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“My kid’s about your age,” Ta her considerable bulk off the narrow bed It was concrete and steel; no springs pinged at the moveraph taped to the concrete-block wall “Rosie I was pregnant with her when I got in here Didn’t know it, though ” Taarette As she sot any pictures?”

Lexi put down her box of belongings and sat next to Taraphs from the pile “This is my Aunt Eva And this is Zach ” She stared down at his senior picture She touched it all the tiet hiirl I … killed ”

Tairl Rich?”

Lexi frowned “How’d you know that?”

“You’re here, ain’t you?”

Lexi wasn’t quite sure how to answer that The question seemed to imply facts that weren’t quite true, or that she hadn’t really seen before

“I killeda picture on the wall

“Self-defense,” Lexi said It was so you heard about a lot in here She seeuilty person in prison

“Nah Killed the fucker in his sleep ”

“Oh ”

“I been here so long now I can hardly rearette and hid the unsht as well talk Get to know each other ” She looked at Lexi, and in those dark eyes, there was a sadness that ot time, you and me And I could use a friend ”

“When will you get out?”

“Me?” Tahtly “Never ”

On a Wednesday in late August, Zach e disheveled and a little disoriented His short hair was dirty and spiky; his T-shirt had a big stain across the front