Oh crap. Not this again.
“All the kids are talkin’ ‘bout doin’ it. We got sick of talkin’ so we decided just to do it,” Curtis went on.
“It’s so fuckin cool you’re workin’ with Crowe,” Martin said and turned to his brother. “Told you she was workin’ with Crowe.”
Curtis nodded but was silent, overwhelmed by the excitement of it all. His eyes moving between me and Vance who had pulled up Jermaine and was positioning him against the wall next to Clarence.
My eyes returned to the kids. “Don’t say fuck and I’m not working with Crowe.”
“Yeah you are. I heard he’s like, your man and you’re like, his woman,” Martin replied.
“Yeah, Sniff said that, today, you two were huggin’ at that bookstore where they all hang out,” Curtis put in.
Damn Sniff and his mouth.
I looked at Vance and noticed he had turned to us. I didn’t know him well enough to guess his reaction to this latest fiasco but, if I’d had to guess, it wouldn’t have been him smiling wide like he was pleased about something which was exactly what he was doing.
I sent him a look and turned back to the boys. “All right, kids, let’s get this straight. You two do not go out on the street and get in the faces of bad guys. Anyone else you hear talking about it, you tell them I said the same to them. Do you hear me?” I said in my word-is-law voice.
“We hear you,” Curtis said.
“No need. You workin’ with Crowe and that Mace guy in on it too…” Martin replied, trailing off, awe still in his voice.
“Streets’ll be clean in no time,” Curtis added, like we were superheroes.
I looked back at Vance and he was still smiling.
I rolled my eyes.
Headlights came from behind me and I turned and saw a black Ford Explorer heading down the alley. It stopped close to us and Stark swung out of the driver’s side. A huge blond guy that looked like a relative of the big man at Fortnum’s got out the passenger side. They walked up to us, both of them were grinning.
Martin and Curtis’s mouths had dropped open again.
“God dammit,” I hissed under my breath.
Just what I needed, Super Dude Stark and Paul Bunyon sweeping up the trash. The kids were going to talk about this until Christmas.
Mace re-emerged from the shadows just as the huge blond said, “Jesus, Law, you ever take a night off?”
“The Law never takes a break,” Curtis offered.
I looked skyward. As I was doing so Vance approached me and curled an arm around my neck, pulling me into the side of his body. Martin and Curtis had trained their gazes on us and, again, their mouths dropped open but now their eyes were bugged nearly clear out of their heads.
“Knew you were his woman,” Martin finally said.
I’d had enough. “You two know Hazel?” I asked.
More awestruck looks.
“Your Camaro?” Curtis breathed.
“Yeah. She’s parked on the street, lock yourselves in until I get there. Tonight, you’re sleeping at King’s.”
“We get to ride in Hazel?” Martin asked.
“Move!” I snapped.
They both ran.
I turned toward Vance, which only succeeded in my curling into his body. I pulled back at the neck but his arm didn’t go anywhere so I gave up.
He was grinning down at me.
“Take your arm away,” I said.
He didn’t, instead he leaned in and kissed my forehead. This was such a strange thing to do in the current situation, and I was so shocked by it, I blinked at him.
“What was that for?” I asked.
“I’m just relieved that when you told me you knew what you were doin’, you actually knew what you were doin’.”
It wasn’t a well-lit alley but I was pretty sure he was looking at me with new respect. I felt a rush of warmth, starting at my belly and going outwards. I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything.
The big blond guy and Mace were pushing Clarence and Jermaine toward the Explorer.
“Where are they taking them?” I asked.
“Don’t know. We still got Shard in the holding room. You’re challenging our capacity,” Vance replied.
“You… you… what do you mean you still have Shard? What’s a holding room?”
Vance was watching them load up Clarence and Jermaine. His eyes came down to me and his arm loosened, sliding from around my shoulders. I pulled back but he kept me close with his fingers curled around my neck.
“I didn’t like the way Shard was lookin’ at you last night. We took him to the holding room in the offices to talk to him, convince him he didn’t want retribution. He’s being difficult.”
“Oh my God,” I breathed. That did not sound good.
“Don’t worry, he won’t touch you,” Vance said and I figured either they would talk him out of it or Vance would stop him. One way or the other, he wouldn’t touch me. Something about the thought of that made that rush of warmth intensify.
“So what about Clarence and Jermaine?” I asked.
“They aren’t low level. We’ll need to talk to their people. Lee’s already taken his side in this, whatever happens, you won’t feel it.”
My head jerked in surprise and I stared at him in the shadows. “What do you mean, Lee’s taken a side?”
“I mean he’s made it known where he stands,” Vance replied.
“And where does he stand?” I asked.
“By you.”
My breath caught and it was my turn for my mouth to drop open. “You’re joking.”
“Nope. Not a popular opinion. Hank and Chavez both want you shut down. They think you’re gonna get hurt and vigilantism isn’t a big hit with them. You aren’t real popular with Darius either. Still, Lee decides somethin’ that’s it,” Crowe said.
“Where do you stand?” I asked.
“Got your back when you’re on the street. The rest of the time I’ll be tryin’ to talk you out of it.”
I put my hands to my hips. “I thought you just said I knew what I was doing?” I asked.
“He gave you a classic opening and you took advantage of it. He thought you were a joke. You kept your cool and did well but word’ll get around. Somehow, with your shit, it gets around faster than most. People will begin to take you more seriously. Maybe take you as a challenge and look for you. You won’t get the same opening again.”
“I’ll be ready for it,” I said. “That’s not my only move.”
Vance’s shit-eating grin made an appearance. “So, what you’re sayin’ is, you wanted to lose this morning when we were wrestling in bed?” Vance asked.
I opened my mouth to speak (or probably yell) when Luke materialized at our side.
He was smiling huge, no half-mouthed grin this time and I knew he heard what Vance said. Vance dropped his hand from my neck.
“Hate to break up this lover’s chat but we gotta take these boys in. You gonna speak for Law or you want me to do it?” he asked.
“Speak for me?” I asked.
“I’ll do it,” Vance said, ignoring me.
“Speak for me?” I repeated.
“You givin’ her your protection?” Luke asked, ignoring me too.
“Speak for me?” I said again then I hesitated, my eyes narrowed and I went on. “Protection?”
“Yeah,” Vance answered Luke’s protection question.
“Um… protection?” I asked.
Mace arrived at us. “Tell them she’s got mine too,” he said.
“Excuse me… boys?” I cut in.
Vance looked at Luke. “What about you?” he asked.
“I’m in,” Luke replied.
“Helloooooo?” I called.
“You want to call Lee, make it official?” Mace asked.
I gave up, crossed my arms on my chest and tapped my toe.
“Yeah,” Luke answered on a short laugh. “He’s at dinner with Indy, Roxie, Hank, Ally, Tex and his pa
rents. Welcome to Denver for Roxie. He’s probably ready to murder someone about now. He’d kill to get a high priority call.”
The guys looked at each other with amused faces.
“Um, pardon me but it is after midnight. I doubt they’re still at dinner,” I informed them.
They all looked at me.
“Shit,” Mace muttered.
“Probably shouldn’t call him then,” Luke half-grinned.
These guys.
“Does someone want to tell me what you’re talking about?” I asked.
“We’ll leave that to Crowe. Later,” Luke said then he de-materialized, poof, gone.
Same with Mace.
I didn’t ask how these boys seemed to appear and disappear without apparently moving. I had more important things on my mind.
“What’s that mean, speaking for me and protection?” I asked, turning fully to Vance.
“Jermaine and Clarence work for the same guy. Not good to have your boys in a showdown with a white woman in an alley and they get bested. Normally, Princess, you could expect retribution. Someone’s gotta talk to him to convince him not to send someone to put a bullet in your brain. That someone is me.”
I didn’t say anything partially because I didn’t want to think about a bullet in my brain and partially because he called me “Princess”.
“At the same time I make this rumor of you and me bein’ partners true. I give you my protection and they’ll take that into consideration before they, or anyone, thinks to move on you. It’ll mean a fuck of a lot more with Mace and Luke in. It’ll mean even more if Lee throws down.”
I knew he was saying serious stuff but the only thing I could think to say was, “Princess?”
He got close, his hands went to my hips and pulled them to his and he looked down at me. “You understand what I just said to you?” he asked softly.
I nodded but said, “Princess?”
He grinned and got closer, his shadowed face blocking out the small amount of light.
His voice still soft, he said, “You sleep in that big bed, wearin’ soft, lacy nightgowns, all those fancy sheets and pillows and fancy furniture in the living room. You live like a fuckin’ princess.”
“I’m not a princess,” I whispered.
“You are to me.”
Oh my God.
I didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything. I just stood there and stared at his shadowed face.
He kissed my forehead and said, “Get your kids home.”
And then he, too, vanished into the night.
Chapter Seven
Wear Something Nice
The minute I swung into King’s the next morning I knew the night’s escapade had already made the rounds.
There were twice as many kids there than yesterday. They all looked at me when I walked in and the room went wired.
“God dammit,” I muttered under my breath.
“Hey Law!” Curtis shouted from across the room.
I walked to him, ignoring the eyes that followed my progress. “How’s your head?” I asked.
“Good,” he answered, grinning at me like a fool.
“You have a headache, dizzy at all?”
“Nope, nothin’.”
“You feel dizzy, you tell someone, yeah?”
He nodded.
I turned to Martin who was standing beside him. “You okay?” I asked.
“Definitely,” he nodded, pleased as punch to be a central character in my crusade.
I shook my head, shoved his shoulder, turned and saw May bearing down on me like a storm cloud. Without a word, she grabbed my arm, dragged me across the room and into the quiet hall.
“Thought you said you weren’t partnered with Crowe?” she asked, eyes bright again, this time her excitement was mixed with a shade of anger at not being in the loop.
“Um…” I said.
“And what’s this I hear ‘bout you two havin’ a date? You go out on a date with Crowe last night and didn’t tell me?” she kept on.
“It wasn’t a date, as such,” I hedged.
“You spend time with him last night, outside of kickin’ black boy dealer ass that is?”
“Well… yeah,” I admitted.
“He get in your panties?” she was relentless.
“May!”
“Well, did he?”
“No,” I answered.
“Did he try?” she went on.
My eyes slid away. This was none of her business, of course, but one didn’t really go up against May. She might be a soft touch but she was also a mother hen and a nosy, straight-talking one at that.
“Hon,” she said and I noticed her anger was gone, “this is the best news I’ve heard all month, maybe all year.”
My eyes came back to her. “What?” I asked.
“You need a man. Don’t know why the boys aren’t crawlin’ all over you, way you look. Hate to see you lonely, livin’ your life for a bunch of kids, most of ‘em won’t give you the time of day. Every girl needs to get her some and get it regular if she can. You need a life outside this place, and, what I hear of him, you settle him down a bit, Crowe might be just the boy to give it to you.”
I thought for a second about the herculean task of “settling” Crowe down a bit. It almost made me laugh and then I looked at May’s face and decided against it.
“May, it isn’t like that.”
She just looked at me.
“May it was just one, kind of, date,” I said.
“He ask you out again?”
“Um…” I hesitated and May leaned threateningly closer. “Yeah, tonight,” I admitted.
“Mm hmm,” she mumbled, crossing her arms and nodding at me.
I stared at her a beat.
Whatever.
Time to move on.
“I have work to do,” I said.
She stopped me as I tried to move away. “You really flip Jermaine on his back and kick him in the balls?” she whispered.
Slowly, I nodded.
“Girl, you’re workin’ on becomin’ famous,” she smiled and let me go.
Famous was not what I was going for but I figured infamous was more where I was headed.
I went in search of Sniff and Roam and found them in their bedroom.
I stuck my head in and said, “I want you both here all day. Later, we’re going to talk.”
“Hey Law,” Sniff called. “Fuckin’ cool what you did last night.”
I gave him a look. “Stop saying fuck,” I told him.
Sniff grinned.
I looked at Roam. He was smiling at me.
I couldn’t help myself, I smiled back.
* * * * *
It was nigh on impossible to get any work done. Kids and colleagues alike approached me. Some asked flat out if what they’d heard about last night was true (those were my kids). Some skirted the issue and looked at me like I might be a touch crazy (those were my colleagues).
I did my best to talk it down, making it sound like your normal, average, everyday drive through town in the middle of the night when you coincidentally find yourself running into two drug dealers and confronting them in an alley with a Glock (though I didn’t mention the Glock).
Furthermore my mind kept racing forward to that night, when I was going out with, and then getting laid by, Vance Crowe. I still hadn’t come up with a delay tactic and the flight to Nicaragua was looking more and more appealing as the day wore on.
I took two appointments with kids, called a couple parents, did some paperwork and, along with the talk of my adventure last night, I heard the whisperings that the kids thought it was so cool some of them wanted to try it out for themselves. This was regardless of my warning to Martin and Curtis.
I wanted to ignore it and hope it was all talk but it was beginning to become clear that I wouldn’t get that choice.
May approached me after lunch. “Hon, you’re gonna have to say somethin’. You can’t ignore this. You tell them not to do it, they wo
n’t do it. They look up to you. They’ll listen to you.”
I looked at her not certain she was right. The kids never listened to anyone. My word might be law in the Shelter; it didn’t hold the same weight when it came to the street.
Then I looked across my cubical to Andy, the other full-time social worker. He heard May and silently nodded his head. That’s when I knew May was right.
Damn.
I pushed back my chair.
The rec room was still packed when May and I entered it and, again, everyone’s eyes swiveled to me.
May clapped her hands and announced, “Quiet, ya’ll. Eyes on Law. She’s got somethin’ to say. Clarice, you turn off that TV. We need your full attention.” When Clarice, a heavyset, sixteen year old black girl that I’d pulled from The Mall a few months ago flipped off the TV and all eyes had locked on me, May turned to me and said, “Go on, hon. Tell it like it is.”
I didn’t know how to tell it like it was but I looked at the kids staring at me and I knew I had to try.
“All right, folks, listen up,” I started. “We hear you talking about going out, thinking to avenge Park, but I’m telling you right now, you’re not going to do it. I see any of you kids on the streets, getting into different kinds of trouble than you normally find, I’ll shut you down myself. Got me?”
I was channeling Crowe Speak to make my point. Nothing gets the word across like talking like a badass mother when they thought you were a badass mother.
They all just stared at me.
“Got me?” I snapped.
The door opened but I ignored it thinking that it was just more kids arriving.
“Where’s Shard?” someone called to me. “He ain’t on the streets. Is Nightingale torturing him?”
“Yeah, you bring ‘em down and the Nightingale guys take ‘em in and make ‘em pay. Is that how it is?” someone else threw in.
I looked at the ceiling then I looked at May then I looked back at the room. Where did they get this shit?
“No, the Nightingale Investigation Team is not torturing Shard,” I answered.
At least, I didn’t think they were.
“Where is he then?” another kid called out.
“I don’t know, maybe at church, praying for his sins,” I replied.
Some kids laughed. One kid called out another question.
“You flip Jermaine like they said? Kick him in the nuts?”
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