What if the warden was in on the cover-up as well? He’d met enough dirty cops, judges and prison employees to know that money talked.
“Did you learn anything from Roeder?” Case asked.
Miles shrugged. “Not really. Except we think he wouldn’t talk because of one of your guards.”
Blackpaw produced the copy of the visitor’s log he had accessed. No doubt he’d sweet-talked one of the female officers into giving it to him. “Look at this. Dugan had a visitor on more than one occasion but the name has been whited out.”
Case took the copy and narrowed his eyes as he studied it. “So?”
“We think this visitor may be working with Dugan,” Miles explained. “And that Dugan paid off your guard to cover up his name.”
Case rolled his shoulders. “That’s a strong accusation. Do you have proof?”
“No, but look at the date of the last visit. A week before the fifth victim was killed, the murder that helped free Dugan.”
A long silence passed as Case chewed over the suggestion. “So whoever killed this woman did so intentionally to help Dugan.”
Miles shifted. “We believe they were working together. If your guard knows this person’s identity, he’s aiding a killer.”
Case released a frustrated breath, then pressed the intercom to his secretary. “Tillie, page Lonnie Banning and tell him I need to see him in my office ASAP.”
Miles paced to the window and looked out at the yard where several prisoners lingered. Roeder was hunched by the fence smoking a cigarette, his eyes scanning the space as if expecting trouble.
A minute later, Banning knocked then strode in. The guard was wiry with pocked skin and a decided limp. Miles wondered if he’d gotten it from one of the inmates.
His look turned suspicious the moment he spotted Miles and Blackpaw. “What’s going on?” Banning asked.
The warden cleared his throat. “These detectives have reason to believe that you erased a name from the visitor log. A man who visited Robert Dugan.”
“That’s crazy,” Banning said in a terse voice.
“Listen to me,” the warden said just as coldly. “I know you’ve accepted bribes and sneaked in drugs for the men. But this is different. The detectives suspect this visitor killed a woman to help overturn Dugan’s conviction—”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Banning said.
“The hell you don’t,” Miles cut in. “Dugan paid you to cover up for him.”
Case glanced at Miles, then propped his fists on his desk and leaned toward Banning with an intimidating look. “If you did this, and this man turns out to be Dugan’s accomplice, you’re going to jail, Banning.” A nasty leer carved grooves across Case’s face, and Miles realized the weight he’d put on hadn’t diminished his capability to enforce justice.
A bead of sweat popped out on Banning’s forehead. “I told you I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The warden made a sound of disgust, then sat down at the desk and punched some keys on the computer. A few minutes later, he’d accessed a file of visitor logs.
Miles frowned. If Banning had erased the names on the written log, he’d probably also done so on the computer version.
“You’re not going to find anything that isn’t there,” Banning said.
Case pressed a few more keys, studied another file for a moment, then pivoted the screen to show them. “You’re lying, Banning.”
Miles noticed the date and his pulse jumped.
“How... What did you do?” Banning shifted nervously. “I—”
“You thought you erased it, but I had software installed to keep track of everyone who logs into the computer system and exactly what they do.”
“You spy on your employees?” Banning asked, shocked.
Case gave a clipped nod then stood. “I’m running a prison here, Banning. Safety and security have to be top-notch.” He pointed to the name on the file. Pruitt Ables. “So there’s no need to deny that you did erase it. Now who in the hell is this Ables man?”
Banning wiped the back of his neck and glared at Miles and Blackpaw. Suddenly a loud commotion broke out outside. Miles glanced through the warden’s window and saw several men shouting and jumping into a pile. The warden scowled, clicked his radio.
“What now?” he asked into the mike.
“Fight,” one of the guards responded.
A palpable awkwardness filled the room as they watched the scene unfolding. Seconds later, three guards pulled the prisoners apart. Miles’s pulse hammered as he saw the man at the bottom of the pile.