Shortly after the third telling, Lewis asked to be removed from Rolling.  He had endured listening to Rolling's repeated recounting of his terrible tales and had witnessed with disgust Rolling's delight as he perfected them with each telling.  Haunted by the images drawn from those tales, Lewis had grown weary.  He could barely sleep.  He needed to get away from Rolling.

At the time his request was granted, Lewis was moved first and his possessions followed.  Rolling received no notice of the move or of the fact that it was impending.  In a March 11, 1994 deposition, fellow inmate Russell Binstead described Rolling's reaction to Lewis' departure:

"Q: What did Danny say to you after Bobby had left the wing?
A: Well, he was really upset with Bobby. He felt that Bobby had betrayed him by leaving the wing, without telling him, hey, I'm leaving, or, Bobby was afraid of him.
Q: What was Danny's attitude towards Bobby at that time?
A: He was really upset with him.
Q: Now, when you had your discussion with Danny about his being upset with Bobby Lewis, did he ever indicate that Bobby Lewis has lied about any of the details of the crimes?
A: No. Just that he had betrayed him, abandoned him by leaving him. He felt, too, that he was responsible for Sondra London not being able to visit him."

Lewis had been Rolling's "confessor", the one person then to whom he had most revealed himself and through whom he had first spoken of his crimes.  But now, without a word, Bobby was gone.

After Lewis was separated from Rolling, the two fell under a Florida State Prison regulation that prohibits prisoners from corresponding with one another.  Rolling had been cut off from Lewis.  He was unable to talk with or even write to him, as he indicated to Sondra London on March 2, 1993:

"Let me clear up something for you. Bobby and I have no contact. I don't see him any more. He doesn't write to me. I know nothing of what he does now.

"The reason I went to the investigators was twofold: 1. I wanted you placed on my visiting list... and I wanted to clear this mess up and help a fellow con in the process. I did not tell him to talk to reporters. He has chosen to do that on his own... and I am not happy about it. 2. I just couldn't tote the weight of this any longer. It looks as though I have been betrayed. Now the woman I love is being kept from me, and that hurts me beyond belief.

"You say in your letter that I better not be lying to you. Sondra, I have not, do not, and will not lie to you ever... period. I lay my soul bare before you now and always."

Two days later he added:

"I don't understand Bobby or what he is doing. He's on his own. I never told him to shoot off his mouth to every Tom, Dick & Harry. What we had going was not to be put out there until the trial."

But Lewis was more resourceful that Rolling had anticipated.  On February 18, 1993, shortly after their separation, Lewis wrote to me suggesting that I contact Rolling and offer to act as their intermediary:

"Danny Rolling 521178 that his prison no - write him he knows all about you - tell him you seen his art - and what you think - and how long we been friends - tell him I'm doing all I can to keep my word to him, that he get pictures of his daughter soon, and I see that thru you he have canteen as I can - that I'm not happy some thing Sondra has done or suggested such as if he was to admit his crimes on T.V. It take years off his life on appeal - to tell him to tell Rusty - my people in touch with his and all gone be O.K. - tell Danny to stay out of trouble - have faith - that we may get back together before court time. That he can write me thru you."

The message was sent on March 2, 1993.  Rolling's response, although undated, was postmarked March 8 and, by all indications, was written on March 7th.  Rolling assumed he had been completely cut off from Lewis so the arrival of a messenger was unexpected.   Rolling's surprise was evident in his response:

"You have me off balance [...]  I must confess that I don't consider you a complete stranger because Bobby has told me all about you but, I did not expect to hear from you personally.

"Richard, let me explain something to you. So you'll understand where I'm coming from. Number 1# ... Bobby told me how he pulled the wool over your eyes a time or two. Now he wasn't bragging ... he really thinks alot of you and speaks very highly of you. I just wanted you to know ... I'm not like that ... I'm exactly what I appear to be. I don't play games or try to con anyone. That's not my style at all.

"I think the world of Bobby and he is like a brother to me. He's good people, as you well know. I wish they had not moved him to Q-wing. I miss my friend ... I've done everything in my power to help him. Now .... all I can do is pray.

"Tell Bobby I said, 'I still believe in him ... I don't understand everything that has come down but, that doesn't change anything. He's still my friend and always will be.'

"I know his heart rings true and I do wish him well. Oh yeah!  Rusty said hello and tell Bobby to keep his chin up. We are pulling for him."

The letter has a conciliatory tone even though Rolling, as seen in his earlier letters to London, was angry with Lewis.  Perhaps the message had given him hope that his wayward "confessor" would return to the fold.  Rolling also retreated from his anger in a letter he wrote to London dated the same day, March 7th:

"There seems to be some confusion between you and Bobby. I can't imagine why Bobby is upset with you. I wish you two could get along. See... there is a lot I do not understand. Still... I believe Bobby means well. I'm just unable to speak with him. Ever since they separated us, I've been in the dark as to what is happening with him."

But Rolling's conciliatory tone masked a move toward deception.  In the tale he was telling London, no messenger had arrived; he was still "in the dark as to what is happening with" Lewis.

On March 17 Rolling, interleaving romantic banter with disparaging statements about Lewis, continued his deceit:

"Sexual abuse... blah... bullshit. I'm really pissed at Bobby for telling that lie. Listen up, babes, and get this straight. The only sexual abuse I have ever known happened when I was 5 or 6 years old and I just barely remember it. A cousin of mine came to visit and he forced me to jerk him off. HA! WHAT A JOKE! Nothing like that has ever happened again. I've never been raped or abused in prison or anywhere else, and it really pissed me off when I read what Bobby said to the news, that I had been abused sexually! HA! He knows that's bullshit! It makes me sick to think he would even say that about me.

"I can't believe Bobby said that I knew you didn't love me! Do you believe that? Sondra, you have my heart right there in your hands. You can either warm it with your special love, or break it. I am very vulnerable when it comes to you. Surely you know I love you. You hurt me when you write me with doubts about us. Sondra, I'm no con man. I'm just what you see, sugar. Period. I will never use you! Never! The only conversations I've had with Bobby about you have been, I LOVE THAT WOMAN, and I do! I'm madly in love with you, girl!

"Perhaps Bobby did con me. I don't know? But I do know this much. I just found out that it was Bobby's idea to be placed on Q-wing. And he's got his own TV, radio, way to make coffee, he has access to a microwave, he gets to go to the canteen every day, and his cell is TWICE AS LARGE AS ANYONE ELSE'S. So if he makes it sound as if he is hard-up... there is no way you did anything to cause him to be where he is. And anyway he is on easy street.

"I have big questions about how Bobby handled this whole affair. First off, I never told him to shoot his big mouth off to the press. I never told him I had any doubts about you. I never said anything about sexual abuse... and to top it off... I find out it was his idea to be on Q-wing. Why? I don't know. You think you feel betrayed? Try walking in my shoes. I wish I could talk to Bobby and see if he can clear up some things for me. But I have to tell you. Looking at it now, it appears Bobby has just used me as a stepping stone to launch his own ship."

Then, on March 28, fearing Lewis may have also gotten in touch with London, Rolling subtly posed the question to her.  If Lewis and London were communicating, Rolling's deceit might be uncovered.

"Bobby didn't see anything wrong with contacting you about his story in the first place, and I'm sure his latest statement concerning you making money off any project you & I are working on is purely because he wants public sympathy and he is willing to ride on any wagon going out of here. Tell me. Are you in contact with Bobby? If not, I suggest you let him go his own way and save yourself some misery.

"Look... I'm not going to ask you to split with Bobby. You knew him before me and I'm sure the two of you have been friends. But still... he is out for himself 100% and it doesn't look like he cares who he steps on in the process. It's your call.

About this time, Rolling received the reply from Lewis which had been written on March 17 and was forwarded on March 27:

"I'm glad you heard from Danny. What he sean or heard on T.V. not complete. It only a few min of hr. interview. Tell him. I am and will keep my word. I gone tell the truth 100% of it what he told me. How I fill [feel]. That all I ever promised him. There a lot of mitigating things that I see come out at trial time because they should. Also he know I never lied to him. For him to believe in me to do what right. And when it over he see that I have. I told him. Me & you be around long after the rest of the world forget him. And that be true. Sondra got him doubting me and believe a lot that not true. Just tell him. Let time and actions show him. That ever thing I gone do for the right reason. For all people['s] good concerned"

But Rolling felt that Lewis had gone too far.  His March 31 response to Lewis was scathing:

"I've given it some deep thought and I feel it necessary to get something off my chest ... I am not pleased with Bobby ... he says he is keeping his word to me ... NADA ... I never told him to go shooting his mouth off to every news agency that would listen to him. He did not do that for me ... He was not to speak to the press ... but he did ... and he went on and on and on ...even after I saw him walking down the hall and motioned for him to shut-up ... he knew what I meant ... yet ... he just kept running his mouth ... well ... now the damage is done and there is no way to repair it ... Oh yeah! Ask Bobby how he likes his new watch?

"Well I have gone on about Bobby.  I don't want to discuss him any longer. He has betrayed me ... and he didn't have to ... You can write me after you let Bobby know how I feel. The paragraph above ... you can send it to him word for word.

"So ... here I sit ... and sit ... and it doesn't look good for the home team ... Bobby doesn't care about anyone but himself ... period. I don't want anything more to do with him. His testimony was to be given during the September trial that awaits me ... but, he has taken it upon himself to sing to the world and he has lied.

"P.S. There is only one way Bobby can once again redeem himself in my eyes ... He must come back to V-Wing and explain himself ... even then ... I don't think he can improve the way he appears to me. He is a con artist and the best con I have ever met ... total bullshit!"

Rolling's letter to London, written on the same day, is notable for its absence of references to Lewis.  None of his anger appears to have gained a foothold.  Apparently he had fully vented to Lewis so he had nothing left to say to London about that subject.  Instead, Rolling was at his charming and manipulative best:

"You of all people should be aware of the level of my intellect. Sondra... you still say I am vague... and I don't present a clear picture to you. Babes... after all I have shared with you, my heart laid open for you, there is no part of me I hide from you. Still... you know all too well the situation I am in. So for the moment, I can't open the closet and show you each and every skeleton you know lurks there. After the trial... I will open the flood-gates of my mind... and let all the strange fish tumble out. You will see me crystal clear. I promise."

He concluded with an appeal to her dreams of fortune:

"The Rolling Papers is yours, Sondra. Myself handed over in pen & ink. And there is so much more. Do what you will with it. You worked so hard, baby. I want you to be happy. If I had my way... you would be driving a Mercedes... strutting around in hand-made shoes for your tender feet... wearing designer clothes... and living in a million dollar house by the sea."

Lewis' response to Rolling was written on April 13 and sent to Rolling (without the introductory comment) on April 20:

"I see you heard from Danny and he mad. All is quite common with him. And especially when Sondra doing his thinking for him. Just tell him this for me:

"that time will show him who his friends are and who be there in the long run and what counts! As to who I talk to and when I talk to them - I make that decision - I don't tell him who to talk to. That what I'm doing will in the end help keep him out the chair. I know he can't see it but again time will show him. As for Sondra I don't have nothing to say. I let time take care of that also. I have never took anything from him. Only gave and help him. There no one else he can say that about in his life! That I have to do what I think is right for all concerned. That I have tried to get these people to let me talk to him. They won't. I do understand that he don't understand me. But he will before it's over. That I still gone help him whether he want me as a friend or not. Give him that word for word."

But Rolling had nothing more to say to Lewis.  In his April 25 reply, he only made a reference to Lewis which would be echoed nearly a year later by Rolling's attorney in a pre-trial press conference:

"Bobby is amazing when it comes to spinning a yarn ... He can really tell a tale ... I ought to know ... he sure sold me? He can make you believe the sun rises in the west and sets in the east ... If you listen to him long enough."

Rolling then fell silent altogether answering no further inquires.