"Inmate Fletcher, you've served just over half of your twenty-five-year sentence. I am hereby ordering your transfer from this maximum-security prison to a minimum-security facility contingent on your continued good behavior and adherence to all rules. This transfer is to be executed within 24 hours. We wish you the best of luck and admonish you not to do anything to jeopardize your new status. You can and will be returned her immediately should you do so. With continued good behavior, you'll be eligible for parole in another three months. Do you have any questions for us?"
"No ma'am."
"Very well. The chairwoman hammered her gavel and directed the Corrections Officers, or CO for short,to escort the prisoner out and bring the next one on the docket inside.
"We're gonna miss you around here, Hallie," the CO told her quietly as she escorted her back to her cell.
"I might even miss you, too, Josephine. Of all the COs I seen over the last twelve-plus years, you're the only one who's ever treated me like a human being."
"That's because you are a human being. You made a mistake. A big one. And it cost you. But you're paying your debt to society and you've been a model prisoner since day one."
"Well, thanks for saying that. When I finally do get out, I'll look you up. I'd say the first drink's on me, but I'll be on parole and I may not be able to drink which is probably just as well."
"I'll look forward to the visit just the same. Stay out trouble, you hear me, girl? I do not want to ever see you back in here. I won't be on duty tomorrow when they transfer you so you take care of yourself, all right?"
"Will do," Hallie promised as Josephine called out for the cell door to be shut behind Hallie for the last time. She knew she couldn't even shake her hand let alone give her the hug she wanted to give her so as her cell door slammed shut she mouthed the words, "Thank you."
Josephine smiled and winked then mouthed, "You're welcome," back at Hallie.
"So?" her cellmate asked. "What's the verdict?"
"I'm outta here. Tomorrow."
Wanda stood up and said, "Are you serious? That's fantastic! Congratulations. I told you they'd let you go. At least one of us is gonna get her life back some day." She stood next to Hallie and said, "More than twelve years is a long time to spend in prison for one mistake, but it's a helluva lot better than spending the rest of your life in a cage like me."
Hallie Fletcher was driving the getaway car for her boyfriend when they'd robbed a bank almost 13 years ago. Had he not shot and killed a security guard, she'd have been out in 3-5 years. But because he had, the charge had been second-degree murder rather than armed robbery and the minimum sentence in Florida was 25 years.
Wanda had killed her husband and his mistress who was pregnant and had been charged with first-degree murder with 'special circumstances.' She was unlikely to ever see the light of day again but she avoided Florida's death penalty. Hallie however, had a very good shot of being out on parole within another three months and she had no intention of doing anything that might jeopardize her chances.
The next morning after breakfast, she'd been ordered to clear out her cell which meant putting the few things she owned into a canvas laundry bag after having them inspected by one of the guards. She was handcuffed and taken to a transport van and six hours later found herself in her new location—a minimum security prison in Pensacola, FL.
As soon as she arrived, the restraints were removed and she was taken to 'indoc' where the rules of the road were explained to her and three other arriving prisoners in detail. She was still in prison, but she would no longer be restrained during movement. She would also live in a room with three other inmates; a room that had television and a radio and a toilet with a door on it. She would also be able to check out an iPad—whatever that was—for an hour each day with additional time being granted depending on the number of credits she earned for work and good behavior.
In a word, she'd gone from a hellhole to what was essentially a military barracks with a very large, grassy courtyard where she could spend several hours a day outside in the fresh air and sunshine if she so desired. She would still have assigned duties, but she wouldn't be working under the same harsh, inhumane conditions she'd been living under at the Broward County Maximum-Security Correctional Institution.
That afternoon, she was introduced to her roommates and immediately felt comfortable with all three of them. Like her, they were very close to being paroled and just wanted to finish out their time and get the hell out. Miriam Waters had a husband a son who was now nine, waiting for her. Both them visited as often as they could and she couldn't wait to be reunited with them. Corrine Thomas's husband had divorced her after a year of being incarcerated some seven years ago. She just wanted to get out and start her life over. Helen Davis came in single but had been corresponding with some man who didn't seem to mind her being in prison. So much so, that he'd been visiting her every month since her arrival in Pensacola before proposing two months ago followed by a prison marriage. "And by visiting," Helen said with a smile, "I'm talkin' about the conjugal variety! We even got a full six hours together after our wedding," she bragged. She also said to Hallie, "Speaking of men, you won't have any problem finding yourself a man when you get out—assuming you're into men. Rumor is you used to a model. Is that true?"
Hallie had laughed. "Wow. Talk about the prison grapevine. Yeah, that's true. But that was before I met Fast Freddie McFarland." Helen just raised her eyebrow indicating she'd need an explanation. "My ex-boyfriend, Fred McFarland. I was young and tired of being under my parents' thumb. I wanted some excitement in my life and when I met Freddie...he was so...dangerous. He was 25 and he smoked and drank and rode a motorcycle and he was so...hot." All of the girls started listening in when she said 'hot' and wanted details.
"I was 19 and I'd just landed my first real modeling job. I'd done some local stuff and had been living at home and I couldn't take it any more. Strict rules. Home by midnight. No boys in my room. You know the drill. So when I started making money—good money, I immediately got my own place over the very strong objections of my father. I met Freddie a month later. He introduced me to life in the fast lane starting with beer and wine then weed and um...you know."
"You was still a virgin at 19, girl?" Corrine blurted out. "Lookin' like you do? I done lost mines long befo' dat. I ain't sayin' how young, but by 19 I'd had me a mess a boys...and men." Everyone laughed again and high-fived Corrine.
"Not long after that he brought home some coke for the first time. And I'm not talking about the soft drink. Less than a year later, he talked me into shoplifting some stuff and I loved the thrill, you know? It was so exciting to walk out with something I'd stolen even if I didn't need it."
"It always starts out small," Miriam said and everyone agreed. "So then what happened?"
"Freddie always wanted more. More sex..." Everyone hooted and hollered. "More coke. More money. So he came up with this great idea of robbing a bank. At first, I was scared shitless, you know? But he was such a smooth-talking SOB. He kept telling me all I had to do was drive the car. That's it. And we'd both be rich. Hell, I could that, right?"
