thought I would have a child as beautiful and loving as her.”
She sobbed but no tears came. There were none left.
Jack held her until she was through and then held her some more. After an hour, he kissed her on the forehead and promised to be back tomorrow.
As he left the hospital, the thought of going back to his condo and flipping on the television or opening a book filled him with dread. He could only think of one place in the world he wanted to be.
CHAPTER 13
It was near closing time for American Security when Jack stopped his car up the block. He could see the bank but was too far to see any of the activity inside. The air was warm and pleasant so he got out and decided he would walk over. Maybe even open an account.
He took his time getting there and stopped for a while on the beach. The surf was breaking against the shore and the crackle it made reminded him of the beaches in Mexico. Before they had foamed red from the dead bodies that piled up in front of him; killed by their own friends and brothers.
The two officers in the surveillance vehicle were already gone. Jack checked his watch; they’d clocked out almost twenty minutes early.
As he walked by the outdoor café he scanned the faces of the patrons. Sure enough, the blond man with dreads he had seen last week was sitting at a table, sipping a beer. Jack turned away from him.
Jack walked past the café and spotted a bench facing the ocean. He sat down, the heaviness of his gun against his ribs, and watched a heron dip into the ocean and come out slick and wet. He would look back to the café and noticed that every few minutes the man checked his watch.
The bank was almost closed. Nothing would be happening today. Jack rose and was about to walk back to his car when he saw the man at the café get up, pay, and walk into the street. He crossed and went straight for the bank.
Jack watched as the man stood out in front and checked his watch. He didn’t pull out a weapon or even look inside. He just stood by the door like he was waiting for someone. Jack went behind a telephone pole and leaned against it, his eyes on the man. Was he really casing the place or was he just some crazy drifter with a weird ritual? That was unlikely. He was part of a gang known for bank robberies. Something was going on.
A woman in a red skirt and white blouse walked up to the bank. As she tried to go to the door, the man smiled and said something to her. She asked a few questions and then left, going back to her car, which was parked across the street.
Why would he turn someone away, unless…
Jack’s heart raced as he took out his phone and dialed William. It went to voicemail. “William, it’s happening now. Right now. They didn’t come in from the outside. Get the hell down here.” He hung up and dialed dispatch to request officers. The clerk told him the nearest unit was seven minutes away.
Seven minutes was an eternity. The lobby to the bank closed ten minutes ago. They could already be out of there.
Jack walked over as casually as he could.
He walked by the bank, avoiding the eyes of the man standing out front. He tried to glance into the windows but couldn’t make out anything but offices and a single teller standing at the front. He looked to her and she glanced at him and then away. He was about to walk past when he noticed her hands on the counter. They were shaking.
Jack looked to the man out front. Their eyes locked and both men knew exactly what was happening.
The man reached into his jacket and came out with a handgun. Jack dove to the ground, pulling out his Desert Eagle, and got off two rounds, one entering the man’s hip and knocking him back against the doors.
Jack was on his feet.
Too late for surprise now.
Anyone inside would’ve heard the man fly against the doors. If they had hostages, they might take them out
She sobbed but no tears came. There were none left.
Jack held her until she was through and then held her some more. After an hour, he kissed her on the forehead and promised to be back tomorrow.
As he left the hospital, the thought of going back to his condo and flipping on the television or opening a book filled him with dread. He could only think of one place in the world he wanted to be.
CHAPTER 13
It was near closing time for American Security when Jack stopped his car up the block. He could see the bank but was too far to see any of the activity inside. The air was warm and pleasant so he got out and decided he would walk over. Maybe even open an account.
He took his time getting there and stopped for a while on the beach. The surf was breaking against the shore and the crackle it made reminded him of the beaches in Mexico. Before they had foamed red from the dead bodies that piled up in front of him; killed by their own friends and brothers.
The two officers in the surveillance vehicle were already gone. Jack checked his watch; they’d clocked out almost twenty minutes early.
As he walked by the outdoor café he scanned the faces of the patrons. Sure enough, the blond man with dreads he had seen last week was sitting at a table, sipping a beer. Jack turned away from him.
Jack walked past the café and spotted a bench facing the ocean. He sat down, the heaviness of his gun against his ribs, and watched a heron dip into the ocean and come out slick and wet. He would look back to the café and noticed that every few minutes the man checked his watch.
The bank was almost closed. Nothing would be happening today. Jack rose and was about to walk back to his car when he saw the man at the café get up, pay, and walk into the street. He crossed and went straight for the bank.
Jack watched as the man stood out in front and checked his watch. He didn’t pull out a weapon or even look inside. He just stood by the door like he was waiting for someone. Jack went behind a telephone pole and leaned against it, his eyes on the man. Was he really casing the place or was he just some crazy drifter with a weird ritual? That was unlikely. He was part of a gang known for bank robberies. Something was going on.
A woman in a red skirt and white blouse walked up to the bank. As she tried to go to the door, the man smiled and said something to her. She asked a few questions and then left, going back to her car, which was parked across the street.
Why would he turn someone away, unless…
Jack’s heart raced as he took out his phone and dialed William. It went to voicemail. “William, it’s happening now. Right now. They didn’t come in from the outside. Get the hell down here.” He hung up and dialed dispatch to request officers. The clerk told him the nearest unit was seven minutes away.
Seven minutes was an eternity. The lobby to the bank closed ten minutes ago. They could already be out of there.
Jack walked over as casually as he could.
He walked by the bank, avoiding the eyes of the man standing out front. He tried to glance into the windows but couldn’t make out anything but offices and a single teller standing at the front. He looked to her and she glanced at him and then away. He was about to walk past when he noticed her hands on the counter. They were shaking.
Jack looked to the man out front. Their eyes locked and both men knew exactly what was happening.
The man reached into his jacket and came out with a handgun. Jack dove to the ground, pulling out his Desert Eagle, and got off two rounds, one entering the man’s hip and knocking him back against the doors.
Jack was on his feet.
Too late for surprise now.
Anyone inside would’ve heard the man fly against the doors. If they had hostages, they might take them out
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