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Roddy waved goodbye to McCook, Nebraska, secretly hoping he would not lay eyes on his sister and brother-in-law for some time. Always the nurturing eldest sister, Mary waved and smiled mistily, although her husband merely winked at the younger man. The deputy sheriff’s uniform lent John an air of competency combined with strength that made him the ideal mate for gentle Mary. Roddy ignored the unexpected and inconvenient twinge of envy, and resisted the urge to flip the other man the bird.
Since John married Mary, his parents had increased the pressure on him to either become a cop or join the army. They were convinced he was an ideal candidate to protect and serve. Roddy had no idea what they were on about. He was off to New York to join his buddy, Ray. He planned to live a little, not spend the next forty years strapping on a gun every morning. Let other suckers handle armed robberies, and foil potential terrorist attacks. Life was for living, not constant vigilance.
Roddy hurled his backpack into the luggage rack and flung his rangy frame into a tatty grey seat. He glanced at his watch. Four hours before he could avail of fresh air and grab a bite to eat. He was not prepared to splash his meagre cash on the crap they were selling in the dining car. At the first stopover, he intended to find a Mom and Pop greasy spoon and enjoy a meal that would sustain him for many hours.
Travelling across country by train literally took days, although the modest price tag offered some compensation. Mary and John had treated him to the ticket, and he was determined not to be an ungrateful brat, hankering after a metal tube that would fly him to the Big Apple in a few short hours.
As fellow passengers rushed to take their seats, all talk was of the incoming blizzard. Roddy rolled his bright blue eyes. All this fuss over one little storm. Some folks had the ability to worry themselves into an early grave.
The young woman carrying the slightly old-fashioned blue valise did not appear concerned by the weather. He wondered if she might be heading for his section, but she paused at a seat on the other side of the carriage, and carefully placed the bag in the luggage rack. Then she removed her fitted blue raincoat and folded it neatly.
As she tucked it next to her luggage, Roddy noticed her long slim legs and firm butt. With her bouncing blonde curls and peaches and cream complexion, she was exactly the kind of girl to attract him. Her pale colouring would complement his tanned skin and jet black hair very nicely.
She made herself comfortable in her chosen seat and pulled a book out of her shoulder bag. Roddy felt it would be gentlemanly of him to point out that she was sitting with her back to the engine. Then again, if she moved, he would be unable to see her. Perhaps he should leave it alone. He was still pondering the dilemma when he saw her fishing a mobile phone out of her bag. It was an older style and not especially elegant, which surprised him.
‘There’s a storm coming, Mother,’ he heard her say in a Chicago accent. ‘I’m on course for the university. Love to Dad.’
She abruptly cut the call, and Roddy grinned. Clearly, he was not the only one with parental issues. Perhaps they wanted her to become a brain surgeon while her heart was set on drama? He unsuccessfully tried to catch her eye. Her nose was buried in the book for the first hour so he contented himself listening to music.
After a while, he noticed her leaving the carriage, and when she returned she was carrying a large cup of something. She slowly consumed the drink, paying no attention to her surroundings, and certainly none to him. He was just about to stand up and approach her when she closed her eyes and appeared to be sleeping. Roddy clenched his teeth but refused to give up. Chances were, they would disembark together.
As predicted, both he and the object of his desire exited the train at Lincoln. Roddy’s backpack was firmly strapped to his broad back while the girl carried the blue valise by its handle. He followed her along the platform and watched her entering the restrooms. Determined not to lose her until he had at least given it a shot, he loitered outside.
A gear subtly shifted inside Roddy’s brain as the girl reappeared and headed towards the exit. He took careful note of her body language, and the way she carried the valise. Never letting her out of his sight, he tailed her from the station to the main road. She paused for a moment and checked the street signs. Roddy followed her eyes, and saw it was barely half a mile to the university. She turned north on Pinnacle Arena and walked speedily away, while an increasingly frantic Roddy pursued her. What the hell was he supposed to do?
As his quarry neared the pedestrian crossing, Roddy made his decision. She was caught completely unawares when he grabbed her by the waist and dragged her to the nearest wall. She dropped the valise and the copper locks disengaged. The case sprang open. Roddy grabbed both her hands and raised them above her head, pinning them with his left. He took a firm grip of her neck with his right hand and stared into her cold green eyes.
‘Sir, I suggest you release the young lady and come quietly,’ a voice spoke from behind.
‘Awesome,’ Roddy was overwhelmed with relief. ‘You’ve got a full-blown terror alert on your hands, officer. Instead of pointing that gun at me, I suggest you raise the alarm and clear the area. You also need to locate the detonator. It’s likely to be a new model cell phone.’
‘The valise is empty,’ the uniformed cop moved to one side and this time pointed his sidearm directly at Roddy’s face.
‘It’s empty because she’s wearing a suicide vest.’
Removing his right hand from the silky elegant neck, Roddy parted the folds of the raincoat and showed the cop what lay beneath.
‘I noticed it as soon as she came out of the restroom. I guess she forgot to pack a baggy jacket.’
