Page 2 of Chasing Sunrise

“I can,” Mike eagerly offered.

“How much is in the register?”

“A hundred bucks plus cash sales from the day,” Mike said.

“I need more.” He walked behind them.

Unnerved by not being able to see the guy, Kasey turned his head to keep an eye on him and said, “It’ll be a hundred more than you have now. And maybe Mr. Marshall had a big cash sale today. It’s worth checking, isn’t it?”

“Know what?” The guy rushed over and put him in a headlock. He squeezed tightly with his forearm, cutting off Kasey’s air.

He couldn’t breathe.

He clawed at the robber’s arm, struggling to get free.

“You’ve got—” Gun guy suddenly released him.

Kasey doubled over as he gasped and got his breath back. Rowdy scuffling came from behind him along with grunts and moans. It sounded like a wrestling match. He sat straight and began to turn his head to check out—

Boom!

A gun went off.

Kasey ducked, covering his head with his arms.

A sting radiated from his calf.

He turned to see the burglar on the ground fighting two cops in black. More officers swarmed inside.

Once they subdued the robber, Mr. Marshall hurried inside. He sat on the bench between Kasey and Mike and put his arms around them. “Oh, boys, are you all right?”

An officer approached. “What happened?”

“When Mike got here, I left to eat. When I returned and opened the back door, I heard the robber and called 911. They told me to wait until the police got here.” Mr. Marshall clutched Kasey’s shoulder. “Nothing like this has ever...”

All at once weak, Kasey stopped listening. The sting in his leg turned to burning. He hissed.

“What’s wrong?” the same cop questioned.

Hot liquid trickled down his leg. “I think the bullet nicked my calf.”

The cop knelt in front of him. “Can you swivel around so I can check?”

He twisted his body and leg while he continued to sit. The movement sent waves of agonizing pain through him.

“You’re bleeding like hell.”

Kasey could’ve told him that.

With his dad’s arm around him, Mike sat motionless, hand still on his injured head and staring straight ahead at the safe.

“You okay, Mike?” Kasey asked.

His friend didn’t move or make a sound.

The policemen escorted gun guy out of the room.

“You okay, man?” he questioned again, louder this time.

---