global warming and the increased hurricane threat. An older man and his wife were bickering about the desirability to see this particular movie. His wife wanted to see the romantic comedy , playing in room number six next door; but her husband was rigidly opposed and uncompromising. Since both couples’ lives were about to end, neither discussion was really relevant.
As he entered the twin doors, the tall man took a moment to scan the theater. He moved to the far right of the room and bounded up the stairs to the top row of seats, accidentally bumping a patron seated in the first row as he climbed. The patron yelled something offensive; the tall man seemed oblivious to the comment. Normally the tall man would have responded in kind but this was not a day for altercation; his focus was directed on much more important things, although he was still not entirely sure of what they were.
Chapter 11
The bullet hit the marble floor less than a foot from where Fred was standing. Fred had no remaining option. He dropped his weapon ready for the next bullet that would end his life.
“Turn around with your hands up and do it now!” Fred meekly obeyed, what choice did he have?
“Now stay right where you are while I call the police.”
“Wait a minute, who are you?”
“The bank manager, that’s who I am! Now, don’t you make a move!”
“But, I’m a police officer! If you allow me I’ll show you my badge.”
The man nodded, “No tricks now or you’re a dead man.”
Fred noticed that the bank manager’s hands were shaking badly. That wasn’t a good sign for someone with a weapon pointed right at him.
Once Fred showed him his badge, the manager put his gun down. The manager explained that he had been in the back of the bank when he heard the shooting. He had taken time to retrieve his weapon so he could confront the robber with some degree of parity. He apologized for holding his gun on Fred; but since he didn’t know who had been doing the firing, he assumed Fred was part of the robbery attempt.
Amidst the chaos around him, Fred called for police backup and ambulances. While waiting for aid, and trying to comfort the injured, he interrogated the first person he saw. A silver haired man stated that the individual that Fred had just apprehended was in fact the shooter, and that he had acted alone. Fred was relieved that he had done something right.
The elderly witness said the gunman had entered the bank and had withdrawn his weapon almost immediately from the concealment of his suit coat. He then started shooting, spraying shots randomly throughout the bank. Pausing to regain his composure, the witness continued, “Two men near the front door managed to escape when the shooter concentrated on another part of the lobby.” Fred realized those two men had to be the same two that had crashed into him as they fled the bank. The witness said that, after what seemed to be a barrage of constant firing, the man had thrown down his weapon and started sobbing. It was about that time, the older man stated, that Fred had stepped into the bank.
In a short time the lobby was filled with medical and police personnel. Under Fred’s orders, the exterior of the bank was careened off. Curious bystanders, taking a break from their leisurely Christmas shopping, gathered outside the bank pondering what was happening. Inside, five men were dead and six people wounded. Fortunately, it appeared that none of the surviving victims had suffered serious wounds.
Fred decided that no additional insight into the shooting could be gleaned from the crime scene. As he left, he directed that the bank’s videotapes be immediately sent to the station. Fred then limped a short distance to police headquarters to brief his chief and interrogate Howard Slivers.
* * *
Fred’s chief was a burly former marine who had served honorably in the infantry during the height of the Vietnam War. Injured during both the Bing Gia and Dong Xai
As he entered the twin doors, the tall man took a moment to scan the theater. He moved to the far right of the room and bounded up the stairs to the top row of seats, accidentally bumping a patron seated in the first row as he climbed. The patron yelled something offensive; the tall man seemed oblivious to the comment. Normally the tall man would have responded in kind but this was not a day for altercation; his focus was directed on much more important things, although he was still not entirely sure of what they were.
Chapter 11
The bullet hit the marble floor less than a foot from where Fred was standing. Fred had no remaining option. He dropped his weapon ready for the next bullet that would end his life.
“Turn around with your hands up and do it now!” Fred meekly obeyed, what choice did he have?
“Now stay right where you are while I call the police.”
“Wait a minute, who are you?”
“The bank manager, that’s who I am! Now, don’t you make a move!”
“But, I’m a police officer! If you allow me I’ll show you my badge.”
The man nodded, “No tricks now or you’re a dead man.”
Fred noticed that the bank manager’s hands were shaking badly. That wasn’t a good sign for someone with a weapon pointed right at him.
Once Fred showed him his badge, the manager put his gun down. The manager explained that he had been in the back of the bank when he heard the shooting. He had taken time to retrieve his weapon so he could confront the robber with some degree of parity. He apologized for holding his gun on Fred; but since he didn’t know who had been doing the firing, he assumed Fred was part of the robbery attempt.
Amidst the chaos around him, Fred called for police backup and ambulances. While waiting for aid, and trying to comfort the injured, he interrogated the first person he saw. A silver haired man stated that the individual that Fred had just apprehended was in fact the shooter, and that he had acted alone. Fred was relieved that he had done something right.
The elderly witness said the gunman had entered the bank and had withdrawn his weapon almost immediately from the concealment of his suit coat. He then started shooting, spraying shots randomly throughout the bank. Pausing to regain his composure, the witness continued, “Two men near the front door managed to escape when the shooter concentrated on another part of the lobby.” Fred realized those two men had to be the same two that had crashed into him as they fled the bank. The witness said that, after what seemed to be a barrage of constant firing, the man had thrown down his weapon and started sobbing. It was about that time, the older man stated, that Fred had stepped into the bank.
In a short time the lobby was filled with medical and police personnel. Under Fred’s orders, the exterior of the bank was careened off. Curious bystanders, taking a break from their leisurely Christmas shopping, gathered outside the bank pondering what was happening. Inside, five men were dead and six people wounded. Fortunately, it appeared that none of the surviving victims had suffered serious wounds.
Fred decided that no additional insight into the shooting could be gleaned from the crime scene. As he left, he directed that the bank’s videotapes be immediately sent to the station. Fred then limped a short distance to police headquarters to brief his chief and interrogate Howard Slivers.
* * *
Fred’s chief was a burly former marine who had served honorably in the infantry during the height of the Vietnam War. Injured during both the Bing Gia and Dong Xai
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