“Really?”

“Yep and he was dressed for bushwalking. All the latest upmarket gear. The first time I saw him, he wore a mismatch of clothes topped off with a tartan scarf. Funny, he emphasised the tartan to me and it’s stuck in my head ever since. It was the Mackenzie tartan. You know the bus service to Healesville is also known as Mackenzie, but I think it was Mc not Mac. Wonder what the relevance is?”

Lucas stared at Isabella. Something she said was ringing bells. “Have there been other times?”

“Yes. I think I got a text message from him. That’s why I knocked on your door.”

“Wow. What a friend. Any more?”

The train was slowing. Coming into a station.

“Just the train. But there may have been other times.”

“Is he still on the train?”

Isabella turned and looked.

The train had stopped.

“Doesn’t look like it. He’s not in the seat.”

Some passengers were disembarking. Isabella looked out the window.

“There he is.”

Lucas looked. A tall man walked past. He flicked his scarf around his neck, turned, and smiled.

Things lined up in Lucas’s head. Yes, the name: Mackenzie.

62 – The Mackenzie connection

“MACKENZIE. There must have been a reason for that name to pop into your head. Keep following that thought,” Isabella said.

“She came and saw me in prison.”

More and more people were getting on the train now.

“She? A girl named Mackenzie? Is she an old sweetheart or something?”

“Well, not really. I sort of had something to do with the death of her boyfriend.” Lucas looked around. Things were getting busier.

“Then why did she come and see you? Was it some kind of healing process?”

“Maybe we should discuss this later. Things are getting busier. Are we getting near the city?”

She looked around. “Yes, we are. Wouldn’t busier be better for us?”

“Yes and no. Closer to city means more CCTV cameras watching us.” Lucas looked up. “Not that it matters much. There are CCTV cameras in the carriages too. Just be normal. I’m not sure if they’re monitored in real time. I think they’re only used in real time if there was a situation that needed monitoring. More of an after-the-event thing, or to act as a deterrent.”

“Okay. Let’s get off at the next stop and get something to eat,” Isabella said.

“Good idea. I’m hungry and happy to take a risk. I’m starting to think we have some outside help.”

Isabella smiled. “You’re getting spiritual.”

They got off at Southern Cross Station. They blended in with people, made their way out of the station, and found a burger store. A man-sized burger appealed to Lucas. Isabella selected a smaller version. They found a quiet seat not far from the eatery but still sheltered from the weather, which was turning colder.

“This is nice.” How the words came out he wasn’t sure. He was starving.

“It is. I think we need to continue our discussion on Mackenzie. But I’ll let you get most of that burger out of the way first.”

“Hic.”

“Slow down, Lucas.”

“Hic . . . hic . . . you’re right.”

“Stand on your head, Lucas.”

“Hic . . . they’re going.”

Lucas held his breath for as long as he could.

“Hic . . . going . . . gone.”

“Boo.”

“Mackenzie.”

“Well . . . “

“She came to see me . . .” he took another deep breath. “I think she came to save me.”

“She was a Christian?”

“She was before the event, and more so after the event.”

“Yes. But it’s all died down now. Hasn’t it?

“Yes.”

“Maybe we can visit her sometime. I’d love to hear her story of the event.”

“Yea, maybe we could. You know, like when I get out of prison.”

“Oh, Lucas, you were doing so well with your positivity.”

He crunched up the burger packaging and threw it in the bin. “I had a bad attack of unhealthy infatuation towards her. It was bordering on a fatal attraction.”