"That man wouldn't last a week without me."
Carter stared at him.
"You're an inmate."
Tank shrugged.
"That's what the paperwork says."
The statement unsettled Carter.
"What does that mean?"
Tank stepped back.
"It means you should stop asking questions."
Carter turned to leave.
Then Tank called after him.
"Officer!"
Carter stopped.
Tank pointed toward him.
"Tell your little friend at the bus station I said hello."
Carter froze.
The bus station.
Tank knew about the meeting.
He slowly turned around.
"How do you know about that?"
Tank smiled.
"Because I know everything that happens in my yard."
CHAPTER 7 — THE SECRET OF CELL 214
That afternoon, Carter searched the prison records.
He wanted to understand why Tank Reynolds had so much influence.
His official file described him as a convicted criminal serving a lengthy sentence for organized financial crimes.
There were several disciplinary reports.
One involved intimidation.
Another involved unauthorized access to restricted areas.
A third described an incident in which three officers had been reassigned following an investigation involving Tank.
But the most unusual information appeared in his financial records.
Tank had no reported income.
No registered property.
No known business interests.
Yet several companies had made payments to accounts connected to his legal representatives.
The transactions were complicated.
Money moved through multiple organizations before reaching a private account.
Carter printed the records.
Then he noticed something.
One company appeared repeatedly.
BLACKWOOD FACILITY MANAGEMENT LLC.
The company was listed as a contractor responsible for maintenance and security improvements.
But the company had been registered only four years earlier.
And its owner was listed as a person named Michael Reynolds.
Carter searched the prison inmate database.
Michael Reynolds.
A name he recognized.
Tank's younger brother.
He was also serving time at Blackwood.
But his official file showed that he had been placed in protective custody.
Carter frowned.
Why would two brothers connected to a prison contractor be serving sentences inside the same facility?
He continued reading.
Then he found another document.
A transfer authorization.
Michael Reynolds had been moved from Cell Block D to a restricted medical unit.
The authorization carried Warden Whitaker's signature.
But the date was strange.
The document had been approved before Michael's official disciplinary incident.
Carter leaned back.
Something was wrong.
He picked up his phone and called an old contact.
"Hey, it's Daniel."
A familiar voice answered.
"Daniel Carter. Haven't heard from you in a while."
"I need a favor."
"What kind?"
"I need information about a company called Blackwood Facility Management."
There was a pause.
"Where did you get that name?"
Carter frowned.
"Why?"
"Because that company was investigated last year."
"By whom?"
"State financial crimes division."
"What happened?"
"The investigation disappeared."
Carter looked at the screen.
"Disappeared?"
"Officially, there wasn't enough evidence."
"Unofficially?"
The man lowered his voice.
"Someone made a phone call."
Carter closed his eyes.
"Who?"
The answer came quietly.
"Deputy Commissioner Robert Hayes."
Carter opened his eyes.
The deputy commissioner was one of the highest-ranking officials in the state's correctional system.
He had direct authority over several facilities.
Including Blackwood.
Carter slowly put down the phone.
He now understood why Whitaker had been so confident.
The problem wasn't limited to one prison.
It was connected to the entire correctional system.
And Tank Reynolds was sitting in the middle of it.
CHAPTER 8 — THE MEETING AT SIX
The following morning, Carter arrived at the old bus terminal at 5:55 a.m.
The building was almost empty.
A few commuters sat near the entrance.
A cleaning worker pushed a cart through the main corridor.
Carter checked his watch.
6:00 a.m.
Nobody approached.
6:03.
Still nobody.
Then his phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
PLATFORM 4. COME ALONE.
Carter looked toward the platforms.
He walked down the corridor.