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“Where did you get that?”

“It’s Izzy’s, but he doesn’t even remember he has it half the time. Don’t worry. There are no bullets in it, but no one would know, of course. What I want to do is walk in just as the cashier finishes checking her receipts and do it and walk out. We’ll leave right from there.”

“But I can make enough money in a month or so and—”

“I don’t want to wait,” he said sharply.

“But didn’t you say Izzy wasn’t selling for a month and—”

“You don’t have to be part of it if you don’t want to, Robin. I’ll understand. Just pretend you don’t know who I am.”

I stared at him for a moment, and then I looked at the gun and sat back. He waited as I thought.

Could I do this? Should I? What would life be like here after Keefer left? How long could I stand it, anyway? What was I leaving? Mother darling had a new family: her band and all the people who would be involved in her career. I would always be on the outside or sitting in some dark corner waiting for her to remember me, and when she did, it wouldn’t be a memory of joy; it would be a memory of obligation. All I did was remind her of one of her big mistakes in life.

I nodded slowly and then turned to him.

“Okay, Keefer. Let’s do it. Let’s get as far away from here and everything that is here as we can.”

He smiled.

“Okay, here’s my plan. Don’t cause any undo

suspicion by packin‘ a bag or somethin’. Choose whatever is so important to you that you can’t leave it behind and let’s get it out tonight so you leave for work lookin‘ just like you did this mornin’. We’ll have enough money to buy you whatever you need along the way.”

“There’s nothing I want,” I told him, “nothing to get tonight.”

“Same here,” he said, nodding in understanding.

Then he got excited again. “We’ve got this SUV that was in a multiple-car accident two days ago. The back end is smashed in so that the door can’t be opened, but the taillights still work and there’s nothin‘ wrong with the engine. It’s perfect. The owner left for a meeting and a few days’ vacation in Florida. We’ll use it and dump it somewhere. I know exactly how to do all this, so don’t worry,” he assured me.

“But you’ve never robbed anyone, Keefer, have you? How do you know what to do?”

“It’s not that hard, and it will only take a few minutes at the most. In and out, and then we’re gone,” he added, “gone for good. Believe me, it’s easy.”

“I believe you, but I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight just thinking about it,” I said.

“Yeah. I know what you mean. I wish we could be together, but that would set off all sorts of alarms and make tomorrow impossible. I won’t even take you all the way back now. I’ll let you out about a block or so from the complex. Do exactly what they want you to do so you don’t cause any suspicions or concern, okay?”

I nodded.

He kissed me and then we both looked at the supermarket a moment. Suddenly, the place I hated more than anywhere was the source of new hope.

“I guess you’ll feel a little funny takin‘ their money, huh?” Keefer asked.

I laughed.

“Are you kidding? There’s no one I’d rather rob from than that manager. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”

Keefer smiled, started the engine, and drove off. We were both pensive until he reached the block where he thought I should get out and walk the rest of the way.

“All we need is Kathy Ann to see us together and blab,” he said.

“She’ll have plenty to blab about when it’s over.”

We looked at each other silently.

“If you change your mind for any reason…” he began.