Well,<i>shit</i>.<br/><br/>Everything had been going so well. She’d met the sweetest, most adorable puppy. Miss Vickie and Miss Missy were being civil. The morning was cool and pleasant, and the bank was clean and orderly. And then three idiots kicked in the door and started waving guns around.<br/><br/>Staying employed was going to be difficult, if Miss Vickie’s payroll was stolen her first day on the job.<br/><br/>One of the bandits grabbed Miss Missy. A second went to relieve Miss Vickie of her jewelry and her strongbox. The third came straight for her, splitting up their forces. Amateurs.  “What you got for me, lil’ lady?” he drawled, all bluff and posturing and bad breath.<br/><br/><i>Little lady?  I’m taller than you are.  </i>“Nothing,” she said out loud.<br/><br/>“Now, y’all sure about that lil’ lady?”  The man stepped closer, leering. “Ah bet ‘got sonethin’ stashed away.”<br/><br/>Sighing, she looked down. “Well, yeah,” she agreed, reaching for the top button of her shirt. “My mother’s locket. It... might be worth something.”<br/><br/>“Well,” the bandit declared, watching her hand. “Fetch it out.”<br/><br/>She undid the top button, then slid her fingers to the next one. The bandit’s gaze followed her hand, and she twisted. Her left arm caught his right wrist and twisted. Her right drove hard, knuckles burying deep in his throat.  As he gurgled and staggered back, Cassie’s right hand withdrew in a blur. Her Colt roared twice, both .45 slugs hammering into the chest of the man inconveniencing Miss Vickie. Then she spun, drawing a bead on the man holding on to Miss Missy.<br/><br/>“Let her go,” she declared, thumbing back the hammer with a click. “Let her go, and you can still walk out of here.”