I was thinking for a long while as to how to state this, but I suppose I should just come out and say it plainly.
I'm being released next week if everything goes as planned, and upon my release, I am in search of something to do. I know that you were not on good terms with the person who held my name prior, but I thought perhaps I could offer my knowledge to you. I have skills in chemistry, a knowledge that goes deeper than simply the classes I was taking before arriving here, and perhaps, that could be put to good use.