carjacker spun and fired his revolver in the clerk’s direction, missing him but shattering a store window. The clerk shouted an expletive, retreated into the store, ran past Andrea and Ruth and hid behind a display rack.
The gunshot woke up Jack’s chocolate lab, Sarge, who had been sleeping in the back seat of his crew-cab Sierra. Sarge’s incessant, agitated barking echoed throughout the surrounding area.
Jack stood his ground. “You’ll take my son over my dead body!” He took a step toward the gunmen.
“Sounds like a good arrangement to me.” In one quick motion the carjacker with the yellow hat fired a shot that hit Jack in the mid-section, sending him to the ground.
***
Andrea heard three gunshots outside the store. Sarge’s barking faded into a yelp, then went silent. She peeked around the display, clenching her teeth she when saw Sarge lying in a lifeless heap. A chill shot down her spine when she spotted the men trying to force Billy into their van. She bolted through the door, fixated on her only son. “No!”
The lead carjacker spun and fired a shot. Andrea felt the air move as the bullet whizzed over her head. She zeroed in on Billy as sparks and glass splinters flew from the illuminated sign above the door. “Let him go!” The carjacker fired a second shot. Andrea felt searing pain tear through her right bicep. She fell to the pavement, then struggled to stand. “Let my son go!” The carjacker again pointed his pistol at Andrea and took a menacing step toward her.
A shot rang out, and one of the windows on the carjackers’ van exploded into a million tiny pieces of glass. Then another, which pierced one of the van’s tires. The shots were followed by a booming voice. “Put your weapons down or I will end you. You cannot see me, but as you can tell I can see you . My next shot will take your life.” Andrea watched as the confused carjackers laid their weapons on the pavement. Several tense moments of eerie silence passed before the deep, authoritative voice called out again. “Now get on the ground, face-down, and put your hands behind your heads.” The carjackers complied with the unseen gunman’s demands. After another few moments of silence the voice rang out once more, saying “Good. Now remain in that position. If you move, it will be the last movement you ever make. Do you understand me?”
Andrea exhaled when she spotted Bob walking out of the shadows with his 1911 trained on the three men.
“Are we glad to see you!” Andrea forced herself to her feet, then called for Ruth to join them. Her body twisted into knots as Billy emerged from behind the gunmen’s van and ran to his father, who was lying motionless. “Jack!” She ran to Jack’s side. I was so focused on Billy that I didn’t even realize Jack had been shot. How could I? Andrea knelt down beside her motionless husband, stroked his thinning, dirty blonde hair and put her hand on his face. “Jack?”
There was no response. She began shaking and tears ran down her face. “Jack?”
Andrea jumped, startled when Jack opened his blue eyes. Her tears became tears of relief and joy.
***
As Jack regained consciousness he felt a hand on his cheek. A soft hand. He opened his eyes and was greeted by the welcome sight of Andrea. Her piercing green eyes focused on him like a laser. “Surprised to see me?” he asked, then pulled her down and kissed her, running his fingers through her curly, light brown hair.
“Oh my God, I thought you were dead!”
“No such luck.” The sharp pain pierced Jack’s ribcage like a dagger. He groaned as he fought through it and forced himself to sit up. “I’m okay, but that’s going to hurt tomorrow!” He gritted his teeth, slowly stood up and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a bullet-proof vest. “Actually it hurts now . I sure am glad I decided to wear this.” He removed the slug embedded in the vest. “That’s what I get for leaving my gun in the truck.” Jack pointed at
The gunshot woke up Jack’s chocolate lab, Sarge, who had been sleeping in the back seat of his crew-cab Sierra. Sarge’s incessant, agitated barking echoed throughout the surrounding area.
Jack stood his ground. “You’ll take my son over my dead body!” He took a step toward the gunmen.
“Sounds like a good arrangement to me.” In one quick motion the carjacker with the yellow hat fired a shot that hit Jack in the mid-section, sending him to the ground.
***
Andrea heard three gunshots outside the store. Sarge’s barking faded into a yelp, then went silent. She peeked around the display, clenching her teeth she when saw Sarge lying in a lifeless heap. A chill shot down her spine when she spotted the men trying to force Billy into their van. She bolted through the door, fixated on her only son. “No!”
The lead carjacker spun and fired a shot. Andrea felt the air move as the bullet whizzed over her head. She zeroed in on Billy as sparks and glass splinters flew from the illuminated sign above the door. “Let him go!” The carjacker fired a second shot. Andrea felt searing pain tear through her right bicep. She fell to the pavement, then struggled to stand. “Let my son go!” The carjacker again pointed his pistol at Andrea and took a menacing step toward her.
A shot rang out, and one of the windows on the carjackers’ van exploded into a million tiny pieces of glass. Then another, which pierced one of the van’s tires. The shots were followed by a booming voice. “Put your weapons down or I will end you. You cannot see me, but as you can tell I can see you . My next shot will take your life.” Andrea watched as the confused carjackers laid their weapons on the pavement. Several tense moments of eerie silence passed before the deep, authoritative voice called out again. “Now get on the ground, face-down, and put your hands behind your heads.” The carjackers complied with the unseen gunman’s demands. After another few moments of silence the voice rang out once more, saying “Good. Now remain in that position. If you move, it will be the last movement you ever make. Do you understand me?”
Andrea exhaled when she spotted Bob walking out of the shadows with his 1911 trained on the three men.
“Are we glad to see you!” Andrea forced herself to her feet, then called for Ruth to join them. Her body twisted into knots as Billy emerged from behind the gunmen’s van and ran to his father, who was lying motionless. “Jack!” She ran to Jack’s side. I was so focused on Billy that I didn’t even realize Jack had been shot. How could I? Andrea knelt down beside her motionless husband, stroked his thinning, dirty blonde hair and put her hand on his face. “Jack?”
There was no response. She began shaking and tears ran down her face. “Jack?”
Andrea jumped, startled when Jack opened his blue eyes. Her tears became tears of relief and joy.
***
As Jack regained consciousness he felt a hand on his cheek. A soft hand. He opened his eyes and was greeted by the welcome sight of Andrea. Her piercing green eyes focused on him like a laser. “Surprised to see me?” he asked, then pulled her down and kissed her, running his fingers through her curly, light brown hair.
“Oh my God, I thought you were dead!”
“No such luck.” The sharp pain pierced Jack’s ribcage like a dagger. He groaned as he fought through it and forced himself to sit up. “I’m okay, but that’s going to hurt tomorrow!” He gritted his teeth, slowly stood up and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a bullet-proof vest. “Actually it hurts now . I sure am glad I decided to wear this.” He removed the slug embedded in the vest. “That’s what I get for leaving my gun in the truck.” Jack pointed at
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