“What the fuck are you doin’ here?” Mace asked and with a quick glance I saw he was talking to his father.
“Mace,” Vance said low.
Preston Mason was staring at me.
“I thought we had an arrangement,” Preston asked me.
“Erm…” I mumbled.
Effing hel !
Caught!
“I asked you what you’re doin’ here,” Mace repeated.
Preston’s eyes moved from me to his son, his hands came from where they were resting in his lap and he flicked them out to his sides, cool and calm.
“I came to talk to you. But I’ve been delighted to have the opportunity to watch this drama unfold.” Preston motioned between Shirleen, George and pinch-faced lady.
That’s when, belatedly, I felt a chil crawl up my spine.
“Shirleen, you okay?” I asked hesitantly.
“No… I… am… not,” Shirleen answered.
Oh dear.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Perhaps, Miz Jackson, we can go somewhere private,” the pinch-faced lady suggested.
“Ain’t nothin’ you can’t say in front of my boys.” Shirleen gestured to Mace and Vance.
“You have more people in your audience,” George told Shirleen and Shirleen’s narrowed gaze swung to him.
“Stel a’s my girl. And that one’s a jackass so he don’t count,” Shirleen replied, giving a nod toward Preston Mason.
I nearly laughed but I didn’t.
“Shirleen, take it to Lee’s office. We’l wait until Jules gets here,” Vance put in.
“I’m afraid Mrs. Crowe is likely busy,” George told Vance. “You see, King’s Shelter is having a surprise inspection today.”
Oh hel . That was where Jules worked.
Mace was right about Jerky George and he wasn’t wasting any time in seeking retribution.
“First thing they’l be looking into is your wife’s files on the placement of two street kids with a known felon,” George continued.
“Interesting,” Preston Mason said slowly. “Is she the felon?” he asked curiously, jerking his head toward Shirleen then his eyes locked on Vance. “Or is he talkin’ about you, Crowe? I know you’re a felon.” When the pinch-faced lady gasped, Preston nodded to her and went on informatively, “Grand theft auto.”
Oh no.
This was not happening.
Pinch-faced lady stared at Vance for a few seconds then she breathed, “Juliet Crowe is married to a felon?”
“No,” I snapped. “She’s married to a hot guy.” It was my turn to have pinch-faced lady stare at me then she blinked rapidly and final y turned to Shirleen.
“Miz Jackson, we need to do an immediate intervention,” she explained. “Those boys wil be placed elsewhere while we look into this matter. You should have expected this as you had your home invaded and fired a .44 caliber weapon during said invasion while both boys were in residence.”
“I have a right to protect my home and my boys,” Shirleen retorted.
“I’m sorry but I’m not sure it’s policy to al ow firearms in the homes of foster carers,” pinch-faced lady shot back with saccharine sweetness.
“He shot three times into the livin’ room. The night before, Roam had fal en asleep on the couch watchin’
movies. He could have been hit!” Shirleen clipped.
“You can explain that while we take your report,” pinch-faced lady said. “But those boys are going to need to be moved today.”
“Those boys aren’t goin’ anywhere,” Shirleen fired back.
I looked across the room and Preston Mason was grinning.
Erm.
No.
Someone had to do something and that someone was going to be me.
“Are you saying Shirleen has to give up her constitutional rights to be a foster carer?” I asked pinch-faced lady.
Pinch-faced lady swung her pinched-face to me. “Who are you?”
“I’m Shirleen Jackson’s friend,” I answered.
Pinch-faced lady’s eyes went to Jerky George and she asked, “Does she deal drugs too?”
Shirleen growled. Preston Mason laughed. I felt both Mace and Vance go stil . My head prepared to explode.
“What did you say?” I hissed, taking a step forward but Mace moved, his arm came around my waist and he halted my progress by hauling me against his body.
“Everyone knows what she is.” Pinch-faced lady pointed at Shirleen.
I leaned toward her, straining at Mace’s arm. “I want you to say it. Out loud. So everyone in this room can bear witness to your slander.”
“Stel a,” Mace spoke low behind me.
“No,” I twisted to look at Mace. “They wanna dig their hole deeper? We should let them. Hel , we should encourage it!” I ended up yel ing.
“Be quiet,” Mace ordered.
I was not going to be quiet.
My mother was just mean to me and Mace heard it and it made him destroy a phone.
My father had been mean to me al my life.
In fact, al my life I’d been rol ing over and letting people deliver gut kick after gut kick.
I was done rol ing over.
I turned around and glared at George. “How stupid are you?” I asked.