Collection of Four Short Stories

by Steven Ehrman

  “No,” conceded Joe, but a sly grin slowly spread across his face. “No it might not fall in our laps, but a player is always on the look-out. You know why people are able to raise apple trees and sell apples? Why don’t people just walk up and take an apple? It’s because people are sheep. They’ve been told taking an apple off a tree is wrong so they don’t do it even when no one’s looking. A smart guy just walks up and takes an apple. People don’t do it because they’re cattle.”

  “I thought people were sheep.”

  “Shut up!” snarled Joe. “People are sheep, but I’m not. I’m a wolf. You wanna be a wolf? Stick with me and you’ll never have to be a sheep. Stick with me and we’ll take what we want when the time comes. Ya just gotta be ready when it does. “

  Joe seemed to be slightly slurring his words and Don was feeling the effect of the beer too. Joe made sense, but something felt wrong. Like maybe Joe was leaving something out.

  “Joe,” Don said, stammering a little. “Didn’t you end up doing that stretch of time before? You told me you got busted for stealing a women’s purse outta her car, right?”

  The question seemed to sober Joe and he paused for a good ten count before he answered.

  “That’s because I was thinking small,” he said warming to his subject as he went. “Yeah that’s it. I was thinking small. The next time opportunity knocks it’ll be something big. I can feel it, man. God has a purpose for me, man. That stretch was just to get my attention and it did. Next time when I take what I got coming you’ll be right next to me and we’ll be big men for a change. People will park our cars instead of us parking theirs. They’ll call us sir and get out of our way. Do you want to be a big man? Well do ya?”

  Don couldn’t meet Joe’s challenging gaze and stared at his feet without answering. He took a sip of his beer and the answer came to him.

  “I do want to be a big man Joe,” he said, and Don suddenly realized he had never wanted anything as bad as he wanted this.

  It was at that moment that the lights went out.

  The two men were cast into darkness and they immediately noticed that the power outage at least included the entire motel as lights had blinked out in all the windows they could see. Joe swore softly under his breath, but said nothing else. Don took another sip of beer and leaned back in his chair.

  “Well I guess no TV tonight,” said Don. “I wonder how widespread the outage is.”

  Upon that question Joe arose out of his lawn chair and eagerly strode towards the street. Don watched him and after a few seconds followed him. When he caught up with Joe, he could see the older man was scanning in all directions and he noticed that Joe’s breathe was coming in short gasps and that Joe seemed to be in some sort of barely controlled excitement. Don was about to speak when Joe clasped him on the shoulder firmly.

  “Buddy this is it,” said Joe.

  Don remained quiet knowing his companion would continue on his own.

  “This is opportunity, man. I told you God has a plan. He said let there be light and now He is turning them out to show us the way.”

  Don gazed at Joe and nodded silently.

  “This is opportunity man,” Joe repeated. He turned to face Don. “Buddy, grab those masks you bought, and lets take a little ride.”

  “But Joe, the power looks like it is out all over town. Traffic lights and such will be out. Where are we going anyhow?”

  “Never you mind where, just do like I tell ya and we will change our lives tonight.”

  Joe’s enthusiasm overawed Don and he went inside for the masks. Within minutes they were creeping towards the construction sight downtown. Joe whistled softly and began to outline his plan.

  “You know that jewelry store down the block from the site? Cool little small town store just ripe for the picking. You know why that store don’t get knocked over every night?”

  “People are sheep,” replied Don.

  Joe let out a raucous laugh. “Ya people are sheep, but even wolves need an advantage. I walked by that store a couple of times this week. There is a back entrance off the alley and the store don’t even have bars on the windows. I guess people around here think that’s unfriendly and just for big city folk. But still, they gotta have an alarm system. One window gets broke or a door opens and the alarm goes off, but what’s different about tonight?”

  Joe paused, but Don’s face was hidden in shadow and he made no response.

  “What’s different tonight,” Joe continued. “Is that there’s no juice for the alarm. Get it? We can get in there fast and get out fast. No risk and big game amigo. Get it?”

  Don was listening intently. He trusted Joe, but there was something not right. He leaned towards Joe and asked “But how do we get into the safe? I don’t know no safecracking.” I wouldn’t even know where to fence the stuff even if the safe was open. I don’t get it Joe.”

  Of course you don’t junior. That’s why I’m here.”

  Don absorbed the insult without response and Joe went on.

  “We ain’t gonna worry about no safe. We’re gonna grab us up all the gold watches and rings we can get out of the glass display cases. I looked in the window this week on my lunch break. Just window shopping, but you never know. Anyway, there are thousands of dollars worth of gold stuff in the cases. Maybe fifty Gs. We kick in the back door, smash the cases and we’re out man. The store even supplies the bags we need. Simplest robbery ever and we don’t need no guns, no burglar tools or nothing. Just in case of any pain in the ass witnesses, we wear the masks and we’re golden.”

  Joe finished in a rush and was breathing hard. Don realized they were coming up on the jewelry store. He glanced at the sign and saw for the first time the place was called Tillman Fine Jewelry. Don wondered for a moment what Tillman looked like. Was it a man or a woman, or was Tillman just some person who opened the store 50 years ago and had long since sold the place and the name? The streets and buildings were covered in a dark gloom and it felt like the town was dead. Joe eased the car into the alley next to the store and put the car in park. Don could hear Joe still breathing hard with his hands gripped tightly on the wheel. The lights from the dashboard dimly lit Joe’s face and Don could see a fine film of sweat on his upper lip.

  “This is it buddy,” Joe said in a voice that was slightly too loud. “There’s no turning back if we get outta this car. Are you a sheep or are you a wolf, buddy?”

  Don met his friend’s gaze and said evenly. “Let’s do this thing. I can feel that money burning a hole in my pocket.”

  With that, he opened the door and fairly leaped out of the car. He strode quickly towards the door of the jeweler with Joe in his wake. Don reached the door and looked at the frame. Taking one step back he kicked the door as hard as he could. He heard splintering and felt the door give. Without a word he leaned in with his shoulder and the door gave way. Both men hesitated for a minute as they half expected an alarm to go off despite the power outage. The room beyond the door was in total darkness. The doorway looked like the mouth of a ravenous beast. The men glanced at each other, put on the masks, and went in. While inside Don and Joe looked around to see what they could take. Don found some bags he gave some to Joe and they begin to smash the glass casing with glass flying everywhere. The two men started collecting watches, rings, necklaces and anything of value. When they had gotten what they could carry they stopped and looked at each other with a smile.

  Joe murmured something about, “Hitting the jackpot.”

  They both grabbed their bags and started for the door, boasting quietly to each other about how easy the robbery had been. As the men came through the door they were stopped in their tracks by what appeared to be two policemen standing in their way. The strangers were in the shadows and their faces were hidden.

  “Well boys,” said the taller of the two men. “Looks like you fellas musta got lost. There ain’t no hockey team in this town. Ain’t that right Murph?”

  The shorter man nodded. “That’s a fact C
hief. We ain’t even got a baseball team.”

  “Now how about you boys throw up your hands and we’ll take you down to the station and talk about this,” said the Chief. “It wasn’t too nice of you fellas to rob poor Mr. Tillman’s store just because the power was out. That is pure anti social behavior ain’t it Murph?”

  “Whatever you say Chief.”

  Joe nudged Don and whispered out of the side of his mouth.

  “How do we know these guys are even cops? It’s Halloween for crying out loud. Maybe they’re just trying to con us outta our loot.”

  “That’s right.” Said Don as quietly as possible. “They might be grifters like us.”

  “How do we know you’re really cops?” Joe challenged. He was gaining some of his old confidence back. “Those suits look like something you get from a magazine. We ain’t putting on hands up, down, or anywhere until I see some more proof than a cop costume.”

  “These are bright boys aren’t they Murph?” the Chief said with a chuckle. “Fellas I can understand your point of view and if you want proof we are bound by the law to give it to you.”

  As he finished his statement the Chief pulled a revolver from an inside pocket of his jacket and pointed it at Joe and Don. Without another word the Chief opened fire. Four shots rang out in succession and as the smoke cleared Joe and Don lay on the pavement.

  “Check ‘em out Murph. Make sure they’re dead,” said the Chief in a calm voice.

  The young patrolman walked to the bodies and studied them for a minute.

  “No doubt about it Chief. These two ain’t going to be talking to no one.”

  “Alright Murph bring my car around from the street.”

  The Chief glanced at the bodies in an offhand manner and lit a cigarette. Taking a deep breath he checked his wristwatch. The patrolman pulled the Chief’s car behind the robber’s car with the lights off. He exited the car and looked up at the Chief awaiting orders.

  “Grab the bags from these boys and put them in the trunk of my car.” Said the Chief. “On second thought leave one on the ground.”

  Murph did as he was told. He swept up five bags, leaving one, and stashed them in the trunk and spread a blanket over them.

  “Don’t worry about the blanket. No one will be looking in my car.”

  The Chief scanned the scene again. He checked the door and confirmed it had been forced. He finished his cigarette and tossed it away.”

  “What happened here Murph?”

  “What Chief?” asked a startled Murph.

  “I’ll tell you what happened young man. Listen and you’ll learn something. We came across the scene of this crime on our usual patrol and found that these two poor men had been killed by an associate during the commission of this crime.”

  “Associate Chief?”

  “That’s right. These boys brought their executioner with them. You see son there is no honor among thieves. One or more of this gang turned on these two and ran off with the loot leaving one bag behind in all the confusion. Do you understand Patrolman Murphy?”

  “Yes sir!” returned the young man promptly. “An awful occurrence.”

  “Yes,” mused the Chief. “Awful yet all too common. When we brought you in you knew how we handled out of town miscreants son. These boys owed me a debt for committing a crime in my town and that bill came due.”

  “What about Mr. Tillman sir? He ain’t gonna be too happy about losing all his inventory.”

  “I’ll deal with Tillman. He’s got insurance and any deductible he had to pay he can consider a fine for having such a flimsy back door to his establishment.”

  “Got it Chief,” Murphy grinned. “Want me to radio this in?”

  “Yeah you may as well. I want to get to bed before dawn.”

  As Murphy radioed in the report and requested back up the Chief leaned against the car and lit another smoke. As he lazily blew out smoke rings the sounds of sirens began. They gradually grew until soon four more patrol cars were at the scene. The Chief directed operations and know one questioned his interpretation of events. The Chief’s force was well trained in their jobs. The Chief was about to leave the wrap up to his underlings when a car he knew well pulled up to the scene.

  “How did she find out so quick?” he muttered.

  A young woman jumped out of the car and approached the Chief with a tape recorder in her hand.

  “Well Miss Marlowe we have been here an entire hour I cannot think of what kept you.”

  The young woman flashed a smile.

  “The Fourth estate has a job to do Chief. You know that. You want to give me a rundown on the events of the night here?”

  The Chief and the reporter spoke together for nearly twenty minutes. He outlined for her the robbery and the subsequent death of two of the robbers with the other suspect, or suspects, taking most of the heist jewelry and escaping. The Chief told a story with no loose ends, but Marlowe was a diligent reporter and went at the story from every possible angle looking for a fresh take. Finally she thanked the Chief for his time.

  “I guess this has been a long night for you Chief. Is there anything further you can tell me about this crime?”

  “Nothing,” said the Chief.

  The End