Everything about that trip up to see Jamie bothered Eddie. While he spent time in solitary, she tossed and turned in their bed. Eddie kept going back to how tense he seemed around the guards. How quickly he dismissed anything was wrong and distracted himself with the kids.
Eddie usually wasn't this paranoid but something was wrong.
That night she put the babies to bed after giving them extra hugs and kisses. Rather than going back straight to the living room Eddie went out to stand on the front porch for some evening air. The kids would stay over with Henry and Frank so she could work a morning tour.
The cool air felt relaxing against her face as she leaned over the railing. Everything was spinning around in her mind with Jamie being away from them, in jail for a murder he didn't commit.
She got so lost in her worry that he might be wrongly convicted and sentenced to spend life in jail it made her sick. Over the years they have seen innocent people being wrongly put in prison to many times to count. Jamie was innocent, she would bet her shield on it.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Eddie made a slow turn around to see Pop standing in the doorway. He closed the door behind after taking a step-down smiling. "Is everything all right Eddie? You and Francis seem very distracted after seeing Jamie. "
"Everything is fine Henry.," Eddie sat down on top of the porch ledge facing him.
"Oh really? Sweetheart, I've been a cop since before any of you were even born, so I can tell when someone is holding back. You can tell me what happened in there Eddie. What was Jamie like when you saw him?" Henry limped across the outdoor patio that had no furniture and sat next to her. He saw her hands shaking.
In fact, it was only when he got up close did the older man notice her whole body shaking. "He was happy to see us but something was wrong. Jamie just seemed different."
"Different how," Henry prompted.
"He was very anxious when we were talking, especially if a guard came by. When I asked how things were, he said fine but... I know it's odd to say but I just knew that something was going on. "
A long pause followed which allowed Eddie to gather her thoughts before speaking again. "I think the guards are intimidating him. Jamie isn't easy to scare but he was nervous, anxious and the guards were on top of him."
"No, he isn't. Intimidating him how? Did you see any bruises on him?"
"No, not physically but knowing that he shouldn't be in jail to begin with so they're messing with him mentally. They're trying to get inside his head. I just don't understand why. Jamie is a cop like they are so shouldn't they have his back," Eddie threw his hands up in the air.
Henry leaned back sighing, "They're covering something up, but we don't know what and can't ask Jamie because he could become collateral damage in it. Jamie night be the only way to find out, unless we can put the guards against each other."
"Which is impossible because guards are like police officers when it comes to loyalty. Exactly the problem," Eddie turned her head towards the grandfather. "What else can we do though?"
"I don't know. How did Francis react to Jamie's new behavior," Henry questioned softly?
She shrugged her shoulders up then down, "He spoke to the guards about not having to take Jamie away. They came over without a warning shoved the kids in my hand and threw Jamie down to the ground. Two guards held him down while they handcuffed him in front of the police commissioner."
"Unfortunately, they don't answer to Francis so there is no reason for them to be scared. That definitely sounds like the guards are trying to hide something about Jamie's case. If that's the case, we need to contact his lawyer."
Henry pushed up onto his feet wobbling before getting his balance. "Let's talk to Francis first, then first thing we'll call Alex."
They walked inside the house together and found Frank reading a book in the study. "Pop, Eddie. Everything okay?"
Henry settled on his favorite rocker, Eddie on the couch quietly shaking their heads. Sensing a serious conversation about to happen, Frank put a bookmark in to save his place. "Does this have anything to do with what happened at the prison earlier?"
"Eddie told me what happened with the guards earlier. Something very wrong is happening in there and we have to stop it," Henry pointed out.
"I know Pop. I was there and saw a change in his behavior right away. Any time the subject was brought up though, Jamie insisted everything was fine. You know Jamie never had a very good poker face? I just knew it wasn't."
Frank reached for the full glass of scotch he poured for shelf earlier. "So, what are we going to do about this Francis," Pop pressured before his son could finish the drink.
"We aren't going to do anything about this because it is already being handled. And before either of you ask, I can't say anything more than that. So, I think it's time to get some rest because two of us have early tours. Good night Eddie, night Pop." Frank took the shot glass with one final tip to finish, set it back down on the table and with the book under his arm headed up.
Eddie followed his large figure until he disappeared up the stairs to his bedroom. "What just happened?"
"You'll see very soon sweetheart. Trust me that when someone goes after one of our own, we push back hard. We have each other's backs. I'm heading up as well. Good night Eddie," Henry groaned when he rose to his feet unsteadily.
"Night. "Eddie pulled her feet up on the couch behind her, leaned back thinking quietly.
Jamie sat in the bare concrete room that furnished it a toilet, sink and single bed. Unlike his regular room, this was twice as depressing. He pulled his knees up and replayed the conversation with Eddie and his father over and over. The door flap opened to let a food tray slide through with dinner.
He took the tray onto his lap to eat meatloaf, mashed potatoes, strong beans and a hard roll. The roll he wrapped up to save for later when he got hungry.
After disregarding the tray on the floor next to him Jamie went to sit on the bench. He wondered where his roommate had gone for the past day. It couldn't be coincidence that he'd been put in solitary twice and his bunkmate hadn't been in their cell.
He put the thought out of his mind, closed his eyes instead thinking of Eddie. Her beautiful face appeared, smiling with those big blue eyes he loves so much. Then he thought of his two babies, of the decision to have more and extend their family.
Next, he thought of the family who had his back but now can't touch this.
Jamie let out a long breath as he lowered himself into a laying position on the hard bench. With the biscuit tucked away safely he lay his head on his arms to use as a pillow and closed his eyes gently.
Eddie's promise of coming back to visit tomorrow got him through the night. He ate the biscuit around eleven then went back to sleep until five when he would normally wake up for an early morning shift.
When breakfast came through the flap at seven Jamie tapped a closed fist for the guard's attention. "When am I going back to my cell?"
"When we say you can Sergeant. But, if I was you, I wouldn't be so quick to leave solitary. It's safer for you," the guard continued on to finish passing out breakfast trays. Jamie sat on the bench with a plate of mushy eggs, fruit and another biscuit that he wrapped up for later.
The door opened shortly after by a new guard smiling. "Leave the tray and get up. You get fifteen to shower then you have visitation. Try not to a screw up today, because we'll leave you in here the entire time."
"I didn't do anything the first time," Jamie set the tray down, stood and went to the guard. He stood quiet as the guard put cuffs back on his wrists for safety until they got back to his cell for a towel and toiletries.
The bathroom looked even more disgusting than solitary with puke yellow walls, a faded floor and off-white sinks. None of the stalls or showers had doors on them which allowed a full view of everyone's business. "Ten minutes, the guard reminded."
Jamie looked at each shower to see if any were open. A fellow inmate turned in time to see the new face looking at him while he showered. "Hey! You looking at me while I shower? I don't roll that way! I don't know you either, and Jason knows everyone."
"No, I wasn't looking at you. I was looking to see if there was a shower open. I've only been here two days," Jamie replied evenly.
The inmate wrapped a towel around his wet body as he stepped out into slippers. His six-foot six frame towered over Jamie, easily looking him over. "Jason. What's a skinny guy like you doing in here? Whatcha in for?"
"Murder but I didn't do it."
Jason stepped around him laughing as he grabbed his clothes from the shower stall. Besides them one other inmate occupied the bathroom, but paid no attention to either of them. He stepped into the shower grumbling under his breath.
"Everyone in here says they're innocent. Two days huh? So, you must have come in with the cop? Do you know who he is? Big reward for taking out a cop here."
"Uh no and I have to shower before my time is up." Jamie side stepped him into one of the showers. He turned on the water so it hit his body, feeling like a huge relief. All the time in solitary made him unable to get soap, but just the water felt good. The next chance he would stop to buy soap.
When he stepped out into the towel the guard caught his eye smiling. Jamie brushed under careful surveillance, changed and returned to the guard for his cuffs. He hoped cooperating would ease them off his back. "Your time is running out here Sergeant. Not just a cop, but the commissioner's son. I want to show you something."
The guard took him into the prison's medical room where Officer Fernando sat on top of the hospital bed. A nurse cleaned up the last cuts along his face, one under his chin and across the forehead. "He tried helping you and this is what happened," the guard whispered.
"Come on, back to your cell inmate. "
"Aren't guards supposed to have cop's back," Jamie asked just above a whisper in case someone passed by.
The guard jerked him back by the arm laughing, "Yeah but this is bigger than any police brotherhood. Let me ask you a question though. Do you prefer Jamie to people who really know you, and Jimmy to people you want to fool?"
"No. I don't know where you get Jimmy from."
One hand held his arm while the other reached for a hidden cell phone inside his pocket. He flipped through documents until finally finding the one, turned it around. The screen showed a picture of Jamie when he went undercover in his first year off probation. "How did you?"
"How did we get these pictures is none of your business. I guess the man you friended didn't know you were a cop, and you used that so he would flip on his uncle. "The guard shoved Jamie ahead in the direction of the bunks.
Jamie sat in his cell over a tray of hot food that slid through the tray. This time only one tray came through. He poked the wet peas mixed with corn unable to get what the guard said out of his head. "Sanfino."