Lord Have Mercy (Southern Gentleman 2)

“That’s all you have left?” he asked.

I nodded. “Hopefully.”

The Chief agreed. “Perfect. In that case, we’re going to get you back to work.”

“You want me to what?”

“I want you to go back to work at the school,” he said. “We need Dooley’s services, and since you’re the only one who can handle him, that’s where you need to be.”

“I can’t walk,” I said. “How am I supposed to perform my job?”

“This.” He pointed over his shoulder.

I saw a…scooter.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I said when I laid eyes on it. “What the fuck is that?”

Sitting in my driveway was an electric scooter that was decorated with police emblems.

“The stickers were helpfully applied by a few of the other officers,” Chief said. “I hope you can see the humor in it.”

I could.

Kind of.

I shook my head and looked at the monstrosity.

“I have no way to transport that,” I pointed out.

“That’s where I come in!” I heard called to my right.

That was when I saw Camryn standing there, next to a goddamn minivan.

“Whose is that?” I asked warily.

“Yours.” She paused. “Well, actually it belongs to the police department. Did you know that they use it to transport multiple inmates to and from the prison?”

I did.

“Why are you standing next to it?” I asked.

“We’re going to use it until you’re able to fit into a real vehicle,” she said. “They called me to make sure that I could drive it. I can. You’re in luck.”

I just shook my head.

“I’m not riding in that.”

She smiled. “Aren’t you?”Chapter 20I wish Facebook would post when people unfriended you so I could like it.

-Flint’s secret thoughts

Flint

I arrived in a goddamn minivan, got on my motherfuckin’ scooter, and rolled into the school like I wasn’t embarrassed as fuck to be doing it.

However, I was pleasantly surprised that, instead of the ribbing I’d suspected from the students, every last one of them came up to me and gave me fist bumps or high fives. The boys, anyway. The girls all had hugs to give, and I took them even though their teenage perfume was making my nose itch.

“All right, all right,” my woman finally said. “It’s time for y’all to head to class, and Officer Stone to head to his office to get his day started. Y’all can talk to him later during lunch.”

Groans sounded from all around me, and I found myself grinning.

“Come on, Ms. Soon-to-be Stone,” a boy, the one I’d suggested submit his tip anonymously, said. “Please? Just a few more minutes. We’ve missed the man!”

The kid looked good. Much better than the last time I’d seen him.

The party that’d been raided had been a success, and the boys that had been planning the festivities had been taken to juvie.

Now without the bad influence around, the kids were all doing quite a bit better.

“Time to go,” came another voice from behind us.

I looked over to see Carver standing there looking pissed.

Everybody frowned at him, not moving an inch.

“Time to go, kids.” I clapped my hands. “I’ll see y’all in lunch like Camryn said.”

The children, groaning and dragging their feet, all started toward the front door.

It was when the last one finally filed inside that Carver turned to me with a glare.

“Why do they always listen to you and not me?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Because you’re new?”

And a pussy.

Not that I said that last part. Even though I might want to.

“Holy cow!” Nivea cried out, hurrying toward us with her bag in her hand and a coffee in the other. “I can’t believe you’re here! You should’ve let us know and we would’ve brought lunch for you. A potluck!”

Camryn edged closer to me, placing herself in between me and Nivea so that Nivea couldn’t move any farther toward me. Thank God.

I really did love the woman.

“We have to get him settled, and I’m already late.” Camryn smiled. “See y’all later.”

“I’ll call in pizza!”

I started forward and Camryn got the door, glaring at me when I couldn’t control the smile on my face.

“I hate her,” she muttered darkly.

I snorted. “I couldn’t tell.”

She surreptitiously flipped me off, and then picked up her pace.

“I really am late, though,” she pointed out.

“You have a conference period first period today,” I countered. “You’re not late.”

“I have to go get a test key and set it up in the computer lab,” she grumbled. “After the incident with the other test that went viral, I’m now giving all the tests on the computer. I was contemplating doing that anyway, but I decided after that particular incident that it might be better just to go ahead and get it done.”

“I used to hate taking tests on the computer,” I muttered as we took the last hallway that led to the front entrance, as well as the office that I occupied during the school hours.