Chapter 4

Lynn POV

"Please," I mumbled, "Don’t kill me,"

Yanking the phone from my grip, I flinched, watching as he threw it to the ground, stamping his foot onto it repeatedly.

"Thought you could save the day huh?" He asked, hoping that was a rhetorical question I looked away, not wanting to meet his stares, the couple beside me didn't intervene, they just continue to whimper on each other shoulders,

"Lay the fuck down," the second robber, shove the gun into my neck forcing me to lie face down on the floor,

There is someone else, I could see their feet under the bottom of the shelf, why did three men need to rob a local store, I thought... No, wait. This new person, he wasn't with them, he was walking way too carefully as if he was sneaking up with an intention. My eyes followed the footsteps, as they bend the corner behind the second robber.

Hearing a low whack, the thief's crashed down beside me, blood oozing from the side of his head, "Hey," I heard a low whispered, "Are you alright?"

Bolting up, I stared up at this stranger, he looked so familiar, like we have met before, I just couldn't put my finger on it,

"Yea," I nodded, "There is another one... He took the cashier and went back there," I nudged with my head,

"Aright, get them out," he looked up at the elderly couple "And the police,"

"Right." I agreed, standing to my feet,

Nodding at me, he pulled back the slide of his firearm before walking away,

"Wait..." I tugged on his arm, "My phone... I-I don't have a phone," I stared down at the ruined device,

"Use mine... Be quick, I don't know how this is going to end," he dipped into his pocket, placing his cell into my palm,

"I have to go in there before he comes back out,"

"What about him," I glanced over my shoulders, starting back at the unconscious man,

"Tie him up... stuff his mouth, I don't care... just buy me enough time... And the cops,"

Squeezing my shoulders, her ambled away, to the back of the store.

Rushing over to the couple, I knelt before, glance over my shoulder in fear,

"Listen... You guys have to get out of here, a fast you can... Do you understand?"

They nod in understanding.

"What are you going to?" The woman asked and her husband helped her to her feet.

"I am going to help," I stared down at the phone, swiping up the lock screen, I stared at the wallpaper, and then it clicked, the guy who bumped into me... It was him. Leaning against a Bentley, dressed in a suit, an expensive one. Shaking my head, I opened the dial log, punching in the digits, 911. Pressing the phone against my ear, realizing the couple already strolled away.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"There is a robbery in progress... At the local store... Sunset Boulevard."

"How many of them?" The operator questioned.

"Two... Well, kinda," I looked over my shoulder, making sure he was still knocked out cold.

"Mam... I need to know the exact number."

"Two..." I mumbled, "There are two of them."

"Stay put, send the nearest available officers your way now, can please stay on the line—"

I ended the call.

Snatching an extension cord from the rack.

Crouching over the man's body, I tied both of his hands and his feet.

"All I have to do now is—"

I didn't get to finish, I was cut off by screams, followed by gunshots filling the aisle.

"Come on," the cashier ran past me, and trotted behind her, looking back who was going to come out, the robber or the kind stranger.

Outside, the police have finally arrived, the cashier was explaining the situation, while I paced and forth, biting my fingernails, with the man's phone in my hand,

Seeing the door pushed opened, a policeman pulled out his gun, shoving me behind him while the others did the same,

"No," I yelled, "He helped us..."

Glancing back at me, the cop stuffed his gun into his gun holder, "You heard her boys... Take a look inside," he instructed them.

I watched as the kind stranger, spoke to a cop, who scribbled down his statement into a little notebook,

"Tell me again how you knew it was a robbery."

Yeah... How did he know.

"Walked in to grab a bottle of gin," he explained, "The first thing I noticed was the cashier being missing... Sherry wouldn't do that."

So, they know each other.

"Then there was shouting, I listened closer, pulled out my arm, and hit him the back of his head, and..." He noticed I was eavesdropping but didn't call me out on it.

"The other man, it was quite a tussle... Sad that it ended fatally."

"Well nice work and thank you Mr..."

"Jensen."

"As in Shaquille fucking Jensen. Oh shit... Sorry, I-I am your biggest fan man, but I need your signature."

"Sure," Shaquille smiled, uncomfortably, taking the pen and the book from the cop,

"Hey, thanks, man." The policeman patted him on the back before walking away.

"I do believe this is yours," I chuckled, handing him his phone.

"Thanks."

"No thank you, you basically save the day."

"Was at the right place at the right time."

"Yeah..." I mumbled, "About that... Are you following me?"

"What?"

Trailing my head to the back of my head, I held up my hair into a ponytail.

"Dragged a memory?"

"Oh... Right, you're the girl that bumped into me."

"You bumped into me."

"You from around here?"

"Yeah... Yeah, but you aren't."

"Excuse me."

"Right now, you are dressed in clothes from Walmart and on the lock screen, you are outfitted in a thousand-dollar shoes and a limited-edition suit... And people seem to know who you are." I nudged my chin to the young cop from before, pointing in our direction to his buddies.

"I use to live here... Not the safest neighborhood but I love it here,"

Explains why he would know the cashier.

"And the outfit choice?"

"To blend in,"

Why did he need to blend in?

"Oh," I mumbled,

"But you don't know me... Is that what you're saying?"

"Sorry to disappoint but I don't... And it's getting dark, so I have to go, thanks again,"

"Can I at least have your number,"

Remembering my phone back in store I sighed,

"That son of a bitch broke it," I glared at the thief as the police shoved him into the police car,

"Guess I will see you around then,"

"Yea... Sooner than you think," he yelled as I walked away, collecting my keys, purse, and broken phone from one of the officers, heading back to my apartment.

Sunday, and I haven't thought about what happened yesterday, I decided not to leave the comfort of my home again to go grocery shopping though, I used the My Cart app instead, it's a service that brings my order to my doorstep.

When will be able to afford a new phone? I don't know but look on the bright side at least I have Fred to annoy me anymore, and if I win that big bonus, I will be able to buy myself a new cell, or two... Shit, maybe a pet crocodile if my landlord will allow it, I thought, chuckling softly.

The day ran off smoothly, I didn't do much reading today and I won't be doing it tonight, I have got work tomorrow and I can't be late, Mr. Brown doesn't like it when we are late. Climbing in bed I reached for the night lamp, switching off the light.

And I am late, it's Monday morning and I am up hassling around, trying to drink coffee while ironing my uniform, I didn't have an alarm clock and normally I would use my phone, but I don't have one at the moment. Rushing out of my apartment, I scrambled to store, pushing the door opening,

"Sorry I am late I had a crazy weekend," my voice slowed down, everyone was staring at me,

"What's wrong?" But no one answered, "Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?"

"Girl, can you calm the fuck down? Mr. B wants you in his office, that's all..."

"For what?" I swallowed hard, "This is my second time being late I—"

"How the fuck am I supposed to know? Maybe you won the bonus... Maybe he is going to fire you... Maybe he wants his dick suck, who knows," Floyd continued, Tanya snickering to his antics,

Walking to Mr. Brown door, I knocked on lightly before I spoke,

"Mr. Brown... It's me, Lynn. I am late because my phone,"

"Come in Lynn," he mumbled,

Biting my lower lip, I reached for the doorknob, keeping my stares to the ground as I twisted it, was he going to fire me for being late again, or was he going to give me another warning, I don't know... And there is only one way to find out,

"Mr. B, I—" my lips parted, seeing seat in the Mr. Bus chair with his hair comb back, dressed in a detailed suit,

"This is the CEO for Save Right Appliances and more," Mr. Brown spoke,

"Lynn... meet Shaquille Jensen."