Chapter 6 - The Man Behind His Father’s Death
Cole's arrest changed Blackridge.
Investigators uncovered decades of misconduct.
Bribery.
Illegal favors.
Manipulated disciplinary reports.
Evidence that Cole had encouraged certain inmates to attack others.
Marcus discovered that several incidents extending his sentence had involved Cole.
Bennett met him privately.
“This could affect your case.”
Marcus frowned.
“How?”
“Some of your disciplinary convictions may be reviewed.”
“I still did those things.”
“Yes.”
Bennett leaned forward.
“And accepting responsibility for what you did is exactly why I'm telling you this.”
Marcus looked through the window.
Walter was mopping the corridor.
“You knew my father?”
“A little.”
“Was he really everything Walter says?”
Bennett smiled.
“No.”
Marcus turned.
“He was impatient. Stubborn. Terrible at paperwork.”
Marcus almost smiled.
“But when people were in danger,” Bennett continued, “David Kane moved toward them.”
Marcus looked down.
“I spent thirty years hating him.”
“You were a child who received the wrong story.”
“I still made my own choices.”
“Yes.”
Bennett nodded.
“You did.”
Marcus appreciated that answer.
No excuse.
No easy forgiveness.
Just truth.
Later he found Walter cleaning the cafeteria.
“Teach me.”
Walter didn't stop mopping.
“Teach you what?”
“That thing you did.”
“Judo?”
“Whatever lets a seventy-year-old embarrass a man twice his size.”
Walter looked offended.
“I'm seventy-three.”
“Congratulations.”
Walter smiled.
“No.”
Marcus frowned.
“Why?”
“Because you want another weapon.”
Marcus thought about it.
“Then teach me what my father learned.”
Walter stopped.
That request was different.
“Discipline?”
Marcus nodded.
Walter leaned the mop against the wall.
“That will be much harder.”
“When do we start?”
Walter pointed toward the spilled food near Marcus's old table.
Marcus stared.
“You're kidding.”
“No.”
“You want me to mop?”
Walter handed him the mop.
Marcus looked at it.
Then at the watching prisoners.
Briggs laughed.
“The king of Blackridge is cleaning floors!”
Marcus looked toward him.
The room became quiet.
Old Marcus would have crossed the cafeteria.
New Marcus simply smiled.
“You spilled something, Briggs.”
Briggs stopped laughing.
Marcus began mopping.
Walter nodded.
“Lesson one.”
“What?”
“Never let another man's opinion control your hands.”
Marcus continued cleaning.
“What's lesson two?”
Walter handed him a trash bag.
“Bathrooms.”
Marcus stared at him.
“You're enjoying this.”
“Immensely.”
And for the first time anyone could remember—
Marcus Kane laughed inside Blackridge.
Not because someone was afraid.
May you like
Not because someone had been humiliated.
Just because something was funny.
