Castle, 2017
"How could just one prisoner change everything the way you've been saying?" Chuck Bartowski asked, was rewarded by Dain Hacker's soft chuckle.
"Luke Evans wasn't just any prisoner," Hacker smiled into his coffee. "Man was a genuine smart-ass of the highest caliber, born to piss off authority figures wherever he found them. Also smart. Too smart for anyone's good."
"Yeah…"Anthony Schaeffer nodded. "I remember him. Pure rascal, with a heart of gold. Just came out of the war worse than others did"
"The war?"
"Korean War," Dain Hacker explained. "Man had the reputation of a war hero, but didn't adapt well to peacetime."
"What did he do bad enough to get sentenced to Road Prison?"
"He vandalized parking meters, scratched up a whole row of them, Chuck. He was drunk out of his head. Nowadays, they would've treated him more kindly, but then, and in the Deep South, things weren't quite so good."
…..
Road Prison, Florida 1956
It was the next day that Dain Hacker got his first good look at the new prisoners, at Luke Evans. Just after Breakfast, the prisoners filing into the bus, ready for a hard day of road work; some perhaps more ready than others…
There's always the man who doesn't know how to pace himself, winds up collapsing in a heap before the day is done…
Luke Evans didn't have that problem. His problem was that he was an Alpha Male; in a place that already had an Alpha Male…
In his three years at the prison, Dain Hacker had never learned Dragline's real name; and, too afraid to risk his secret-that he wasn't really Walking Boss, Thomas Godfrey-he had never asked anyone else.
Two Alpha Males…
Fortunately, Walking Bosses didn't have to deal with the prisoners when everyone was in the barracks, so Dain Hacker missed all the Inside Drama…
…..
Castle, 2017
"The fight was really something," Anthony Schaeffer took up the tale. 'Dragline beat the absolute paste out of Luke. I mean it was a real beat down. But Luke wouldn't lie down. He just refused to surrender."
He sighed, sounded almost sad as he continued.
"Man could barely stand, and I don't think he was seeing quite right, but he was still trying to get back up. Damn stupid thing. Dragline was a big guy, like our friend, Tom…I mean Dain, and Dragline wasn't even breathing hard. He could hit like a tank."
"What happened?" Chuck Bartowski sounded just a little appalled, and now Dain sighed.
"No prison, whether penitentiary of work camp, is a good place for anyone to be. When I say, the prison rules, I'm not just speaking of the rules laid down by the Law. There are also the rules laid down by the inmates themselves, and those can be every bit as harsh and unforgiving, and sometimes even more so, then the rules of the Warden and guards. The fight ended not so much because Luke wanted it to end. The fight ended because Dragline just…walked away from the fight, along with the others. The thing is, by refusing to lay down, Luke earned Dragline's respect."
"Yeah…" Schaeffer nodded. "They became friends, bosom buddies even. They got up to all sorts of things, like that egg-eating contest."
"Egg Eating Contest?" Chuck's eyes went to Dain.
"Don't look at me, Chuck," Hacker held up his hands. "I was just a Walking Boss. I had no say in the matter. The Captain Okayed the egg eating contest. No rules were being broken, and everyone's morale was good, as opposed to what it was before, what with the murders and all…"
…..
Dain Hacker could hear the yelling and cheering all the way over to the Bosses Quarters,
The Bosses Quarters were pretty lousy accommodations. But each man had a room to himself, unlike the Prisoners' Dorm. Of course, if you needed to use the facilities, there was only the one bathroom, shared by all the employees, and the hours you had to work were pure hell.
Two weeks on, every day, followed by only three days off…
Of course, weekends were different. Prisoners didn't go out on the roads. They slept in on Saturdays, and listened to whatever Pastor cared to visit on Sundays. Sometimes, no pastor or priest could be found to do Sunday Service. In that case, it was the Captain who did the Bible Reading, and the Sermon. Often, one of the prisoners, Tramp, real name a mystery known only to the Captain, could be persuaded to bring out his guitar, and sing a few hymns. The man had a fine singing voice.
Dain didn't know, or care, what the other staff did on their Off Days. He'd made an arrangement with someone who lived in the nearest town, for the use of her spare room on his Off Days, and he was religious about using those days, as Road Prison's official policy was use'em, or lose'em.
Today was Saturday, a fine sunny day, Tramp singing accompanied by his guitar, and, off in the distance, that infamous Egg Eating contest in full swing.
Even the Captain was out and about, dispensing what he fancied were words of wisdom, always parceled out in that hesitant, and just a little annoying, high-pitched nasal voice.
That was when Dog Boy approached Dain Hacker, which startled the hell out of Dain. Nobody approached him.
Ever.
Dain had made it his mission these last three years, to make himself as unapproachable as humanly possible. If he failed, if anyone realized that he wasn't who he said he was, that the real Thomas M. Godfrey was dead in an unknown grave somewhere, a term here, as a prisoner, wasn't out of the realm of possibility.
But it wasn't the worst possibility. That would be if those Agency Folk-the Cigarette Smoking Man, and the others under him-caught up with him.
Dain didn't know why he didn't age. It was as if someone had flipped a switch when he hit forty. He looked pretty much the same as he had when serving as Matt Dillon's Deputy, back in Eighteen Seventy-Five…
Born in Eighteen Twenty-five...I sure don't look like a man who's staring one hundred fifty in the face…
No need, therefore, to wonder what such agencies might want from him.
My blood…to find out whatever it is that makes me not age...Maybe steal that immortality for themselves...
Not a fate any sane man would want for himself...
Yes, Dain was more than a little startled to see Dog Boy making his way over to him, utter fear in the younger man's eyes. So, he aimed his emotionless gaze, hidden by those shades, right at Dog Boy, hoping he'd get the hint and go elsewhere.
No such luck…
"Hate to bother you," Dog Boy stammered a little under that silent stare, but ploughed right on. "There's something you need to see, I mean like right now."
The fear in Dog Boy was what made Dain Hacker stand up silently, and follow as the younger man made his way to the Captain's House, at the back. Dain knew the man had a basement there. The Captain was the only one, apart from the prisoners, who lived in that place seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year.
What kind of man lives full time at a prison if he can help it?
Dain could hear the Captain, out in the front, hectoring one of the prisoners over something; the Captain sure liked to hector folk…
Then, he stepped down into the basement, following Dog Boy. The Basement was a smallish place, just enough room for the body that lay there, partially decomposed.
The flesh was beginning to rot, but the face and body could still be seen. It could still be recognized. Problem was Dain could still hear the captain's high nasally voice out in front. But, the Captain was here too, throat neatly slashed with some sort of short-bladed knife.
Dain Hacker stood perfectly still, looking down at the Captain's murdered body, hearing the Captain's voice out in the front.
If the Captain is dead, here in this basement, who the hell is out in front, looking, acting, and talking like the Captain?