Week 2.5 – Two Hours Ago (Give or Take)

Previously: Digger announced his intention to rob a bank. Will he actually go through with it?

The guard made as if to reach for the gun, but Digger popped the Drillers into preheat. They powered up with a snap and a rising whine that startled the guard and convinced him to back up a step. Other people in the lobby noticed the sound and turned toward Digger.

He leaped easily up onto the counter and spoke loudly so everyone could hear. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I have to rob this bank, and I’m afraid I’m on a tight schedule, so I can’t afford to wait my turn. So if everyone will move back from the tellers’ windows and into the corner there? Thank you. Feel free to take pictures to show your friends later.”

The crowd of customers moved toward the indicated spot, along with the guard and the bank’s managers who had emerged from their offices. Digger squatted down by the nearest teller. He squinted at her name tag.

“Okay, Judith, here’s what I need you to do,” he said. “I need you to dump the trash out of that waste basket there and bring me the liner.

“Oh, you don’t want that one,” Judith said. “Charlene’s got a summer cold. It’s full of tissues.”

“That’s exactly the one I want. Dump it.”

She stepped over to the waste basket, disgust evident on her face. She turned it over awkwardly, and had to slap the bottom a few times to get the last tissue to dislodge. “Seriously, gross,” she said as she brought the empty plastic bag back to Digger.

“Not a problem, Judith,” Digger said. “I really don’t care if the money gets dirty. Now empty your drawer into the bag.”

She pulled open her cash drawer, pulled out the packets of bills and dumped them into the bag. All except  one stack on the far right. “That one, too,” Digger said, gesturing with the pistol he still held upside down by the grip.

“Oh, you don’t want that one,” Judith said.

“Why not?”

“Cause that’s the dummy packet?” she said, answering him while making it sound like a question. “The bills are marked, and when you pull it out, it sends out an alarm.”

“So you’re looking out for me, is that it?” Digger asked.

Judith blushed. “Well, you are a hero. I mean, you saved us all.”

“Well, isn’t that sweet?” Digger said. “But what you don’t know about me is how very, very greedy I am. I don’t want to leave a penny behind.”

He reached down and snatched the dummy packet out of the drawer and dropped it in the bag. Digger winked at the shocked Judith and went to the next teller. The phone in his pocket rang. He fished it out and held it to his ear. “Hello?”

“Why did the police come on the radio and say the robbery was a false alarm?” asked the Voice.  “Did you think I was joking about killing this hostage?”

What will happen next? Will Digger get away with the money? Will the hostage die? Be here Monday for another exciting chapter!

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