Most inmates were asleep in their cells. Several dozen, however, spent the night in the large common sleeping area, a temporary arrangement to alleviate overcrowding in the minimum-security unit. Row after row of metal beds stood draped in white sheets and blue blankets. The unlucky women near the security lights lay with pillows over their eyes to block out the perpetual glow. Those bunked beside the snorers had their ears stuffed with wadded toilet paper.
At five A. M. a corrections officer passed through for a head count. He walked at such a slow and steady pace that the rhythmic clicking of his heels was like the ticking of a giant clock. He passed each row, disturbing no one. Most slept right through the inspection. The few who were awakened quickly rolled over and went back to sleep. His pace slowed even more as he reached -the back row. It was darker there, farther from the security lights and harder to see. The head count continued without pause till he reached the ninth bunk. It looked lumpy but strange. He switched on his flashlight. The bed was empty. By itself that wasn't cause for panic. It wouldn't have been the first time an inmate had stolen away to the bathroom or crawled in bed with her lover. But then he noticed something else. He pulled back the blanket. The bed sheet was gone.
That did alarm him.
He grabbed his walkie-talkie and alerted the command center in a voice filled with urgency. "Security breach in unit one! Lights on!"
The pulsating alarm sounded as the emergency lights switched on to full intensity. Dozens of drowsy inmates grumbled and rolled out of bed. A team of correctional officers raced down a secured corridor to the sleeping area. As the electronic doors slid open, they broke into pairs and dispersed throughout the unit in systematic fashion.
"Line up!" they shouted. The inmates stood at some semblance of attention as the guards checked off each one and searched under the bunks. They found only one per bunk; no one was caught sharing. That meant one inmate was still missing.
Three guards rushed into the bathroom. Their footsteps echoed off the bright white walls. "Anyone in here?" shouted the senior guard.
A quick visual inspection revealed no one at the long row of sinks or toilets. They entered the large community shower room and froze.
The missing bed sheet was taut and twisted like a rope, tied to a water pipe overhead. A woman was hanging by the neck, her toes dangling just six inches above the shower drain. She was completely naked, her clothes balled up and stashed in the corner.
"Get her down!"
The biggest guard supported the limp body as the others unfastened the makeshift noose around her neck. They laid her on the floor and checked the pulse. There was none. In desperation one of the guards started CPR, but the other stopped him. The body was too cold. She was clearly beyond resuscitation.
The senior guard stepped away and shook his head, angry and distraught. "Damn it, Shirley. What in the hell made you go and do that?"
Part Five
Chapter Forty-Nine.
The bus left Yakima at ten A. M. It was an oldyellow school bus that had been painted a dull blue. The windshield had a long, elaborate crack in it that resembled the Big Dipper. The rubber flooring had worn away to bare metal in the most heavily trafficked spots. Years of juvenile graffiti covered the seat backs. JOEY / DONNA. DONNA STUFFS. JOEY IS A HOMO.
Andie recognized two men and three women from Tuesday night's gathering. She counted six other women and five men, including the driver. Based on the familiarity they demonstrated toward one another, she presumed these eleven were already members. Felicia and Tom, the two who had spoken to the group on Wednesday, were in charge. They had made sure everyone was accounted for, that their baggage was stored properly, and that each recruit had taken the appropriate seat on the bus. Seats were assigned. There did seem to be a plan and structure.
As they headed out of town, Felicia stood at the front of the bus and addressed the group over the rumble of the noisy old motor. "Now that we're finally underway, I want to officially welcome each one of you and thank you for coming. Retreats are a time for newcomers to find out what we're all about and for existing members to revitalize their energy. For some of you, this could be the most important weekend of your life. Don't be frustrated if you don't immediately feel changes in your flow of energy or your level of vibration. Look at this weekend as a first step, not the complete journey.
"The bus ride should take about three hours. We've tried to mix the bus evenly with experienced members and newcomers. So please take the time to meet your neighbors. Talk if you like. Or just look out the window and relax. Any questions?"
The group was silent. Finally, an old man raised his hand, the guy Blechman had teased at Tuesday's meeting. His wife wasn't with him. "Exactly where are we going?"
That was something Andie, too, had been wondering. Their precise destination had never been disclosed.