Lord Have Mercy

by Vale, Lani Lynn

  “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 20

  I 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.

  It was set up right off the front entrance to the building. When you entered the large building, the front office was located next to a glass wall. My office was on the other end of the wall where I could see everything.

  “I would say I did, too…but I’d be lying. Tests on the computer are much more straight forward, and way easier to grade.” She paused.

  “True,” I admitted. “I can see why you would say that.”

  She held out her palm for the keys, and I handed them to her, allowing her to open the office door mainly because I wasn’t sure I could get close enough without standing up. She hated watching me try to stand up because she was afraid that I was going to fall and reinjure myself.

  I was very selective allowing her to see what she wanted to see. When she wasn’t around, I used the crutches and the wheelchair a hell of a lot less.

  Though, technically, I wasn’t supposed to be on my feet just yet without crutches.

  What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

  “Here you go,” she said, pushing the door open.

  I grinned at all the Get Well Soon cards that were lining the walls, and shook my head at the bouquet of Get Well teddy bears on the desk that said ‘Love, Schultz.’

  “He needs his ass whooped,” I muttered.

  Camryn’s laughter echoed behind her as she walked away. “Have a good day, baby.”

  ***

  Overall, it was a very good day. So good, in fact, that I was glad that I’d been forced to come.

  And the stupid scooter almost made me more approachable, because kids that I’d never talked to before—that never wanted to talk to me—made their way over to say hi and shoot the shit when they had time.

  I didn’t have to break up any fights. I didn’t have to reprimand anyone.

  Honestly, it was the best day I’d had at the high school since I’d started.

  I knew that it wouldn’t last, that it was bound to get worse, but for now the kids were being good.

  They were also happy to have me back and took the time to tell me that.

  It was a humbling experience, and I knew that I’d stay at this exact position as long as the Chief allowed me to.

  I loved it at the high school.

  The hours weren’t half bad, either.

  “You ready, Freddy?”

  I looked up to find Camryn standing in my doorway, a small smile on her face.

  “Yep,” I gestured for Dooley to get up, which he did.

  He made his way over to Camryn and pushed his nose into her hand.

  She took the hint and ran her hand over his head, causing Dooley to close his eyes in bliss.

  “He loves you almost as much as I do,” I informed her.

  Camryn shot me a bemused look.

  “I love how you just toss all
that out so easily now,” she murmured. “Come on. I have one more place we’re going to stop before it’s time for rehab.”

  I had a feeling that I didn’t want to go where she was going to take me, but I’d stalled for time for too long.

  She was right.

  It was time for me to go back to the gym.

  It was when we were making our way to the parking lot that I saw the sleek new silver SUV with Carver standing next to it.

  “Get a new car?” I asked as we rolled past.

  “Yep.” His eyes skittered around nervously. “Have a good day.”

  When he got in and pulled away moments later, I looked at Camryn with a grin. “I think he doesn’t like me.”

  “He’s Carver.” She shrugged. “He actually wrecked that little car of his. He had a nasty bruise on his face from hitting the steering wheel. Then he got this Suburban that was such a huge contradiction to his previous car that everyone and their brother commented on it. You don’t remember him getting all that shit from Raleigh and Ezra?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  She shrugged. “He had the Suburban for like two days before that was gone, too. I imagine that it was due to the fact that he didn’t want to get any more shit any longer.”

  “Was the Suburban a rental?”

  She shrugged. “I think it was actually his at one point…though he told me that it wasn’t in his name just yet. Said he’d bought it at an estate sale, and that was why he didn’t feel comfortable driving it much.”

  I frowned as I rolled to my vehicle, and kept frowning all the way to the gym that she thought she was secretly taking me to but wasn’t, all the while thinking about the SUV that we all knew he wouldn’t drive.

  Chapter 21

  I’m on two diets now. I wasn’t getting enough food on one.

  -Camryn’s secret thoughts

  Camryn

  “Baby?”

  I rolled over and blinked open my eyes, ears straining as I tried to figure out what had just woken me.

  A scuff, followed by a thud.

  I frowned and tried to blink the sleep out of my eyes.

  “Flint?” I asked, this time a little clearer headed.

  “Yeah?” he grumbled, sounding deeply asleep.

  “Is Dooley next to you?” I whispered sleepily.

  I felt Flint move and then heard the bed squeak as he leaned over the side of the bed to, my guess, feel for Dooley.

  Despite Dooley’s love and devotion to me, he was still one hundred percent Flint’s dog. If given a choice, he’d choose Flint every single time.

  That included sleeping on his side of the bed.

  “He’s right here,” Flint said a few seconds later. “Why?”

  He sounded much more awake now.

  “I heard something,” I explained. “It sounded like a thud.”

  A thud loud enough to wake me.

  Though, that wasn’t saying much. I’d always been a very light sleeper.

  So light, in fact, I could hear the neighbors as they walked out to their cars and closed the doors two houses down.

  Hell, I could also hear the paper getting delivered.

  But the sound I’d heard wasn’t something I’d ever heard before.

  Otherwise I would’ve been able to go back to sleep.

  “Hear it anymore?” he asked, sitting up in bed.

  I strained to hear anything, but ultimately the sound wasn’t reproduced.

  “No,” I admitted. “Not anymore.”

  “I’ll go look.”

  That’s when I started to panic.

  “Flint, you’re in casts and can’t walk!” I whispered, throwing the covers off of me.

  He snorted. “I’m in walking boots, Camryn. Remember?” He paused. “Not to mention I have Dooley.”

  I deflated.

  That’d been a new development after school yesterday.

  We’d gone in for a checkup on Flint’s legs, and they’d cut the casts off of each side. After a few x-rays, it was decided that the only support Flint needed now was his lower legs on both sides, which hadn’t healed as fast as his hip. He’d spend another four more weeks in his walking boots, and from there, he’d be free to walk without even those.

  I swallowed hard.

  “Remember that the doctor told you no sudden movements,” I whispered, still panicking.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Flint said, barely audible.

  Then I heard his bedside table open, then close.

  Moments later, I heard the shuffle of his boots.

  There was no denying the sound of those. They weren’t quiet in the least. Especially on his hardwood floors.

  “You’re not going to sneak up on anybody,” I muttered to myself.

  Then there were the click-clicks of Dooley’s nails clicking right along with the clop-clop of the boots.

  I sat up and put on pants, followed shortly by switching on the light.

  My eyes went to the clock and I realized that it was hours away from when I had to get up to go open the gym.

  The gym that was slowly sucking the life out of my soul.

  I loved the gym.

  But what I didn’t love was getting there an hour and a half early, getting smoothies ready to go, as well as meal prep orders that Flint and Carmichael had started doing about the time that he’d gotten hurt during his accident.

  Yesterday, when I’d practically forced Flint to go to the gym, I’d realized how much he missed it.

  Me, though?

  Yeah, I didn’t miss it at all.

  Not even a little bit.

  Hell, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to work out there anymore.

  The more time I spent there, the more time I realized that I wasn’t fond of the weight-lifting aspect of CrossFit.

  I was interested in the running and body weight exercises, though.

  Which made me think about finding a different gym that catered more specifically to my likes and dislikes with CrossFit.

  I almost considered bringing a class idea up with Flint but hadn’t had the time nor the inclination to do it just yet.

  That’d be just one more class that I’d have to find some help to oversee, and I just wasn’t into self-torture.

  The clop-clop returned, and I looked up to find Flint standing in the doorway, staring at me.

  “Hey,” I smiled.

  Or tried to.

  He caught the move.

  “What’s wrong?”

  I tried to clear the worry from my face. “I’m worried. Did you find anything?”

  He shook his head. “No, nothing. It must’ve been something outside that you heard. Probably the neighbors.”

  I nodded. “That makes sense. Your neighbors are noisy.”

  And they were. They didn’t even try to be quiet when they were locking their cars in the middle of the night.

  Where I would’ve manually locked the cars so the horn didn’t sound, they straight up locked it from their key fobs—ten times—just to listen to the honk.

  “That’s one neighbor,” he laughed.

  I watched him shuffle back to the bed, smiling at Dooley who waited until Flint was all the way seated to go back to the bed that was on the floor for him.

  Once dog and man were settled back in bed, I reached for the light.

  But before I could get myself back under the blankets and once again cocooned in my spot, Flint reached for me and dragged me to his side.

  I kicked the covers so that they were over both of us, then curled one leg up and situated it to lay over his lower thighs. When I was comfortable, I threw my arm around his upper body and snuggled in even deeper.

  “Now that you’re comfortable,” he rumbled. “Tell me what was really on your mind when I came back into the room.”

  I thought about that for a long moment, then decided to hell with it.

  If he wanted to know, I wasn’t going to keep it f
rom him.

  That wasn’t the way a relationship worked.

  “I don’t like doing gym stuff,” I admitted.

  “You don’t like working out, or you don’t like doing owner duties?” he asked carefully.

  “Both,” I admitted. “I loved the first six-week session that I went to. It was tough as hell, but there wasn’t a bunch of heavy weight-lifting, which I’m not all that in to. But that’s not what has me concerned right now.”

  “What does?” he rumbled beneath me.

  “All this gym stuff is slowly making me want to blow my head off,” I told him bluntly. “I’m tired of whining people that can’t make their gym monthly payments wanting a discount. I’m even more tired of getting up and getting all the meal prep orders ready to distribute. Then getting called when the food isn’t to their liking seeing as I wasn’t the one who made it.” I paused. “I also don’t like getting up as early as I am…”

  He squeezed me tighter. “I put you in a spot that you couldn’t get out of.”

  I shook my head. “No. I thought I could handle it, and I can’t. I don’t like doing it. I’m inherently lazy by nature, and you having to get up and participate in all this is definitely not something that I find appealing any longer.”

  He pulled me impossibly closer, and I melted into his body even more.

  My hand ran up and down his side, and I wondered how hard he had to work to maintain his abs even when he wasn’t able to work out the lower half of his body.

  “I don’t think that I told you how much you mean to me lately,” he said into the dark.

  I closed my eyes and smiled.

  “You tell me, baby,” I promised him.

  “You may think that I tell you, but I probably don’t,” he rumbled. “What woman would go and get a second job at a gym that she doesn’t even get paid for? What woman would help a man take a bath because that man couldn’t do it all by himself? What woman would stay when there were only good reasons to go?”

  I swallowed hard, and through a lump in my throat I said, “A woman that loves her man.”

  He let out a long breath. “I’ll talk to Carmichael and I’ll get someone to take over the morning shift for you. You’ve done enough…way more than you ever wanted to.” He paused. “I’ll also be taking over more shifts. Now that I can technically walk, I should be able to make my way inside a gym and sit on one of the rolling chairs from my office. I can even teach classes.”