GRIND (The Silver Nitrate Series Book 1) by Tiana Laveen Page A

grandfather?” The dark sky lit up with a crackling boom from a strike of lightning, but there was no sign of rain yet.
    “Yes.”
    “What did he say?”
    “I woke him up, gave him a second to get his bearings, then asked him if he’d been hit by any of the staff. A woman, a nurse’s aide, was standing in the room at the time. I asked her to leave and restated the question. At that point, he said, ‘yes.’” He knew the officer had to keep a straight face, to just deliver the information, but he could see in her eyes she didn’t like what she’d seen, and she sure as hell didn’t like what she’d heard.
    “I have proof, and now he’s admitted it. I also want to file a police report! Y’all asses are going DOWN!” Zenith yelled the moment he burst through the doors, making certain everyone standing around heard him loud and clear. He snatched his phone out of his pocket and made a call as he marched up the hall, the security guards, several members of staff, and two police officers all around him.
    “Uncle Len! Wake the hell up!”
    “Why are you screaming?! Wait… who is this?” retorted a sluggish, deep voice.
    “Paw is comin’ home with me.”
    “Whu? Dad is comin’ home with you?” The sleepy man yawned. “Zen, is this you?”
    “Who in the hell else would it be? Nobody gives a shit about him but me, you know exactly who it is! It sure isn’t his fairy godmother.”
    “Look how late it is and you’re calling me with this crap!”
    “Something has happened and it’s serious. Get cha shit on and meet me over at my house in an hour.” He disconnected the call and stormed inside his grandfather’s small room, immediately flicking on the light. The old man lay down on his side, but his eyes were open, blinking frantically as if dust were falling all over his lashes.
    “Paw, I’m here, okay? Wake up,” he said gently, pulling him out of whatever daydream he’d drifted into.
    The old man turned in his direction, the movement causing his loose robe to slide a bit down his shoulder. His face cracked in a sullen smile.
    “Get up. Let’s get you dressed.” He opened up his grandfather’s drawers, one by one, then snapped his fingers in the direction of the door. “I need a couple of trash bags so I can get his stuff outta here, please.”
    The officer with the strawberry blond hair, his listening ear, turned towards the crowd in the hall.
    “Get him a few trash bags, please,” she announced.
    He stared at the woman for a second. He thanked her with all of his heart, and now wanted to say it with his mouth.
    “What’s your name?” he asked.
    “Officer Mackey.”
    “Officer Mackey, thank you…” She nodded and offered a slight smile.
    He returned to pulling things out of the drawers, tossing them onto the bed for bagging up and hauling off. In his haste, one of the shirts he tossed onto the bed hit the floor. He bent low to pick it up, then caught a glimpse of a broad shouldered woman standing a few feet away, her beefy arms crossed and her eyes narrowed as she stared him down, like she wanted a piece of him, wanted to go to war.
    “She’s the one that attacked my grandfather!” He pointed into the crowd and people turned their gazes to her as she stood in the front and center, like some frontrunner leading a pack of wolves.
    “I didn’t attack your grandfather. What are you talking about? Did he tell you that? He has dementia, ain’t in his right mind. You better watch it. That’s slander.”
    “No, that’s your ass, you damn liar!”
    “I ain’t do nothin’ to that man!” she hollered. “I work hard! That man is—”
    “Shut the hell up! You’re a thief, and you’re sick, you know that? Beating up on an elder like that! This man worked for most of his life to try and help people, and this is the thanks he gets. I oughta beat tha fuck outta you, see how you like it!” Zen screamed out, directing an accusing finger at her. He was losing control as he inched towards