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Michael with a face full of disgust and contempt. “Whatever, Caine. Tell ‘em what you want, but there is some shit goin’ down soon. Best you figure out what it is before you get caught up in it, too.”

CHAPTER 5
     
    Twelve hours later, Michael was on his way home. The rest of the night had gone on uneventfully. As he drove home, he couldn’t help but dwell on what had happened his first night. Merely speaking to some of the prisoners had given him much insight. After a few weeks or months, he would feel more comfortable with it, he was certain.
    After midnight, the inmates were required to be in their cells, so he only had to deal with them six hours a night. In those six hours, however, he couldn’t help but feel a heightened state of awareness. That heightened state wore off after midnight, and it drained what little energy he had left before six in the morning came. He was unreasonably tired for not having done much. Some of the other COs had made the comment: It’s a crying shame to call what we do “work” most of the time.
    Work or not, he was ready for bed.
    Michael pulled into his driveway and parked his tried-but-true Chevy Silverado. A wash of relief came over him as he looked up. Home. It was amazing to see how much he liked being at home. You didn’t realize what liberties you had until they were taken away from you. He hadn’t had any of his freedoms taken away, but he was around a thousand others who had. Strange how that rubs off on a person, just being around something makes you feel part of it.
    Michael went to his front door and opened it, being careful not to make too much noise. Anna was still asleep, and he wanted to keep it that way. To get to his bed, he would have to sneak past the sleeping infant. He stealthily took off his boots and tiptoed into his bedroom, glancing at his sleeping daughter as he did. She was fast asleep, snoozing away.
    Michael had to smile. She was a beautiful baby, and not just because it was his own child. Anna was as gorgeous a baby as anyone could ask for. She had her mother’s blonde hair and blue eyes, and her father’s sense of humor. Even at the tender age of thirteen months, she shared Michael’s easygoing sense of humor. Everything was funny to her.
    Michael got undressed and got into bed, being careful not to disturb Lindsey as he did. Within a few short minutes, he was out cold. Being a night owl most of his life would serve him well working night shift, but for now his body was still getting used to being awake all night long. Daytime sleep was the most restful for him, and it came quickly.
     
    * * *
     
    Babe.
    Wake up, Michael.
    Michael slowly opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness of deep sleep. He rubbed his eyes, clearing the gunk out of them. When he finally did get a clear picture, Lindsey was standing beside the bed, a cellphone in her hand. While he was happy to see her smiling face, he wasn’t ready to wake up just yet.
    “What time is it, babe?”
    Lindsey smiled and handed him the phone. “A little after twelve, sweetheart. One of your supervisors from the prison is on the phone. I think they might need you for something.”
    Michael frowned. He had just finished training, and it was unlikely for him to be at the top of the list for call-in. New guys at the prison weren’t eligible for overtime until after their six month probation was up, and he still had two more months until that happened.
    He took the phone from Lindsey. She kissed him on the forehead and left the room. He couldn’t help but stare at her ass as she left. Since he had laid eyes on her, he had rarely been able to take them off. She was sexy when he needed sexy, caring when he needed caring, and a friend all the time. They thought alike, had the same taste in music (a non-negotiable issue when it came to choosing a wife, in his opinion) and they enjoyed one another’s company almost one hundred percent of the time. They connected to each other on every