Page 21 of Freshman

“You’ve patted down a prisoner before, right?” Henry asked.

“Yeah—”

“Then there’s no issue. You’ve got Glen and Marie up there with you, and if you need an extra pair of hands, call me on the radio.”

Alfie exchanged a look with Glen and Marie.

“No time like the present,” Henry said. He stepped over to his chair while shooing them out. “He won’t be expecting it, and who knows, Fish, if you find it, Ryan might even reward you by putting you on day shift.”

Henry pointed to H-wing.

“Let’s get it over with,” Glen muttered, stepping over to the gate.

The clunk of his key echoed across the wing.

“After you,” Glen said. He held the gate open and waited for Alfie to take the lead. He hesitated, then sighed, accepting his fate. Marie stuck close to his back as he ascended the first set of stairs, and after Glen had locked the gate, he hurried to join them.

It was ten o’clock, and the lights had been off for an hour, but Alfie wasn’t sure how many of the prisoners were asleep. He could imagine them behind their cell doors, ears pricking as they wondered where the three sets of footsteps were heading.

Alfie stopped in front of Nate’s cell and took a deep breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Glen waving his hand, trying to get Alfie’s attention. He looked, and Glen mouthed at him, “No warning.”

Alfie nodded as he unhooked his keys from his belt. He took another breath through slightly pursed lips, then shoved his key in the door. The bolt clanged, and the hinges whined, and then he was standing in the doorway, wide-eyed as he tried to keep his anxiety in check. Nate lay on his bed with his duvet draped across his chest. He groaned and sat up.

“Fresh—”

“Out of your cell, Nate,” Alfie said, putting as much strength into his voice as he could.

“Why?” Nate asked.

“We believe you have contraband. A phone.”

“Ah.” Nate rubbed his chin. “I see.”

He flung the duvet off himself, and Alfie was relieved to see he was wearing clothes, blue tartan pyjama bottoms and a tight white T-shirt, as he stepped closer.

“Glen and Marie are going to search your cell,” Alfie said, retreating to allow Nate out.

Nate’s lips spread with a cocky smile. “And what are you going to do?”

“Wait with you outside, and…” Alfie’s voice hitched. “Pat you down.”

“I see.” Nate flexed one of his eyebrows.

He stepped aside and dragged his eyes from Alfie to glance at Marie, then Glen. “Knock yourselves out.”

Glen went into the cell first. Marie was frozen, eyeing Nate as he leaned against the wall.

“Marie,” Alfie said softly.

“Oh, right.”

She bolted into the cell and began ‘spinning it’, which Alfie had learned meant destroying a cell in the hope contraband would be found. He winced at the crash of Nate’s bed being tipped onto its side.

Nate didn’t seem to mind. He watched Alfie through heated blue eyes.

“Are we doing this or what?” Nate asked.

“Right.” Alfie glanced down at Nate’s bare feet. “Do you have anything on you that could cause injury to me or yourself?”

---