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I rose to my feet, shocked, as a guard entered and led me gently away. I was lost in my thoughts until they locked me back in the cell with Seraphine peering at me.
“What the fuck happened?” Seraphine demanded, infuriated.
“I’m out on Monday. My release has been moved up, and even better, no parole,” I said as Seraphine squealed quietly.
“I’ll phone my contact. Give me your information,” Seraphine murmured, bouncing on the bed. I repeated what Warden Folkes had told me, and Seraphine sent me a wink.
“Whatever happens, this stays between us for as long as we can keep it secret. Meanwhile, honey, I’ll call my people to be here Monday morning. She’ll let the owner of the package know,” Seraphine whispered.
“Thank you,” I said, catching her hands and squeezing them. No lie, I would never have survived this hellhole without Seraphine. Plus, the precious package would have been destroyed years ago. As soon as Seraphine was free, I’d be there for her because nobody had believed in me whatsoever, apart from Seraphine.
Not even Jax and Arlo.
That shit hurt, even after ten years.
Monday
Warden Mackles met me as I waited to be released. I’d been moved there in the early hours of this morning and given some clean underwear, jeans, a tee, and sweatshirt and boots. All brand new, and I had no idea where they came from. A wink from Warden Mackles made me wonder as he checked me over from head to toe.
“Glad to see they fit,” he murmured as he handed me the box with my belongings. They were pitiful, apart from the letters. In ten years, nobody had bothered with me except for the hate mail. I got that in spades.
“Thank you,” I mumbled shyly, and I turned and grasped his outstretched hand.
“Miss Folkes, remember our conversation in the hospital? I expect big things. Use that file wisely, and do not lose it.”
I nodded.
The doors opened, and freedom faced me. For a few seconds, I longed to run back inside and hide. Ten years I’d spent there, it was the only home I knew. I’d been locked up at sixteen and turned seventeen in there as they tried me as an adult. Sad fact was I was twenty-seven and had no idea what waited for me outside.
Warden Mackles gave me a sharp nod, and I stepped forward. The gates closed, and I stared at the road in front of the prison. This was terrifying, and a scream rose in my throat. Counting to ten, I swallowed it and moved. I was looking for a 1969 red and black Dodge Super Bee A12. Seraphine had shown me a picture, as I’d had no idea what that was.
I did not see it, but I spied a rather smart and expensive car parked a little way down the street. But it was silver, so I paid no attention. Anxiously, I looked away at the other end of the road and spotted nothing. When I glanced back in the silver car’s direction, I nearly died. My heart stuttered, and a scream built violently this time. Getting out of it were Arlo and Jax.
Hatred and dislike were written clearly across their faces as they walked toward me. I started backing away, headed for the prison gates, which were locked now. Somehow, they’d got a tip-off about my early release. They were halfway to me when a black and red car skidded. It screeched to a stop, and a woman poked her head out.
“Seraphine says give me kisses. Get in, Amberlea,” she demanded calmly.
I dashed around to the other side and discovered an enormous man exiting.
“You’re safe,” he said, taking my box and shoving me into the back of the car with one hand. He passed the box back, slung the seat into place, and climbed in. Terrified, I peered over my shoulder and saw Jax and Arlo running towards us.
“Simone, go,” the guy demanded.
The woman didn’t reply but knocked the car into gear as Jax and Arlo headed for their own vehicle, and she sped off.
“This is Simone; I’m Butch. Seraphine sent us to get you safe and help prove your innocence. And yeah, Seraphine’s made it very clear you’re innocent. We’re here as payback for one of the many favours we owe her. So whatever you need, you got it. A home, money, job, false identity. You name it, it’s yours. Now kitten, why don’t you tell us what happened so we can start digging?” Butch said kindly.
At that, I burst into tears.
August 2021
Amberlea.
I walked around the beautiful home, stunned. This was mine. And legal. I’d moved into a very nice street with a cute name, Stirrup Ct, in Colonial Pine Hills. It was just outside of Rapid City and was gorgeous.
It had been four months since my release, and for the first four weeks, I’d hidden, terrified that Jax and Arlo would turn up. Simone and Butch had taken me to a safe house that was rather nice, considering its purpose. There, they’d helped me regain some control of my life.
While I had been inside, my grandfather died. We hadn’t been close, and I doubted he knew of my incarceration. But he’d left me some cash. Simone explained it had been held in a trust until my release, but if I claimed it, those hunting me would find me. Instead, Simone claimed it and then moved it around so many times that she hid it completely from anyone watching. Then she placed the money into a bank account made with my fake identity.
