The Bank Robber Jericho Brown Part III
My name is Henry James and I’m a writer for Dark Sides of the Truth Magazine.
Part I, Part II, Part III, Conclusion
Only in my world can I place an order with a federal hostage negotiator for pizzas and soda because I’m trapped in my bank due to a foiled robbery attempt.
Oh that’s happened to you before?
Yeah, right.
I bet you ordered the anchovies and the black olives didn’t you?
After hanging up on federal agent Manny Hermanos the kid and I made our way back along the bank’s inside wall.
“Jericho, you need to stay against the wall here. I’m going to go sit in one of the offices where they can see me. I’m pretty damned sure the phone is going to ring again.”
For about the hundredth time in less than fifteen minutes the kid checked his watch.
“Okay, but I don’t have much time. I got to get the cash and get out of here.”
“Listen son. Whatever plans you have going on today is not going to happen. In case you haven’t noticed the outside of the bank is crawling with police. There are only two ways this is going end.”
“You don’t understand. I have to…”
My cell phone in the back pocket of my jeans began to ring.
“Can I take this?”
“Yeah I guess.”
I tugged my phone out of my pocket and stared at the caller’s name then closed my eyes and shook my head. I thumbed the accept call icon.
“Hey Shaundrika what’s up?”
“Henry where the hell are you? It’s eleven thirty and I’ve been sitting at Johnson’s for the last fifteen minutes. We had a deal James. Is this your way of worming your way out of the bet? Let me tell you old man it’s not going to happen. I won fair…”
“Shaundrika.”
“What’s with the Shaundrika crap? You never call me by my given name. It’s always Sunny this and Sunny that. You…
“Shaundrika will you just dial it back a bit and let me get a word in?”
“And there you go again. I’m really getting tired of this crap James. The only time you ever call me by my given name is when you’re in deep…”
I listened to about three or four seconds of her breathing on the phone then she said, “oh for the love of God Henry what have you gotten yourself into this time?”
As I brought her up to speed I eyed Jericho. The kid was sitting with the shotgun across his legs and his back and head against the wall. And he was still checking his watch.
“I swear Henry you’re a freaking magnet for these things. You know that?”
“Yeah pretty much. Look, I think I’m in the middle of something else here and I need your help.”
“Oh hell no. Are you forgetting what Rick said?”
“Yeah I know, I know. He hired two writers and expects each to write their own damned stories not tag team on one. But he let us work together on the Baxter Huntley story didn’t he?”
“And what did he tell us? The Huntley story was a one time deal. A one time deal Henry.”
“Do you have to always be right about shit?”
“No I don’t have to, I just am.”
“Are you going to help me or not?”
“You know I am.”
“Then why in the hell are you busting my balls about it?”
“Number one it’s fun and number two, because I can.”
I took several sidesteps away from the young man then cupped my hand around the phone and whispered.
“I need you to find out everything you can on a kid named Jericho Brown. I’m guessing he can’t be more than eighteen, twenty tops. I’m also guessing he doesn’t live in Round Rock or Austin. Probably some rural community close by or maybe a farm. Oh, and he’s got a sister.”
“Does this sister have a name?”
“I’m sure she does.”
“Uh, James are you going to give it to me?”
“After me, you’ll be the first to know.”
The phones in the bank started warbling again.
“Look Sunny, I gotta go. I think our pizza’s here.”
“Pizza? Damn you James, I’ve been sitting here starving and you order pizza?”
“Sunny will you please take your foot off my neck for one minute and help a brother out? I think we’re racing against the clock and I have no clue how much time we have left.”
“Fine, but you owe me big time James.”
“I know. Put it on my tab.”
I picked up the office phone and punched the button.
“Hello Manny. It’s been so long since we’ve had a chance to talk. How’s the missus?”
“She’s well Henry. How’d you know I was married?”
“Lucky guess.”
“So before we deliver the pizza Henry I’ve got a few questions need answering. You said you were speaking for the person who was robbing the bank. Isn’t that what you said Henry?”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much what I said.”
“How many of you are there? We really need to know Henry.
“Counting me there’s nine of us.”
“Okay Henry very good. You’re doing great. You know Henry I never got your last name. I don’t remember if you gave it to me or not.”
“I didn’t. Guess you need that to run me through UCR right?”
Manny didn’t respond for a second.
“Well, it’s all about being honest with each other right Henry?”
“Yeah, it is Manny. My last name is James. I’m a writer for Dark Sides of the Truth Magazine. I just came in to withdraw some money. Legally.”
“Okay Henry what about the bank robber. Can you tell me anything about him?”
“Look Manny, I haven’t had breakfast, and I don’t know about you but I get really pissy when I haven’t eaten. After we have our lunch, then just like we agreed, everybody comes out except for the dude and me.”
“Okay Mr. James, I don’t know why you’re doing this, but tell the dude as you call him one of our officers is going to step into the foyer with the pizza’s and drinks.”
“Perfect Manny. Give us an hour then call us back.”
I convinced Jericho to give Bob the keys and we all watched as a uniformed officer wearing a flak jacket approached the door holding two large plastic bags. He placed the bags on the ground, lifted both hands and slowly turned in a circle.
“What the hell is he doing?”
“Showing you he’s unarmed Jericho. He wants to make sure you don’t think he’s a threat and shoot his ass.”
“Oh.”
As we ate in silence is was about as surreal as it comes. All of us sitting there eating and sipping as if we were taking a work lunch break.
It was almost most like the only people who thought Jericho Brown was a threat were the police outside the bank.
We were finishing up when the phones started ringing again.
So did my cell phone.
I punched the button on the same office phone I used before and said, “so hang on a second Manny. I’ve got someone else on the other line. I think they’re wanting to refinance their home.”
“James…”
I put him on hold and answered my cell.
“Sunny whatcha got.”
“The kid dropped out of school when he was sixteen. Lives in a farm house out in the boonies. His mother passed away just before he dropped out.”
“That’s it?”
“All I got so far.”
“Sunny, he said something about a sister and about getting back before some guy left.”
“What guy?”
“Damn Alexander don’t you think if I knew I would have already told you?”
“Don’t get cranky with me old man. I’m doing all this shit as a favor.”
“You’re right sorry. Do what you can.”
I hung up on Sunny and punched the office phone button again.
“Sorry Manny their credit rating was a disaster. We have our standards you know.”
“Whatever Henry. Now it’s time for you and the dude to keep your end of the bargain. Everybody comes out one at a time with their hands locked behind their heads. Got it?”
“Got it.”
I hung up and walked over to Jericho.
“Okay, it’s time. Everybody out.”
Bob and I stood on either side of the double doors as the bank employees walked out.
Before Bob left he shook my hand. He had a look of relief on his face but I could also see he was confused as hell. He dropped the keys into my outstretched hand.
“Henry I sure as hell hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Me too Bob. If things don’t turn out right you’ll be sitting in that deer stand by yourself.”
After I locked the door I sat down on the floor beside Jericho and for a minute or two we both sat there in silence.
“Okay son, you want to tell me what the hell is going on with your sister?”
“She’s dying. I’ve got till six this evening to come up with thirty thousand in cash or the doctor’s going to leave. He’s at our house right now waiting.”
“Whoa, back up a minute. What doctor takes cash up front and makes house calls?”
“Doctor Heinz Richter. He told us three shots will be all it takes and Ruth’s cancer will be gone for good.”
I tugged my phone out of my back pocket. I wasn’t about to wait until Sunny called back.
READ ON — THE BANK ROBBER JERICHO BROWN CONCLUSION
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