Chapter 23The still strong mountain winds bent trees. Det. Britto led in his sedan. Abi and Joe crested a rise leading into Rachter Valley, a large hollow devoid of plant growth, secluded and confined; a place to contain the state's most wayward women. Around its perimeter was a twenty-foot fence topped with continuous rolls of razor-barbed Concertina wire. Forty-five feet inside that was a second fence. In each of the corners nearest the forested areas, watch towers stood high overlooking the entire facility from multiple directions.
The entire facility was single-storied. Several smaller conjoined buildings stood in front of the concrete structure at the back. The front buildings were probably the administration section. Tall narrow slits for windows in the sprawling rear building signi
