Page 5 of The Unbecoming

When I’m done, the pass-through door on my cell opens and a stack of mail is shoved through.

Oh, look. More fan mail. It fascinates me that there are women out there, begging for attention from me, under the assumption that I’m a ruthless, cold-blooded serial killer.

What makes them attracted to me?

Is it the danger?

Is it the forbidden aspect of me being a prisoner?

As I’m flipping through the pile, one envelope catches my attention. St. Alder University. No postmark. So it was dropped off for me. I toss the other envelopes on the bed next to me before opening the one from the college. I can’t say I don’t miss being there, because I do.

Gabriel,

This letter is to inform you that a graduate student by the name of Nora Bennett has been assigned to perform your interview. She ranks highest amongst her peers and is highly knowledgeable on the subject of criminal profiling and will obtain her master’s degree in criminal psychology in May.

Regards,

Vincent Green

Her name sounds familiar, but only in passing. I don’t recall her ever being my student. That’s probably why they chose her. She will get through maybe one interview and never come back, so I won’t stress over it.

I’ll be out of here soon enough.

Chapter Five

Nora

I decided on simple black slacks, a black blouse, and a black cardigan. Kind of a dreary combination, but that’s fine. It’s perfectly boring. I left everything in my car, but I’m bringing in my notebook and pen.

I have my questions written out so that I can jot notes below them as we go through. I rewrote the shit six times before I finally liked how it looked. I won’t push too hard on the first interview. He isn’t going to open up right away. Very few people would for a stranger. The fact that he knows what methods I will use means he will be able to anticipate everything I do. The only way to combat that is to go against the grain and change his original methods into something he cannot predict.

“Name?” the man asks when I step up to the desk.

“Hi! I am Nora Bennett. I am here to interview Gabriel Ashcroft,” I say, and he raises an eyebrow.

“Last I checked, he wasn’t taking interviews,” he says as he types on his computer. “Well, there you are. Okay.”

“Ashcroft?” another man asks, walking over to us. I am on the other side of the window from them, as they are in an office behind a locked door.

“Mhmm. Did you know?” he asks.

“Yep. I’ll take her down. He was just moved to the room,” he says before stepping out of the office. “Ms. Bennett, did you get patted down already?”

“Yes, sir,” I say.

“Alright. There is a panic button on your side of the table to alert guards. There is also one on either side of the room,” he tells me.

“Okay…” I say slowly.

“Gotta be more confident than that, Ms. Bennett. The guy is a mindfuck,” he chuckles as he opens a door and has me walk through. “First interview?”

“Yep,” I say.

“Good luck,” he says after a moment. “Don’t answer questions he didn’t ask.”

“What?” I ask, but he doesn’t answer.

I follow the correctional officer deeper into the prison, and I keep my head held high. I am nervous. More so than I am willing to admit. I think it’s just because of his charges and the fact that they are leaving me alone with him. Truthfully, I doubt they would allow that if I were in danger.