Bellissimo Angelo - Book Three

Chapter 2 - The Robbery

A masked man bursts through the front door dressed head to toe in black. I belt out a blood-curdling scream and jump back out of the doorway, hoping that he didn't see nor hear me, but I am positive that he did. Fuck! What do I do? I am not even close to a phone to call for help. 

I peer around the doorway to find him creeping towards the back with a gun pointed directly at me. Fear has claimed every inch of my body, and I begin to tremble. I'm frozen in place. I can't move... I can't talk... I can't run... I'm just here, shaking like a leaf, "Wh..wh..what do you want? We are closed." I choke out.

"Gimme all your money, bitch!" 

I stumble past him and scurry towards the cash register with my hands up. He approaches me with a black duffel bag, "Throw all the money in there! Fast! Let's go!" He yells. 

I quickly open up the register, throw every bit of cash into the black duffel bag, and hand it over to him before putting my hands back up. Oh, dear Lord, please don't shoot me. My heart is pounding as my entire body trembles in fear; I close my eyes as tears stream down my cheeks.  

"Come away from the bar! Now! Move it!" He orders. 

I do as I'm told and come out from behind the bar.  He aggressively yanks my arm and pulls me to the back, "Face the wall and do not turn around, or I will shoot you!"

I press my body up against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably, realizing that these may be the last few moments I have on this earth. I begin to pray that this is all a bad dream hoping that I will wake up safe and sound in my bed, "Put your hands up where I can see them!" 

I place my hands up as I'm told and close my eyes once more. This is it...this is the end...

Suddenly I can hear the sound of his feet hitting the ceramic tile as he sprints away from me and out the door. I remain in place for fear that he may return. I listen closely as I hear a car in the parking lot squeal its tires and take off down the road. 

The moment I hear him pull away, I drop to the ground and begin wailing. What the fuck just happened?! I sit there on the floor for a moment, attempting to pull myself together. Get up and move, Maggie! I will myself to get up and run to the bar. I pick up the phone, but the receiver slips through my hands, falling to the floor. Damn it! I'm such a mess! I reach to pick it up by the cord, place it up to my ear, and dial 911. 

A few moments pass and the police arrive to question me. The bar owner, Todd Schulman, makes a beeline for me the moment he arrives, "Oh my God! Maggie, are you okay?"

"Yes, sir, I'm fine, but I had to clean out the cash register. I'm so sorry."

"I don't care about that as long as you are safe. Where's Alisha?" he asks. 

"She had something come up, Todd. She couldn't stay."

He sighs audibly and places his hand over his forehead, "Geez, I should know better than to hire my niece. She pulls this crap all the time, and she knows I don't like for one bartender to be left alone at night for this reason. I'm going to hire a security guard to be here at night so that this doesn't happen again."

A police officer chimes in, "Could we possibly get into the office to see the camera footage?" 

Todd nods his head, "Yes, sir! Follow me. I hope we got the son of a bitch on camera." 

Another officer approaches me, "Miss, you are free to leave. Let me walk you to your car. Are you okay to drive?"

I nod my head, "Yes, officer. I'm fine; thank you."

I gather my things as he escorts me out to my car. I quickly get in and pull out of the parking lot, heading straight home. A few moments later, I park my car on the street. I don't get out immediately; instead, I sit and admire the flashing Christmas lights around the porch and the lights on the Christmas tree in the bay window. I love this time of year, and thankfully, I live to see another day.