The Secret Life of Haans Gerhardt

Untitled Part 6

Chapter7

Sabrina Dunn sat in the passenger seat of the truck that she and the robber had used to get away from the scene. 

"I wonder if he's found his little family yet?" she wondered out loud. 

The robber scoffed. "Who cares?" he asked. "We got our money, didn't we?" he added. 

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "A coffee shoppe, Joe. Not a bank, but a coffee shoppe." she said. 

Seeing the perplexed look on Joe's face, she explained, "We hit for maybe a grand. The Boss wants at least a hundred grand, and I ain't talkin' 'bout the chocolate bar."

Joe's countenance fell as he realized exactly what this meant. 

With a heavy sigh, he asked, "So where do we hit next?" 

Sabrina looked at him from her side of the truck. 

"Joe, I don't know." she answered.

Joe glanced back at her as he pulled into the driveway of the old farmhouse where he'd grown up. 

As he put the truck in park, he asked, "Does there have to be any more killing?" 

"Only if they won't give us the money." answered Sabrina.

"Well, no more kids." said Joe matter of factly. 

Sabrina turned her head to look directly at him. 

"You'll do whatever I tell you to, honey buns." she said. "And do you know why that is?" she asked with a wicked smile. 

Joe shook his head.

 "Because you love me," she answered, laying her head over on his shoulder as he stared out into the empty pasture in front of the truck. 

He thought to himself how much he regretted that truth, especially in the wake of the robbery.

Joe's life had been a good one up until a couple of years ago. That's when he had met Sabrina and her brother, Neil. Joe had grown up the only son of a Southern Baptist preacher and the church pianist. For the most part, he had been a good kid, but had gotten into a little trouble after high school. He had decided to sit out a semester before going to Christian college. During this break was when he had met Sabrina. She was working at the coffee shoppe when they first met, and had quickly learned his favorite drink. About a month after they met, Joe asked Sabrina on a date. They had been glued to each other since then. Joe started going to Sabrina's house, where he eventually met her brother, Neil. It was Neil who pulled them both down into trouble.

One night, after a party, Neil got Sabrina and Joe to try heroin. Joe became instantly addicted, while Sabrina only shot up once in a while. Neil got their supply from a man he called "The Boss". The Boss gave Neil so much supply for a specified amount of money, but would refuse to give him anything if that money wasn't all there. Neil had robbed banks, held up convenience stores, and even stolen from family members to get the money. That was what had finally led Neil and Joe to rob the coffee shoppe.