Walking from the stores to the parking lot, the crowd had thinned and skies darkened. Unease crept over Joss as she walked a half step behind Molly. Lost in her phone and oblivious to the world around them, her daughter’s casual nature told of the secure life she led. Still something in the shadows made Joss uneasy.
“Looks like you ladies had a full day,” a man said as he approached with his hands tucked in his jacket pockets.
“Yep.” Joss placed her arm on Molly’s shoulder and moved her to the other side of her as they continued to walk through the covered parking.
“Think we could take a peek?” a second man said as he approached. “See what’s hot in there?”
Ice ran through Joss’ veins as she tucked Molly behind her.
“Mom?”
Her nervous voice sent a jolt down Joss’ spine. “It’s okay.”
“Nah, it really isn’t.” The first man’s face turned into a snarl. “I’m going to need your goodies, cards and cash. Oh, and that phone there.”
“Mom, dad says—”
“I don’t care what your father says,” she snapped seeing no other people around them and their car at least twenty feet away.
“Maybe daddy has some good advice,” the first man said as he removed a switchblade from his pocket and flipped it open while the second held a gun at his side. “What’s he say, little girl?”
“Molly, hush,” Joss commanded keeping them at least five feet from both men.
“Now mommy, let’s not be rude,” the second man jeered. “Pass us the bags.”
She spied his finger along the barrel of the gun, not on the trigger. Joss extended her arm and when the man with the knife reached for the packages, she swung the bags around. Trapping his free arm, she tugged pulling him toward her. Flattening herself, he moved past her and she grabbed his wrist, lifted her knee, and yanked his arm down. The knife clattered to the ground as his elbow bent unnaturally over her knee.
Screaming in pain, he crumbled to the ground and she kicked his knife under a car. The man with the gun raised it, but she could see in his eyes that he wasn’t going to pull the trigger.
His finger remained flat against the barrel of the gun. “Don’t make me do this lady,” he commanded as the first man went for her legs and she kicked backwards.
Blood spurted from the man’s nose as he flew back on the concrete. The smash of his skull on the pavement echoed in the covered parking.
Molly patted at Joss’ back, but this wasn’t the time or place for dealing with her fears.
Joss’ hand swung, catching the second assailant by the wrist and flipping it upwards. With a swift disarming technique, she took his gun. He ran, but Joss drew down on his leg. Only a small amount of pressure was needed for the bullet to release from the gun and burst through his knee. Watching him crumple to the ground time sped up and crashed against her. Turning, she pulled Molly away from the carnage.
Molly’s eyes were wide with fear and amazement they ran to the car and true to Molly’s word, the door unlocked the moment she touched the handle.
Heart beating fast, Joss backed out and left the two men unconscious in the middle of the parking ramp.
“Looks like you ladies had a full day,” a man said as he approached with his hands tucked in his jacket pockets.
“Yep.” Joss placed her arm on Molly’s shoulder and moved her to the other side of her as they continued to walk through the covered parking.
“Think we could take a peek?” a second man said as he approached. “See what’s hot in there?”
Ice ran through Joss’ veins as she tucked Molly behind her.
“Mom?”
Her nervous voice sent a jolt down Joss’ spine. “It’s okay.”
“Nah, it really isn’t.” The first man’s face turned into a snarl. “I’m going to need your goodies, cards and cash. Oh, and that phone there.”
“Mom, dad says—”
“I don’t care what your father says,” she snapped seeing no other people around them and their car at least twenty feet away.
“Maybe daddy has some good advice,” the first man said as he removed a switchblade from his pocket and flipped it open while the second held a gun at his side. “What’s he say, little girl?”
“Molly, hush,” Joss commanded keeping them at least five feet from both men.
“Now mommy, let’s not be rude,” the second man jeered. “Pass us the bags.”
She spied his finger along the barrel of the gun, not on the trigger. Joss extended her arm and when the man with the knife reached for the packages, she swung the bags around. Trapping his free arm, she tugged pulling him toward her. Flattening herself, he moved past her and she grabbed his wrist, lifted her knee, and yanked his arm down. The knife clattered to the ground as his elbow bent unnaturally over her knee.
Screaming in pain, he crumbled to the ground and she kicked his knife under a car. The man with the gun raised it, but she could see in his eyes that he wasn’t going to pull the trigger.
His finger remained flat against the barrel of the gun. “Don’t make me do this lady,” he commanded as the first man went for her legs and she kicked backwards.
Blood spurted from the man’s nose as he flew back on the concrete. The smash of his skull on the pavement echoed in the covered parking.
Molly patted at Joss’ back, but this wasn’t the time or place for dealing with her fears.
Joss’ hand swung, catching the second assailant by the wrist and flipping it upwards. With a swift disarming technique, she took his gun. He ran, but Joss drew down on his leg. Only a small amount of pressure was needed for the bullet to release from the gun and burst through his knee. Watching him crumple to the ground time sped up and crashed against her. Turning, she pulled Molly away from the carnage.
Molly’s eyes were wide with fear and amazement they ran to the car and true to Molly’s word, the door unlocked the moment she touched the handle.
Heart beating fast, Joss backed out and left the two men unconscious in the middle of the parking ramp.
