Out of Sight

Foley had come down to stand where the staircase made its turn. As Karen crossed the foyer to the foot of the stairs she saw him pull his knit cap down over his face and now he was wearing a ski mask.

She said, "Come on, Jack-don't."

"Pretend I'm somebody else."

"You think I'd shoot you?"

Foley brought the pistols out of his pocket.

"If you don't, one of those guys will. I told you, I'm not going back."

They were in the foyer now, behind her, Raymond Cruz and a half-dozen others lined up, watching.

"What're you now," Karen said, "a desperado? Put the guns down."

He raised them hip-high and she heard sounds behind her and was quick to raise her hand, though she didn't turn or look around. Karen took her time now. She said, "Okay, Jack," with almost a sigh, brought up the Sig Sauer in one hand and fired and he fell to the staircase, dropping the guns, grabbing hold of his right thigh. She turned to Raymond saying, "Wait, okay?" and went up the staircase to where Foley was lying. She sat on a step and carefully, gently lifted the ski mask and looked at his sad eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jack, but I can't shoot you."

"You just did, for Christ sake."

"You know what I mean." She said, "I want you to know I think you're a cool guy. I never for a minute felt you were too old for me." She said, "I'm afraid, though, thirty years from now I'll feel different about it. I'm sorry, Jack, I really am."

The poor guy, he looked like he was in pain.

Eight in the morning talking to her dad, Karen said, "They don't know yet if they want to bring him up on the homicides. I doubt if they will. The Bureau's put a detainer on him, so when they're through with him here he'll go back to Florida."

"Wouldn't it be something if they sent you to get him."

"It's possible."

"Have a nice time with him on the plane-like picking up where your interlude, or whatever you call it, left off. And then throw him in the can."

"He knew what he was doing," Karen said.

"Nobody forced him to rob banks. You know the old saying, don't commit the crime if you can't do the time."

"My little girl," her dad said, "the tough babe."