They didn’t have access to any guns, which was fortunate for all concerned. All they had was Brian’s baseball bat from Little League. Their plan was to leave after supper. Their dad would fall asleep watching the evening news, and their mom would be cleaning up the kitchen. As soon as that scenario began playing out, they headed for their room.
They’d already packed, so they tossed their bags and Brian’s bat out of their bedroom window, then climbed out. They quickly shouldered their gear, slipped out of the backyard into the alley, and headed for town.
They’d cut up their sock caps to make ski masks, and when the time was right, they would just pull them down over their faces and strike. They talked as they went, their enthusiasm for running away from Blessings overshadowing the deed they had to do to get away. They seemed oblivious to the harm and the crime they were planning to commit.
“It’s already after six. We need to hurry,” Teddy said, and shifted his bag to his other shoulder.
Brian did the same, and then they lengthened their stride. They arrived in the alley at the back of the pharmacy with less than five minutes to spare, and when they saw the car was still there, breathed a sigh of relief that they weren’t too late. They tried the car doors but they were locked, so they dropped their bags behind the dumpster then crouched beside it, pulled their masks down over their faces, and settled in to wait.
It was already dusk, and night was imminent.
One moment they were trying to shoo away a cat prowling around the garbage, and then suddenly the back door opened. They got a glimpse of the familiar hat and coat, and tensed.
“Wait, wait,” Teddy whispered, and as soon as Phillips was almost to the car, he leaped out from behind the dumpster with the ball bat raised, ready to swing.
All of a sudden Mr. Phillips spun, and when they saw the gun in his hand, the twins froze. And then they saw his face. It wasn’t Phil Phillips. It was Chief Pittman, and he was shouting.
“Get down on the ground! Get down on the ground belly first, and lock your hands behind your heads.”
Brian started to run, when all of a sudden there were patrol cars coming up the alley from both directions with lights flashing and sirens screaming. He turned, staring at his brother in disbelief, and then dropped to his knees and locked his hands behind his head.
Teddy Hollis was in shock.
“How did you know? How did you know?” he kept asking.
“Drop that bat, then turn around and get down!” Lon shouted and aimed his gun straight at Teddy’s chest.
Teddy stared down the barrel and knew the next few seconds of his life depended on the choice he made. He’d already made one bad decision by trying to rob a man, and dying for it didn’t seem worthwhile.
He dropped the bat and went belly-down. He was putting his hands behind his head when he felt the first handcuff around his wrist. He glanced over at Brian, who was belly-down and silent.
When the chief pulled off the masks, Teddy groaned. They were going to jail.
After the officers loaded the boys up and took them to the station to be booked, Lon went back inside.
“Phil! Phil! It’s safe to come out now.”
Phil walked out, relieved but shaken.
“Were they armed?”
“With a baseball bat,” Lon said. He began taking off the hat and coat, then handed the pharmacist the bank bag. “Did you get your money counted for the night deposit?”
Phil nodded.
“Bag it up. I’ll ride with you to the bank, and then you can drop me off at the station on your way home, okay?”
“Thanks, Chief. I don’t know what would have happened to me tonight if you hadn’t been tipped off.”
“But we were. And you’re safe. Now let’s get the place locked up.”
A few minutes later, Phil pulled into the drive-through at the bank, dropped his bag into the night deposit, and then took Lon to the police station.
“Thanks again, Chief,” Phil said.
“Just doing our job,” Lon said. “See you tomorrow. Try and get some rest,” he added, then got out of the car and went inside.
The Hollis brothers had been booked and put in cells across from each other.
Brian was lying on his cot with his face turned to the wall and still hadn’t said a word.
Teddy was pale and shaken, but silent until the chief walked in.
He stood. “Did you call our parents?”
“Just about to do that,” Lon said. “You want to give me their number?”
“No,” Teddy said.
Brian turned over. “I will. It’s my dad’s cell.” He gave the number, then asked, “What’s going to happen to us?”
“You will be charged with attempted assault with a weapon, attempted robbery, and attempted car theft,” the chief said.
“We didn’t hit anybody. We didn’t steal anything. We didn’t take a car,” Teddy argued.
“Just because we caught you in the act before you could finish it doesn’t give you a pass,” Lon said.
“We can’t afford a lawyer,” Teddy said.
Lon sighed. “Were you paying attention when my officers read you your rights?”
Teddy shrugged. “I guess.”
“Then you heard them say that if you can’t afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you. Sit tight, boys. I’ve got some calls to make.”
He left the jail and went straight to his office.
* * *
Donna Hollis was a little woman with a big heart. She was in her early forties but looked older. Life had been hard since the day she’d been born. But falling in love with Arnold Hollis had been her blessing. She loved him, and she loved their boys with everything in her.
The boys were tall like Arnold but got their blond hair from her, and even though they seemed to be stumbling their way out of their teenage years, she had faith they would do it. She was cleaning up from supper and could hear her husband snoring as she finished washing the dishes. She wanted him to carry out the trash, but hated to wake him. He loaded and unloaded sacks at the feed store all day long and always came home so tired. If he wasn’t loading up a customer’s purchases into their vehicle, he was unloading delivery trucks or driving the forklift moving pallets of feed.
She was hanging up the dishtowel when she heard Arnold’s phone ring, then heard him grumble before answering. At least he was awake now. He could carry out the garbage after all. She heard him cry out, and then he was running toward the kitchen. When he ran in, the look on his face was one of horror.