CH. 15: Cases and Gun Shots
Danny woke up to a smack in the face the following morning. It was an exceptionally rude awakening, and he was surprised by it. At least until he opened his eyes and realized he was sleeping with three little boys. After moving Scotties arm off his face, and maneuvering himself over a sleeping Sean, Danny made his way into the bathroom to grab a quick shower before work. He found it odd that he never heard Linda come in the night before, but when you were as tired as he was, he guessed he really wasn't all that surprised. He was just working on buttoning his shirt, when Linda came in and hugged him.
"Sleep good?" She asked.
"I woke up to a smack in the face," Danny enlightened her. "Not even my mother would wake me up by hitting me in the face. And I've been told, there were plenty of times, where she had trouble getting me up for school."
"Isn't parenthood wonderful," she kissed him.
"You're only saying that because you had a night away from them," Danny admitted.
"Yes, and it was wonderful," she kissed him once more.
"Linda," Danny groaned. "Don't do this now." He knew what her behavior led to, and he didn't have the energy, nor enough room in his bed for another child. "Besides I have to go to work."
"Can you take Jack to school, so I don't have to wake up Sean and Scottie?" Linda knew he was right and pulled herself away from him.
"Yeah," Danny figured that was the least he could do for her. "I'll go make the coffee, while I wait for him to get ready."
"I'll go check on him," Linda followed her husband out of the room, and over to her son's room.
Danny was in a hurry to get back to the precinct. He had already got a call about the subpoena being ready, and he knew Baez would be just as ready as he was to get this case over with. It was of too sensitive of nature, and there was only a matter of time, before something got leaked to the press, and Garrett would be forced to call a press conference, something his father hated doing. He had just sat down with a cup of coffee across from Jack who was eating breakfast, when his cell buzzed.
"Am I talking to Dad or the Commissioner?" Was the first question Danny asked.
"Commissioner," Frank responded. "Who do you like for this?"
"We watched the tapes you sent, and my gut is telling me the assistant manager," Danny enlightened him. "My partner and I talked to him yesterday, but he lawyered up."
"Did you get a subpoena? Maybe you can find something in his phone records or receipts that can lead to an arrest?"
"Already did," Danny took another sip from his cup. "We'll be serving that, just as soon as I drop my son off at school."
Frank couldn't help but smile, when his son mentioned his eldest grandson. But he quickly returned to business. "Do you think you'll be able to crack him when you bring him in? He doesn't seem like the type that will crack under pressure, at least not from what I've seen and heard."
"Never found one I couldn't crack yet," Danny sounded confident.
"Danny," Frank warned him. "By the book, I don't want to have to release him because of a technicality, or because my detective went too far." Frank reminded him of what he already knew. "We can't do that, Garrett keeps wanting to call a press conference, but I've kept it back. The mayor is supposed to be coming by my office today. You have to have something. So, I can give him a reason why not to release it to the public."
"I know," Danny sighed. Tired of hearing the same speech over and over again.
"If that doesn't work, and only after you have permission. You can do whatever it takes, for him to give up the hitman." Frank did want to leave him with something other than just a chastisement.
"Do I have permission?" Danny asked, with a small smile.
"Not until you exhaust every other method of interrogation. After that, then we'll talk."
"Yes Sir," Danny didn't exactly sound thrilled with the idea. But after the lecture he just received, he wasn't really prepared to convince him of otherwise.
Just as soon as he finished with the motivational call he received, Danny turned his attention to Jack. "Are you almost ready to go? I need to get to work."
"I don't want to go to school," Jack grumbled. "Sean and Scottie don't have to go."
"Sean's two," Danny reminded him. "And Scottie will be starting pre-school after Christmas."
"It still isn't fair," the boy grumbled again.
"Fair or not, you've got to go," Danny took the boys cereal bowl and placed it in the sink, before sending him up the stairs to brush his teeth, so they could leave.
Jack wasn't any more exuberant on the car ride over, and in all reality, Danny could understand how he felt. He hated school, and he remembered feeling the same way, when he was the only one attending school, while his younger siblings got to stay at home. Yet at the same time, he remembered Jack complaining about this before, and he ended up getting in trouble for it, after he acted out in class.
"Thanksgiving is this week," Danny reminded him. "So, all you have to do is grit and bear the next couple of days."
"It isn't going to be easy, but I'll try." Jack said getting out of the car and walking into the school.
XXXXXXXX
"I got the subpoena," Detective Baez held up the piece of paper, the second she saw her partner.
"Let's hit it," Danny didn't even bother to take a seat at his desk, and instead just picked up the keys to the car and headed back out the door.
After retrieving the records, Reagan and Baez had enough to bring the city's assistant manager Jim Gregson in. The man was sitting alone at the table, when Danny and Baez prepared themselves for the challenge.
"Cracking this guy is going to be fun," Danny grinned, relishing in the challenge.
"Danny, just remember not to go overboard. At least until we get permission from the commissioner to treat the witness as hostile." Baez reminded him, before following him through the door.
They had, had him in one of the interrogation rooms for hours, yet he still refused to say a word. The two detectives were growing impatient and took a moment to step outside of the room where they could talk freely.
"What do you want to do?" Baez sighed.
"What I want to do, is slam him against the wall," Danny said truthfully.
"So, we both still agree that he hired the hitman?" Baez questioned.
"He's got to be, look at his phone and bank records. There's a lot of calls that have been placed to this one number," Danny pointed the number out.
"There is a withdrawal from a separate account he opened six months ago," Baez held her own set of papers up.
"You may want to request permission to treat him as hostile," Danny told her.
"We are running out of time," Baez remembered what her partner told her about the press conference, the mayor, as well as someone else trying to push themselves in a position to run the city, aside from the assistant manager.
"I'll keep trying. You call 1PP," Danny walked back into the interrogation room. While Baez pulled out her phone and placed a call into 1PP. She wasn't about to talk to the commissioner directly. Then again, she didn't really expect to, she didn't have a direct line to him. And she knew she had to go through the proper channels. She was able to speak to Detective Baker however and leave a message with her. Baker said he was in a meeting, but she promised to try to speak with him just as soon as she could. Finished with her phone call, Baez hurried into the interrogation room. Hoping to keep her partner from crossing the line. As he tended to do at times.
She stayed in the room with her partner for several minutes, until her cell phone buzzed, and she quietly excused herself, silently praying her partner would control himself, something she found herself reminding him of several times in the past hour.
"Reagan," Baez opened the door to the room, once she finished with her phone call, causing Danny to step out.
"Did we get it?" Danny asked immediately.
"He said not to kill him, and to try not to go too far." Baez interpreted.
"But we can cross the line?" Danny wanted to clarify.
"Yes," Baez nodded, following her partner.
It didn't take long for him to get the man's attention, at least after he jammed the palm of his hand against Gregson's nose. He was reeling in pain, complaining his nose was broke, but he still refused to give up the name of the hitman. Claiming that if the man knew who gave him up, he would be as good as dead.
"You'll be lucky if your still alive by the time I'm through," Danny jerked him up out of the chair and slammed him hard against the wall. Being careful for the front of his face to take the brunt of the pain.
"Augh!" Gregson moaned loudly. "His names Ellis, Mike Ellis."
Danny released his grip, and Baez shoved the chair up underneath him to keep him from falling, before they both hurried out of the room to continue their investigation. Only this time, focusing their attention on the hitman Ellis. Danny pulled his phone out, and immediately placed a call into the commissioner, to give him what they knew, as well as the name of the hitman, knowing he may be able to help, by digging something up, faster than they could.
XXXXXXXX
It was around lunch, when Danny received a call from his wife.
"Do you think you are going to be able to come home again before Thanksgiving, or will you be working?"
"I don't know," Danny admitted. "Why?"
"I just needed to know if I could go get the groceries we need for Thanksgiving dinner alone. Or if I needed to take the boys along?" Linda silently moaned when she said the last sentence.
"When were you planning on going?" Danny questioned.
"I have to go over to help Pop prepare the turkey and dressing Wednesday." Linda knew she would be going whether she had to take the boys or not. It was a tradition for her to go over the day before to prepare the feast, and she wasn't planning on stopping now.
"I'll try to get the case done before then," Danny knew he couldn't make any promises, but he was hoping he would be. He especially didn't want to have to just eat and run on Thanksgiving and miss out spending the day with his family.
"Hopefully, you'll get some sleep before the holiday," Linda mentioned.
"That would be nice," Danny admitted. "Didn't get much sleep with three little boys in bed with me."
"Enjoy it," was all Linda could think to say. "They won't be this age forever."
"I know," Danny started to think of how nice it would be. "No more accidents in their pants, no more toys on the floor for me to kick into, no more whining about having to eat their vegetables, and no more art work on my dad's wall."
"Think of the good things," Linda couldn't help but laugh at the last one he mentioned.
Danny was just about to take another bite of his roast beef sandwich, when he noticed he was getting another call. "I have to go Linda, it's Dad."
"Be safe," Linda was quick to hang up the phone.
"I have an address for you detective," Frank went straight to business.
"What is it Commissioner?" Danny was quick to ask, motioning for Baez to hand him a pen and paper.
Danny was just about to hang up the phone, just as soon as he finished jotting down the address when Frank interrupted.
"Danny, be careful."
"I will," Danny hung up.
"Let's hit it," Danny slammed the car into drive.
"I'll call for backup," Maria pulled her phone out.
With the way her partner drove, it was no surprise that they beat everyone else there.
Danny was already out of the car and pulling on the bulletproof vest he left in the trunk. While his partner did the same. After checking his revolver, Danny started for the door.
"We need to wait for backup Reagan," Maria tried stopping him.
"We don't have time," Danny ignored her.
"The Commissioner isn't going to like this," Maria knew she had to follow him, even if she expected trouble from the higher ups.
The take down wasn't easy, and the partners had to avoid a ray of bullets multiple times. After several minutes, the rest of the officers arrived, and they managed to surround him. Danny tried talking the man into surrendering, but he refused, and pointed his gun at Danny. Several of the officers fired, but they were a second too late, and a bullet hit Danny in the vest. He fell to the ground, gasping for air, feeling as if he had been hit in the stomach by a sledgehammer. He had, had the breath knocked out of him, and was extremely sore, and he didn't feel like moving. Baez was already calling for a bus saying officer down, which Danny was trying to hinder by grabbing her phone and shutting it off.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm fine." Danny choked
"You're not fine Danny, you just got shot." Maria argued.
"Look," Danny pointed at the spot on his stomach, now that the vest was removed. "No blood, I'm fine."
"Are you really going to make me call Gormley and make it an order?" Baez threatened.
"It's not a big deal," Danny moaned as he pulled himself up off the ground with his partners help.
"Yes, it is, and you're going, even if I have to drive you there myself." Baez was being just as stubborn as her partner.
"If you drive us anywhere, I'll have to go to the hospital," it was obvious he wasn't in so much pain that he lost his sense of humor.
He just took a minute to sit down on the hood of the car to catch his breath, when his cell buzzed.
"Hello," his voice didn't sound as it did in its normal state, and the person on the other end could tell something was wrong.
"Danny, are you okay?" Frank sounded serious.
"Fine," Danny coughed.
"I was told you got shot," it was obvious just by the sound of Frank's voice that he was concerned.
"How did you know, it just happened?" Danny was confused.
"I'm the Commissioner," was all Frank said.
"Did Baez call you?" Danny looked at his partner.
"No," Frank said honestly. "But they said you refused medical treatment.
"That's because I don't need it," Danny said simply.
"I'll meet you at the hospital," Frank hung up, before his son had a chance to argue with him.
XXXXXXXX
Danny didn't appear as if he was enjoying himself, and he was fighting with nurse Tammy Jackson every chance he got. He was sitting in the hospital bed, complaining that he wanted his pants back, so he could get out of there. Tammy was doing her best to explain to him that it was doctors' orders for her to monitor him, and that meant with all the bells and whistles, including the wires attached to his chest monitoring his heart rate, and the blood pressure cuff, which was the current medical procedure he was fighting.
"It's too tight," Danny tried to pull it off, just as Tammy repositioned it for the third time.
"Is he being a hard ass?" Frank walked through the door.
"Yes," Tammy was trying to sound professional, but it was obvious she was annoyed.
"Try again," Frank said. "He'll stop," Frank glared at Danny.
"I already told you, I don't need to be here," Danny complained.
"You're staying until the doctor clears you, copy?" Frank's tone sounded authoritative.
"Copy," Danny still didn't sound all that enthused. But he had known his father long enough to be able to recognize an order.
Now that her patient was cooperating, Tammy managed to get a proper reading on his blood pressure.
"Your blood pressures a little high," she enlightened him.
"What do you expect, I just got shot!" Sure, Danny would be the first one to say he was fine. But he also had to admit, it was a frightening experience.
"I'll let the doctor know," Tammy gave him a small smile, before leaving the room.
Danny sighed uncomfortably and looked at his father. "You think you can get them to give me my pants back? These hospital gowns are pathetic." Danny gestured at the gown.
"If I did that, it would take every officer under my command to keep you in here." Frank knew that without a doubt. "At least with you only wearing a gown and a blanket, I think it's safe to say that you'll be staying put."
"Nice to know I can count on my old man to help me out of an inconvenient situation." Danny said pointedly.
"It's for your own good Danny," Frank sighed, taking a seat in the chair next to the bed.
"At least this happened at the end of the case," Danny wasn't happy with his inability to avoid the bullet. Yet at the same time, he knew that if he would have ducked, it was possible the bullet would have striked one of the uniformed officers behind him, and most likely in a position that wasn't protected by a vest.
"You did good." It wasn't normal for Frank to compliment his son, but he figured he had to give credit where credit was due. His son did after all get through to the manager, as well as find the hitman before it all hit the fan with the mayor and the press.
"Have you talked to Linda?" Danny knew she would be worried, and trying to get to the hospital, just as soon as she could.
"I did," Frank nodded. "And I told her that you were okay."
"Did she believe you?" Danny knew his wife and knew that she wouldn't believe a word of it until she saw him for herself.
"Not at first," Frank smiled, thinking of the frazzled conversation he had with his daughter in law. "But I think she calmed down when I told her I talked to you."
"She won't be happy about this," Danny shook his head.
"Your mother didn't either," Frank remembered being in his son's shoes before.
"And what did you do?" Danny was looking for any bit of advice he could get to handle his wife's nervousness.
"Survived it." Was all Frank could think to say. Just as Linda and three little boys trailed in.
"Daddy!" The three squealed in unison, trying to climb atop the bed.
Linda managed to hold Jack back, and Frank lifted Scottie up off the bed before he managed to cause Danny more pain. Unfortunately, neither of them managed to get Sean, who decided to make himself comfortable by sitting directly on the large bruise that was beginning to form on his father's stomach.
"Ugh!" Danny moaned, maneuvering his youngest to his other side, where he wasn't in nearly as much pain.
"Sean," Linda corrected. "I tried to get the neighbor to keep them," Linda looked at her husband. "But she had to go to work."
"I'm fine," Danny assured her. "I've felt worse."
"Did the doctor say when you'll be released?" Linda was already busy with the coming holiday. And now with her husband in the hospital, that was only going to make her busier.
Danny was about to say something about wanting to get out of there then, causing Frank to interrupt.
"His blood pressures a little high."
"That's because I was shot." This time Danny interrupted, only this time doing his best to keep his voice low. Now that he had his three children in the room.
"It shouldn't be more than 24 hours," Frank told her what the doctor told him when he came in.
"It would be even sooner if you left," Danny was already planning his get away, but knew he could only do it, if Frank was gone.
"I'll see if Erin can keep the boys tonight, so I can stay the night." Linda looked from Frank to Danny.
"I'll stay," Frank volunteered. "I know you're going to be busy helping Pop tomorrow."
"I don't need anyone to stay!" Danny sounded aggravated. "I'm not a child."
"Maybe not, but your acting like one, trying to leave before the doctor gives the okay," Frank wasn't even trying to beat around the bush, when it came to telling him the truth.
"I'll stay with you Daddy," Jack volunteered happily.
"I'd prefer it son," Danny smiled at him. "But I think you'd be happier at home."
"Probably right," Jack looked around the room. "I don't think I'd like having to stay in one room."
"I'll pack you a bag and get Jamie to bring it by," Linda told Danny.
"Maybe I can convince him to paint that wall while he's here," Danny was beginning to think the evening might not be a total bust.
XXXXXXXX
An hour or so later, with Linda gone, and Frank outside with Jamie, Detective Baez slipped in to her partners room.
"Finally, someone to help me escape," Danny said the second he saw his partner.
"Sorry," Baez apologized. "But I ran into the commissioner on my way up, and he made me promise I wouldn't let you talk me into helping you escape. And he gave me permission to cuff you to the bed if I had to."
"I hate to say it, but I almost wish there was some kind of emergency that would get him called out of here." Danny sighed.
"Danny!" Baez looked at him surprised.
"I know," Danny complained. "But I'm desperate."
"Just take care of yourself," Baez pleaded with him. "I'm not looking forward to riding with Gormley tomorrow, while you're out."
"At least it's for only one day," Danny shrugged. "You have Thanksgiving off."
"Thankfully," Baez sounded pleased. "Have they tried to force the hospital food down you yet?"
"Erin's supposed to bring us something," Danny was exceptionally grateful. Knowing from past experiences, how the food from the hospital could make you feel almost ill.
"Hopefully she does," Maria gave him a sour expression. "Because I passed the food trays on my way up. And they didn't smell at all that appealing."
"So, did I," Frank said agreeing with her, upon his return.
"I should probably go," Baez looked at her partner, once their boss came in.
"Don't let me interrupt you," Frank waved a hand at them.
"Is that my stuff?" Danny gestured at the bag in Frank's hand.
"Yes," Frank placed it on the floor nearest the chair.
"Good, give me my pants." Danny knew that Linda wouldn't have forgotten to pack his number one request.
"That's my cue Commissioner," Baez nodded, giving him a small smile.
"I'd walk you out, if I wouldn't be afraid he'd escape once my back was turned," Frank nodded at Danny.
"I'll stay if you both just leave me alone," Danny was almost willing to give in.
"Don't believe him boss," Baez looked from Danny to the commissioner.
"Never have, never will," Frank shook his head.
"On your way out, see if you can find a nurse that will give me something to knock me out, and make me forget this whole ordeal!" Danny called after her.
"Suck it up partner!" Baez didn't seem to be at all that considerate of his problem.
XXXXXXXX
It was a long night for both Frank and Danny. Frank who got little to no sleep in the small armchair, was trying to figure out where he was going to get the energy to go into 1PP for the afternoon. Knowing it would be the afternoon, before the doctor came by and released his son. He knew it would be safe enough to leave him there, yet he also knew his daughter in law was set to work with Pop that day. And with three little boys, he figured it would be easier all the way around if he stayed.
Knowing Linda would be in Bay Ridge, Frank and Danny went straight there, as soon as he was cleared by the doctor.
"Daddy!" His three sons yelled, just as soon as they walked through the door.
"Be careful boys," Linda warned them not to run into him too hard.
"I'm fine," Danny assured her. "It wasn't that bad."
"Is he still on that?" Linda looked at her father in law.
"It's been a long night," Frank sounded tired.
"Maybe you shouldn't play football tomorrow after Thanksgiving dinner." Linda wanted to make sure he really was telling the truth, rather than just saying that so she wouldn't worry.
"Are you kidding me, I'm going to use it to my advantage," Danny grinned. "My kid brother won't want to hurt me, so he won't be hitting me at full force. It'll be an easy win."
"Okay, but please promise me you'll stop if you start hurting," Linda still wasn't certain, but she didn't know how else she would be able to keep him from participating in something he and Jamie looked forward to all year.
"Yes Mother," Danny said sarcastically.
"Danny," Frank clapped a hand on his shoes shoulder. "You going to get my wall painted before Thanksgiving?"
"Dad, tomorrow's Thanksgiving," Danny reminded him. "It's a holiday."
"I know," Frank nodded.
"And you said there wasn't any hurry," Danny recalled Frank telling him multiple times.
"That was when you were working a case," Frank said simply. "And that's over now."
"You know, I might get another call for another one," Danny tried.
"You have the day off," Frank knew that normally when a detective finished a case, or when they got shot they were given a few days off. And in Danny's case, he had both going for him.
"Dad, I've just been shot!" Danny tried another means of talking himself out of the dreaded task.
"You're the one that keeps claiming that your fine," Frank shrugged.
"I'm starting to feel a little pain," Danny placed his hand over his shirt, and atop of the bruise. "Maybe I should go lay down."
"Nice try son," Frank ignored him. "But you put me through hell last night, with all your complaining. And it wont take you that long."
"Fine," Danny sighed, when he realized there was no way possible, he'd be able to talk his way out of it.
"Come on boys," Frank said getting his grandsons attention. "Come help Grandpa get the paint for Daddy." Frank remembered having a little extra paint stored away in the basement.
With his three grandsons following him down the basement stairs, Frank couldn't help but remember when his own sons were growing up, and how often they followed him around. Then again, things were quite different back then. There was a bigger age gap, between Danny, Joe and Jamie. Compared to Jack, Scottie and Sean. He was just lifting the appropriate paint can down from the shelf, when Scottie pulled on his shirt sleeve.
"Grandpa, can I play with this?" Scottie asked, holding up an old baseball mitt. "It has the initials J.R. on it. Is it Uncle Jamie's?" The little boys asked inquisitively.
Frank took the mitt from the boy, and after examining it intently, he handed it back. "No son," Frank shook his head. "This one belonged to your daddy." Frank remembered the countless hours, Joe played with it when he was young. He remembered how often Mary would correct him for bringing it with him to the table, and how often he caught him sleeping with it, or discovered it tucked under his arm, when they were leaving for mass.
"I thought Daddy's initials were D.R." Scottie looked at his grandfather confused.
"They are buddy," Frank nodded, smiling at the boy. Pleased that it didn't take long for his middle grandson to adjust to his new life, in calling his aunt and uncle mom and dad. "I was talking about your first daddy Joe." Frank tried to explain in a manner, the child would understand.
"Oh," was all Scottie said. It appearing to his grandfather, that he was thinking about something.
"Do you remember him any?" Frank looked at him intently.
"Sometimes I think I do," Scottie said after thinking about it. His face expression making him appear much older than his little four-year-old self. "But then I remember that it wasn't really him, and it was my new daddy."
"That's nice Scottie," Frank wasn't sure what else to say.
"Can you tell me about my first daddy?" Scottie sounded interested.
"One day, your daddy and I will tell you all about him," Frank promised. "But right now, I have to get this paint upstairs."
"Can I help Daddy paint?" Scottie brightened.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Frank was trying to let him down, as easily as he could. "I think you would have more fun playing in the backyard with your brothers and your Uncle Jamie's old baseball." Frank took one of the old balls down from the shelf and handed it to him.
"Thanks Grandpa," Scottie sounded excited. "Come on Jack!" He yelled for his brother, as he charged up the basement stairs.
XXXXXXXX
It wasn't long, and Danny was set to work on painting the upstairs hallway. While Linda and Henry worked on the preparations for their Thanksgiving dinner the following day, and the boys played in the backyard. Frank, on the other hand, decided to settle himself in the upstairs hallway as well. Not only so he could talk with Danny, but also so he could make sure he really was okay. He was fairly certain, that he was okay, but that didn't mean he didn't have his concerns.
"You could help, you know," Danny looked behind him, where his father stood watching his every move.
"I could," Frank nodded. "But I think I'll have more fun watching you do it."
"No surprise there," Danny muttered under his breath.
"Scottie was asking if he could help though," Frank recalled his grandsons request. "I could go get him," Frank sounded as if he was more than willing to put his son through the challenge of painting with a four-year-old jumping around.
"If you want paint all over your floor, be my guest." Danny stuck the brush back in the paint can. "But I'm not cleaning it up, if he makes a mess." Danny lowered his tone of voice significantly, when he said the last part, so Frank wouldn't quite be able to make out we said.
"I'm sure he's having more fun playing outside than he would in here," Frank figured. Ignoring his sons comment, that he so deceitfully tried to keep from him.
"That's probably a good thing," Danny was looking at the paint that had already been splattered on the newspaper, that had been placed under the paint can. "I don't think I'll need any help getting paint on the floor."
"You get paint on my hardwood floors, and that gunshot injury is going to be the least of your worries, compared to what I'll do to you." Frank warned.
"I'd think you'd be a little nicer to me after getting shot yesterday. If that bullet would have gone any higher or lower it would have missed the vest completely, and we would still be in the hospital." Danny reminded him of how serious it could be.
"I don't think I could handle another night with you in the hospital," Frank said shaking his head.
"Me?" Danny's mouth dropped. "I'm not the one that was snoring."
"That wasn't me either," Frank said in a tone that resembled his sons, when he was speaking in a sarcastic tone.
"Hmm," Danny shrugged. "Must of been the guy in the room next door."
"The snoring wasn't that bad," Frank enlightened him. "It reminded of Pop."
"I couldn't sleep, but that's because I'm not used to sleeping without one of the boys in between me and Linda." Sure, Danny wasn't fond of it, but he couldn't help but smile thinking about it.
"Speaking of the boys," Frank changed the topic. "How have things been going since you and Linda decided to change tactics on raising them?"
"Whew," Danny let out a breath. "They are getting better. Although I do wish I was as brave as my four-year-old who ate zero bites of his dinner the other night, and then asked my wife for a snack just five minutes after she started to clear the table."
"Hmm," Frank said with a raised brow. "I bet that had an interesting turn out."
"I thought Linda was going to come unglued," Danny laughed.
"What happened?" Frank had a feeling it was an interesting story.
"Linda refused to feed him, other than a few carrot sticks and cheese slices. Which I had to give him, as well as give him a bath and tuck him in. At least if I wanted to keep him alive."
"Joe did the same thing when he was his age," Frank recalled with a smile. "Your mother reacted the same."
"Do you think Scottie remembers him any?" Danny set the paintbrush down at stood up, from where he had been kneeling, to reach the part of the wall that had the permanent marker drawings all over.
"I don't know," Frank said in all honesty, before explaining what went on in the basement, just moments ago.
"It makes sense," Danny crossed his arms in front of his chest, turning serious for a moment. "He accepted us as his parents almost immediately. But I do want him to know about Joe, even he doesn't completely remember him."
"He did ask me about him when we were downstairs," Frank thought, that now would be a good time to continue to tell him about what went on considering he sounded concerned.
"Really?" Danny sounded pleased. "I have been wanting to talk to him about it. It's just the right time has never come up. And I don't exactly know how to start."
"I told him we'd talk to him about it later," Frank nodded.
"Yeah let's keep those stories based on his character, rather than some of the things he and I did growing up. I don't want to give him or his brothers any ideas." Danny remembered all the things he and Joe got into. And the last thing he needed, was his own boys following in his footsteps.
"You're probably right," Frank agreed. "I don't have any more paint for any more accidents."
Returning to the paint brush, Danny set back to work.
"Missed a spot," Frank pointed, at the spot right near his son's head.
"Do you want to do this?" Danny just looked at him.
"It wasn't my sons that drew on the wall," Frank was beginning to think, he couldn't be any more satisfied than he was at that moment. Not only was he enjoying every opportunity, he got to give his son a hard time. But he was also feeling blessed that his sons injury hadn't been any more serious, and his life was spared. He was looking forward to the coming holiday, and knew it would be every bit of exciting and enjoyable when he had his entire family surrounding him.
Hope you all enjoyed the update, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter... Thanks for all the follows, favorites and reviews... JusticeStandsTRUE