It was fully a third of a mile from his shack to barracks, possibly half a mile.

And it was mostly upgrade! If Kent could be brought to him-- In his cell Kent waited.

It was not difficult for him to hear voices in Kedsty's office when the door was open, and he knew that the Inspector did not come in until after the missioner had gone on his mission to Dirty Fingers.

Usually he was at the barracks an hour or so earlier.
Kent made no effort to figure out a reason for Kedsty's lateness, but he did observe that after his arrival there was more than the usual movement between the office door and the outside of the barracks.

Once he was positive that he heard Cardigan's voice, and then he was equally sure that he heard Mercer's.