Free Skies Like These by Tess Hilmo Page A

something.” He led her around the side and through the front doors. Right inside the lobby was an empty chair. Roy tilted his head at the chair and looked across the foyer of the bank. “See that door on the far side? That’s the break room. Calvin goes in there from four to four-thirty. He has a Pepsi and reads his newspaper—every single afternoon. This chair here stays empty and the bank stays unprotected. Not that Calvin is much to worry about anyway.”
    â€œYou know the guard?”
    â€œWellington is a small town. Besides, I’ve been casing the joint.”
    Jade guessed Roy had waited his whole life to say those words. “Don’t they have a sub come in while he’s gone?”
    â€œThis is the frontier. People are trusting, sometimes to the point of stupid. Follow me.” Roy went out the front doors and around back again. He pointed to a tan box mounted on the wall. “This is their electrical box. The phone lines, which carry the alarm system, and those cameras you’re so worried about, all come together here. Tell me, where’s the lock on this box?”
    Jade could see the hole in the box where the padlock was supposed to be but wasn’t.
    â€œSnip these wires,” Roy said, “and we’re good to go. The teller can hit her silent-alarm button all she wants. No one will be receiving any signal.”
    â€œWon’t the alarm company be alerted once the wires are cut? They’ll have to call the police.”
    â€œI’ve thought about that, too. I happen to know the Wellington Police get false-alarm notices all the time. It’s fairly common. We’ll use that fact to our advantage by sneaking over here two or three times the week before to trip these wires.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œSimple. We open the box, unthread the phone wire, and then immediately reattach it. Each time we fiddle with the wires, the alarm company will get a loss of signal and call the police. They’ll come, check it out, and see that everything is all right. The more we send those false alarms, the slower those good old boys will respond, see? We’ll be lulling them into a false sense of security because they’ll think it’s faulty wiring.”
    Jade was surprised. “As much as I hate to admit it, it’s a pretty good plan. But we’re just kids. It’ll never work.”
    Roy looked like Jade had slapped him in the face. “Being kids is the best part because no one will suspect us! You’ll be outside doing the electrical work and I’ll deal with the teller. We’ll work up some disguise to make me look older. Stilts or something. They won’t know what hit ’em. You need to get over this idea about it being a crime.”
    â€œIt is a crime, Roy. A very big crime.”
    Roy leaned in, his voice all whispery. “We look at the law differently out here. The way I figure it, the bank is insured by the federal government, right?”
    â€œRight.”
    â€œSo any money we get will be replaced by Uncle Sam. Folks around here won’t lose a red cent. And, if the government doesn’t have enough cash, they can go to their friends at the Treasury and print more. No real harm done. Truly, Jade, it’s the way of the West.”
    Jade turned and started walking back to Aunt Elise’s, leaving Roy standing at that electrical box.
    â€œThink about it,” he called out after her. “That’s all I’m asking!”
    â€œForget it,” Jade called back.
    â€œHow can I forget that my parents need help? Tell me how to do that, Jade.”
    Jade didn’t know what to say, so she just kept walking.

 
    15
    When she got back to her aunt’s house, Jade switched on the small countertop fan and watched paper stars and Styrofoam planets dance across the ceiling. Those twists and turns eased her troubled heart. They lulled her into believing everything would be all right with