EARLY WITHDRAWAL (A Mitch Tobin Mystery Book 1)

by Mark Gannon

  “Let’s scoop up all that loot and secure it.” Rawlins stretched around behind him and produced hand cuffs. “Put her in those and latch her to something solid. I’m going to call Bucky and get an update.” With that Rawlins hurried out of the vault and left the evidence and the robber to Mary Beth and Judy. He knew when he had a good team backing him up. His departure was so abrupt that the rest of us were left looking at each other. This time Mary Beth was the first to recognize a great opportunity.

  “Come on grandma. We are going to latch you to something really heavy.” She smiled at the rest of us as she led Thompson off. “I always wanted to play copper. What a fun day!”

  I snapped out of it and went to find Rawlins. He was back in Charlie’s office talking to Bucky over his radio. “So you’re in position outside and so is Tommy. Who drove by the old ladies place and what did they find?” He listened for a little and said, “So no strange vehicles parked outside but the window shades are pulled and the garage is closed. No way to tell who may be inside. Okay. Wait for the old lady to show.” He hung up and turned to me expecting some comment.

  “Sheriff, why did you ask him to watch for Mrs. Thompson? She didn’t agree to help you. She won’t be going out that door anytime soon unless she is in company with you.” He looked at me and grinned.

  “That may be. But she may change her mind.” Rawlins spurt of activity was over. He was sitting with his feet on the desk. Good thing Charlie wasn’t here yet. That pained expression must mean Rawlins was thinking. I started to say something and he waived me to silence. “You need to let me think some Mitch. I know we are under the gun but those yea whos aren’t going anywhere as long as Mrs. Thompson is in here with the loot. The question is how are we going to flush them out?”

  I let him think a little longer and once again started to speak only to be motioned to silence again. “I think we should hit both places at once. I’ll send a group into the old ladies house and make a sweep of the street. Now if I just had a SWAT team handy.” He was literally rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

  “Well I don’t think you have a SWAT team in your back pocket. So how are you actually going to do this?”

  Rawlins lips were stretching into a small smile. “To tell you the truth I have about used up all the available staff with the present set up. I think what we do is keep an eye on the house and make a law statement out front.”

  I wondered out loud, “What is a law statement?”

  “A law statement is using uniforms and sirens to make a loud splash. Then you sit back and see if any chickens fly.” My face must have shown a lack of understanding. “I’m betting Nancy and Slick are outside watching the front and back doors. We come screaming in with lots of lights and noise and they will get scared and run for it. I’ll bet you we get at least one runner in about three minutes.” Rawlins grabbed the phone again. “Plan B Bucky. Let the thunder roll.” And he hung up. With that he got up and started strolling to the front door.

  As I headed for the front door behind Rawlins I remembered I was supposed to call John when the fireworks were about to start. He was number seven on my speed dial. “Hey John. Time to watch some fun. Out front of the bank in about one minute. See you there.”

  Chapter 46

  Running Chickens

  Charlie, Mary Beth, Judy and Deb all showed up when Rawlins was headed to the front door. Judy wanted to know, “What is he going to do? We should be doing something. Time is running out. They expect her to be out of the bank by now.”

  I kept following Rawlins and threw back over my shoulder, “If you want to see the fireworks I suggest following Rawlins to the front door.”

  There was a fluster of questions that died as quickly as they started. The whole troop fell in behind Rawlins. It was a strange quiet group all standing at the front of the bank staring out on Main Street. No one was talking except Rawlins who was humming quietly to himself. Eventually he turned to Charlie and said, “What do I always say at poker Charlie?” It was a rhetorical question. “When bluffing do it big and flashy and let all the players know you are making a move. It’s time for a bluff.” Charlie smiled. He had an idea of what was coming.

  Deb was not catching any of this and started to ask something when the sirens started blaring. It didn’t matter because no one was paying attention to her. Two sheriff cars and one city police car screamed up to the front door with sirens blaring and lights flashing. From the sound of it there were at least another two units doing the same at the back door.

  A quick glance at our internal crowd showed everyone enjoying the show. Mary Beth and Judy were doing a short cheer for the cops, Charlie was all smiles and Deb was scratching her head. But I turned back to see if the strategy was working. Were any chickens running?

  The deputies were making a great show of it. They all jumped out of the squad cars wearing flak vests and waiving riot shotguns. Bucky was back in uniform. How had he changed so quickly? Bucky stormed the front door while the other two took up positions on the sidewalk towards either end of the bank building. They stood there swiveling back and forth almost leveling the guns in the direction of the general public. The sirens were still blaring and the lights were flashing. In sleepy little Spearfish this was excitement. The public was not jaded and used to criminal activity.

  A crowd was starting to form - well what passes for a crowd in Spearfish – almost twenty people. Bucky was standing with his back to the bank door with the shotgun across his chest. Bucky was more with it than you might expect. His head was swiveling back and forth looking for any running chickens. The deputies were trying not to force any action that might endanger the citizens but they sure were using their eyes on the crowd.

  The tension was immediate and building for the next several minutes. Just the noise alone was an irritant that added to the stress level. I know if I was a robber sitting outside the bank with all that activity I would get very nervous. I wondered how long Rawlins would allow the charade to continue. The initial shock was the ticket. If that didn’t shake someone lose then it wasn’t going to work.

  I didn’t see any ‘chickens’ running away and started to say so but Rawlins shushed me again. His eyes were locked on a vehicle at the end of the block. I looked but didn’t see anything that got my attention. It was a newer sport utility vehicle similar in color to the new Escalade of Sue Kerry.

  What was Rawlins picking up on that I was missing? I checked his eyes again and I was sure that is where he was keyed in. Looking harder at the car I caught a glimpse of something for a quick second in the back seat. I started watching for movement again. There it happened again and again. What was that movement? Then it dawned on me. Three little Pekingese dogs were in the back jumping up and down watching for Mrs. Thompson to come back out of the bank!

  Rawlins said, “Bingo! I think we have our selves a chicken. I can’t stand those sirens much longer. I’m going to help Bucky move things along.” He opened the front bank door and said something to Bucky and pointed to the sport utility vehicle. Bucky started to the end of the building and picked up the deputy on that end of the bank as he went by. As they moved closer to the chosen vehicle they pushed the spectators behind them and motioned to the bank. Moving closer to the SUV Bucky and the other deputy fanned out to approach it from the back on either side.

  Bucky slowed his step and took a position behind the driver’s car door. The other deputy was on the other side of the car by the back window. I could see Bucky’s lips move apparently asking the driver to step out of the car. Nothing happened for several seconds as Bucky stood frozen in place.

  Then the car started and tires squealed as the motor screamed. The car swerved and lurched into Bucky who jumped back and fell down. Bucky rolled out of the way while holding onto his shotgun. The other deputy scurried along the other side of the car while he raised his shotgun. As quickly as the gun came up it went back down as the deputy realized he could be putting innocents in a line of fire.

 
Bucky continued to move as he came up from his ground roll. Popping up he immediately went into a run back to the front of the bank tossing spectators to the side as he shoved his way through the crowd. He jerked his cruiser door open and was already moving as he tried to slam the door shut. In two seconds Bucky and the other deputy were in their cruisers with sirens screaming and tires smoking disappearing up the street. Rawlins was right behind them in his unmarked car. As the sirens receded down Main Street our group in the bank came to life.

  “My babies! Oh my babies!” Mrs. Thompson screamed in our ears. “She’s got my babies in that car with her!” With that Mrs. Thompson partially collapsed at least as far as Steve Blake’s arm would let her collapse. Mary Beth’s answer to securing Mrs. Thompson was to handcuff her to Steve Blake.

  Blake was not enjoying his roll of grandma gangster babysitter. He was trying to pull away from Mrs. Thompson even as she settled to the floor. “Get her off me!” He snapped at Mary Beth, “Where’s the key? Someone help me unlock these things.” Mary Beth turned her face away from Steve to hide her grin. “Why did she cuff me to her?” Being handcuffed to Mrs. Thompson had to be hard on Blake. Here was one of the bank customers he was always trying to suck up to and now she was a criminal and he was locked to her. As I thought about it I had to turn my face to hide a grin also.

  Then Deb Miller started in, “So is somebody going to tell me what is going on? And why is Mrs. Thompson handcuffed to Blake?” Judy and Mary Beth were too busy hiding their grins to respond. I was gloating in my revelation being right and was not willing to share the information with the Ice Princess. The only person with their head into the situation was Charlie.

  Charlie was moving to the back door and motioning me to follow him while he ignored Deb and Blake. “Come on Mitch. Move it! We need to watch the back door.” I didn’t get it right away. When I kept looking vacant he snapped at me, “Now. That car only had Nancy in it. Morrison is still out there. I’m betting he was watching the back door.”

  As I came up to the back door Charlie unlocked it and was standing part way through the opening holding the door open. He was looking over his shoulder at me and saying, “Hurry up Mitch. We need to see if we can spot him. Then we can relay to Rawlins what he is wearing or driving so the police can spot him.”

  Nearing the doorway a shadow fell across the entrance. Looking up my heart sank. “If you want to know what he is wearing just look over your shoulder.” Slick was standing behind Charlie with that nasty look on his face.

  “Out of the way old man unless you want me to shoot the other leg.” Slick shoved Charlie aside and let the door close behind him. He motioned with his gun for the two of us to back away as he checked to make sure it locked behind him. I noticed right away it was not the small gun with a silencer he had used on me but instead a big heavy Para forty-five with a double stack magazine and fourteen rounds of heavy slugs. With that cold nasty smile he said, “Who’d have thought I’d be seeing you again so soon. This must be my lucky day.”

  I was still elated with my hunch turning out right or at least partially right. And my adrenaline was just starting to recede from watching Rawlins goose Nancy into a run. Now all that good feeling drained away erased by a flood of frustration and despair. Right on the heels of that my quick temper popped to the surface. This ass had worked me over twice and I never laid a hand on him. Now he was in a position to do it to me again.

  Charlie didn’t rattle easily. “Put the gun down and we’ll see how old a man I am. What do you want coming back in here anyway? You’re partner in crime has the cops chasing her and they will be chasing you real soon.”

  “She’s not my partner anymore. I hope she gives the cops a nice long chase so I can get my business done here.”

  That surprised me and I blurted out, “Since when is she not your partner?”

  Slick snapped back, “Since she and Larson have been getting together. I take all the risks like that night up at the horsey ride when I went out to stick the old nosey guy. I’m out doing the dirty work and she’s having it on with Larson. I should have suspected it when she said Larson was an old friend. I just didn’t know how good of a friend."

  Slick laughed in his snarly snide manner. “The partner I am looking for is still here in the bank. Where is the old lady? She never came out of the bank.”

  Charlie and I swiveled our heads to the front door. Slick followed our eyes and spotted Mrs. Thompson now sitting in a chair being watched by Judy and Mary Beth. Blake was standing next to her chair trying to distance himself as best he could. Deb was barking at Judy demanding to find out what was going on. But Judy was not listening.

  Judy was frozen looking at Slick, the man who had forced her on that night time helicopter ride and shot Larson right in front of her. Judy’s face was colorless as the shock forced the blood from her face. What was going through her mind? This man might have roughed me up but he had left some definite scars on Judy’s psyche.

  Thankfully Charlie was still poised. He raised his voice to call across the bank, “Everyone stay calm and do what this man tells you. Don’t do anything rash and stay away from the telephones and the alarms.”

  “Smart thinking there, pops. Keep your staff from doing anything stupid. Now let’s just go over and talk to my partner.” Slick waved his gun at Charlie and me as he moved us over to the other side of the bank. He asked Charlie “Is this front door locked too? We don’t want anyone just wandering in.” Charlie nodded yes. “Good. Now, you there little honey, why don’t you pull those curtains closed so the public isn’t watching us.” Judy was already past her surprise. I could tell by the way she was clenching and unclenching her fists. “Move it. Or else I can rough you up a little to get your cooperation like I did to your buddy in the copter.”

  Charlie cautioned Judy, “Just do what he asks, Judy. The sooner we do what he says the sooner he is out of here.” Judy paid attention to Charlie and closed the curtains.

  Slick was going to stay in charge. “Okay partner. Where is the loot? Is it in that big purse you brought with you or is it still in the vault?”

  Mrs. Thompson quit her wailing and glared at Slick. “If anything happens to my babies because of you, I’ll get you. You can count on that.”

  Slick responded, “Cut the threats you old bag. Your dogs are having a good ride with Nancy. Now where is that loot?” Then he made with that nasty laugh of his.

  She hung her head and snarled out, “They took it from me. Those two nasty women grabbed me and dumped it out on the floor of the vault.” She indicated Mary Beth and Judy. She wailed, “First you took my dogs and then they took my jewelry.”

  Judy’s temper was showing, “It is not your jewelry. You stole it from our customers.”

  Slick thought all of this was funny. “That’s right and now I am going to take it from all of you.” He turned back to Judy, “Since you did such a good job with the curtains why don’t you run and get the old bats purse and all the goodies for me? I will stay here with your friends. Remember not to do anything stupid.”

  For some reason Judy’s body language was moving from anger back to her spunky attitude from earlier. Her steps were quick and bouncy as she made her way to the vault. She was up to something. I hoped it wasn’t going to get the rest of us in trouble.

  Mrs. Thompson finally realized how she was setting. “Slick, why don’t you get me out of these handcuffs?” She raised her arm to show the connection to Steve. “I don’t want to drag this insipid dolt along with me.” Steve made a face of disbelief at being called a dolt.

  Slick made that nasty laugh again. “What makes you think you’re going with me? If you had let us take that loot with us when we here the first time you wouldn’t be going to jail now. But you had to be cute and put it in your safe deposit box. That’s where it will be safe you said. They will never look there you said. Well you can just stay right here.”

  Time was passing. They surely had caught Nancy by now. Hopefully Rawlins would
be showing back up at the bank. Slick must have been thinking the same thing. “Where’s that little honey with my loot? She’s taking too long.”

  As Slick stepped toward the vault Judy made an appearance. She was hustling and carrying the large purse. It was apparently loaded down with goodies. The weight was obvious. That was strange as little Mrs. Thompson had carried it herself without any real difficulty. What had Judy put in that purse?

  Judy set it on the floor next to Slick and stepped back. Slick smiled and knelt to open the purse. A quick look inside and he was smiling. “That looks like the goods. Glad you didn’t try to stiff me. I would hate to have to rough you up - again.” He was actually smiling as he said the next command, “Now I want all of you to get in the vault.” When no one moved right away he shoved the gun right into Judy’s ribs and said, “Now, before I start blasting a few of you to let you know I mean business.”

  A few minutes later the entire bank staff was locked in the vault. Fifteen people squeezed into a claustrophobic confining area causing major anxiety. Raised voices and sharp comments signaled outright panic in some of the staff. Charlie was raising his voice but was not being heard above the volume of the histrionics. It was a tight fit but I didn’t really mind where I was squeezed up against the far corner. Judy was squeezed in right next to me. I reached down and slipped my hand around hers. Judy turned her eyes to mine and smiled as she gripped my hand back. Being locked in a vault wasn’t the worst thing depending on the company.

  Chapter 47

  Two by Four

  Thankfully Mary Beth was near the vault door. She put her fingers in her mouth and let go a loud shrill whistle. The vault went completely quiet. “Okay everyone try to move to the back and make some room up front. Slick doesn’t know how a bank vault door works thank goodness. He shut the door but he didn’t spin the combination dials. If you let me up front I think I can open the door from this side and we should be out of here in nothing flat.” And she did just that.