Quickie:

As you are all aware, I'm trying to keep up with this story on a daily basis. I'm hoping to keep up with it - posting one chapter per day - for your convenience. Thanks to all reviewers! )
Now...
I know some of this may seem unrealistic. (Basically just the fact that the guys' and girls' prisons are close, okay?) But hey…it's fiction. And I've been trying to keep it as realistic as I can! But I need to make a few exceptions! Now, I will say nothing further.

Chapter 3

Three days passed after Sawyer was arrested. Johanna had it settled at his hearing. She explained that Sawyer was with her and she was interrogating him for the case. They were heading back to his house when they found Kate hiding there. He had no idea she was there, and since the opposing attorney had no proof, they had to let Sawyer off. Before letting him off back at his house, Johanna warned him not to come by to see Kate anymore until she said he could. He argued with her for twenty minutes until he finally gave in. He hated that he couldn't see her. He remembered that he'd told Kate he'd come to see her. What would she think when he never showed up again?

Defying Johanna, Sawyer drove his truck down to the police station. He went to the desk and asked to see Kate, but to his dismay – and surprise – the officer at the desk informed him that she had been moved. He wouldn't tell him where or why, and after Sawyer started to shout, demanding to know where she was, he was thrown out. Now he really couldn't see her. She was going to hate him. She would think he forgot about her. She would give up on him…Should he just give up on her?

Kate had been moved from the jail in Tennessee over to a prison back in her hometown in Iowa. Just seeing the sign from the window in the car gave her shivers. Being back in her hometown brought back the memories of her childhood, her mother, her father, Tom. She was distraught. This was where it all started. This was where it happened. It was too much for her to handle. She passed out in the back seat, but the officers disregarded her. When she awoke, she was in a solitary confinement.

The fourth day since seeing Sawyer, Kate couldn't have been more depressed. He promised he'd come back. He said that her being in prison wouldn't stop him from seeing her. And even though she was farther away now, Johanna had to have told him about it. There was no way she wouldn't. She knew Kate would want her to. And she wouldn't do that to her. So then why wasn't he coming?

She was sitting on the bench outside the courtroom waiting for Johanna to come. It was the day of her own hearing. She wasn't nervous, or upset. She appeared placid to all around her, except on the inside, she was slowly dying. Or at least she felt like she was. She was completely oblivious to the ruckus coming from down the hall.

"All right, all right!" a male voice said, loudly but calmly.

Her heart suddenly pounded. But there was no trace of a southern accent, and it couldn't be Sawyer. The commotion seemed to be getting louder, but she didn't turn her head to look.

"Sit down now, Mr. Scott," a female said. Her voice sounded like she was an older woman.

"All right. But this ain't over yet, Gertie," the male said in a mocking flirtatious tone.

Kate felt him sit beside her, but she didn't move. Her heart was racing again after hearing him say "ain't". She stared straight ahead, but she knew he was watching her. He suddenly turned to face her and leaned toward her.

"Hey, doll."

It sent chills down her spine and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She turned her head away quickly. Realizing she had been holding her breath, she exhaled loudly. He leaned away.

"Whoa. Okay," he said calmly. "No doll." He paused. "So what can I call you?"

But she refused to answer. He waited a few minutes for her to speak, but she kept her head turned away.

"You know, when someone speaks to you, it's polite to respond."

"All right, Mr. Scott. You can stop flirting now. It's time to get going."

He got up and purposely let his hand brush Kate's knee. It sent a jolt of electricity through her and she gasped, silently. She finally allowed herself to look up at him as he and the woman entered the courtroom. He winked at her and they disappeared through the doors. But Kate only caught a glimpse of him. That was the first time she saw him…

Johanna never showed up that day. Her boss came and told Kate that she'd called out sick. Kate was a little uneasy because she knew Johanna too well now. Johanna would be there, sick or not. Had something happened? This information caused her hearing to be postponed to another day. She was brought back to the administration segregation that they'd kept her in – a completely secluded cell away from the main cells. There was a small window in the cell where she could see the men's jail not too far away. Strange, she thought, for the two to be so close.

The next day, she was back on that bench waiting for Johanna again. Her mind was racing with thoughts of Sawyer. She hadn't seen him in almost a week and it was tearing her up inside. Although she told herself that if this was how it was going to be – he wasn't going to even try to see her – she would have to let him go. But she couldn't. Everything reminded her of him. She found herself thinking of him often, especially when trying to sleep at night. She hated the cold cot she was forced to sleep on. She missed his touch, his arms around her, the way he would kiss her, falling asleep in his arms. She even longed for his witty sarcasm.

Feeling the lump in her throat rising, she covered her face in her hands, and let the tears drip freely. The hall was quiet, and she could hear her sobs echoing. She didn't care. No one was around anyway. But she was unaware that someone was watching her. He slowly walked over and sat next to her. He leaned forward, trying to see her face, but her hands were covering it. Still leaned forward, he pulled her hands away and saw the tears. She didn't look at him, but down at his hands on hers.

"You all right?" he asked her.

She breathed unsteadily, but didn't say anything, and kept her eyes fixed on their hands.

"Come on. A pretty little thing like you can't have much to cry about."

"Let go of me," she said angrily, ripping her hands from his grasp.

"Look, I get what you're goin' through."

"You couldn't possibly," she said, bitterly.

"Oh? Seems to me we're both in jail here. Or is that just my imagination?" he said, folding his hands behind his head. "Believe it or not, we happen to have a lot in common, babe."

"What do you know about me?" she said, staring at the floor furiously. "You couldn't compare yourself to me even if you tried!"

He laughed. "With that kind of attitude, whoever you left behind must be partyin' it up now."

That was just about all Kate could take of this guy. She turned to punch him across the face but he put his hand up and wrapped it around her fist to stop her. Every other move she tried he countered. Finally, she got up and walked away, leaning against a wall with her back to him. He jumped up and followed, leaning against the wall, closely behind her.

"You wanna go for it again?" he whispered over her shoulder.

She turned around sharply, and stared up into his deep brown eyes with a glare. Johanna finally came and saw the two of them in their staring match. She walked over and Kate turned her attention away from the guy.

"Kate, are you all right?"

Kate shook her head. "I'm fine."

Johanna looked at him. "Mr. Scott," she greeted him, sourly.

"Hey Johanna," he said, raising his eyebrows. He folded his arms and looked her up and down, teasingly. "You've been working out."

She put a hand on Kate's shoulder and started pulling her away from him. She glared at the man over her shoulder and he challenged her glare. She and Kate entered an empty room and she sat Kate down in one of the cushioned chairs.

"You're okay?"

"I'm fine," she repeated, wiping her eyes.

"Did he do anything to you?"

"Forget it. I don't need anymore trouble."

"You won't get in trouble if he did anything. He will."

She shook her head. "He's harmless."

"Are you sure?"

Kate stared at her, cynically.

"Okay!" she said, smiling now.

"How do you know him?"

"Long story."

"And what time don't I have?"

She sighed. "I used to be involved in his case. I represented the plaintiff. He was the defendant. He used taunts to try to rattle me up. And at that time, I was a little overweight, so he even used that against me."

"I can't imagine you overweight," noticing her thin figure.

"I had just had my daughter."

"You have kids?" Kate asked, surprised.

"Just one. She's seven now. And a pain in the butt," she smiled. "But that's beside the point. Anyway, just watch out for this guy. He'll do anything to get you pissed off with him. And the turnout is never pretty."

"What's he done?"

"I'm not in a place to tell you that. But I'm advising you to just stay away from him."

Johanna shuffled through papers and Kate was quiet. There was a strange aura in the room so Kate decided to change the subject.

"So what happened to you yesterday?"

"Personal day. There was a death in the family."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I didn't know them anyway. Some distant relative in my husband's family."

"Oh," she said, confused and almost wanting to laugh.

That sounded like typical Johanna. Then she remembered…

"Have you heard anything from Sawyer lately?" she asked, quietly.

Johanna looked at her nervously. "No. Not lately."

Kate sunk into the chair slowly letting out a breath.

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "I guess I should just give it up already. I keep fooling myself into thinking he still cares about me."

"Kate," she shook her head. "He does care about you."

"Then why hasn't he come?" she asked, a few tears falling. "If he cared about me, he would've been here day and night. I know you told him I was moved. There's no excuse for him not to be here."

Johanna looked back at the papers she was holding. She couldn't tell Kate that he didn't know she was in Iowa. It was only because if he came into contact with Kate again, the opposing attorneys would try him again and he'd be proven guilty this time. Not to mention her boss had informed her that Kate wasn't to know Sawyer had no idea where she was. He'd said that if Kate found out, she'd call and he'd come find her. But it was hard to watch Kate hurting like this.

"I should just give it up already. I've been fooling myself into thinking he'll come. Torturing myself thinking that he still loves me…"

Johanna looked at her, sadly. Kate sniffled and wiped her eyes, sighing.

"I can't do this to myself anymore. I can't have this sense of false hope when there's nothing to hope for anymore. If he can forget about me so easily, so can I." She looked out the window in the room. "I have to let him go."