Jack woke early and was packed and ready to go long before the guard came strolling up to his cell. He smiled when he saw Jack in civilian clothing sitting on his bunk. He keyed his radio and said, “Open E-97.”

Then, as the electronic lock clicked open, he said, “Okay, Lewis, time to go.”

Jack stood, turned to his cellmate, and said, “Well, this is it. Take care of yourself, Ty. If you’re ever near Pelican Bay, look me up. I’ll be the guy nobody wants to know.”

They both laughed as they shook hands. Then Jack turned, picked up his suitcase, and walked out of the cell. The guard closed it and called over the radio to re-secure the door. Then they started the long trek to freedom. As they moved toward the door, the other prisoners called out to Jack. Some wished him good luck, and others told him he’d be back. Jack wasn’t sure what the future held, but he was sure he’d never be back here again.

The final processing took over an hour, but at last Jack stood just inside the prison gates. The warden nodded and the gates opened. He shook Jack’s hand and said, “Keep your nose clean, Lewis. I don’t want to see you here again.”

Jack smiled and said, “The feeling’s mutual, Warden. I don’t want to see the inside of this place ever again.”

The warden said, “Good luck,” and Jack walked out a free man.

Well, not exactly a free man. He was on parole and would have to report to a parole officer for the next ten years, but that was nothing compared to the years he’d spent in this hellhole. As he walked through the gates, he heard them clang shut, and he grinned to himself.

At the end of the walkway, there was a Department of Corrections van waiting to take him to town. A corrections officer stood by the open sliding door. Jack nodded at him as he climbed in and sat down. The officer closed the door, and the driver began the short trip to the bus station in town. Jack looked out the window and suddenly realized there were no bars. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in a vehicle without barred windows and handcuffs on his wrists.

He thanked the driver and walked into the bus station twenty minutes later. After exchanging his voucher for a ticket, he walked over to the lunch counter and ordered a cheeseburger and a Coke. It was the first Coke he’d had in fifteen years. While he was enjoying the soda, he walked around and window-shopped. He stopped in a cell phone store and bought his first cell phone. Then he walked over and sat down for the forty-five-minute wait for the bus. He glanced over and saw someone had left a newspaper lying on the seat next to his. Seeing there was no one around, he picked it up. Reading a newspaper was another thing he hadn’t done for fifteen years.

It wasn’t long before the PA system announced his bus, and he joined the queue to board. He chose a window seat near the back and settled in for the long trip to Pelican Bay. The bus driver closed the door, and they were on their way. Hour after hour, they traveled through countless little towns, and people got on and off the bus. Jack marveled at the scenery as it passed by his window until it became dark. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, but he didn’t sleep. Instead, he listened to the conversations of his fellow passengers. He was amazed at how mundane and wondrous those conversations were. One couple was discussing whether their new son-in-law would be a good husband for their daughter. Next to them were two teenagers, obviously running away together, who were planning their future and wondering how far they’d get before anyone started looking for them.

He must have dozed off, because suddenly he heard the driver call out, “Next stop, Pelican Bay!”

Jack gathered up his belongings and began moving toward the front of the bus. They had just pulled to the curb when he reached the front. As the door opened, the driver said automatically, “Watch your step, please. Have a good night.”

Jack thanked him and stepped off the bus. As the door closed and the bus pulled away, Jack took a deep breath and looked around the little town. Nothing has changed, he thought as he stretched. Then he saw the sheriff’s car across the street with a deputy leaning against the door. He deflated like a balloon.

The deputy smiled and began walking across the street. “Evening, Jack,” he said.

Jack studied the face of the man walking toward him. When he was only ten feet away, Jack gasped, “Charlie? Charlie Walker? Is that you? Well, I’ll be. It is you!”

Jack smiled and moved toward the man, his hand outstretched. The deputy smiled back and pulled Jack into a hug. “Welcome home, Jack! It’s good to see you again!”

When they broke apart, the deputy looked him up and down, then said, “Well, prison must not be too bad. You look like they treated you all right.”

The smile disappeared from Jack’s face in an instant. “If by ‘not too bad’ you mean that they didn’t kill me, then no, it wasn’t too bad. Still, I don’t ever want to go back there, even for a visit.” Changing the subject, he asked, “So, how did you ever become a deputy sheriff? If I remember correctly, you were one of the biggest hellraisers in the parish.”

Charlie directed Jack toward his patrol car as he said, “Christy got pregnant and refused to have an abortion. Getting married and having a kid tends to sober you up a bit. So, there I was, married with a daughter and another baby on the way, still working at the supermarket, not even making enough to pay the rent. I had to do something, so I applied, and they accepted me.”

When they reached the patrol car, Charlie opened the passenger’s door and looked at Jack expectantly. Jack, in turn, looked warily at Charlie and asked, “Charlie, are you arresting me for something?”

Charlie laughed and said, “God, no, Jack. I just figured you might want a ride to wherever you’re going, is all. It’s not like you have a limo waiting for you.”

Jack relaxed and climbed in. Charlie took the suitcase and threw it onto the back seat. Once he was behind the wheel, he started the cruiser and asked, “Where to?”

Jack’s face could have been carved out of stone as he replied, “Gull Cove.”

Charlie stared at him. “Gull Cove?” he asked incredulously. “Are you serious? That place has been closed up since the murders.”

Jack stared straight ahead as he responded, “I know.”

Charlie said, “Oh, well, suit yourself,” as he put the car in drive and pulled away from the curb.

They had been driving in silence for about ten minutes when Charlie asked, “So, have you got any plans now that you’re out?”

“Yeah,” Jack replied. “Old man Hernandez has agreed to take me on as a mechanic at the Ford dealership. I start on the first of the month. Other than that, I’ve got some money left in my trust fund that I’m going to use to fix the old house up with, and then we’ll see what the future brings.”

They turned onto Shoreline Drive and pulled up in front of the house. Charlie turned off the car and looked at Jack. “Are you sure you want to do this? Why don’t you come over to my house and spend the night? I know Christy would love to see you, and then you can come over here in the morning. I’m sure it’ll be bad enough in the daylight. I couldn’t imagine what it’s gonna look like in the dark.”

Jack laughed, “I’m sure Christy would love for her ex-con former boyfriend to show up at almost eleven o’clock at night and announce he’s spending the night before he returns to the scene of the crime.” He laughed again and said, “Thanks, Charlie, but I think I’ll be okay.”

“Well, at least let me go in with you. I’ve got a flashlight, and I can help you find some candles or whatever and get settled for the night. You really shouldn’t go in alone.”

Jack smiled and said, “Thanks, Charlie. I really appreciate it, but I asked the warden to have the power and the water turned on for me. All I need to do is throw the main switch in the basement and I’ll have power and lights.”

Charlie looked relieved but quickly countered, “Still, there’s the crime scene, and that’ll come as a shock. Wouldn’t you like a friend there when you see it for the first time?”

“I saw the pictures at my trial, remember? Besides, I was there that night, so it shouldn’t be a shock.” He patted his friend’s shoulder and got out of the car. He leaned in and said, “Thanks, Charlie. I can’t tell you what it means to me to have you offer.”

“Well, I can see you’ve got your mind made up.” He reached into his uniform shirt pocket and pulled out his business card. While he wrote on the back, he said, “Here’s my office, cell, and home numbers. Give me a call if you need something or even if you just want to talk.”

He handed the card to Jack, and he put it in his pocket with a smile. “Thanks,” he said as he reached back and grabbed his suitcase. He waved as Charlie drove away. Then, for the first time in over fifteen years, he opened the gate and walked to the front door of his grandparents’ last house.