03.00. I am about to
offer the woman one of the bottles of water when I notice she is not in the
seat anymore. My heart suddenly races and deafens me but the sight of the case
still resting on the seat next to me brings it rapidly back to a regular beat.
I drop my self down and flip the lid off one of the bottles and gulp down some
of the water. The first drops seem to create a glue in mouth but by the time it
is half empty I am beginning to feel more normal.
03.05. I let me head
fall back against the headrest and yawn. I take a more leisurely drink from the
bottle and feel my body begin to relax. I have been awake for just over three
hours but it feels like thirty. This is going to be the longest and hardest
days of my life. Once I have delivered the package I will disappear and swear
to myself that I will never get caught up in this sort of thing again.
03.10. I begin to wonder
where the woman has gone to? What happened to make her move? I was only off the
train for a matter of moments but now there is no evidence that she was ever
here. I stare at where she sat. There is evidence, a slight dip in the seat and
a slip of paper. I lean forward and pick it up. It is receipt for a rather
expensive scarf from a London shop I have never heard of.
03.15. As I look at
the receipt something makes me feel uncomfortable. I tuck it into my jacket
pocket and pick up the case. I go to the locks but they are already open. I am
almost sure I would not have left them like that. I lift
the lid and feel
physically sick as I stare at empty interior I jump up and shake the case to
check it’s empty. It is clearly not there but I cannot help myself. I feel
desperate and my stomach is cramping. I look under the seats and up on the
shelf, standing on the seat to make sure that I can see right to the back. I
want to scream.
03.20. I quickly run
through my day so far and it is clear that only time the package could have
gone was when I was briefly off the train buying the water. Logic tells me that
the woman must have taken it and that would explain her absence. I know I have
to get it back so I throw the now empty case onto the overhead shelf and start
to walk through the train.
03.25. The same men
stare up at me as I go past plus a couple more lift their gaze, their frowns signalling
the fact that I have disturbed their precious concentration. One man is occupied
collecting his belongings in preparation for the approaching stop. There are
fourteen on the train including the guard. I know that as I counted before. I
get to the carriage where the woman had been sitting but it is empty. I carry
on through to the buffet car and finally to the door of the driver’s cabin. She
is nowhere to be seen.
03.30. I feel light
headed and semi feint, propping myself up against the drivers’ door. This cannot
be happening. Perhaps I will wake up soon and this is just an anxiety dream
about the day ahead. In my heart and head I know that this is not true but I
want to believe I am asleep. Where the hell has she gone? I will walk through
the train slowly to find her. She cannot have left the train at the last stop where
I bought the water as I could see the platform and no one got off.
03.35. I go back
through the carriages again checking and rechecking. When I get to the carriage
next to mine I notice that the toilet door is locked. That’s it. She is hiding
in there. I knock heavily on the door and just get a muffled sound back.
Suddenly there is banging on the door from the inside. I put my weight against
the handle and force open the door. She is lying on the floor with gaffa tape
across her mouth, her legs are bound with a cable tie. Her eyes are full of
fear. I lean forward and lift her up. Her arms are tied behind her back with
another plastic tie.
03.40. I take the
gaffa from her mouth and she coughs uncontrollably. I take the small penknife
that is on my key ring and cut through the cable tie around her ankles. It is
incredibly hard. She turns slightly to let me get to the one on her wrists. As
soon as she is free I push her shoulders back against the wall. “Where is it?”
I say with a voice mixed with fury and fear.
03.45. “I have no idea,
She says immediately, “I was watching you get water when a hand grabbed me and
pulled something over my eyes. Next thing I know is you open that door.” I go
back into the toilet and look around. Nothing. She could have left it anywhere
on the train. I go back to her, “Where is it, I’m serious, I have to get it
back.” She doesn’t say ‘what?’ so she knows what I’m talking about
03.50. “I know.” she
says. “What do you mean, ‘you know’?’ I stammer. She looks at me with those
remarkable eyes, “Did you really think they would send one person with such an
important package.” Her words echo round my head. Does this mean she works for
them too. The rain is slowing to a stop as are my thoughts. “Come on,” she
says, “We have to find it. I stand upright and, as I do, a picture comes into
my head.
03.55. “What is it?
she says grabbing my arm. I have to focus, what is it in the picture in my head
that is disturbing me. The man gathering his bags, plastic bags and a rather
trendy paper carrier with a logo that said …… Oh my god. I fumble with my
pockets and pull out the receipt. “What is it? she says again. The name on the
receipt is the same as on his bag. I turn and run to the next carriage with her
following behind. “I know who has it,” I say over my shoulder.
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