At six o'clock, you emerge from the hotel, wearing one of your few dresses, a dress of dark blue material.  You have your hair tied up, something you rarely do.

You find Ezra standing in front of the hotel, his hip leaning on one of the beams.  His eyes widen when he sees you.  His mouth opens as he drinks in your appearance.  You shift uncomfortably on your feet, not used to this kind of attention.

"My, my, you clean up quite nicely," he finally says.

"Thank you," you answer, almost blushing from the way he had studied you.

Ezra offers his arm, which you accept, and leads you down the boardwalk.  You enter a small restaurant and sit down at a table near the window.  Ezra asks for the best brandy as you study the menu.  When the waiter leaves, you lower the menu and say, "I'm really too nervous to eat."

"Come now," Ezra says.  "An experienced bank robber such as yourself experiences a case of jitters?"

You nod.  "Every time."

"In that case, we will not eat."  Ezra stops talking while the waiter sets down two glasses of brandy.  When the waiter leaves, Ezra raises his glass and says, "Here's to the start of a beautiful partnership, even if it is only for tonight."

You smile and touch your glass to Ezra's.  You drink down the brandy and then set the glass down.  You look out the window and see it's become dark outside.

"It's about time we get started," you say, turning back to Ezra.  "You sure your friends won't come snooping around the bank?"

"I took care of that situation.  You can trust they won't be anywhere near the bank."

"Good."  You stand up, and Ezra follows suit.  You leave the restaurant and head to the bank.  While Ezra stands behind you, you squat down and pick the bank's lock.  It opens with ease and you stealthily enter he building.  You close the door and walk into the room.  You see the safe in the far back corner and approach it.  After all your years of robbing banks, you've noticed all banks use the same system for their combinations.  You see this bank is not different as you open the safe door.  You grab one of the bank's money bags, which are always lying conveniently on the floor.  You quickly fill the bag with the money, putting what looks to be 30% into a separate bag.  You leave the safe and lock it up.  You step out of the bank and gesture for Ezra to follow you into the alley by the bank.

You extend Ezra's portion of the money toward him and say, "Here's your 30%."

Ezra looks at the bag and then shakes his head.  "You keep it."

"What?  But I thought..."

"I changed my mind.  Just take it and go.  Before I realize this is all a mistake," Ezra interrupts you.

You can't understand it.  Why is he having a change of heart?  Suddenly you comprehend it.  He protects this town and he doesn't want to betray its citizens.


If you have a change of heart, CLICK HERE!

If you don't, CLICK HERE!