I’m telling you, something is in the air. First we had the felon that didn’t go to jail and now there’s been a drive-by shooting. What is this world coming to? I’m getting nervous. Ben wasn’t home so, I called our local deputy to come and investigate. VERY local, if you know what I mean.

Here’s the bullet holes, I said, pointing to the window.

“Yep, it’s been shot.”

Who’s ever heard of a drive-by shooting in a wheat field? I said picking up my camera. (Two crime scenes in a week, another chance to prefect crime scene photos, this is too good to be true.)

“It wasn’t a drive-by.”

No? What was it then, unauthorized discharge of a firearm?

Barney just shrugged.

So what kind of gun do you think?

“Well, looks like a revel (lever) action rifle to me .”

Really? How can you tell?

“Cause I got me a suspect.”

Already? Really? Wow, Barney you’re really on the ball.

“Yep, pretty much, ” Barney said puffing up like a balloon.

So why would anyone do such a thing?

“Maybe, he just wanted to see if his bullet would go through the glass.”

But, three shots? Isn’t that against the law?

“Well, well, well,” (Barney stutters when he gets nervous…) Well, not the ones we went over…”

You went over shooting laws with the suspect?

“Well, YOU did.”

I did?

“Yes.”

When?

“Just a little bit ago. You said I couldn’t shoot the house, the garage, any of the sheds, the car, the truck, the cats, or any pretty birds…you didn’t say I couldn’t shoot the bug barn.”

But it’s glass…and it IS somebody’s home…

“But, you didn’t say I couldn’t shoot it.”

Barney.

“What mom?”

It’s time to turn in your gun AND your badge.

“Okay.”

Your grounded.

“Is that like jail?”

It’s worse.

“For how long?” (Barney’s lip quivering)

All day tomorrow.

(Shrugging) “Why are you taking pictures? You gonna put that on ebay?”

No. These are crime scene photos.

“What’s that?”

Evidence.

“Oh… Are you gonna show Dad?”

No. It will be our secret.

“I love you, Mom.”

I love you too, Barney.