Now You See Me by Rachel Carrington

home’s been vandalized and all you can say is the police will catch the guy? I’m not buying it, Kate. You’re going to come stay with me and Marilyn, and that’s not a suggestion. There’s no way I’m letting you go to a hotel. I’ll be there to pick you up in less than twenty minutes.”
    “No, Aaron, it’s okay. I’m not staying here and I’m not going to a hotel.” She hoped that would be enough.
    “Where are you going, then?” He dashed her hopes.
    Kate carried the phone out of her bedroom and down the hall, slipping into the guest bathroom for some privacy. “I’m staying with Brad tonight.”
    Silence. “Brad?”
    She sighed. “Brad Jericho.”
    “From the prison?” Aaron’s voice went an octave higher. “How did that happen?”
    “Can we talk about this later? I need to get out of here.”
    Aaron muttered something under his breath. “Fine, but I’ll expect full disclosure tomorrow. You can call me anytime after eight since I’m assuming you won’t be coming to work.”
    “You would be wrong.” Kate’s back tensed as she readied herself for a fight. “I’ve already been run out of my home, Aaron. I’m not going to hide out from my job too.”
    “There’s a difference between hiding and being safe. Hasn’t that prison warden told you anything about the kind of idiot you’re dealing with here?”
    She didn’t want to discuss Brad. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll see you tomorrow at the office. Good night, Aaron.” She ended the call on his splutter of protest.
    When she exited the bathroom Brad was waiting in the living room, suitcase in hand. “Ready?” He jerked his head toward the door.
    Once she thought she was ready for anything. Thanks to John Ramsey, life had thrown her a curveball. How did you prepare yourself for a hit you didn’t see coming?
     
    Underneath the edge of his mattress, Ramsey drew another mark on the concrete wall with a piece of stolen chalk before wiping the sweat from his brow. Though he smiled, he was irritated he hadn’t been there to see Kate Elliott’s face when she’d arrived home. He’d lost so much since being trapped in this cage, time he couldn’t get back. But he could start anew.
    He reached farther under the mattress, slid out the small bag that contained his next shot at freedom. Any second now he’d lose consciousness. His vision had already begun to gray.
    The jingle of keys signaled the approach of the morning guard, and though his lips had begun to go numb, Ramsey smiled. He’d timed this perfectly.
    I can’t wait to see you again, Kate.
    He rolled off his cot, going face forward onto the floor, his hand clasping the bag. The concrete felt cool against his cheek and, with his head angled, he could see his fall had alerted the guard.
    “Hey, what’s going on?” The guard whipped the handcuffs loose from his belt. “Get up, Ramsey! You’re not fooling anyone.”
    Ramsey attempted to raise his arm but his muscles had gone lax. Ah yes, the little mushroom was doing its job. As the darkness reached for him, he pictured Kate’s face, her lovely eyes, her silky hair.
    He really couldn’t wait to see her again.
     
    Brad arrived at the prison before the ambulance. His adrenaline at an all-time high, he raced through the corridors, shouting orders as he went. Now on lockdown, irritated prisoners responded with curses and threats.
    The death row pod was quieter than he’d ever heard as all ears tuned to the voices of the prison physician and the guards with him.
    “What happened?” Brad took in Ramsey on the floor, his mouth slightly agape and his hands cuffed. “Is he breathing?”
    “He’s alive,” the doctor responded. “But barely breathing. I found this in his hand.” He held up a bag containing a mushroom that looked pretty ordinary to Brad. “We need to get him to the hospital.”
    “For eating a mushroom?” Brad stepped into the cell. “Not happening. Take him to the infirmary.”
    The doctor stood, his dark