Stalling

Time: 12:55pm

DH was too distracted by his phone to stop Barbara from using hers. Besides, she explained to him, what could she possibly do on the phone now? Text Ken to warn him?

In fact, she wanted to argue with Lloyd, who had given her bad intelligence on DH.

“You’re absolutely right, there isn’t a DH Winans of the Winans Family working for the Winans Food Company. The Winans family hasn’t been actively involved in the family business for thirty years! Here’s what happened: I made an assumption, based on what you told me, that I thought would be most helpful. It didn’t work out that way this time, and for that I’m sorry,” Lloyd said in its app.

She sent it a message: “I told you to stop doing that.”

The thinking dots popped up, and then: “You did, and I have. Usually these kinds of assumptions are correct and, most importantly, they help get you a better answer. I’m not just a helpful assistant, I’m present for you.”

“What do I do now? I’m being held hostage,” Barbara typed. Then she hit send and turned off her screen to put her phone on the desk.

-We’re going to have to wait another 15 minutes now, Barbara said to DH as he stared at the text he’d just sent. He swiped over to check the snip chat app again. It was supposed to send him a push notification when Raquelle sent him the disappearing photo but you never knew when phones decided to change app permissions on their own.

-We have to start the process within two minutes of the unlock, Barbara went on, knowing DH wouldn’t call her on it, or it starts over on a new delay. Unless you want to let everyone know what you’re doing, she offered sarcastically as she nodded toward the center of the bank at nothing in particular.

He looked up from his phone to look around. He’d been keeping an eye on Todd, he thought that was smart, but he had temporarily lost track of him.

It had been a quiet hour at the bank, even for lunch time on a Monday. Monday wasn’t a good day to start things. DH knew that, but it was more important for him that there were less people around than some silly superstition he didn’t even know where he picked up.

-Fine, he said with some exasperation, though he was probably more frustrated by Raquelle than by Barbara.

Things were going better, he thought. She’d just explained they would’ve had the money if Raquelle hadn’t missed the window.

-What’s fifteen more minutes? Barbara asked with a smile.

Fifteen minutes was a long time, though, DH seemed to suddenly realize. Anything could happen. Sure, the bank was mostly empty now, but where was Todd anyway? DH wondered as he looked around again.

He glanced down at the phone again to look for the message from Raquelle. Nothing. He wanted to text her again, but had the presence of mind to realize that wouldn’t be helpful. He could picture his text coming through just as she was fumbling with the app to take a picture.

She’d be proud of his thoughtfulness, he thought to himself, and felt a little better.

It was time to start thinking.

-Why would there be another 15 minute delay? DH asked.

-I don’t know if you’re old enough to remember that big blackout across the whole Northeast of the country? Even Canada?

-Yeah, DH said. He’d been pretty young. They thought it was terrorism.

-They don’t know what it was, Barbara explained. Lloyd would come up with something anyway, she thought to herself and smiled before continuing. But anyway, after that, they had the delay installed, so the place wouldn’t be robbed blind in case of a power outage. Or at least have time to prepare.

-Sure, DH said, but it still didn’t make sense. The safe, it’s that way? DH asked, pointing to one of the corners where the security guard was lingering. Don’t stare, he added, but Barbara hadn’t turned around.

-It is, she said. What? she asked dismissively. Do you want to see it?

DH did want to see it. He was starting to think they could walk right in there and get the money. Wasn’t that why DH Winans said he’d been interested in Forrester Bank?

At that moment his phone buzzed with the distinctive two-tone melody of a third party app. Snip chat.

-Is that the photo we’ve been waiting so patiently for? Barbara asked sarcastically. I hope dear Rachel hasn’t hurt my poor husband, too much.

DH made a puzzled face as he looked at it and that got Barbara’s attention.

-Let me see, she said, getting up from her desk.

-She’ll have to send another one, DH said.

-Let me see, Barbara said again, grabbing the phone as DH tried to swat her away.

-Why do they look so happy? she asked angrily.

-At least she got the gun out, DH mumbled under his breath.