He stays silent as he watches me and he frowns as he processes my words.
My eyes hold his as I hold the phone to my ear and a tear runs down the length of my face and I swipe it angrily away. “She should have stayed with you. She would be still alive now if it wasn’t for me,” I whisper through my hurt.
His face falls as he watches me. “I know,” he replies.
I let her down. I led Natasha into a lifestyle where I knew she would be in danger if she stayed with me and yet I was too selfish to let her go. What have I done? He is right-this is all my fault. I put my head in my hands and start to weep uncontrollably. I don’t want him to see me like this. I stand and go to the back of the room and bang on the door.
“Guard,” I yell hysterically.
The door opens and the guard’s eyes flick between me and my visitor and he frowns in question. “I’m ready to go,” I murmur, almost panicked.
He nods and leads me out of the room.
Adrian
I walk into the jail reception area with Ben and Cameron. We are trailed by three guards. Cameron walks up to the glass window at the office. “I would like to see Joshua Stanton please,” he announces.
“Sure, just a minute,” the receptionist replies flatly. She types and reads something on her computer monitor.
“He has a visitor with him now,” she informs us.
Cameron’s eyes flick back to us. Who would be visiting him? Holy mother, someone after a ransom. “Can I go in?” Cameron mutters as he gestures to the door.
“No, only one visitor at a time. You will have to wait,” she replies in a monotone.
Cameron nods and takes a seat next to us. “Who would be visiting him?” he whispers.
“I don’t know,” Ben whispers furiously.
I sit back in my chair nervously, oh shit. This is like a movie, but worse.
“Do we know what this maniac from Australia looks like?” I whisper to Ben.
Ben looks at the door stone-faced and clenches his jaw. “Off by heart,” he murmurs.
Oh god, perspiration starts to form on my brow. I could never be a cop. I would be hopeless at this stuff. We sit for ten minutes in silence as we wait for someone to walk out.
“Cameron, did you ask her who it was?” I whisper.
He frowns in question. “Did you ask her who the visitor was?” I repeat.
He shakes his head.
“Why don’t you go and ask her,” I whisper.
“Shut the fuck up,” Cameron snaps. “You go ask.”
Oh shit, I look at the door in anticipation. “What happens if it’s him? What do we do?” I whisper to Ben.
“I’m going to shoot him,” he whispers angrily.
I frown and swallow the lump in my throat. “That’s what I thought,” I whisper, horrified, in reply.
Cameron’s eyes meet mine and we wince at each other. This is going to end badly, I just know it. Finally the door opens and the face I am seeing is not the one I ever imagined. It’s Natasha’s friend, the one who Joshua fights with. They hate each other. Cameron and I sit still, dumbfounded.
Ben rises immediately from his chair. “We need to talk,” he snaps at the guy.
“What’s his name again?” I whisper.
“Fuckwit,” Cameron whispers angrily.
“That’s right,” I reply as my eyes stayed glued on him.
The arrogant bastard walks right past us and out the front door, and Ben follows him out.
“Oh god,” I mutter to Cameron as he storms out after them. I stand in the foyer for a moment and watch them through the window. God. Fine-I storm outside to see what’s going on.
“What are you doing here?” Ben snaps.
“Visiting a murderer,” he sneers.
“Fuck you,” Cameron spits. “You’ve got a hide.” He steps forward in anger and I grab his suit jacket from behind. This guy would kill Cameron in one punch.
“What are you doing in America?” Ben snaps.
“I came to try and stop Natasha from marrying this wanker but I was a day too late. The bastard murdered her before I could get to her.”
We all watch him. Is he telling the truth?
He smiles. “How cute of you all to wait outside for him. Too bad his asshole is being tag teamed right now.”
Oh no, pain runs through me. He won’t cope with that, he could never cope with that.
“How would you know?” Cameron snaps,
“I’m a fucking prison guard you imbecile. I know what happens in these places,” he replies.
Ben’s eyes widen as realisation sets in. “That’s right, you worked at the prison where Natasha met Coby Allender, didn’t you?” he asks.
“Yeah, so?” he replies arrogantly.
“They have made a definite link to Coby Allender and the break-ins at Natasha’s apartment. We think he may have done this. The person who broke into Tash’s apartment visited Coby in jail. There is a warrant out for his arrest.”
The guy frowns as he thinks.
“But Allender’s still in jail?” he asks confused.
Ben nods. “Yes, they think this is the accomplice they have been searching for.”
He frowns again. “So why is cockhead in jail then?”
“He’s been set up and things have been planted in his house. He didn’t do anything.”
He shakes his head angrily. “I don’t believe that,” he snaps.
“Can you come back to my office and fill me in on what you know about this Allender?” Ben asks.
“No. Fuck off. Why should I?” he snaps.
“For Natasha, that’s why,” Cameron replies softly. “We need to find her body so we can bury her. She deserves to come home and rest in peace.”