Power in the Blood jj-2 Page 21

  “Everybody knows I run this place, not Stone. He just thinks he’s the head nigger in charge. I’m the man around here. I’m the man. Stone’s scared of me. He’ll do what I say. You or nobody gonna change that. Nobody.”

  “You’re the man, huh? You the man that did Johnson and Maddox?”

  “I’m the man, period. All you need to know is that I’m the man that’s gonna put you in a fucking box. Okay, boys, do your thing.”

  “I won’t fuck with no preacher,” one of the inmates said.

  “Sounds fun to me,” another one said and then hit me hard in the kidney. My knees buckled, and I started to go down.

  On the way down, one of them caught me, lifted me back up, and then punched me hard under the chin. My head began to ring, and the room began to spin all around me. I fell to the floor. This time no one caught me. I hit the bare, rough concrete floor at full force. It was a welcome relief compared to the two other blows I had just received. My vision was blurred. I tried to lift my head. I not only tried, but succeeded-only a few inches, however. Those few inches were just enough for me to see the blood on the floor beneath me. Not a lot of blood, but any blood of mine that is outside my body is too much blood.

  “Inmates,” I heard someone yell. “Inmates, face the wall with your hands behind your head. Captain, I’ll have you and the chaplain secure in just a moment,” the officer said.

  I looked up. All the inmates were still, each looking at Skipper. Just then, he reared back and swung his fist at one of the inmates, hitting him square on the nose.

  “Get against the fucking wall,” Skipper yelled. “Officer, call the control room. Tell them to get the riot squad down here immediately. DO IT! NOW!” he screamed. The inmates quickly lined up against the wall. The officer did what his captain told him to do using the radio clipped to his belt. “Call medical for the chaplain, too,” Skipper yelled again. “NOW!” He then knelt beside me and asked if I were okay. I was unable to answer. I just prayed that the CO at the end of the hall wouldn’t turn his back on us. Thank God, he didn’t.

  Thanks.

  Within a few minutes, I was being treated in the infirmary by Sandy Strickland under Anna’s watchful eye. I felt like I had just been fifteen rounds with Foreman. In actuality, I only had a cut under my chin and a small abrasion on my right cheek. I had no idea where the captain was, but I found myself periodically looking over my shoulder.

  “It’s funny that the captain didn’t sustain any wounds at all,” Anna said to no one in particular.

  “He never sustains any wounds,” Strickland said. “He makes sure of that. Chaplain, you better watch your back. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

  “Yeah, but you do. Why don’t you help me? You have to be aware of what’s going on here at night. Why won’t you help us put a stop to it?”

  “He scares the hell out of me. He’s a psycho.”

  “Is that your medical opinion?” Anna asked.

  Strickland smiled. “You don’t need an M.D. or a Ph. D. to diagnose that one.”

  “I guess not. How are you feeling?” Anna asked me.

  “Yo, I don’t want no rematch,” I said in my best Rocky Balboa voice.

  She smiled, but I could tell it was only a courtesy.

  “I feel okay. How do I look?”

  “Still the best-looking man in the institution,” Anna said.

  “I concur,” Strickland said.

  “Are you going to help me?” I asked her.

  “Haven’t you had enough? This is only a taste of what he will do. I can’t help you. I’ve got a little girl. She doesn’t have a daddy, and I’m not going to make her an orphan.”

  “If you change your mind, you know where to find me,” I said and eased off the bed.

  “The institutional inspector is going to want to talk with you. He’s in confinement locking up those inmates, but he’s got to fill out the incident report within twenty-four hours.”

  “Tell him that the chaplain will be in my office,” Anna said. And we slowly walked out of the infirmary. Slowly.

  Chapter 33

  “Are you okay?” Anna asked as she handed me a can of orange juice and a bottle of aspirin. We were seated in her office. She was seated. I was more like a blob in the chair. My head ached, throbbing with the rhythm of my heart and the ringing in my ears. My mouth felt like I’d just received a root canal. When I tried to speak, I sounded drunk and drool rolled down my bottom lip.

  “I’m okay. Really,” I said as best I could.

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then tell me just what the hell is going on,” Anna said. “What happened in confinement?”

  “Skipper.”

  “He did this to you?” she asked in shock.

  “No. He had it done. When I walked in there, they were waiting for me. The confinement sergeant left his desk, and it was just me, Skipper, and the seven inmates. He said that I wasn’t doing my job or I was doing more than my job. He knows I’m on to him.”

  “This is still all so unbelievable. You’re sure he’s been taking inmates out of the institution for Maddox? I mean, come on, it wouldn’t be an easy thing to do.”

  “No, but a lot easier on the first shift than any other. We don’t really know what goes on out here at night. This is probably just the surface of what Skipper’s been doing. He has to be supplying the drugs, too. Evans said it was too difficult and there wasn’t enough demand for the expensive drugs like Johnson was on.”

  “What’s next?”

  “I don’t know. I think it’s a little premature to go for Skipper. He’s dangerous, but he’s not stupid. The evidence is mounting, but it’s not enough yet.”

  “Yeah, but you have to tell the inspector or the superintendent what happened today down in confinement. If you cover it up …” Before Anna could finish what she was saying, there was a knock at her door. Pete Fortner, the institutional inspector, entered the office. He was followed by Matt Skipper.

  “Pretty exciting day, huh, Chaplain?” Fortner said. I couldn’t tell for sure, but he seemed to be oblivious to who or what Skipper was.

  “Pretty exciting,” I said as I stood and walked behind the desk where Anna was seated and leaned against the wall. There were only two seats in front of her desk, so Fortner assumed that I was giving the seats to them. I was actually trying to put some distance and a rather large desk between myself and Skipper.

  “You need to sit down more than I do, Chaplain,” Fortner said. Skipper remained silent. He still had his shades on, his eyes hidden.

  “I’d rather stand right now. I still have large amounts of adrenaline pumping through my veins.”

  “I know what you mean, son,” Skipper said and smiled broadly. His teeth were white with only the slightest tobacco stains.

  I did not return the smile.

  “Miss Anna, how are you today?” Fortner asked.

  “I’ve been better,” she said curtly.

  “Her boyfriend just got beat up and nearly killed, Pete. How else would she be doing today?” Skipper said and smiled again.

  I could only see Anna’s profile, but I could tell that she was giving the severest of looks to Skipper. Fortner grew awkward and uncomfortable.

  “I’ve already taken Captain Skipper’s statement. Why don’t I read it to you and see if there’s anything you have to add, okay?” Fortner asked.

  “Sure,” I said.

  “Okay, let’s see.” he opened a file folder on his lap and flipped through a few pages.

  As he continued his search, Skipper began tapping his ring on the wooden arm of his chair. It was a big class ring, high school no doubt.

  “Here it is,” Fortner exclaimed. “Do you want to read it or do you want me to?”

  “You can,” I said.

  “Okay. At approximately twelve thirty P.M. Captain Matthew Skipper walked into the west end of confinement corridor B and saw seven inmates surrounding Chaplain Jordan. He then rea
ched for his radio to call the control room and found that it was dead. He ran towards the group, jumping in the center with Chaplain Jordan. Together, they kept the inmates at bay for as long as possible. The inmates then attacked. The captain used defensive tactics to defend himself, and the chaplain used his head. The captain landed a couple of good blows against one of the inmates, but it seemed as if the inmates were going to overtake y’all, until the other officer showed up. He radioed control, and the inmates dispersed. The riot team responded within five, minutes and the situation was squashed quickly. The inmates were locked up, the captain gave me his report, and the chaplain was taken to medical.” Fortner looked up. “Do you have anything to add, Chaplain?”

  “No,” I said and then went back to biting my tongue.

  “Do you know any reason why these inmates would want to hurt you?”

  “I tell you, Pete, I really can’t think of anything right now. I’m still sort of out of it. Why don’t I stop by your office tomorrow,” I said.

  “Yeah, Pete, the boy’s been through enough today. Give him a break. Come on, let’s go,” Skipper said.

  “That arrogant son of a bitch,” Anna said when they had gone. “Did you see how cocky he was? He sat in here knowing you wouldn’t turn him in. Why?”

  “He probably thinks I’m scared.”

  “I know better than that.”

  “He doesn’t. He’s been dealing with inmates and inmate families too long. In those dealings, he’s had all the power. They are powerless in most situations. He’s operated not just above the law, but as the law. It’s made him like that, but it will be his downfall. Pride comes before a fall. Believe me, I know.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything to the inspector?” she asked.

  “It’s just not time. He’s coming down, God will see to that, but I don’t have enough evidence yet. And you know how easily evidence can cut both ways. If I’ve learned anything in my few years on the planet, it’s not to jump the gun.”

  “Still, not to say anything could work against you, too, couldn’t it? I mean, if you agree with Skipper at first and then change your mind later, won’t that look suspect?”

  “I didn’t agree with him. I just didn’t add anything. I told him I would talk to him tomorrow. I want the night to figure out what to do. But, you’re right. All of this is like playing with fire, and that’s true of most investigations. The trick is to get as few burns as possible, because rarely do you not get burned at all.”

  “Just be careful. You’re not the man you used to be. You’ve become a lamb, and you are definitely among wolves now.”

  “Well, I’m trying to become a lamb. But this wolf’s apparent strength is actually weakness.”

  “And your apparent weakness actually strength?” she asked.

  “If the Gospel is to be believed.”

  “And it is,” she said.

  “You think so?’ I asked.

  “You think so,” she said, “and that, more than most things, makes me think so.”

  I was caught off guard. For a moment, I was speechless. I felt tears stinging the corners of my eyes. “Thank you. That means more to me than anything. I want to do that for people, you know, point them in that direction, but I fear I fail most of the time.”

  “Believe me,” she said, sounding slightly irate, “those fears are unfounded. You make a big difference around this place.”

  I didn’t respond.

  “It’s true,” she said.

  At that moment, there was a faint knock on the door. I walked over and opened it and Sandy Strickland walked in. She looked as if she were having a hard day. Her pale-blue nurse’s uniform resembled surgical scrubs. Her hair was done up in a topknot, and her face was hard and wrinkled. Small lines cut through her makeup like tunnels in an ant farm. She was still beautiful, if no longer very attractive.

  “I didn’t test Thomas,” Strickland said when I was seated.

  “Why not?” I asked in surprise. I had asked her to test Anthony Thomas for drug use.

  “I didn’t have to. I know that Captain Skipper has him on all kinds of drugs,” she said. Her voice quivered slightly.

  “You two don’t look very surprised,” she said.

  “We’re not,” Anna said.

  “He’s been doing all kinds of shit at night when no one’s around to see. He uses inmates to do his dirty business. He’s a sick prick, and I want him stopped.”

  “Why are you just now coming forward?” I asked.

  “And why to us?” Anna added.

  “I’ve been scared, okay. He’s got a lot of people working for him and some inmates who will do whatever he says. They’d kill for him.”

  “Believe me, I know,” I said.

  “That was just a taste of his brutality. You’ve never met anyone like him. He’d kill me if he knew I were here. I need some help.”

  “And why me?” I asked.

  “Listen, a lot of people know you’re looking into that murder, and when you found out about Tony, I knew you were on to something. I want to help you so you can put him out of commission. I can’t do it. I’m not strong enough, but you are. And you have the inspector’s help. What are you going to do?”

  “I was just asking myself the same question,” I said. “Why don’t you tell us what Skipper’s been doing, and we can go from there.”

  “What he’s been doing is whatever in the hell he wants. He’s got free reign over this place at night. He treats people like animals and inmates worse. He uses drugs and favors to get them to do whatever he wants. But he doesn’t have to use too much because they’re so powerless and defenseless anyway. They’re human,” she said with conviction.

  “I agree,” I said.

  “I agree that some of them are human,” Anna said and smiled.

  She looked at Anna. “You know what it’s like to be a woman …”

  Anna smiled and said, “Ah, yes. I guess I do.”

  “We’re vulnerable in a place like this. We need men who can protect us from some of these less-than-human men around here-not just inmates either. Men like Skipper. They’re more dangerous than the inmates. They make me scared. He even makes the inmates worse than they have to be by all the shit he pumps them full of. Besides, this whole place is one big boys’ club. If you don’t have a dick around here, you don’t get dick done around here. Don’t you agree?” she asked Anna.

  “That this is essentially a boys’ club? Yes, I do agree with that,” Anna said.

  “I mean, my God, what are all these damn towers around here except huge phallic symbols?” Strickland said with a mean laugh.

  “I have to agree with that, as well,” Anna said to my surprise and then added, “And what about the batons the response teams use?” There was the slightest hint of sarcasm in her voice.

  “Exactly,” Sandy said.

  “What else does Skipper do?” I asked, trying to get her back on track.

  “He supplies drugs, fixes disciplinary reports, changes job assignments, gives canteen, and arranges special visits at night, too.”

  “What do you mean?” Anna asked.

  “I mean, if one of Skipper’s drones misses his missus, Skipper will have her come in and have a conjugal visit with him. What they don’t know is that he has a few conjugal visits of his own with their wives after they are locked back up. He never lets any ugly ones in.”

  “If inmates are having conjugal visits, it’s only through Skipper, because we haven’t had legitimate ones in years,” Anna said.

  “And half the people who come into the infirmary,” she continued, “do so because of Skipper. Many of them give up their manhood and even humanity for him because it beats having him harass or kill them, and he still treats them like shit.”

  “How do they make him money?” I asked, playing dumb.

  Actually, I wasn’t playing.

  “He sells them out to fat-cat faggots who get off on other men and weird shit like that. They hurt these men, abuse them, e
masculate them, violate them in ways you can’t even imagine, and no one ever knows.”

  “You mean outside of the prison?” Anna asked.

  “That’s exactly what I mean,” Sandy said.

  “Do you know who his customers are?” I asked.

  “Only rumors, but there can’t be too many of them out here in Mayberry RFD.”

  “Is there anybody else involved in this?” I asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Are any of the administrators involved?”

  “How could they not be? I mean, I don’t know. But, how can he do all of this without them knowing?”

  “That brings up a good point,” I said. “How long has this been going on?”

  “He’s been crooked from his mother’s womb,” she sneered.

  “He’s been doing all these things the entire time he’s been here?” I asked.

  “Well, maybe not all these things, but he’s always broken the rules and gotten away with it. And, no woman could ever have done that. I’ll bet you that.”

  “How do you know all of this?” Anna asked.

  “Because I’ve been around. I keep my mouth shut and my eyes open.”

  We were all silent.

  Finally she asked, “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to look into it. Gather some more information and maybe even a little evidence, and then turn it over to the inspector.”

  “Well, I’m going on vacation. I don’t want to be here when all of this hits the fan. I told you, he scares the hell out of me. The reason I wanted you to know all this is that I’ve been watching out for some of the inmates that Skipper has been using and I won’t be here to do it for a while. I’m especially worried about Anthony Thomas in DC 101. If Skipper was willing to kill Johnson, I’m sure he would kill Thomas.”

  “You think Skipper killed Johnson?” I asked.

  “Yes, of course. Have you been listening?”

  “Do you know Russ Maddox?” I asked.

  “The banker? Yes, I know of him. He died recently, didn’t he?”

  “Yes. Do you know of any connection he may have had with Skipper?”