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He s got dementia? Jones asked Brian.
Yeah, but he knows who I am. He s with it enough to drive here. Then he gets to that if
you can t save them, kill them mentality. Brian felt bad for his grandfather. The old man
would never approve or accept Brian s sexuality, but he wasn t a murderer, at least not normally.
The police arrived and took statements. They tried to evaluate Grandpa s mental state and
called an ambulance. The paramedics checked out all the men, and while Grandpa was shaken,
nothing was broken.
Jones walked to Brian. Paramedics want to take him for a psych hold and evaluation.
He has dementia. Brian shrugged. Thanks for handling this. Let s wait for my mom.
She s dealing with this and knows Grandpa s doctors.
Sure. Jones stepped in. At least, it s over. A few protestors are nothing. The old man
admitted to the note and the phone message. Even the drive by.
I can t believe he has the strength to fire a gun. Brian looked at the one hundred pound
man who used to be so filled out and powerful he d scared Brian as a child.
He s strong. I tackled him. Jones patted Brian on the back.
Brian wanted to hold onto Jones and never let go. If it wasn t for Grandpa, Brian
would ve done it. But that would set off the old guy again. Plus Jones had never let their
relationship show in front of the other bodyguards. Brian wouldn t start that now.
One of the guards let Brian s parents in the front door, and Brian steadied himself.
Everyone is fine, he said.
His mother walked past Brian and knelt by her father. Daddy, are you okay?
We d like to take him for an evaluation, the paramedic said.
Oh no. He s been diagnosed, and his doctors are very good. You just check with them.
She fussed over the old man. What s this? He s tied up?
Ma am, he shot at your son and three other men tonight. And your father admitted to the
gun shot last week. He s a danger.
He couldn t possibly. He has a twenty-four hour home health aide. He s supervised.
Mom s plastered on smile felt fake to Brian.
I shoved that new one out of the way. They can t tie me down or force meds on me!
The old man yanked at his restraints hard enough to move the entire chair.
New one? Brian asked.
Well, yes, they need a break so he gets a new one every couple of weeks. It must be a
bad fit, Mother answered.
So if he slipped away from one, would they tell you? the police officer asked.
Maybe, maybe not. One did call and say he d lost my father a couple of times last week,
but they found him again. Dad was always safe. He gets lost and turned around. Her lips
quivered. Daddy, did you do this?
I m not a prisoner. I m going to keep my family right with God or die trying.
Clearly, he needs to be an inpatient, Brian s dad commented.
No, not in a place. A home. She shuddered.
Mom, he s a danger. At his home, he has access to a car and guns. Brian couldn t
believe her denial.
His aim was pretty good. If we didn t get in the way& Jones shrugged.
The silence hung in the room.
I know there s a medical issue, and I waited for the family, but we have to take him in.
We ll take him to the hospital and let them do a psyche evaluation and get the doctors reports,
the officer said to Brian.
I understand. Brian walked the police and paramedics to the door.
As the officials left with grandpa, Brian saw Grayson and Penny pull up in her Lexus
SUV. As soon as her pumps hit the pavement, Penny rushed to him and hugged Brian. You re
okay?
Fine. Brian hugged his sister and shook hands with Grayson. Great team you sent me.
I m fine, and Grandpa didn t even have a scratch on him.
I ll get the run down from Jones. You just worry about the family. Grayson went to
work and huddled with Jones and the other guards.
Brian and Penny shared a reluctant look but joined their family in mid-drama.
I m calling the lawyer. How could they do that? He s sick. And I m not going to put my
father in an institution, mother insisted.
Mother, please. He could have killed someone or shot himself. He s not supposed to be
driving. He could ve crashed into a bus full of kids when he tried to reload. He needs to have
limits. Penny went over and gave her father a hug.
So that s what you ll do to me? If I m a little wild and suffer from forgetfulness, you ll
put me in a home? Their mother s voice caught in a sudden burst of emotion.
Penny folded her arms over her full cleavage. You take a shot at one of my kids, and I ll
put you in a home in a heartbeat. Now, it ll be the best home money can buy and we ll visit you
twice a week, but you won t be free to get confused and hurt people or yourself.
For once tonight, Brian smiled. He d never seen his sister so forceful and decisive. It was
a new Penny, or rather, the true Penny out in the open. Marriage has done wonders for you.
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