“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.”
“That’s the past, Lucas.”
“You’re right. And I know what you’re saying because I do believe I’m a different person now. It’s like a tangled fishing line in my head is being untangled. So I’m all good—well, nearly. Maybe still some knots.”
“A work in progress.”
“Yep. You know, and I find this hard to say, must be a man thing, but changes started happening when I asked God to help me. ”
“You’re more of a man than you realise, Lucas.” She threw her wrapper at the bin but missed. “And this Mackenzie would be pleased to know what you just told me.” Isabella shivered. “It would be good if we could zap ourselves to sunny Queensland now.”
Lucas motioned Isabella to stay seated and then got up and retrieved the rubbish.
“It would.” He threw the rubbish in the bin. “Do you really think the device is back in the bush, Bella?”
“I told the Defence people I had no idea where it was but suggested that maybe it fell out of my backpack somewhere. They had me tell them everywhere I went with the backpack on.”
“So it really could be sitting in the bush somewhere?”
“Could be. Maybe some ants have been transported to a far-off land. Maybe there’s a kangaroo hopping down the streets of Paris. ”
