Lord Have Mercy: Possum Creek

By Gen Griffin

**This book is a Prequel Novella to the Possum Creek series. It was previously published as "Long Dead".**

MISSING PERSONS ALERT 

Casey Black 
Age:13 
Eyes: Brown 
Hair: Brown 
Height: 5'2 
Weight: 137 lbs 

Casey was last seen leaving Possum Creek Middle School. She was wearing a pink t-shirt and blue jeans at the time of her disappearance. If you have seen Casey, please contact 890-5569. A $1,000 reward is being offered for any information about her whereabouts. 


The day Casey Black disappeared is a day that will haunt David Breedlove's nightmares forever. He never dreamed that a little bit of reckless fun could have fatal consequences. He never imagined that his desire to protect the people he cares about the most had the potential to turn him into a monster.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gen Griffin
• Release date: Oct 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519991362

Book preview

If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher. In such case neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

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LORD HAVE MERCY

A POSSUM CREEK NOVELLA

Copyright © 2014 by Gen Griffin

All rights reserved.

ASIN: B00RO4Q7UM

ISBN13: 978-1505861303

ISBN-10: 1505861306

Previously Published As Long Dead

The uploading, scanning, and distribution of this book in any form or by any means — including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal and punishable by law. Permission is granted to copy or reprint portions for any noncommercial use except they may not be posted online without permission. Please purchase only authorized editions of this work, and do not participate or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

DEDICATION

To Stephen.

Because dedicating books to you is what I do.

To Cara.

For finding us a name.

To Lizz.

For being my favorite reader and fan.

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And to all my friends who have supported me through

the ups and downs of becoming a published author.

I love you guys.

Also By Gen Griffin

The Possum Creek Series

Hot Southern Mess

Hissy Fit

Hot Southern Nights

Pretty Is As Pretty Does

Give Me Some Sugar (Coming Soon)

Lord Have Mercy (Prequel Novella)

After The Apocalypse

The Scavengers

Church of Chaos

False Idols

Chapter 1

David was almost asleep when his phone started vibrating in the pocket of his hoodie. He looked up, briefly startled out of the trance he'd let Mrs. Brewer's monotone drone lull him into as she muttered endlessly about the value of adverbs and adjectives.

Two rows of desks ahead, Johnny Cash's version of Ghost Riders In the Sky started blaring. Mrs. Brewer abruptly stopped extolling the wonders of grammar.  She glared at Cal, who was digging around in the pocket of his jeans in an effort to shut his phone up.

David decided to use the distraction to his advantage. He pulled his own phone out and opened the offending text message. A picture of a familiar bright red Jeep Cherokee appeared on the screen. The Jeep was sunk in mud up to its headlights.

The message itself was simple. 'Come get me. I fucked up.'

Fucking Addy, David muttered under his breath. He couldn't help smiling as he slipped the phone back into his lap and looked up at the clock. Twenty minutes until 2nd period was over.

Mr. Walker, do you have something going on in your personal life that is more important than our class? Mrs. Brewer was glaring down her nose at Cal.

Uh, no ma'am. I don't think so, anyway. He'd gotten his phone out and was rapidly pressing down on the volume button in an attempt to silence the device.

Are you sure, or would you like me to check that for you? Mrs. Brewer stepped up to Cal's desk and waggled her long, bony fingers at him.

I'm sure, Cal replied. His pale cheeks were flushed pink from the embarrassment. Cal hated being called out or reprimanded in any way. He always expected everyone to kiss his ass and he never failed to be just a little bit horrified when someone didn't.

How can you be sure if you don't check your message? Mrs. Brewer still had her hand out, as if she really expected Cal to hand over the phone.

David bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

Because my folks would have called the school by now if it was an emergency. Cal stuck the now silent phone back into his pocket. He leaned back in his desk chair and met the teacher's eyes with a smile full of thinly veiled defiance. The look would have been more impressive if he hadn't been crammed into the tiny desk like a summer sausage that didn't quite fit its wrapper. Cal's broad shoulders and less than delicate waistline made him a poor fit for the rigid single-piece chair and desk combinations that filled the classrooms at Possum Creek High School.

David didn't have Cal's problem with the desks. He looked down past his own narrow chest and into his lap. He quickly swiped one finger across the screen of his phone and typed out his reply to Addison. 'Stuck in class. Give me 30 minutes. U at the creek?'

I suppose you're right. Mrs. Brewer narrowed her eyes at Cal. David could almost see her weighing the odds as to whether or not it was worth it to take away the Mayor's grandson's cell phone. David was betting the answer would be 'not'. Cal rarely got in trouble for committing the same sins that the rest of the peons had to burn at the stake for.

Never getting punished was probably the reason Cal never bothered to follow the rules.

Never following the rules was the reason Cal was David's best friend. David grinned to himself as his phone vibrated again.

He looked down at the message. 'Crooked view trail. Near the west end. I'll share my beer.' The photo that accompanied the text was of a lonely, slightly grubby cooler. A dozen or so beers were visible just underneath the ice.

Mrs. Brewer let out an irritated huff and went back to yammering about nouns. Score: Calvin Walker 1, Teacher 0. No surprises there.

David slipped his phone back into his hoodie. He glanced out the window and idly wondered what had possessed Addison to plunge his Jeep into three feet of sloppy mud on a cold, miserably soggy winter day. Then again, David rarely found a good explanation for anything Addison Malone did. The vast majority of Addison's actions seemed either completely illogical or utterly random. Sometimes both.

The bell rang, cutting Mrs. Brewer off mid-sentence. David slipped out of his desk and snagged his backpack off the ground. He closed the distance between his own desk and Cal's before Cal had completely managed to extract himself from the desk.

I hate these puny things, Cal muttered. He kicked the leg of the desk with the toe of his boot.

Maybe you should go on a diet, David suggested less than helpfully.

Kiss my ass, you scrawny bastard. Cal threw his own backpack over his shoulder. It's your fault I'm getting fat. Momma keeps baking cakes and brownies, trying to put some weight on your ass. You stay bony while I keep getting fatter and fatter.

Stop eating, David told him. Just cause Momma cooks it doesn't mean you've got to eat it.

She keeps shoving it at me, Cal complained, They walked out the classroom door and away from the prying eyes of Mrs. Brewer. He pulled out his phone. Now, who the-?

Addy. David shook his head and waved Cal's phone away. He's got the Jeep buried in mud up to its headlights down on the west side of the creek. He texted us at the same time. My phone was on vibrate though.

Cal ignored David and opened the text message anyway. He whistled low under his breath as he took in the picture. That's pretty.

Yeah. I figure its going to take the rest of the day to get out there and pull him out. David rolled his shoulders backwards, popping his back in the process. "You ain't got anything important going on during your last