He was unarmed. They removed any doubt, all four pulling knives. One moved in front of her car and another behind, the other two straight toward him. He’d have taken his chances, even four against one if Jessica weren’t here, but he had to find a different way. If they made it through him, it would be very bad for her. They closed in, making obscene gestures at her through the windows. The leader warned Patrick, “It’s simple, man. You split, and let us take care of the chica. Or we do you first and then have some fun after.”
He did what they least expected. Yanking the gas nozzle out of her tank, he moved directly at them, past the pump, and began pumping gas onto the seats of the closest convertible. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a little plastic box of mints that could with any luck in the dim light be taken as a cigarette lighter.
Holding it out threateningly over their car, he stopped pumping and said, “No, gentlemen. I have a better plan. We can stand around and watch as about 50 Grand in convertibles go up in smoke or.....” He pumped more gas into the car and moved back to the other convertible ready to do the same. “Or you all bail out of here now before I flick my Bic.”