36: A Novel Read Online Free

got some others with him, too.”
    “Probably family,” Randy said, returning his attention to scanning the area for anything out of place.
    “Family?  What do you mean?”
    Jim was new, hired only a few months ago.  The State of Arizona hadn’t put an inmate to death since he had begun working at the prison.
    “The inmate’s family,” Randy sighed.  He knew this had been covered during Jim’s initial orientation.  “They have the right to witness the execution.  Not sure why they’d want to, but some show up.”
    “Right,” Jim said.  “Now I remember.  That’s some fucked up shit.  Why would you want to see someone die?”
    Randy shrugged his shoulders and made another scan of the barren prison yard.  All of the inmates were on lockdown, which was normal in the hours leading up to an execution.  There shouldn’t be anyone moving that wasn’t wearing a guard uniform.  He didn’t see a soul, just dun grey buildings and glittering, silver fences.
    Below, the guard had finished checking the IDs of the people in the Buick.  He motioned to his partner and the outer gate trundled open.  The attorney pulled through, stopping with his front bumper several feet from the next portal.  As the outer gate rolled shut, another guard with a dog on a short leash appeared. 
    The man walked the dog around the perimeter of the vehicle.  Randy didn’t know if this was the team that sniffed for firearms and explosives, or the drug K9.  They were randomly rotated so visitors never knew what to expect.
    The dog finished without alerting, the guard walking him away as a second man appeared with a pole mounted mirror.  He stuck it under the Buick and quickly checked for contraband, then briefly spoke to the driver.  The hood and trunk both popped open a moment later and he thoroughly inspected each area of the car.
    Search complete, he slammed the lids closed and nodded to an unseen guard who controlled the inner gate.  With a loud buzz, it began opening.  The attorney waited until its motion had stopped before slowly driving through to a parking spot near the visitor’s entrance.
    The attorney stepped out, opening the rear door on his side of the Buick.  An attractive Hispanic woman in her mid 30s got out and followed him to the passenger side where together they assisted an elderly couple out of the car.  Once everyone was standing, and the ladies had adjusted their clothing and hair, they moved slowly across the pavement to a heavy steel door.
    Inside, they were met by the Assistant Warden who expedited another check of their IDs and the issuance of visitor badges.  He didn’t speak to the family, and only to the attorney when necessary.  Accompanied by two guards, the group moved through three security checkpoints, finally arriving at the viewing room.
    The Assistant Warden escorted them inside.  The room was small and terraced downwards, like a movie theatre.  Every seat had an unobstructed view of the large window at the front that was currently covered by a heavy curtain.  When it was open, the execution chamber would be revealed.
    The viewing room was full to capacity, but four seats in the front row had been reserved for the new arrivals.  As the group slowly made their way down an aisle, all eyes watched them in silence.  Family members of the victims occupied over two thirds of the available chairs, and had been warned ahead of time that any disturbance would result in their removal and arrest.
    Several women were softly crying, the only other sounds coming from the pens of a handful of reporters as they documented the event in their notebooks.  No recording devices were allowed in the viewing room.  The small contingent of press scribbled furiously as they attempted to describe the feel in the room as the inmate’s family entered and took their seats.
    After several minutes, a muted tone sounded.  There was a hum of electric motors and the swish of fabric as the curtain opened.  The