“Yes,” she said softly. “They are.” She tucked him under her arm and felt him tremble.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” he said, rising from his chair and running to the restroom. He opened the door and barely made it to the stall in time. He fell to the floor and curled up, wailing. Why was he crying? He hadn’t broken anything, had he?

“I’m so sorry,” Grandma Rose said, coming to his aid. She helped him up from the floor and wiped off his mouth with a white linen handkerchief. “Let’s go back home.”

“You’re not supposed to be in here,” he said, limp as a dead leaf. “This is the men’s room.”

“I’m in a lot of places I’m not supposed to be,” she said, pulling him close to her. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine.”

But it wasn’t fine. Grandma Rose had lied to him. He’d forgiven her, though. The divorce wasn’t her fault. It was his mom’s fault. It was his dad’s fault. Maybe it was his fault too. Grandma Rose had been living with them ever since that terrible day. She was tough, but Charlie knew she loved him more than anything in the world.

How could he think of leaving her?

“I know it doesn’t seem right, but you have to get out of here,” Grandma Rose said. “That man will kill you.”

Charlie heard commotion upstairs. The gunman was trying to break the latch that held the attic door in place. It wouldn’t take him more than another minute to break out. “I’m calling the police,” he said, running over to the phone.

“There’s not enough time,” Grandma Rose said, her voice raised and ragged.

Charlie put the phone to his ear. “It’s not working,” he said, dropping the receiver to the floor.

Grandma Rose pressed against the ropes in vain. “Charlie, listen to me!” she screamed. Her tone scared him. “If you want to help me, then go to Miss Feldman’s house. She’ll know what to do.”

“I’m not leaving you!” Charlie yelled back. Frightened out of his mind, he ran over to Grandma Rose and threw his arms around her. His tears begin to soak her shoulder.

There was a loud crash upstairs. The gunman was loose. Only seconds remained before he would storm down.

Charlie opened his misty eyes, seeing for the first time the man sprawled out on the dining room floor. “Who’s that?” he asked, raising his head.

“His name is Ben,” Grandma Rose said.

“Is he dead?” Charlie asked, walking over to the body.

She did not answer right away. “I think so.”

The stomp of heavy boots could be heard at the top of the stairs. Their owner was muttering and swearing.

“Leave the body alone,” Grandma Rose said.