The cold steel of handcuffs went around Marla's wrist and snapped tight by momentum. It hurt like hell, but she worked hard not to flinch. After all, it wasn't the first time she'd been cuffed. A hiss did escape her lips though.
"That hurt, did it?" Jacobi yanked her arm down and around by the cuff's chain. "Be so good as to put that other hand behind your back." He confined her left wrist and cinched it tight as well. "Now you, young man." He gave Danny the same treatment. Satisfied that they'd stay put, he went to the cash drawer and emptied it out. "You're correct Mistress Marla, not much in the till at all. Still one needs to be thorough."
The cheap plastic of the cash register sounded like a small bomb going off as it hit the concrete floor. Shards flew and another crash, this time glass, filled the air like a sharp echo. Danny nearly crapped in his pants. He started praying under his breath, trying desperately to remember anything other than "Now I lay me down to sleep."
"It'll be okay Danny," Marla whispered. She thought he looked like he was going to puke, pass out, or both. She didn't think she sounded too convincing, but she wasn't sure that he heard her anyway. She wasn't convinced herself. Her shoulders were already throbbing and while she was relatively sure that she'd be able to stand without falling there was no way she could do it fast enough and nothing that she'd be able to do once up. She focused on relaxing and started doing some deep breathing she'd learned in yoga class.
Jacobi looked his prisoners over. Killing them here wasn't part of the plan, but he was beginning to rethink that. "It'll just be a few more minutes. I'm going to have a bit of a look around. You children sit tight. Move and it will be messy." He went through the doorway into the work area, where Marla had been.
Danny's brain latched onto something half heard. "'Miss Marla'? He knows you. How does he know you? Do you know…"
"Shut it, Danny. No I don't know him." Her cheeks flared red. She didn't look at him. "Keep your head screwed on straight and we'll get out of here."
"That's crap. You know what's going on here, don't you?" Danny began to think that there was more to the whiny redhead than he knew. No way was he going to die because of her. Right now he had to admit that she was right, though. He had to keep calm. He looked around and saw that the phone was only a few steps away and the old guy had gone into the back. Danny's legs felt fuzzy, but he thought maybe he could make it to the cordless and dial nine one one. Maybe leave it off hook and get back to kneeling before the man returned.
"Don’t do anything stupid Danny," Marla hissed through clenched teeth. She saw him begin to struggle to his feet.
