shoes. “I’m sure he’s in his cell sleeping. Is there something going on?”
“Yes, there is.” Estebe leaned on the cell doorway. “Tad’s not in his cell and it looks like the bed hasn’t been slept in.”
“Oh, my God. What happened to him?” Tamera moved toward the door, but Estebe blocked it.
“Answer one question first, why was the first thing you asked about when you woke up about your brother? Is he in trouble?” Estebe kept his voice calm, but it held a measure of authority.
The older man laughed. “That boy was born in trouble. He’s been in more jail cells than this one in his life, I tell you that. My brother went bankrupt trying to keep him out of prison.”
“Tad didn’t do those things he was charged with. His friends were the problem, not him, but he got blamed. They all ganged up on him.” Tamera shot back at her uncle. Anger seemed in every word.
“You’re believing his line of bull crap. He’s always been a liar and a thief. What did he do this time? Is something missing?”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Uncle Thaddeus.” Tad came walking toward them from the back of the cell block. “I’ve been reading at the end of the hall. I didn’t want my light to disturb you.”
Angie and Estebe exchanged glances. They just cleared that area and hadn’t seen Tad. Reading or otherwise.
“Grab your stuff and let’s all go into the common room.” Bridget said, ignoring the family drama. But Angie knew Tad wasn’t reading where he said he’d been. She just let that statement ride. She wanted to get him in the common room without incident.
Their group hadn’t found the screamer, but they rounded up three of the guests. And one had a shady alibi.
They dropped the three off with Matt in the common room. He looked relieved to see them, then hesitated when Bridget said they had one more area to clear. “Maybe someone else should stay with me?”
Bridget glanced at Tad and nodded. “You’re right. We don’t need three of us checking out the rest of the area. Estebe, why don’t you stay with Matt? Angie and I will be right back.”
Estebe traded glances with Angie but when she nodded, he sat down on the bench. “Have you ever played Texas Holdem? We don’t have chips, but I could get you ready to come join one of our Wednesday night poker games.”
“Probably so the guy can fleece you of your paycheck.” Thaddeus moved over to the table with Estebe and Matt. “I’ll sit in too, just to make sure he teaches you right.”
As they moved away from the table and back into the areas where the tour had started, Angie spoke quietly. “Tad wasn’t back there reading.”
“I know.”
“Why would he lie?” Angie shined the flashlight she now carried into the gun display room. It looked empty, but she