A Crooked Waitress

Chapter 11

Rose liked her new position as a salesgirl at the Sea Of Light Jewelry store. The place was named after a large Persian diamond, and the customers knew it for its overpriced goods. But here, they could purchase items that were impossible to find anywhere else in the town.

The owner, Mr. McKinley, was a man well into his sixties and lived in an apartment above the shop. A luxury flat decorated in the style of the 1920s.

He was divorced and had children somewhere, but they were estranged. Never married again, he had not lost his appetite for young women. This is why his assistant, Rose, was only twenty-five years old.

That night—like almost every night—he called her upstairs, pushed her down on the bed, and mounted her. The bed trembled, and she slowly moaned. When he was done, she slapped him mildly and giggled. "Couldn't you wait until we closed?"

"Nope," he lay on his back.

"Okay, I'll go down and open up again."

"Good girl."

She didn't mind his advances. Her pay was twice as any salesgirl she knew which, was not for her incredible business skills. And somewhere in the back of her mind were the shop and that apartment with the antique furniture. Who could say it wouldn't turn into something serious?

***

Eric looked at his phone. He and Natalie were sitting in the blue Toyota, across the street from the jewelry store.

"What are they doing?" Natalie asked.

"Maybe they have some extra activity going on upstairs." He looked at her and grinned." For a second I thought we lost them for tonight."

They both fell silent again and watched the shop.

"When?" She asked after a while.

"Any minute now."

At eight, they put on latex gloves and pulled socks on their heads. Then each picked up a shotgun from the back seat, strode across the street, and barged into the store.

"Don't even think about pushing the alarm button," Eric shouted, pointing his gun at the owner. "In the corner, now! Over there."

McKinley and Rose scurried to a corner and sat on the floor. Natalie sprayed the cameras with black paint, leaving dark circles on the wall.

His two-barrel shotgun pointed at the hostages, Eric glanced at two ends of the street and drew the curtains.

Natalie went behind the showcases, leaned her gun against the wall, and emptied trays full of jewelry into a garbage bag.

Rose was shaking, and tears poured down her eyes." We're gonna die. We're gonna die here tonight. I'm so young. It's too soon."

McKinley grabbed her shoulders. "It's Okay. They'll take what they want, and leave."

"Is it true Mr.? You leave when you get the jewels?" She asked Eric, her voice breaking.

"Shut your mouth." He pointed the shotgun at her face.

"He's gonna kill us. He's gonna kill us." Her gaze moved between the gun muzzle and his eyes.

Eric sneered, enjoying her fear.

A big diamond hung from a gold necklace. Natalie picked it up, and her eyes sparkled, admiring its delicate chain and smoothly cut stone. "How much is this worth, old man?"