KELSIE HEARD THE MUFFLED GUNSHOT THROUGH THE bank wall, but mostly she felt it-the sudden focus of everyone inside, that wave of heat that came from a group of people united by a surge of adrenaline.

There was a flood, a tsunami of energy from the customers-fear, shock, disbelief. All of it spinning together, strong enough that for a moment it was beyond Kelsie's control. It threatened to drown her, to drag her over into panic. But then her instincts kicked in and she pushed back, fought her way to the top to ride the wave.

It was like blocking a fire hose with her hands. The spooked crowd was a geyser of energy, hot and furious. But she drew them up, up, up into her own calm place. She channeled them into peace. She fed them stillness. Numbness. Quiet. And she held them there.

They all wanted the same thing-to be safe. That unity of purpose kept Kelsie in charge. It was all going to be okay.

As long as no one got hurt. As long as nobody hurt her dad.

She backed away from that thought, which threatened to spill over into the crowd. Of course it was all going to be okay. Of course it was.

Kelsie had been waiting in the park by the bank since breakfast, trying to look inconspicuous. Just a bored kid, killing time before the mall opened. The blue car had returned right after she'd gotten rid of Ling and Mikey, telling them she wanted to walk home. This time the car had pulled up right behind the bank.

Three men had gotten out, wearing hockey masks. She'd recognized her dad from his walk. The limp that he claimed was a knife wound but was really from the time he'd blown out his knee stealing a two-hundred-pound poker machine.

For all his screwups, Dad had never done anything like this before. He'd never robbed a bank. As far as she knew, he'd never even held a gun. So what on earth did he think he was doing at Cambria Central Bank wearing a hockey mask and carrying that shotgun?

She'd tried to call out, to stop him. But all alone, without a group around her, she'd never have the guts to accost three men with masks and guns.

"Damn it." Kelsie rested the back of her skull against the bank wall and closed her eyes. It helped her stay connected to the storm of emotions from the crowd inside. She couldn't find her dad in the sickly wash of fear. She'd never been able to pick out individuals once a group took on its own identity. This one was like a big, scared animal with all its nerves jangling.

She kept channeling the fear, replacing it with calm. The sooner this was over, the sooner everybody could go home. And that included her dad.

Something was blinking, flashing above her. On the corner of the bank building, way up high, a blue light was pulsing. It made no sound, but it was bright enough to bleach the early morning daylight.

Someone inside had triggered the bank's silent alarm. No doubt another alarm was pulsing at the central police station a few miles away. The cops would be here soon, and they'd take her dad away. After a screwup as big as this one, maybe he wouldn't come back.

Kelsie felt herself seizing up with panic.

She hauled herself from the wall, breaking the connection she had with the crowd inside. The last thing she needed was for her fears to spread into the people in the bank.

"Come on, Dad. Get out of there."

There was nothing she could do now but watch.