By 0700, the sun was theoretically rising. I say theoretically because those neat tendrils of steam were turning into a thick fog. Over everything. Visibility was dropping.
"Would you look at this shit?" said Art. "We're not gonna be able to see a damned thing." He turned from the window. "Well, they'll call it off, now. You can't see well enough to make a getaway in this crap."
I should have realized this could happen. The land and the river were very cold, and damp. The warm, moist air coming up from the Gulf was causing the problem. The jet stream. The problem was that there was almost no wind. Maybe 5 to 7 mph. Just enough to keep the warmer, wet air moving over the river and the land. Not enough to blow the fog away. Visibility was down to 500 feet.
Volont shook his head. "No, they'll do it. They have to."
At first, I thought he meant that "had to" because we were all ready for them. But the more I thought about it, the more it began to sound like Gabriel and company were not about to stop for anything.
"He must really need the money," I said.
"He does."
At 0828, the radio rasped again. "Alpha Two has a female subject approaching the bank."
It turned out to be the odd-hour teller. The first clue was when she produced a set of keys and unlocked the door. I was glad they could see her. In the fog, we couldn't even see the bank anymore.
"She's alone?" asked Volont. It appeared so. That wasn't part of the plan, as she was to have been joined by a young FBI agent who was going to pose as an apprentice teller.
Volont got busy on his radio. He looked up. "My man seems to have gotten lost in the fog," he said. "He thinks he made a wrong turn…"
No plan, as they say, ever goes as written. Volont got on the secure radio, and had one of the team members on street level get out of his gear, lose his FBI jacket, and hustle to the bank as a customer. He'd just have to stay there until the "apprentice teller" got himself unlost.
No problem, really. Just like the first scratch or dent in a new car. You simply hope it's a small one.
By 0910, I was tired, hungry, and bored out of my mind. I had thought that, if any time was best, it would be just before the bank opened, but after the tellers had arrived.
At 0912, Alpha Foot called on the radio, and advised they'd "go for a walk." That meant a general reconnaissance about the area of the bank, on foot, that would probably take thirty minutes. Volont called, and said the lost "teller" was now assigned to a team, and left the other agent in the bank.
At 0914, Sally, George, and I went down to the buffet, and played like we were just tourists. Scrambled eggs (special no-fat variety), and bacon, with pancakes and butter and syrup, and orange juice and coffee and toast. Like I said, I was hungry.
We ate in silence for a few moments. Looking out the windows, at the Beauregard in the fog. You could still see her fairly well, but we were only about 200 feet from her at that point. Visibility was down to about 300 feet, here at ground level. The garish lights were creating a pinkish haze around her, in the dim light of day. It seemed to be getting thicker.
"Well, only fourteen hours to go," said George, with false optimism.
I raised my hand to attract the waitress who was roving with the coffee. "Piece of cake," I said to George.
By 0940 we were back in Hester's office. I looked out her office window, and could barely make out the Beauregard. "Hell, we can't see shit from here." I looked at my watch. "I think I'll take a walk over toward the bank. Anybody else want to come?"
No takers. I double-checked my walkie-talkie, put on my green windbreaker, was just starting out the door when everything started to go to hell.
"All units, Alpha Mobile has ten-thirty-three traffic. Alpha Mobile has three armed suspects getting out of a tan Chevy van in the bank parking lot!"
23
The presence of the armed suspects was confirmed almost instantly by Alpha 2, who added, "And Alpha Two has the van moving toward the bank, right behind the suspects… I think… I can barely see it…"
The fog now began to play more of a part in the proceedings.
"Alpha Three can't see anybody…"
"Alpha Four no viz at all."
"Tell everybody to hold position," said Volont, straining with the rest of us to look out the window.
Sally's voice crackled over the radio. "All units hold," she said, as if she did it every day. At the same time she picked up the telephone and looked at Volont. "Time to wake up Conception County?" It was a good question. If the suspects headed off over the bridge, we'd have maybe seventy-five seconds before they were in Wisconsin. He nodded. She began to dial.
This was a very critical time. We didn't want them to know we knew they were in the bank, or that we were anywhere around. This was a time to build the robbers' confidence, and lure them into the open. Well, that's what the book said.
"Hello, Betty," said Sally, into the phone. "We're up, but not running."
Then, for a time, nothing seemed to happen.
"I can't believe this shit," said Art. "They just walked in. From nowhere. Didn't check it out or anything."
"It's the fog," said Hester. "Nobody could see 'em coming for more than a block… they could have been around for a while."
We were all in a state of amazement. I don't think anyone in the room had ever seen a bank robbery actually go down before.
"Remember," said Volont, "we let 'em come out."
"Sally," said Hester, "why don't you check on the other banks? See what they have."
I thought that was a good idea. Apparently, Hester hadn't been as mesmerized as I had been.
Sally got on the phone to our own Sheriffs Department. No activity with any of the other banks. The silent alarm for the Frieberg bank had gone off, so our department and Lamar had known just about as soon as we had.
So far, so good. I thought my heart was going to bang right through my rib cage.
"How long they been in there?" George was nervous.
I guessed. "Two-three minutes. Seems like a long time, doesn't it?" I wanted desperately to get down to my car, and head over toward that bank. Worst thing I could have done. It was very likely that, somewhere, there was an accomplice looking for just that sort of thing. An accomplice with some means of communicating with the three inside the bank. Even though my car was unmarked, it did have a cop feel about it. Extra antennas, for one thing. Cheap, with almost no trim, for another. I would really stand out if I were to stop where I could see the bank. And unless I was guided by an angel, there was no way I could time it right and get there just after they left. Nope. But maybe on foot…
"I think I'll just walk over that way," I said. "Any takers?"
Volont had to be up at the Command Post. Banks were federal responsibility, and he owned the resources. Art didn't even respond. George shook his head with a rueful grin. He'd go if Volont thought of it, basically. Which pretty much left Hester. It was her office, though.
"Sure," she said, grabbing her trench coat and turning to Art.
"Don't worry," she said, "I trust you not to snoop."
Three minutes later, we were on the paving, and walking briskly toward the bank. "I think we can see even less down here," I said, with a chuckle.
"Ah, but it's good to get out."
I glanced at her. "Why don't women ever wear hats in this kind of weather?"
She looked at my head. "Gee, I dunno, Houseman. Maybe 'cause we don't look as good in a baseball cap?"
I was wearing my blue U.S.S. CARL VINSON ball cap, with the yellow printing.
"You suppose?"
"I'm sure of it."
I stepped into the street, and nearly fell. Great. Ice. The warm air that produced the fog apparently lost the fight on the surfaces. The damp air was being used by the frozen ground to make a fine glaze of ice.