Into the Nothing (Broken Outlaw Series Book 1) (30 page)

The officer returns and nudges Xander. “Time’s up, Evans.”

“Paige,” Xander says, rising to his feet. “Just do me a favor. Check Cody’s friends. Just check them out for me. I have no one else, Paige.
Please
.” He stands but keeps the phone to his ear. “I swear to you. I’m innocent…”

“Let’s go, Evans,” the officer interrupts sternly.

“I didn’t do it. I would never want to hurt you. I would never hurt your family. Just please, Paige.”

His eyes are desperate as he hangs up the phone and backs away. Then he’s gone.

“A
lright man, what the hell’s up?” Twitch calls from the bottom bunk. “You’ve been depressed since you got back.”

I’m stretched out and facing the wall, trying my best to fight the anxiety that’s taken over. Seeing her again was both the best
and
worst thing I’ve ever felt.

“I know you ain’t sleeping. Spit it out. You know I can’t stand the quiet.”

“C’mon, man.” I say, hoping he’ll just leave me alone.

“C’mon, man, what? Spill it.”

“It’s a long story.”

“And I’ve never shared some long-ass stories with you?” He asks with a sarcastic tone.

He’s got me there
.

“The girl that visited… that wrote me those letters. I’m in here for her mother’s murder.”

“Holy fuck.” He comes off of his bunk and leans in on mine, his eyes wide.

“Yeah, but I didn’t do it. I was set up.”

He scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Okay, so were you really set up, or were you set up like everyone else in here was?”

“I didn’t do it,” I say, annoyed and giving him the look that says “don’t fucking go there”.

He puts a hand up. “Okay, okay, so what did she have to say?”

“Just wanted to talk about that night. She didn’t believe me… probably still doesn’t. I tried my best though.”

I sit up from the bed and lean my back against the wall. I look at him curiously as he’s got a mischievous smile on his face.

“Wanna break out with me?”

I look at him, trying to read his face, and I can’t tell if he’s serious or not. “You kidding me, man?”

“I think you know me better than that,” He says. “I ain’t serving ten years, friend. I’m out of here as soon as I find the opportunity. And this time, I’m not getting scooped back up.”

For a moment, I actually consider it. I have a life sentence. What the fuck do I have to lose? But what if Paige could help? What if she could clear my name?

“Nah, man. I can’t risk it.”

“You got life in prison. What do you mean you can’t risk it? What are you risking?”

“The hole, man. I don’t do so well in the hole. And then, what the fuck am I going to do on the outside? I’ll be a fugitive. Always having to watch my back. Fuck that.”

His smile is beaming now, almost giddy, and he rubs his hand together as if formulating a devious plan. “There’s ways around that, my man. Many ways around it.”

“I’m not trying to talk about fantasy worlds, Twitch. That’s not my shit. I can’t live like that.” I scratch the scruff on my chin, my mind only really on Paige and I ask the only thing I can think of that’ll change the subject. “Hey Twitch, you ever been in love, man?”

He scoffs as he sits down on the stool and scans the musty yellow walls. “You’re talking about fantasy worlds. Love is a fucking fantasy, my friend. It’s God’s never ending practical joke.” He chuckles, a miserable little chuckle as he looks longingly out the barred up windows. “I was in love once. She’s the mother of my kids.”

“Shit man, how did I not know you have kids? How many?”

“You never asked, fucker.” He puts three fingers up. “I have three boys—Able, Cayden, and Jude.”

“Three fucking kids, man? Three boys at that?
Damn
your swimmers must be strong.”

He laughs and leans forward, elbows to his knees.

“Their mom’s a cheating, lying bitch who hasn’t let me see my kids in years. And now that I’m a felon, I’ve put the final nail in the coffin my own damn self. Love is a façade, Xander. We love who we can’t have, and when we do find love, we don’t want it anymore. It’s the twisted life we live.”

“Fuck, man. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry for me. I did this to myself. I got fucked up and cheated on her. I caused her to lose it. She was never the same after. Love? Don’t ask me about love.” He laughs, but there’s a lot of pain behind it.

Out of nowhere, Twitch perks up and nonchalantly nods toward the door. Three lifers—we call this particular trio the beast queens, or BQs, on account of their bodybuilder stature and penchant for rape—are standing outside our door. The leader—Joker, I think they call him—takes two steps in and crosses his arms. He’s covered in prison ink, as bald as Mr. Clean, and he’s got meth mouth like a motherfucker. He ignores Twitch, who looks like he’s about ready to pounce, and he focuses solely on me, jabbing a finger in my direction.

“You the little prick talking to the warden about me?”

“I haven’t said shit. Nor will I. The guy got what was coming to him.”

“That’s not what I’ve been hearing.”

“I’m sorry, then you’ve been hearing wrong.” He tenses up, but I remain calm. He wants a reaction—that’s why he’s here. But I’m not going to give him one.

“Oh, you think so? Hey Chester, this guy right here’s calling you a liar. How does that make you feel?”

The equally large and slightly ginger Chester steps in, shaking his head. With his long hair and gym teacher goatee, he looks like he belongs in the WWE… or on
To Catch a Predator
.

“Nah, I don’t like that one bit, Joker.”

“And look at you.” Joker says, grabbing a handful of crotch and liking his lips. “Such a sweet little bitch you’d make. That pretty head of hair you got, it’d be good for holding onto while I’m fucking your face.”

“I can promise you”—I look him dead in the eye—”none of that is going down. Not in this lifetime. And not in the next.”

“Oh, we can arrange that. We can take care of you just like we did your last fat fuck cellmate. We made that boy squeal for us, didn’t we, Chester?” He laughs, slapping the back of his hand against Chester’s chest, who grunts in response.

“Listen, I haven’t said shit and I’m not going to say shit. You’ve been misinformed. That’s all I’m saying.”

“We’ll see now, won’t we?” He pretends to suck a dick, stroking a hand toward his mouth before departing. Chester follows close behind after blowing a kiss my way.

“Well, that was fucking interesting.” Twitch says with a smile. “Friends of yours?”

“I guess we are now. Before today, they didn’t know who the fuck I was. Look’s like it’s my lucky day.”

It’s been three weeks since I last saw Paige, and a week since we spoke on the phone and she told me she’d come. I’ve tried not letting it get to me, but the wait has been excruciating. A day in here is like ten on the outside. I can’t imagine how those like Twitch with kids back home deal, though I don’t think he even knows where home is anymore.

As I approach the booth, I spot Paige’s curly hair, which is pulled up into a ponytail. It’s by far my favorite look on her. She smiles when I approach, and although it’s a weak smile, it’s still a nice change from the last time I saw her.

“Hi, Xander,” she says as I lift the receiver to my ear.

“Hi, Paige. It’s so good to see you again.”

“You too. How have you been?” She looks at me with apologetic eyes. “I mean…”

“No, you’re okay. I haven’t been bad, all things considered. Life just is what it is in here. You learn to appreciate the small things. I’ve got a good cellmate finally. Army Special Forces, wounded, all that… you know how well I mesh with that type.”

“Speaking of which, have you spoken to Chase recently?”

Even though I haven’t thought about him in months, memories of our times together bring a smile to my face. It’s my fault it’s been so long.

“It’s been at least a year and a half.”

“Damn. Really?” She asks.

“Yeah. I wasn’t too keen on talking to people on the outside for a long time. Envy, I guess. Or maybe I just didn’t want him to see me like this. Maybe a little of both.”

“Well, do you know he proposed to Brandi?”

“What?! I didn’t even know they were seeing each other!”

“Yeah, pretty much since they met. They live in Truman Valley. You should really reach out.”

“I know.” I shake my head, as I’m well aware I haven’t kept up my end of the bargain in that friendship.

“I hope they’re well.”

“They are. Brandi works with me at Whittaker’s still…and yes, I’m working at Whittaker’s now. I don’t want to hear it.” A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth and it excites me as it’s the first time she’s joked around with me. I miss that so much.

“Chase started an online carpentry business which is doing well and he’s still racing regularly. He’s a little upset that he has to go all the way to St Louis though. I don’t think the country living is quite for him.” She lets out the lightest laugh, but it’s enough to make me forget all about this place.

I want to continue the small talk, it’s what makes me feel normal again in a place like this, but the dwindling time is ever present in the back of my mind. I need to know if she found out anything. She is the only chance I have.

“Paige, sorry, I hate to change subjects, but we don’t have much time.” I immediately regret my words. I want to relish our chance at a normal conversation. But I just have to know. “Did you look into Cody’s people for me? Rusty and Benji?”

“Yeah, I asked around a little. They moved a town over… to Wainwright. Word is that they’re controlling pretty much everything drug related in the county. Pushing stuff out of St. Louis. Producing some too. And Xander…”

“Yeah?”

“I looked into Cody, too.” She lets her words linger and I fight to keep my face expressionless. I know what’s coming next, and I hope to God she’s mindful of what she says in here.

“Thinking he’d obviously have more motive than anyone… you know, with all that had happened around the same time. After everything with my mom, we never pressed charges against Cody. We just didn’t have it in us. But it turns out, they could never locate him anyways. They still haven’t. His truck was still there. Everything was still in his trailer. He just vanished.”