Interview Room, Security Detention, Central Station 10:00 AM
As she entered the interview room, Barb’s heart leapt at the sight of the handsome Jeffrey Hodges. She started toward him, but as she did, a woman in the room ordered her to halt. Barb looked in confusion from Jeffrey to the woman and back.
Jeffrey in turn was shocked at Barb’s appearance, the brief sack uniform, the heavy chains and the dark circles under her eyes. Without makeup to cover the marks of strain, Barb looked years older than when he had first seen her.
“It’s OK, Barb,” he said, “she’s the court monitor who’s to ensure that nothing improper happens here. We must sit on opposite side of the table and not touch. It is much stricter here than in the regular jail.”
“Don’t I know it!” Barb said. “I want you to file a formal complaint for me. My treatment here has been outrageous. Why, when I first got booked in, this horrible man…”
“BARB.” Jeffrey cut her off, sneaking a sideways glance at the monitor. They didn’t need reports that Barb was falsifying charge against her jailors again. He had to concentrate to keep his train of thought. The loose uniform gave him glimpses of her breasts that were quite distracting.
“You are in serious trouble here and complaints to the authorities will not help you. They can only make matters worse. We need to concentrate on your defense against some very dangerous charges!”
“OK, OK, but it’s not fair!” said Barb with a note of childish whine. “What about bail? How soon can you get me out of here?”
“I can try to get the hearing judge tomorrow to set bail. Honestly, Barbara, I think that’s a long shot, given the serious charges.”
“If you can’t get bail, at least get me back in the women’s section of the jail. Those matrons were much better than the guards I have now.”
Jeffrey was exhausted. He had gotten home very late and then spent two hours caring for his wife, whose hyperemesis gravidarum was particularly bad, leaving him to clean up vomit. After only a few hours of sleep, he had risen early to go to the law library on the way to the jail to research the charges. Even sleep deprived, he was soon alert as he read about the great danger Barb was in.
“I can try for that tomorrow if I can’t get bail. However, right now, we need to concentrate on your defense. I’m afraid that it doesn’t look promising.”
“But it’s not fair! I’m innocent! You have to show them I’m innocent!”
“I’ll try, but we have nothing besides your word. Three very credible witnesses saw you standing alone in the anteroom over Rose’s body. The head matron reported that you said you wanted to kill Rose. And worst of all, on tape, in front of four men at the end of your interview, you said, and I quote: “I killed her!”
“Oh my God, Jeffrey! It can’t be that bad. I just want to go home.”
“If you’re convicted, going home will not be an option. They have very harsh sentences here, as you’ve already learned.”
“No, God, NO! You don’t mean…I can’t be caned again, can I?”
“You could be caned, certainly, but that’s not the worst.”
“What! Worse? What do you mean? Tell me!”
“I think it’s better that you not know now. Let’s just work on your defense.”
“God! You can’t leave me not knowing. I’m not some little child,” she said, stamping her foot. “I insist on hearing it all. Give me the ‘worst-case’ scenario. Prison?”
“Are you sure you want to hear?”
“Yes, Jeffrey, trust me, I can take it.”
“OK. If you are convicted of culpable homicide, that can bring the death penalty.”
“WHAT! No! God, they wouldn’t! Haven’t they outlawed the death penalty? I thought everyone but the US had.”
“Not here. And there’s more.”
“More??
“There are two special circumstances that they might apply. First your smuggling the drugs is a very serious add on. Second, the fact that the crime took place while you were in custody makes it much more serious. A so-called “Jailhouse killing”, is taken most seriously.”
“But what can you mean by more? Nothing can be worse than death?”
“Yes, I’m afraid there is more. The death penalty here is usually a long drop hanging…” Barb gulped and felt faint, “with almost instantaneous death…but for enhanced circumstances, they have several alternatives.”
Barb tried to stay focused. “What are the alternatives?” she swallowed hard, her head aching.
“First, a substantial caning before execution – even harder than what you suffered.”
Barb went very pale. “No,” she whimpered, “No!”
“Second, a slow strangulation style of hanging; it stretches out death for several minutes.” Jeffrey saw her face turn a whiter shade of pale. “And third…”
“There’s a third,” said Barb in a high, weak voice. She felt sure she would pass out any moment.
“Impalement. You are mounted on a thick, pointed pole thrust in your…ahem, in your vagina or your anus, and allowed to slip down slowly until it tears you apart from within.”
Barbara gave a short high cry and collapsed onto the table.