We pulled up into the Spitzer's parking lot, L instructed me to park in the darkest place where we could not be seen but where we could see everything that went on. I unfastened my seat belt. L followed suit and stretched to get more comfortable.
"Mr. Whammy, what time is it?"
"It's 7:30."
"Good. The suspect is probably already here."
"L, in case the police don't show up..."
"If they don't then you and I will apprehend the suspect and bring him to justice."
A van pulled in to the driveway. L pressed his tiny face and hands to the window, staring intently. A man got out and walked around to the trunk. He began to pull out what looked like suspension wires.
"Ahh...so there he is." said L. The moonlight case an eerie glow on him, making him look sinister and evil. "You're mine now..." he murmured, placing his thumb in his mouth.
"Follow him." commanded L.
"What?"
"Follow him. We need to confirm that this man is without a doubt the thief."
I nodded gravely and pulled out the gun from my glove compartment. I checked the barrel and made sure it was fully loaded. Sliding out the drivers side I opened the backdoor and L silently came out of the vehicle. He stood by my leg and grabbed onto my trousers, with gun cocked and L following close behind, I made my way towards the van. As we ducked behind trees and bushes we watched the man go around the building and climb up the fire escape. After he disappeared on the roof I approached the fire escape ladder with L hot on my heels. I stopped to listen for a bit.
"What do you hear?" whispered L, so softly I could barely make out a word.
Sounds of clattering and objects being sat down and picked back up, a random clicking noise rang out then abruptly stopped. "I think he's assembling something to make a hole in the roof." I replied in a hushed tone. L stood on his tip-toes, straining to hear what I had just described.
"Let's wait until Sachar has made it inside the building, then we'll go up after him."
"I'll go, you stay here L."
"Why?" he asked, indignant.
"If the police come one of us needs to be here to let them know what's going on."
"I can't let them know I'm L!" he exclaimed, in a harsh whisper.
"Then don't. You'll be able to think of something to tell them, that I'm sure of. I just don't want to see you get hurt."
L pouted but nodded his head in obedience. He crouched on the curb and pulled a lollipop out of his back pocket, popping it into his mouth he turned to me.
"Be quick about it Mr. Whammy, and do be careful."
I gave L an affirmative nod and climbed up the fire escape.
The hole in the roof was quite large, so it was easy for me to go through. Sachar had placed the hole over a display case, making it easier to ascend downwards. Seeing this told me that Sachar had probably been in the store once before to case it out, I made a mental note to let L know about this. Landing on the glass display case, I hurried prepared myself to jump off of it, I did and almost landed on my stomach. My shoes made a rather loud sound and it resonated throughout the empty hallway. I stood for a minute, worried that the noise might have attracted Sachar's attention. It must not have, because I didn't hear the man stir. I began to make my way down the hallway, I had never been inside Spitzer's before so I really had no idea where I was going. Nonetheless I marveled at the size and beauty of the store, well what I could see of it in the dark anyways. I peeked into several rooms which seemed to be dedicated to a single gemstone coupled with a particular theme, however the darkness made it hard to really tell what gemstones and corresponding theme were used in each particular room.
"How on Earth is Sachar seeing in this darkness?" I murmured under my breath. I had been using my ears to make up for what I could not see, I listened carefully for any sounds of movement, machinery, or a police siren. I'm not sure how far I had advanced but in one room I caught a glimpse of light and quickly yet quietly made my way towards it. I stopped short and pressed myself against the wall, I eased my head inside and found Sachar stuffing a bag full of diamonds. A large, stocky flashlight sat next to him casting an eerie glow about him and gave his silhouette a look of that of a monster. My mind briefly flashed to L for a split second, wondering if leaving him outside by himself was a good idea, shaking my head I came back to focusing on the matter at hand. I had heard no type of sirens, so I decided to do as L said and apprehend Sachar myself. I spun around in the doorway and pointed my gun squarely at Sachar.
"Stop and put your hands up!" I shouted. Sachar jumped to his feet and looked up at me, he scowled briefly and then grinned.
"What you gonna do old timer? If you're gonna shoot me then shoot me and get it over with!" he mocked. I faltered a bit, I had never killed anybody before and for some reason while I held this gun in my hand I felt no better than that monster who took my son's life. I took my mind off Sachar for a moment and next thing I knew, a deafening shot rang out followed by an intense pain in my shoulder. Dropping the gun, I grabbed my shoulder instinctively and sank to the floor. Sachar took this opportunity to try to make his escape, he bounded over me and started to run but I grabbed his leg, tripping him to the ground. Sachar yelled vulgarities and pulled out his gun again, I kicked him in the face and again in the hand, causing him to lose his grip on the gun. It slide across the hallway into darkness, I retrieved my gun and pointed it Sachar once again.
"I tell you again Sir, to cease and desist!" I shouted. Sachar laughed.
"Oh please, if you didn't shoot me before what makes you think you'll shoot me now? Think I didn't know you and the brat were following me? I been doing this for too damn long to be outsmarted by some old fossil and a snot-nosed brat!"
I held my ground and kept on pointing the gun in his face. "You liar."
"Really now? You think I'm lying? The brat is wearing a white shirt and some jeans. I should know, my boys got him tied up in the back of the van a little while ago. Stubborn like the Dickens they told me, gave 'em a little bit of hell, he did." Sachar smirked at my shocked expression. I immediately let go of his leg and tried to run as fast as I could to where the hole in the roof was. When I got there, blood was pouring out of my gunshot wound, but L was all I could think of. I clamored up the display case, slipping back down to the floor twice and finally managed to get on top of it and climb out the gaping hole. I made the painful decent down the fire escape and ran out into the parking lot. L was sitting on the curb, with two lollipops in his hand, he turned around and gave me a confused look. I rushed towards him frantically.
"Did they hurt you?" I screamed. L raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Who?"
"The men with Sachar!"
"What men? Mr. Whammy, we both confirmed that Sachar came by himself tonight." L looked at my shoulder. "Mr. Whammy, that man shot you?" he exclaimed.
"He told me that his men had you tied up in the back of the van and-" L cut me off at this point.
"As you can see Mr. Whammy I am not tied up in any type of vehicle, I've been out here waiting for you and the police the whole time. No one has come here and bothered me." he sighed as he shifted the lollipops from side of his jaw to the other. "It seems that you've fallen for one of his tricks. However; it seems that he must've seen us at one point to know that I'm even here." L pulled the candies from his mouth. "The mission has been unfortunately compromised by your incompetence. Since you obviously let the suspect get away, well at least he's running around somewhere in the store we must think of a new plan. But firstly we will have to call some paramedics to come and see about your arm, and in the time that it takes them to come, we will bring this thief to justice."