A/N: I own nothing and please forgive all of my mistakes. Thanks for taking the time to review it inspires me because editing this takes time and with the holidays and snow days I had extra time, but now I am back on the grind and would rather read than edit this story especially this emotional chapter. BTW I finished Rebecca Yarros' Onyx Storm so that is why I am little late with this update iykyk...

Twenty-two

Stop in by for a pick me up any day of the week

Not just on rainy days or Mondays.

—SIGN AT THE LIMA BEAN

Gina sat outside the principal office in what she hopes will not become her usual seat while her mom and Principal Rashad argued in his office. What had she been thinking when she told her mom she wanted to come to school today? What must everyone think about her after watching the news broadcast?

She could here a lot of screaming and yelling and see pointing and gesturing that could be because her mom had told Principal Rashad to kiss her big black behind or it could be the interpreter signing to Ricky's dad everything her mom was saying.

Thank God Ricky was there beside her to take her mind off all the ways the day could go downhill fast. He couldn't help looking over his shoulder and telling Gina what he saw and what was signed.

"Your mom is mad as hell because the news team is not going to be punished. They aren't even taking them off the news. Their parents including Mrs. Lynn are screaming censorship and threatening to go to Fox news to plead their case as well as sue the school if any action is taken against their children."

Gina couldn't believe it. "Are you kidding me? They aren't going to do anything to those—"

"You can say it," he encouraged.

"Stupid assholes?"

"Aww I thought you were going to call them what your mother did. And nope. Not a single thing." His voice and face were not giving her the same message. He sounded all nonchalant but his expression was of a fire breathing dragon.

She couldn't understand how he could be friends with them.

"Why are you friends with them? They treat you like you're one of the school bullies, and you don't even seem to care."

"I don't care."

"What don't you care about?"

I am not a popular kid. We just have an understanding. If they don't mess with me, I won't mess with them."

"I still don't understand."

"It's a long story," he said, sitting up. "Back when we were in primary school, there was this kid who was pretty much known as the school bully because he was bigger than everybody."

"In primary school?" she asked.

"Yeah? So, he took turns messing with everyone in our grade. Then one day, he decided it was my turn to be harassed."

"Did he beat you up?"

"He tried to. He pushed me down and tried to steal my backpack."

"Ricky, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I just got up, took a boy's wooden baseball bat as he walked by us into the building, and him on the knees. The school bully went down and cried and cried and from then on he never messed me."

"Wow. You were only, what, six or seven?"

"Something like that. Suddenly, everyone wanted to be my friend after that, and it's been that way ever since."

"It's because they think you are crazy and even though you are smaller than some of them, they still fear you. And you don't care what anyone thinks of you. Did you beat up Bastian Blythe yesterday?"

He lifted a shoulder. "I socked him in the face. He deserved worse, but he's regretting what he did yesterday. I can guarantee that."

"Because you have something on him?"

He lowered his head. "I have something on everyone. I can read lips you know, and these kids can't keep a secret. They're only my so-called friends because they think it keeps them safe. It's not like I go around beating the crap out of people every day to be the school bully."

"I'm not friends with you only because I am scared of you."

"I know. You are real. The rest of the people here are fake."

Before she could say anything else, like a marriage proposal, her mom stormed out of the office. "Hell to the no," she said, mad as a disturbed nest of hornets.

The principal followed her. "What do you want me to do, Mercedes?"

She took one look at Gina and Ricky and had a look that said she was ready to compromise.

"Fine, Anthony. Go ahead and bow down to the wealthy white people in this town. If those students were black and my daughter and Ricky were one hundred percent white—"

"I'm black, too, Mercy, and you know the superintendent, my boss, who can suggest that I be fired if I discipline them?"

They were drawing a crowd of students who couldn't leave because it was an entertaining show.

"I know how it is, but if nothing is going to happen to those insensitive and probably racist spoiled pieces of shit—"

Gina gasped. Her mom didn't curse in public.

Her mom looked at Lily's mother, Kitty, before she demanded, "Then nothing will happen to Ricky either."

"Now, Mercy—"

Ricky's dad and the interpreter came out. The interpreter looked exhausted just trying to keep up with the conversation.

"Don't even say you can't do it," she warned Principal Rashad.

Gina had never, in all of her life, seen her mom that upset. She looked at her in shock while Ricky looked at her approvingly.

"Nothing happens to these two kids because if it does, then this school will have something more to worry about than a lawsuit." She turned to Ricky's dad. "Mr. Bowen, it was a pleasure to meet you."

He took her hand and signed thank-you.

She turned to Ricky. "And you . . ." She bent down and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "You are a real flesh and blood hero. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"Now Mercy," the principal said. "Please don't encourage his vigilante behavior."

"And you . . ." She said to her daughter while taking her hand. "You give them absolute hell, ladybug. And remember, it's okay to stab a bitch in the face with a pencil if it's self defense."

She heard a unified gasp.

"Sometimes you have to use whatever is at your disposal."

"Um, Mercy," Rashad said. "I'm not sure—"

"If you have no other choice, resort to throwing a punch. It will hurt your hand but it will stop people from bullying you."

Gina couldn't hold back her smile. "WWGGD?"

"WWGGD."

Her mom strolled out of the school like she owned it not like she was disappointed in what had happened in the meeting as she obviously was. Gina prayed she would have just a little of her strength and her self-confidence when she graduated this high school as her mother did. She was nobody's victim. She was a champion of not just herself but others. She wanted to be just like her.

"Stop laughing, Hunter Clarington. It was a nightmare, and it was like I left my body and my mom took over me as well as the devil. I went off not just in front of the administration and the other parents but the entire student body. Or, well, the ones who near the office, anyway."

"You better hope and pray there's not a new viral video of it going out on social media in a few hours."

"Why did you have to tell me that?" She really needed to solve her own abduction case before she was recalled as sheriff of Lima Springs county.

Her own situation left her mind completely when Abrams came in, looking like he had been in a fight. "Good morning, Sheriff."

"Are you alright, Abrams?"

"Oh, I'm good. My pit bulls got out, and I had to chase them all night to make sure nobody got attacked by them."

"Whoa." He had a bloody scrape on his temple. "Did that lead to your injury?"

He touched his face, including what looked like a small cut, but there were no other signs of injury on his body. "Probably. Some bushes attacked me when I crawled through the underbrush to track them down."

Abrams had only been on the force for about six months and came highly recommended for one so young. He had probably been in line for detective, but he told Cedes during their get-to-know-each-other lunch he just wanted a change in pace so that could settle down and get married and race his future children in a relatively safe and sunny place.

She could understand that. Even with the snow they were having now, the sun shone almost every day of the year in California. The fact that he'd chosen Lima Springs made her wonder about his instincts, but his former lieutenant swore by him.

"I just came in to congratulate you." He shook his head, impressed. "Awesome work last night finding the girl."

"Thanks. Anything on the man who kidnapped her yet?"

"Sorry, Sheriff, nothing concrete, but we're still looking into a few of the tips from the hotline."

"I was going to go through those last night but didn't get around to it. You also didn't find anything with the surveillance footage from the convenience store?"

Cedes found it sad that their only lead at that moment was a receipt that someone had taken out of a trash can to plant at the scene of Ashlyn's abduction.

This guy was nothing if not thorough. It was as if he studied cop shows or was even a cop some point.

"No, ma'am. He must've waited until they dumped the trash and then stole the receipt out of the bin behind the store where there is no camera footage and no witnesses to that, as well."

"Of course not. Just keep looking, leave no stone unturned."

"Yes ma'am. If you need me to take a turn on guard duty—"

"You don't have to offer, it's covered. Agent Campion is getting some state officers to take a shift, too."

"Good. Well, just let me know if you need me."

Jay walked into her office as Abrams was leaving. "Hey, boss."

"What's up? Did you get any sleep?"

"A little sleep, but I can't rest peacefully because he's still out there."

"We are going to get him, twin," Hunter said. "Then, you won't have to come to work looking so tired all the time."

She didn't lower herself to reply to him.

"What do you have?" Cedes asked, looking at the folder in her hand.

"A report. Quinn called."

"What did she find?"

"Well, they cleaned the bracelet with acetate and looked at it under a microscope to get the name off it."

"Finally, some good news. And?"

"It's just, you know, with everything going on, I thought maybe we could put this to the side until we have more time and manpower to focus on it."

"Or we could do both. I've heard some law enforcement agencies are able to do that."

"We could. But I think we should wait on the DNA analysis to get back and then—"

"Jay, I have a child abduction case to solve and identifying the killer of Sander Menkins is also important."

"I know, it's just—"

"Jay . . ."

"It's your man."

"I don't have a man."

"But if you did have a man, it would be him."

Every muscle in her body went still. "What in the hell are you talking about?"

"The name on the bracelet is Samuel."

Hunter took the file out of Jay's hands. "Are you joking?"

"Samuel?" Cedes sat there in disbelief.

"Okay, this doesn't have to mean what it looks like on the surface." Hunter told Cedes not wanting her to break down.

"Well, it does look like Sam could have killed his own uncle."

"Think, if he did it; it had to be self-defense, right?"

"That Sam could also have something to do with my abduction?"

"Mercy, we can't possibly make that kind of assumption with a bracelet."

"Bring him in."

"Sure, for the possible homicide. But to assume he had anything to do with your abduction, I don't think so, Mercy."

"I said what I said."

"No, Mercy. Take a step back and think this through. Why? What motive would he have?"

"It doesn't matter why he did it. We don't look at motive until afterward. We have to follow where the evidence leads us."

He nodded, but added. "Okay, let's check his DNA before we ask for his conviction and the electric chair, though. Okay?"

Tears were forming in her eyes. "Fine. Just bring him here for questioning."

She hurried to the restroom and splashed cold water on her face. It had just been three days on the job, and she'd had at least two panic attacks and had behaved outlandishly unprofessionally in front of a group of high school students.

She thought back, trying to remember how many panic attacks she'd had before moving back to Lima Springs.

Absolutely zero. The only time she had panic attacks were after her attack and was also a reason why she left.

She could not do this again. It was Lima Springs. The batshit crazy town that she'd loved so much growing up.

It was also Sam freaking Menkins. Her emotions were unreliable whenever he was near.

And now this? Would he . . . could he do something that evil to his uncle to her...?

She should have known this wasn't going to work when she first stepped foot into the office building. This whole thing, her being the sheriff, moving back, none of it was going to work.

Gina would be heartbroken, but she could not live here. Maybe the old saying was right. You can't go home. And the town deserved a sheriff that didn't have panic attacks or was unprofessional in front of school children.

At least Rachel Berry and Will Schuester would have plenty of evidence of her unsuitability when it came time to have her position rescinded.

She would have to figure out how to tell everyone eventually, but for now, she had to solve this case before accepting defeat. Everything was right there in front of her. She just needed rest, a clear head, and to be uninterrupted to link them together.

She forced herself to calm down by taking deep slow breaths.

If Sam was innocent, he had nothing to worry about.

If not, well, he was about to be arrested and the chips will fall as they may.

"I think I'm in love with your mom."

"It wouldn't be the first time a boy I liked fell in love with my mom. Honestly."

"So, I'm a boy you like?"

"What now? I didn't mean—"

"It's okay. I want you to know that I like you too if you want to take that into consideration."

Ricky said goodbye to his dad as the principal explained how the school would not be suspending his son due to certain extenuating factors.

Gina was enjoying their conversation so much, she didn't realize he'd stopped both talking and walking when they made it out into the hallway. The hallway was lined with students three kids deep on either side, all looking at her.

Humiliation burned through her as Ricky gestured for her to keep walking. Was she about to be laughed at and taunted?

As they passed, however, the kids offered her their hands to shake, patted her on the back, or took the time to introduce themselves.

"I'm Howie," one kid said and offered to shake her hand.

"I'm Gina." She said to him looking at him in disbelief.

He laughed. "Yeah, we know who you are."

Another girl held out her hand. "I'm Mads short for Madison."

And another. "I'm the other Mads. Short for Maddox."

Then someone patted her back and said, "Welcome to Lima Springs High, Gina."

"We're glad to have you."

"Is this like a Lima Springs thing?" she whispered to Ricky, who was receiving his fair share of high fives and pats on the arm.

He whispered back, "No, this is like a Gina Porter thing."

"I'm Val."

"I'm Jarred. We have history together."

On and on. Student after student. Until she had to keep her mouth pressed together to keep from showing how overwhelmed she was.

"I'm Alex. I look forward to getting to know you better."

"Hi, I'm Emmy, and you and your mom are really amazing."

Gina took her hand and laughed through a sob. Some faces looked familiar. Most didn't. But all of them, each and every one, now held a special place in her heart.

She hid her face when they came to their classroom. The hall went silent, then in one uproarious cacophony, they erupted with applause and cheers.

Gina tried and failed to smile, as she asked Ricky, "Why are they doing this?"

"Because it needed to be done."

She managed the barest hint of a smile before realizing the halls had fallen completely silent. Row by row, the students turned and faced the walls, and Gina was completely lost until she saw Lily and Bastian walking toward the classroom.

The students turned their backs as she walked past. Every. Single. Student.

Gina took in a sharp breath, watching Lily as she turned up her nose and walked like a model at fashion week. Bastian lagged behind her. At least he had the decency to look ashamed.

Lily strode past them and into the room. Bastian followed suit, and the students stayed in their positions even after the tardy bell rang. Teachers had to come out of their classrooms to usher them inside.

Gina turned to Ricky and she hugged him.

He hesitated, then hugged her back. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her tight, and he buried his face in her hair. They hugged until someone, a teacher perhaps, cleared her throat.

Gina pulled away and hurried into the classroom. The kids were standing. They greeted her, too, each one introducing himself or herself and welcoming her to LSH. Besides Team Lily, that is.

She sat at her seat just as the room fell completely silent. That was when she got a good look at Bastian. He had a black eye.

Lily glared at everyone and turned in her seat. "Please. Like I care what you losers think."

The teacher began taking roll when slowly the students started turning their desks. The legs scraped along the floor, the sound making as much of a point as the action. By the time all the chairs had been moved, not a single student faced Lily or Bastian. They'd all turned their backs on them.

Lily stood and ran from the room as Bastian sank down in his chair.

Gina sat flabbergasted. She was both confused and weirdly grateful.

God, she loved this town.

"Now, listen to me."

Sam Menkins marched into the sheriff's station with an axe to grind.

The way Cedes saw it, he could stay mad. He was her number one suspect at the moment for a homicide—and possibly more—and he could not deny the evidence that put him there.

Admittedly, the bracelet was not enough evidence. No DA in the world could get a murder conviction on such circumstantial evidence, but it was a starting point.

Even after this, however, her feelings for him hadn't changed. She could read people really well. Well, everyone but her own daughter. But Sam also threw her off balance. Her ability to read people was what had kept her alive and moving up the proverbial law enforcement ladder in Eureka. It was legendary and had never let her down.

Until now.

She was beginning to wonder if she'd lost it because of her back to back head injuries.

Sam came straight to her office. Hunter followed to stand between him and Cedes should he need to protect Cedes.

Sam stopped short in front of her. "You think I'm a cold blooded murderer now?"

She glared at Hunter.

He showed his palms. "I said nothing."

"He didn't have to." The fury on Sam's face was only part of the picture. She sensed something else. Pain, perhaps. Homicidal tendencies? It was hard to tell. "You think I'm an idiot? You find my uncle's body and now you want my DNA?" He stepped closer. "Screw you. Get a warrant. And don't ever drag my ass in here again unless you talk to my lawyer first."

"We found evidence that places you at the scene when he was killed."

"Bullshit."

"And we found a secondary source of blood on his clothes."

"So it must be mine."

"Prove me wrong. Give me a sample, and we'll have this cleared up in a matter of days."

"Like I said, get a warrant."

"People only say things like that when they're guilty."

He almost came unglued. He stepped even closer, and Hunter stepped even closer, and the whole situation got up close and personal real quick.

"You know, if you'd stayed and finished what you started yesterday, you wouldn't need my DNA. You'd already have it."

"What did you start yesterday?" Hunter asked her.

"We were going to rule you out, but if you don't want that . . ."

"How many times can I say talk to my lawyer before you question me?"

"Sam, he was still holding your ID bracelet that you used to wear."

He let out a sarcastic laugh. "That's all you have? A bracelet he stole from me after my name had been worn off because he liked it and that bastard took anything and everything he could from me? That's your evidence?"

"Don't forget about the blood."

He smiled back. "You know what? Let's do this. My DNA is your DNA."

"Really?" When he only stared down at her, she grabbed the swab kit, took it out of the box, and lifted it to his mouth.

"Just remember what happened when Pandora opened her pretty little box."

"What are you talking about?"

He didn't answer. Nor did he open at first, preferring to glare at her instead. Then his lips parted, just barely, and he waited.

She didn't dare ask him to open wider. She was about to get his DNA without a warrant. Score one for her.

When he refused to give her better access, refused to part those sinful lips any farther, she took hold of his chin and gently lowered it. She inserted the swab and ran it along the inside of his cheek.

He never took his eyes off her, and she began to tremble, but why? Why in God's name did Sam's nearness make her tremble? Did he really affect her so powerfully?

He could, she supposed, if she were a teenager. She didn't want him to be Gina's father. Because that would mean the worst thing in the world. It would make him the worst kind of person in the world.

But he wasn't. She'd seen his kindness again and again.

The thought that he could do something so savage made no sense. Yes, he was legally a Menkins, but he was not biologically and he was so different from the others.

"I am the one you want!"

Cedes looked out and saw Stacey at the front desk.

"Please, I need to speak to the sheriff. I killed Uncle Sandy."

"Oh hell." Sam raked a hand through his hair.

"What is Stacey screaming about?"

"Pay her no attention. We all know she is crazy."

When Cedes motioned for Dani to let her back, Sam changed his mind. "Fine, I am guilty. I killed him."

"What?"

"I killed Sandy. That was all me."

"Why? Because he abducted me? Were you his partner?"

"Partner with that piece of shit in the abduction and rape of a seventeen-year-old girl?"

"I'm just trying to understand."

"You're going to think what you want to think. Nothing I say or do will change that."

"Bullshit."

"You've made up your mind, Porter. And even if you haven't, the fact that you need a test to prove I'm an honorable person pretty much leaves us out in the cold."

"I did it!" Stacey said as she ran back to them.

"Stacey, what the hell?" he asked, his tone was colder than ice.

"I killed Uncle Sandy."

Sam crossed his arms over the expanse of chest he carried around. "Okay, how did you do it?"

"What?"

"How did he die?"

"I—I shot him. With a gun."

He smirked at Cedes, then asked Stacey, "What kind of gun?"

"I don't know. I don't remember. It was a big one."

Sam shook his head at her. "Will you arrest me already?"

"Why?" she asked him, wondering if he knew. "How'd he die?"

He stepped closer and bent down until their mouths almost met. "I stabbed him through his nonexistent heart."

Cedes felt like he'd just stabbed her through the heart as well. She nodded to Hunter, who took him to processing.

"Wait," Stacey said, trying to grab ahold of Sam's arm as Hunter handcuffed him. "What just happened?"

Hunter took him to be processed.

"Your brother told us the answer that you couldn't."

"Please, Mercedes, let me confess. I am guilty . . . he did it for me."

"Don't listen to her!" Sam shouted as Hunter escorted him away.

Cedes waited for him to get out of earshot, then asked Stacey, "What do you mean?"

"I can't explain."

She sat down. "I am going to need more information than that to help you."

Stacey sat down across from her.

Cedes recognized the shame immediately. She knew it all too well from her time at on the police force in Eureka.

"Uncle Sandy hurt Stevie."

Cedes stood and took the seat beside her. By the look on her face, he'd done it more than once. "Stacey, I'm so sorry."

"He'd been verbally abusive to him for years. I did everything I could to keep them apart. But I didn't know the extent of the abuse until much later."

Cedes nodded and gave her time.

"Then Sam found out, and—" She filled her lungs, the breath shuddering through her. "A judge would be more lenient on someone like me killing him rather than my brother. My family needs him. If Sam goes to jail and Uncle Cooter takes the reins of the business, Stevie will have nothing when I'm gone. Cooter will run it into the ground. Or just turn it over to his connections in the DM."

"Stacey, I can't just—"

"Sandy was a piece of shit, Cedes." Stacey broke down in tears, and Cedes took her hand. "In more ways than one."

"I'm sure he was, but—"

"He molested Stevie." Another sob escaped her. She covered her face for a solid minute, struggling for control of her emotions. She swallowed hard, then continued, "That day. The day Sam went after him. Uncle Sandy had been touching him inappropriately because Stevie wasn't able to tell on him. When he is emotional, he can't speak. When Stevie tried to fight him off of him, he broke his arm." She covered her face again, overcome by guilt. From behind her hands, she said, "He was only four years old."

Cedes' vision blurred with a wetness that was stinging the backs of her eyes. Disabled kids were so vulnerable to bullying and abuse. She knew the statistics. The heartbreaking, mind-boggling statistics.

But what now? On the one hand, none of this had anything to do with Cedes' abduction. On the other hand, Sam had killed a man. For all the right reasons, but unless it was self-defense there was nothing she could do for him.

"We'll figure it out, okay? I promise."

Maybe she didn't lose her intuition in the move, after all. Sam was a good person. She knew it. She could feel it in her bones. But that wouldn't be for her to judge. She would have to leave that to the DA, but she'd damn well make sure they knew the particulars of the case.

After Stacey left, Cedes got down to business. No more distractions. They had to find out who'd abducted Ashlyn before he tried it again.