Andrew had already memorized the teenager’s face and clothing for a description to the police. He assumed security cameras were taping the scene, as well. He wasn’t eager to hand over his wallet, but he wouldn’t risk Nicole’s safety by resisting. He slid the wallet out of his pocket and tossed it onto the counter, without taking his gaze from the weapon.
“You,” the punk said, motioning toward Nicole. “I’ll take that necklace. And those earrings.”
Andrew winced. The kid was getting a bit too cocky. Hadn’t he ever heard of pushing one’s luck?
And then he heard Nicole speak, more anger than fear in her husky voice. “No.”
Andrew’s eyebrows shot up in surprised displeasure. He looked over his shoulder to where Nicole stood with one hand over her diamond necklace, her chin lifted in defiance as she stared the gunman down. “Nicole—”
The teenager narrowed his eyes in anger at this first sign of resistance. “I said gimme the stuff. Now.”
“And I said no,” she replied calmly. “They’re mine. You can’t have them.”
“Damn it, lady, I’ve got a gun!”
“I can see that. Unless you plan to use it on me, I suggest you take the money and get out of here. Or better yet, leave the money and go before you get arrested. It’s just plain foolish to throw away your future for a fistful of cash.”
Andrew shifted to keep himself firmly planted between Nicole and the weapon. “Nicole, don’t try to reform him,” he muttered. “Just cooperate so we can get out of here without trouble, okay?”
“I’m not giving him my necklace,” she replied flatly. “He has no right to take it.”
Andrew tensed. The store clerk watched the conf
rontation with the first spark of interest Andrew had seen him display.
“This gives me the right to take what I want!” the kid yelled, recklessly waving the gun.
“I don’t think so,” Nicole snapped in return. “Apparently, it just makes you stupid.”
Enraged, the would-be robber growled low in his skinny throat and moved toward Nicole.
Andrew sighed, knowing that trouble was now unavoidable. Taking advantage of the punk’s single-minded concentration on Nicole and her necklace, Andrew subtly shifted his weight, then swung his right foot out in a smooth, graceful arch. His foot connected solidly with the kid’s hand. The gun clattered to the floor several feet away.
Panicking, the robber turned to fight back. His head down, he rushed at Andrew, hitting him with his full weight—some thirty pounds less than Andrew’s slim but solidly conditioned build.
Andrew didn’t even stumble. He used the kid’s momentum against him, grabbing him and turning to send him crashing into à metal rack of packaged pastries. Cream-filled cupcakes and sponge cakes flew in every direction. The kid groaned and struggled to get up.
Andrew set a foot solidly in the middle of the teenager’s back. “You might as well lie there and rest awhile,” he drawled. “You’ve got a long day ahead of you.”
Already, he could hear the wail of sirens drawing closer. He assumed the clerk had calmly pushed a silent alarm when the holdup had begun. He nodded approval to the clerk, who grinned back at him. The fallen teenager struggled in vain for a few moments more, then subsided into disgruntled mutterings, overpowered by Andrew’s weight.
Andrew glanced at Nicole. “You okay?”
She was staring at him in obvious amazement. “I’m fine. Andrew, you were wonderful!”
He shrugged, still irritated, and now embarrassed. “I stay in shape with karate training,” he admitted.
His defeated assailant groaned from the floor. “I gotta hold up Clark Kent,” he muttered in disgust.
Andrew settled his foot a bit more firmly, not enough to hurt the kid, but heavy enough to warn him not to try anything more. “Shut up, ”he said. “I’m getting tired and cranky.”
The kid lapsed into sullen silence.
“Actually, you’re more like Bruce Wayne than Clark Kent,” Nicole added, the irrepressible humor coming back into her voice. “You handled him without any super powers.”
Andrew shot her a look that made her go quiet, though she was still smiling.
It didn’t take the police long to place the young felon in custody and take statements from Andrew, Nicole and the store clerk. Relieved that it was over, Andrew watched the patrol car pull away and turned back to the counter to retrieve his wallet.