“Yes,” Misty said. “This is Gabe Fierro. I’ve known him forever.” She smiled at Gabe, and he couldn’t help smiling back.
The manager sat up straight and said, “Well, come in.”
During their chitchat, when Gabe revealed the fact that he was a firefighter, the man’s demeanor softened.Yup, Gabe thought.Everyone loves a firefighter.And yet his youngest brother, Luca, wanted to be a cop. He knew of at least fifteen cops who had become firefighters just because they were tired of being hated.
It only took about twenty minutes and his most recent paycheck before he was all set and ready to be on his way. He glanced back at Misty before leaving and saw a terrified expression on her face.
“What the hell is happening?” he asked the manager.
“Huh?” He followed Gabe’s nod in Misty’s direction. “Oh my God. We’re being robbed!”
* * *
Gabe had learned through his firefighting career to assess a situation before charging in. The security guard had been disarmed by a tall, heavyset man. Hands raised, the other tellers had backed away from their windows by about three feet.
Misty was the only one frozen in place, and a bald, wiry guy in front of her seemed to be holding a weapon. He was left-handed, so Gabe couldn’t see it, but Misty probably had.
Gabe turned to the manager and said, “Shit, dude. You’re the manager. Help her.” The manager was hesitating, so Gabe stepped in. He strode over toward the guy threatening Misty. “What’s going on here?”
“Like I said, hands in the air!” As soon as Misty raised her hands, the criminal gave Gabe an evil smile and turned the gun on him. “You sound like the manager, except that you’re dressed too casually for that. Don’t be a heroic customer.”
Beyond Gabe, the manager was just disappearing back into his office until the guy yelled to his accomplice, “Go get him, dumb-ass, before he calls the cops.”
The manager tried to slam the door closed before the big guy got there. But the guy stuck his foot in the door and pushed it open. Grabbing the manager, he hauled him out to the customer area.
“What do you want me to do with him, boss?”
“Make him lock the front door, then bring him here. Get the other two on the ground with their hands behind their heads first.”
“You heard him,” he said to Gabe and the security guard.
The security guard lay down, but Gabe didn’t.
“I told you not to be a hero,” the robber said through gritted teeth.
Gabe didn’t move.
“What’s the matter? Do you want proof that the gun is loaded?” The guy fired a shot into the air, and everyone jumped. The noise reverberated around the high ceilings.
Gabe was filled with a cold chill, but this was no time to lose his head. “If you let the employees go, I’ll cooperate.”
The guy laughed. “Nobody’s going anywhere, except you. You’re going to meet your maker if you don’t lie down,now.”
Gabe reluctantly kneeled and put his hands behind his head.
“What are you, stupid? I saidlie down.”
Gabe had hoped that if he distracted the robbers, Misty would be able to hit whatever emergency button would call the cops. So far, she hadn’t lowered her hands, so he doubted his plan had worked.
He sighed and lay down with his head to one side so he could keep an eye on Misty’s window. If this guy went after her…
“Now, Mr. Manager, lock the door, then come back here and tell me how to open the vault.”
“It’s on a timer. I can’t open it unless it’s eight a.m. or four p.m.”
“Yup. We already knew that, so it’s a good thing you didn’t lie. It’s almost four o’clock now. Lock the damn door!”
The manager scurried off to do as the guy demanded.
