First Degree Innocence Read Online Free PDF Page A

she swung the door wide. “Show your new friend to our playroom.” She sneered at Susanna.
    Carrie was about to pass on the outing when Susanna gestured. “C’mon. It’ll do you good to get some fresh air.”
    That did sound inviting. Clambering down from the bunk, Carrie stepped into her shoes and followed closely behind. When she caught up with Susanna in the hall, she tapped her on the shoulder. “What about that… that…Jet person?” she whispered.
    Susanna patted her hand. “You’re with me. Her MO is to divide and conquer, so stay close like I warned you. You’ll be fine.”
    The freckled-faced guard unlocked the recreation room door and let them inside. The place was large with vaulted ceilings, a shiny cement floor and tables lining three cinderblock walls. The smell of Pinesol hung heavy in the air. Nearby, a pair played dominos, while across the room a foursome played cards. At the far end, a row of lounge chairs held inmates engaged in reading. A cart filled with books sat nearby. Six more identical seats held orange-clad prisoners engrossed in a familiar soap opera, but immediately all eyes focused on Carrie. It was like being back on the witness stand. Their curiosity satisfied, the inmates went back to what they were doing.
    She took a deep, calming breath until she heard the distinct click of the door lock.
    “We can’t get out, can we?”
    Her cellmate threw back her head and laughed, her long blonde hair grazing the middle of her back. “You might as well get used to locks. They’re on every door, and for some strange reason, the guards don’t like us wandering free.”
    Carrie lowered her gaze. “Okay, this is prison. I get it! Give me a break, I’ve only been here a day.”
    Susanna wrapped a protective arm around Carrie’s shoulders and ushered her across the room toward a group of inmates sitting at a circular table. “Come and meet the girls.”
    Their emotionless stares bored holes through Carrie. She swallowed hard, wringing her hands and fixing a smile on her face. The five women didn’t look any friendlier than the guards.
“Ladies, I’d like you to meet my new cellie, Carrie Lang. She’s doing…” Susanna cocked her head inquisitively.
“Ten years with time off for good behavior.” Carrie’s voice faltered as she finished the sentence. She chewed her bottom lip.
“Good behavior?” A pit-faced, gray-haired woman guffawed. “What’s that?” The group erupted into laughter.
Carrie glanced at Susanna, afraid to say anything further.
“C’mon, ladies, don’t be so rude. You remember how you felt your first day here.”
    Despite the warmness of the room, a shiver ran through Carrie. She wanted to run back to the locked door, but to what end? Afraid to speak, she pondered her options, eyeing the book cart—a good excuse to meander across the room. But her cellmate’s earlier warning flashed in her head.
    Susanna evidently read her mind and tapped Carrie’s shoulder. “Remember what I said?” She mouthed the words, ‘stay close’, as if Carrie needed reminding.
    “I wasn’t going anywhere.” Carrie recreated a phony smile and flashed it to the group.
    “My friends aren’t as unfriendly as they seem. I’d like you meet Helen, Celia, Ruthie, Di, and of course you already heard from Franny.” Susanna pointed to each individual, and surprisingly as she called their names, every one of them smiled at Carrie and offered to shake hands.
    The warmest by far seemed to be Franny. Carrie took an instant liking to her, perhaps because she was the oldest of the group. Franny scooted over and motioned for Carrie to sit. Her bottom had barely touched the aluminum bench, when sparks of curiosity ignited the air. She steeled herself for another round of questioning.
“So, what’d you do?” Helen, a tall, gangly brunette with buckteeth, drew her first word out in a lisp.
“I didn’t do anything. I’m inno…”
Her words were drowned out by laughter.
She’d expected