As I entered the bank someone was shouting "Everyone, down! Down! Get down on the floor."
I immediately reached for my radio and spoke in a hushed whisper "Oliver, dispatch, there's 10-42 in progress at Hudson Trust King and Duncan." I said as I motioned for some people standing closest to me to head outside while it was safe before I returned my focus to the suspect and what was unfolding in front of me.
"Come on! Let's go! Loose bills only. Loose bills only, I said! - Go, next drawer, next drawer. Now! Go, go." The suspect shouted while pointing the gun at the person behind the counter who was chucking what looked to be money into a bag he was holding…
"Okay, Okay. Just take it easy!" Begged the man behind the counter as he continued to place money in the bag from each drawer behind the counter…
"Come on! Open it! Take it easy? You really don't want to tell me what to do right now." The suspect shouted now pointing the gun directly at who I now assumed was the manager.
"I'm just saying, the money's insured. No one here needs to get hurt." He said reassuringly as he finally finished filling the bag in his hand.
The suspect scoffed loudly before turning to the people huddled together a little way away "You hear that, everybody? Your manager here says nobody needs to get hurt." He said laughing loudly.
I knew it was time to act before this jerk gets away, pulling my gun from its holster I announced myself "Police, put the gun down now!" I said pointing my gun at him as I took a few steps closer.
"Or what? You'll shoot us?" He asked turning around to reveal a baby in a front pack attached to him.
I froze feeling my heart start to race and knew I had to focus for the safety of those around me and especially that baby not to mention myself.
I stepped closer before repeating myself "Put the gun down on the floor."
Again, he scoffed at me "Oh, I don't think so, I'm taking it with me." He said as he started for the people behind the counter…
Feeling helpless I grabbed my radio again "Oliver, I got him, one suspect and he's armed." I said as I made my way closer to the counter with the suspect now standing inches from the manager.
"Darren, where's the back door?" he asked now turning his back on me and facing the guy known as 'Darren'.
"Down there." Darren replied taking a step back to let him past.
"You're never getting out of here." I said as I moved even closer relief flooding through me as I heard sirens and back up on scene confirmed in my radio.
"I'm already gone." He sneered as he ran out the back way before I could get any closer.
"It's okay, everybody, he's leaving. We're going to be okay." Darren said reassuringly just as the suspect turned around and shot him twice in the chest.
I immediately heard Oliver in the building as I ran to the aid of the manager quickly applying pressure to the wound while radioing for an ambulance.
"We need E.M.S this location right now!" Oliver all but yelled into his radio as he reached me and I looked up briefly before looking back down at my patient.
"He went out the back! " I called as I caught sight of Oliver hurrying up behind me and around the corner to where I saw the suspect escaped.
"Get back, get back!" Oliver called to the people nearby as he passed me and headed after the suspect
I knew Sam had arrived as the paramedics took over and rushed the victim out to the waiting bus.
I turned to look at him seeking reassurance that it was okay.
He nodded briefly before turning to Tracey and Jerry who were now standing next to him closely watching as the paramedics took over the pressure I had been applying and immediately headed off to the hospital.
Things with Tracey and Jerry had taken a step backwards after Jerry got stabbed, he blamed himself for Gail and pushed Tracey away but thanks to Sam and Oliver things were getting back on track, Tracey and Leo had just moved back in with Jerry after moving out and staying with her Mom.
Their wedding plans had been put on hold until they were both in the comfortable position to re look at that step and most importantly Jerry had fully recovered from his injuries.
It was another half an hour or so before I got a chance to talk to any of the D's Tracey politely stepped forward and linked arms with me leading me outside…
I knew Sam couldn't interview me because of our relationship so the next best for the job was Tracey…
"You okay to walk me through it from the beginning? " she asked stopping a few feet from Sam and Jerry who were busy talking and pointing around the place.
"All right, Oliver and I were stopped up the street Oliver had popped away for a minute so it was just me in the squad just causally sitting there looking around, that's when I saw a couple people running, checked it out."
"Okay, and that's when you called it in?" She asked now pausing to listen to Jerry who was whispering in her ear…
"Okay, Jerry is going to take over your statement while Sam and I go inside and work with Forensics, we will be back shortly okay?" Tracey said looking to Sam before looking back at me…
"Yeah, okay" I said sighing wishing Sam could stay while I went through this…
"Just when you're ready Andy, there is no need to rush okay, just take your time" Jerry said smiling as he too watched Tracey and Sam walk away.
"So, I saw the guy, and the manager was filling the bag." I said forcing myself back into focus.
"Why didn't you wait for backup? " Jerry asked curiously trying not to sound judgemental or like an authority right now, because right now I wasn't just a cop in a way I was a victim too.
"'Because it escalated, I didn't have time, I radioed it in and tried to talk him down but he was so set on going and then the baby.. I-" I said trying not to get too defensive I felt as though my job was on the line again…
"Okay, description then?" Jerry asked unable to keep a grin from crossing his face…
"Mask, coveralls…" I said racking my brains
"Anything else?" He asked gently checking his notebook while waiting for me to continue.
"I mean, medium build, uh, Caucasian, I think, I-I don't really know." I said suddenly feeling nervous…
"You think? " He questioned
"Well, yeah, as soon as I saw the baby, I-I didn't really notice anything else." I said unhappily feeling guilty at the same time… "I felt helpless when I saw the baby… I froze" I said gently…
"Found these behind some boxes out back." Said Chris as he and Dov walked up to where we stood.
My mouth fell open "You're kidding." I said outraged trying to hold back the tears of anger.
"They've come a long way since I was a kid, I think this one even poos." Dov said with a slight grin on his face while Chris, Jerry and I just looked at him.
"Okay, well, maybe we can get I-Dent to lift some prints - and find out who's the daddy." Said Sam coming back to stand by my side flanked by not only Tracey and Ollie but Cruz as well… THAT bugged me she was hovering around Sam when clearly he was not interested…
"Okay." Dov said smiling as he walked off waving it in front of Gail's face laughing a little at Gail's reaction.
"Uh, I checked the cameras, I'm getting the footage copied now, but it looks like he had his mask on the whole time." Chris said as he consulted his notes.
"How much did he get? " Sam asked as I felt his arm wrap around my waist pulling me into him slightly. I felt relief wash through me as he hugged me close I wasn't sure if it was for his reassurance or mine but it was what I needed.
"I don't know the exact number yet, but it's in the ballpark of 6, maybe $7,000." Chris replied just as Chloe and Nick came up to receive any orders from the D's.
"Do we have an I. D. on the victim?" Oliver asked as he patted Sam on the back.
"Yeah, It's, uh, branch manager Darren Kudlow and medics aren't sure he's going to make it." Nick said looking at me and Sam then back at Oliver.
"No one can reach his wife." Chloe said looking concerned.
"All right, Collins can you take Peck and track her down and take her to the hospital, please? In the meantime, let's go talk to some more witnesses and see if we can get a better description on the shooter, yeah?" Jerry said turning to guide Tracey and Oliver back inside pausing briefly to call Cruz to follow them rather than stay with Sam and me.
"You okay?" He asked turning to face me as soon as they were out of earshot.
"Shaken but okay I guess, Sam I'm sorry I freaked out, I saw the baby and I froze I couldn't think I mean I couldn't do anything!" I said feeling like I was about to cry as he pulled me into his arms and hugged me.
"Andy you did all you could given how quickly things escalated; I would have done the same okay seeing a baby strapped to an asshole holding a gun what could you do." He said rubbing his hand up and down my back gently kissing my head before stepping back to look at me.
"I can take you back to the station if this is too much?" He asked concerned. I knew what he was getting at but I shook my head.
"No, I need to be here, our history can't keep dampening my job and I- I'll call Suzie later and make an appointment!" I said looking up at him knowing that this case affected him as much as it did me.
I stood with Sam for a few minutes longer watching the scene begin to get quieter, now that the ambulance had gone and forensics were almost done, there wasn't much happening and it wasn't long before Jerry, Tracey and Oliver all came back over to where we stood.