Chapter 12 Summary

Willie wakes up to find that the bus driver, a muscular black man named Lacey Casteel, has come back to help. He fusses at Willie for being out so late at night in this part of town, and for riding his bus, but he takes Willie with him to ride out the rest of his route.

Over breakfast at a diner at the end of his shift, Lacey explains that he didn't help Willie before, because Jo boys isn't just a group of boys; it's a street gang that will kill a person. Lacey does not explain why he turned around and came back to see about Willie.

After hearing Willie's story, Lacey offers to pay the bus fare to send Willie home, but Willie asks to stay at Lacey's place for one night. At first, Lacey refuses, because he does not want...