Jean: The Box Cutter Murders Ch. 07

I walked as fast as my long legs would carry me across the sprawling campus. I hoped my car would start. I hadn't used it in weeks. I hadn't planned on driving the car again until I finished my summer classes. I looked forward to selling the rusting hulk before I flew out to join my boyfriend in California.

My poor Nash Rambler was covered in a layer of dust, and the door squealed as I pulled it open. I pumped the gas a few times before turning the key. The engine whined, coughed and finally caught. A cloud of smoke belched out of the exhaust. It ran rough for a minute until all the cylinders were firing. I heard the familiar whistling from the engine. My boyfriend said I had a leak in the head gasket. I never let him touch my car after he messed up my heater by flushing the radiator.

I got to Graterford prison at ten minutes to eight. I swallowed my last tablet of speed with the remaining coffee. I reviewed our list of questions before locking the car and walking up to the visitor entrance. I showed the letter designating me as a legal representative for David Brown. The guard checked to see if David was available.

"You're in luck. David Brown is scheduled to be sent out for a psych evaluation tomorrow. Evidently, we cannot execute crazy people anymore. He'll be gone for a couple of weeks."

He handed me a six-page document to sign. I scanned the first page of small print. The document started with a lengthy list of contraband items. It stated that bringing any of these items into the prison was a felony. The following section was a release form indicating that I agreed to give up my rights to being searched. I signed the form and was shown into a waiting room. There were three other people in the waiting room. They all looked like family members. The warm room started to fill up as I waited.

A guard would open the door and read off someone's name every ten or fifteen minutes. I heard grumbling. Evidently, the admitting process was running very slow today. Every time the door opened, I perked up only to be disappointed again. I got irritated when they called people who had arrived after me. I complained to the guard that I was going to be late for my appointment. He glared at me before calling someone else's name.

My empty stomach growled. I had eaten my peanut butter sandwich on the drive to Graterford, but by nine, I was feeling hungry again. All that was left of my small meal was the aroma of peanut butter on the sandwich bag I had stuffed in my shirt pocket. I sat with my arms wrapped around my growling stomach. My legs were crossed, but I couldn't keep my foot from bouncing. Maybe the speed wasn't such a good idea. The coffee had run through my body, and I needed to visit a bathroom.

I jumped up when a big black guard holding a clipboard called Jean Miller. He led me through the door into an air-conditioned hallway. Evidently, the guards kept their part of the prison comfortable, a bit too comfortable. I began to shiver from the cold as well as my nerves as he led me down the long hallway. He looked almost as large as the pro football players Marian and I had entertained. An equally imposing woman guard was standing by a strange device in a room at the end of the hall. He gave her my name and handed her the clipboard.

The woman guard was big and muscular in a matronly way. She was smiling, but it didn't help me relax. She was at least twice my size.

A metal frame as large as a door filled the middle of the room. The device was connected by wires to some metal boxes on a table. An empty basket sat on the table.

The woman guard said, "We just got this metal detector a couple of days ago. We're very happy to get this unit. It should increase security and speed up the inspection process. As soon as we finish testing it, we will have it permanently installed at the visitors' entrance."

Having finished bragging, she said, "You need to take off any metal objects including keys, coins, watches, pens, belt buckles and so forth. The detector is very sensitive and will sound an alarm for something as small as a miniature paper clip. When you are ready, walk through the detector."

I had heard metal detectors were showing up in the larger airports, but I hadn't expected anything like this here. I dropped my keys in the basket. I dug some coins from my pocket and added them to the basket. I started to walk through the detector.

The burly woman guard grabbed my shoulder with her thick fingers. "Is your belt buckle metal?"

"Sorry."

I removed the belt and added it to the basket. I walked through the detector, and the alarm screamed.

The woman studied my outfit for a minute before she said, "Are those metal buttons? Sorry honey but you need to take off your shirt."

I looked at the male guard and blushed. "Could you have him leave the room?"

"Jake, would you mind stepping outside to give the lady some privacy.

The sullen guard said, "Standard procedures say we have to have two people in the room at all times."

"Jake, I'll be fine. She's a lawyer who is here to visit her client. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit bigger than her. I'll be fine."

"OK, Coretta. I certainly wouldn't want to embarrass the little lady. I'll be just outside the door. Holler if you need me."

Once he left the room, I took off my scarf and blouse. I folded them carefully before placing them in the basket. I was standing under a vent blowing frigid air into the small room. I shivered as the woman guard appraised my skimpy and very transparent bra.

The big woman said, "I'm sorry about Jake's mood. Normally, he's a decent man, but last week his best friend was killed because someone smuggled in a knife. The review determined procedures for visitors weren't followed."

I looked the woman in the eyes and said, "Thanks, I know it can't be easy dealing with hardened criminals all day."

I blushed when I saw the woman's eyes were focused on my erect nipples that were clearly visible through my thin bra. I walked through the detector again, and once again it screamed out a warning.

The woman guard sighed and said, "Some shoes have metal plates. Take them off and try again. I was hoping the new metal detector would make life easier. So far, it's been a pain in the neck. We are already holding several women for a more thorough inspection."

I tried walking through barefoot, and again the alarm sounded.

The woman guard shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jean, but we're going to have to do this the old-fashioned way. We have to follow standard procedure."

She opened the door and shouted, "Jake bring the wand. We need to do a hand scan."

I folded my arms over my breasts as Jake entered holding a paddle-shaped device.

"What's the problem, Coretta?"

"She keeps setting off the detector. She has something metal on her, and I want to locate it."

Jake turned on the wand, and it chirped a couple of times as it warmed up.

Jake said, "Miss, please stand over here and raise your hands over your head."

"Please, my bra is too thin."

Jake cocked his head and laughed. "So, the brainy lawyer wore a see-through bra for a visit to a maximum-security prison, and she's embarrassed I might see her breasts. Sweetheart, just turn around and face the wall so I cannot see your precious titties. Now, lean forward and put your hands on the wall above your head. OK, now spread your legs wide. I need to scan your whole body."

Jake started at my head. I guess I could have hidden something in my ponytail. He ran the wand over my back. He reached around and ran it over my chest. The wand remained silent. He dropped the wand to my feet and ran it up the inside of my legs brushing against my pants. It started chirping when it reached my waist.

Coretta said, "Miss Miller, please turn around and face me."

When I turned to face the guards, Jakes eyes focused on my ample breasts.

Coretta shook her head. "The button on your pants looks identical to the ones on your blouse. Is it metal too?"

I looked at the button in question. Of course, it was metal. I had been so excited in high school when I sewed the black skull button on these pants to match my blouse. Now it was coming back to bite me.

"I think so."

"Then you're going to have to take them off."

"I can't. My panties are indecent. They were my last pair of clean underwear."

Jake growled, "Miss Miller, I don't care what kind of damn underwear you are wearing. I've seen it all before. I'm sure, as a lawyer, you are aware that smuggling contraband into a state prison is a felony. If you refuse the inspection, then you are judged to have failed the inspection. You will be arrested on suspicion of committing a felony, and we will perform a strip search anyway. If necessary, we will restrain you. I promise you it will be a lot more embarrassing than taking off your pants."

"Coretta, could you please have Jake leave the room and do the wand by yourself?"

Coretta looked at Jake and picked up his concern. She said, "Jean, I'm beginning to lose my trust in you. I'm not going to allow you special treatment again. Now, stop wasting our time. We have a whole roomful of people to process."

I turned my back to Jake and worked the tight pants off my ass. My panties slipped off my ass with the jeans, and I had to pull my G-string back up before I bent over to push my pants down to my ankles. I heard Jake snort as I exposed my bare ass. I wished I had taken the time to trim my bush. A handful of black curly hairs protruded from the edges of my G-string. I folded my pants and handed them to Coretta. I felt the chill of the air conditioner focused on the growing wet spot between my legs. I squirmed as I fought to suppress the urge to relieve my straining bladder.

Jake said, "Miss Miller, please lean against the wall again."

I blushed as I walked over to the wall. I could see that Jake's eyes were focused on my jiggling ass. I leaned against the wall and tried not to cry when Jake told me to spread my legs again.

Jake repeated the process starting at the top. Once again, the wand was silent around my head and chest. He dropped the wand to my feet and ran it along the inside of my bare legs brushing the cold wand against my skin. Once again it started chirping when he pressed it against my crotch.

The loud chirp combined with the contact of the cold wand with my scantily clad crotch made me jump.

I screamed, "You have to be kidding! I'm practically naked."

Jake said, "She must be hiding something inside of her body. There is no way these skimpy panties are hiding anything."

Coretta said, "Seriously Miss Miller, you can't be so stupid to think you could smuggle something into a state prison by hiding it inside a body cavity. Jake take her down to the holding cell with all of the other idiots."

"But I'm not smuggling anything. I'm not that stupid."

"Honey, the machine doesn't lie. You are concealing something metal. We'll give you a chance to prove it isn't contraband later, but we have to finish processing the rest of the visitors first."

Jake said, "You can put your clothes back on for now. Coretta, can you get the next visitor while I'm taking her to the holding cell?"

Coretta said, "Damn, I have a feeling this is going to be a long day."

Coretta walked out of the room, and Jake said, "Here's your shirt and pants. You can put them back on for now. We'll do a more thorough search later."

"I don't understand. Why are you taking me to a holding cell?"

"Don't try the innocent act on me. You may pull the wool over Coretta's eyes, but you're not fooling me. You're here to visit a serial killer, and he asked you to smuggle something to him. I don't want any more of my friends to die because someone didn't do their job. If you're hiding a weapon on you, I'm going to enjoy locking you up for a long time."

I saw the anger in his eyes and shivered. I knew I was innocent, but I was afraid anything I said would provoke him. I turned and reached for my clothes. Jake's stare jumped between my practically bare breasts and the tiny triangle of damp silk covering my pussy. I snatched my top from Jake's outstretched hand and turned around to put it on. I was so nervous I got the buttons in the wrong holes the first time. I could feel Jake's eyes burning into my bare ass cheeks as I struggled to pull the tight pants up. I slipped on my shoes and looked for my belt.

"Jake, can I have my belt please?"

"Belts are not allowed in the cells. Same goes for the scarf. You might hang yourself or strangle another prisoner. I'll put them in a bag with your name on it. You'll get them back later. If you pass the physical inspection that is."

"What do you mean by physical inspection?"

"Seriously, you're a lawyer and don't know the procedure? It's a standard strip search. We'll keep going until we find whatever set off the alarm."

I didn't want to ask what he meant by 'keep going.' Jake led me down the hallway to a locked metal door. He unlocked the door and guided me into a large room with floor to ceiling steel bars along one wall. Steel bars separated the space into two cells. One cell held four black women sitting on a steel bench that ran the length of the back wall. The other cell had a couple of rough looking men who were pacing the floor. A guard sat at a desk facing the cells. He walked over and unlocked the woman's cell. The male prisoners leered as Jake pushed me into the women's cell.

I stood by the door and looked around the room in a daze. The only fixture other than the bench was a metal toilet on the wall farthest from the men's cell. Three of the women glared at me. I saw an empty space next to the fourth woman. She was holding her head in her arms and sobbing.

This room was also air conditioned. I sat down on the cold steel bench, and my full bladder cramped painfully. I jumped up from the shock. God, I desperately needed to pee. I tried pacing the room to control my urge.

A large matronly woman stood up and blocked my path. She glared at me and said, "What's your problem, honky? You're making me nervous."

The other two women watched with interest hoping for a fight to relieve the boredom. One of the women was skin and bones. Her legs were crossed, and her foot was bouncing in time to an unheard beat.

The heavy-set woman was in my face when she said, "I've never seen you here before. What's a rich white girl doing here?"

"I'm a legal intern, and I've never been to Graterford. I'm here to interview a client who is on death row. We think he might be innocent."

"Of course, he's innocent. All the brothers in prison are innocent. The police harass black people to keep us down. Once you've been in prison, you can't get a job, and you can't even vote. One of these days we are all going to rise up and smash our white oppressors."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm trying to help."

"I know your type. You're a privileged skinny little white girl. You spend a few hours volunteering and then go home to your pretty and safe neighborhood. You get together with your white friends, drink some wine and brag about what a good person you are."

"If I don't help, my client will be put to death."

"Well if you're any good you should work on getting us all free from the smuggling charges."

"We only handle death row cases. Those cases take so much time we don't have the resources to handle anything else."

"You damn well better find the resources. In case, you haven't figured it out you're in here with us because we're all accused of smuggling contraband. If we'd known they had a new metal detector, none of us would have been stupid enough to get caught."

I shook my head and said, "It's all a big mistake. Their machine is wrong. I don't have anything hidden in my body. They must let me go. I don't understand what they plan to do next."

The big woman smiled wickedly, "Honey, you set off their damn machine. We will all get a strip search. Most likely they will follow up with a cavity search. A pretty girl like you is just about guaranteed to get the full treatment. I hope you wore clean underwear."

"But they can't do that without a warrant."

"Sweetheart, you are in Graterford Prison. You signed away all your rights when you entered. It's time you realized the guards think they are gods."

I shivered again and was reminded of my full bladder. It was getting painful even standing up. I doubted I could hold it much longer.

"If I ask the guard do you think he will let me go to the bathroom?"

She pointed at the steel toilet, "Honey, what do you think that is?"

"But it's out in the open. Everyone can see."

"Take it or leave it. If you're too modest, you'll just have to hold it."

I walked over to the door to the cell and got the guards attention.

"Could you escort me to a bathroom? I really need to go."

He stood up and stretched before taking his time walking to the cell. He looked up my name on his clipboard.

"Jean, do you have any idea why you have been detained in my holding cell?"

"Well, I set off an alarm on the metal detector, but the machine must be wrong. I don't have anything on me. It's a big mistake. I just want to see my client."

"Our metal detector is brand new. If it says you have metal on you, then you have metal on you. You claim to be a lawyer, so you should know it is a felony to smuggle contraband into a state prison. You're facing three to five. You had better hope the metal it detected isn't a weapon because that will add another three years. Now if you need to pee, use the toilet in the cell. You don't get any special treatment because you're a fucking lawyer."

He turned around leaving me to stare at his back as he walked back to his desk and sat down. He put his feet up on the desk and grinned at me.

The big black woman said, "Well sweetie, I guess us four ladies could stand around and provide a screen. Would that be OK?"

I looked around the room. I didn't have any choice. "Thank you."

The four women stood around the toilet blocking the view of the disappointed men in the adjoining cell. I unzipped my tight pants and worked them down my thighs.

The black woman who had done all the talking looked at my lacy G-string and shook her head.

"White women are plain crazy. Lord knows why you would wear something like that to this hell hole. Girl, you got the hots for your client?"

I ignored her talk. I dropped my panties to my ankles and sat down. As soon as my bare ass contacted the cold steel toilet, I let fly. I closed my eyes and lost myself in a feeling of pleasant relief.

The guard yelled at the woman, "Hey you dumb bitches, get your asses back on the bench. I need to watch while anyone uses the toilet. I have to make sure you aren't trying to dump any contraband into the toilet."

I opened my eyes and watched the four women sit back on the bench. The two men in the other holding cell were pressed against the steel bars watching me. One of the bastards was rubbing his crotch. The guard was also staring at me with a big smile on his face.

The big black woman said, "Sorry sweetie, we tried. Now maybe you can see what it's like being a black woman. Everybody is always abusing us. Ain't no one going to help you, white girl."

I blinked away a tear. It wouldn't help to cry because it would just give the men more pleasure. Of course, there was no toilet paper. I reached down to my ankles and slid my panties up my bare legs while still seated. I rose up as little as possible when I pulled the skimpy garment to my waist. The pants were a problem. I couldn't get them on squatting on the toilet. I had no choice except to stand up and tug the tight pants up my thighs and over my ass. The way the men stared at my crotch made me realize just how small the sliver of moist silk covering my pussy was. I turned my back on the men.