Chapter 8

“What?” I asked again.

The gunman was bleeding all over the floor. I could faintly hear sirens in the distance, and I could tell by his panicked look he could, too.

I went into the kitchen, putting the gun in the refrigerator, thinking he’d have to do some extra work to get to it if he managed to quit bleeding and stand up before the cops arrived. I grabbed the kitchen scissors, ran over to Joel, and cut his arms and legs free.

In a real act of bravery, he ripped the tape from his mouth.

“What the hell?” he shouted.

He sounded like he was talking through a tin can. My ears were ringing so loud he was all but drowned out.

“What?” I asked as I handed him the scissors.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Huh?”

He gestured to the wall and his hand rolled over.

“Yeah, well, not the best wall flip I’ve ever done. But it did surprise him.” All I could hear were the ringing in my ears and the gunman’s curses. “Jeez, he’s really bleeding.”