“I don’t know, you have to excuse me…All of this is just a little confusing to me right now,” Des confessed to her. “I grew up all of my life thinking Ray was dead. But after seeing him today, I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

“I know this is a lot for you to take in right now, but listen…That is the number and address to where I’ll be staying while I’m in town.” Gwen informed him, “And since you’re the sole heir to the Jones Dynasty, there are some things we’ll need to discuss before you can take over.”            

 “Is this a joke?” Des laughed listening to what Gwen had to say. “Do you really expect me to believe I’m the heir to some kind of Dynasty?” Des asked.            

 “Does it look as if I’m laughing to you Mr. Jones?” Gwen asked him with a stern look upon her face. “This isn’t a laughing matter. There’s a lot going on right now that you have no clue about. And your family’s legacy has been left up to you.”            

“I hear you.”

“Don’t just hear me…Understand and listen to me carefully.” She commanded him. “Now that Ray is gone, there will be people plotting to come in and take his place. So you have to keep what I told you thus far to yourself. Don’t tell anyone about what we’ve discussed here today. It’ll be in your best interest, and the interest of this family, that no one knows who you really are.”            

“Okay!”            

“And I expect to see you at the address I’ve provided for you once the funeral’s over. Only then will we be at liberty to talk more freely instead of with restraint.”            
  “True.”            

 “Oh and Des...”            

 “Yes?”            

“Welcome home.” Gwen hugs and kisses Des on the cheek before walking off to greet those who’ve come to pay their last respects to Ray.

Standing alone in the funeral home, Des thought about what his grandmother had just told him. Staring at the piece of paper she’d given him, he placed it into his jacket pocket and took one last look at Ray.

Looking around the funeral home, Des was amazed at how loved Ray was. He couldn’t believe how many people had come out to say good-bye to him.

Scanning the room, Des noticed a number of people he’d known for years in the streets showing their respects. But the thing that stuck out to him was the many political figures and law enforcement officers that filled the room. Seeing them there along side the Underworld’s elite made Des wonder a lot about the man Ray was. He wondered what kind of man could bring all these different people, from different walks of life, together under the same roof.

Checking the time on his watch, Des realized that it was getting late. After saying his final good-bye, Des took one last look at Ray, and left the funeral home for the night.