Redhead Meets Redneck: First Date (3 page)

“So, Miss
Harvard, what company snatched you up?”

“I work for the government.”

“A smart girl like you pushing papers for the inefficient U.S. of A.”

Laura’s lips poked out
. “I’m a manager, and I run a very
efficient
office.”

“Right, sorry. But how did the government ever get a Harvard valedictorian to work for them?”

“They made me a deal I couldn’t refuse.”

“Hey, I know how the federal government works, and I know their pay scale can
’t compete with Wall Street. What gives?”

“I make a nice salary, and I feel good about making a contribution.”

William tilted his head and squinted at Laura. She sensed his doubt and hoped he didn’t pursue the issue.

The country music blasted as the backdoor opened. Mama
delivered the salads and quickly went back into the restaurant.

“Bon appetite
,” said William.

“Bon appetite.”

Laura watched William as he unfolded his napkin, put it in his lap, and cut a small piece of meat.

“Mama makes the best steak salad.”

Laura bit into a piece of shrimp. “This is cooked just right, and I love the flavor.”

“Mama
’s the best cook in the world. I’m very fortunate.”

“How’s that?”

William paused. “I . . . I grew up on her cooking.” He didn’t look up.

“Mama is your mother?”

“Sort of . . .”

Laura noticed his hesitation. Should she pursue this story?

“Mama took me in when my parents died. I was seven years old.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For a long time it was difficult to talk about it, but with time it gets easier.”

“How did it happen?”

“Daddy had a business trip. He asked Mother to go with him, and I stayed with Mama because her son Jimmy and I had been best friends for several years. The plane . . . crashed . . . on the way home. The memories of Mother and Daddy have faded with time, but I have photos that I look at every year on August 3.”

“The day the plane crashed?”

“Yes.”

Laura studied the man sitting across fro
m her. Six foot two, probably 220 pounds, calloused hands, and muscles like a bull. But underneath he is still a little kid who lost his parents.

“Mama took you in?”

“Yes, she took legal custody because my other relatives wouldn’t take me in.”

Laura stopped chewing her food
and looked up at William.

“I was a bit of a handful, always getting into trouble at school,
fighting, cheating on tests, and skipping school.”

“But Mama still loved you?”

“I spent all my free time at her place playing with Jimmy, so she knew me well enough to know how to keep me in line, and somehow she thought I had some good points.”

“Such as?”

“She claimed I was always looking out for Jimmy, and none of the other boys did that. She said I had a good streak in me.”

“Are you and Jimmy still friends?”

A gentle smile spread across William’s face. “Jimmy and I went in the Navy together. We served six years and saw lots of combat together. Then, when I came back and started my business, he was my number one, and has been ever since. He’s the real genius behind the business. I have the easy part. I come up with the ideas. Jimmy’s the one who has to figure out how to make the ideas happen. I love working with him, and we have a lot of fun in our spare time. We still go hunting whenever the season is open, and if the season is closed we go sailing.”

Laura’s ears perked up
. “You have a sailboat?”

“
It’s a Benetau 58 footer.”

“Is that a large sailboat?”

William looked up with that gentle smile of his. “It’s the largest sailboat that Benetau makes. It sleeps a dozen people. I bought it as a business investment. In the winter months when business is slow, I take my top employees to the Caribbean for a month,”

Laura’s eyes widened
. “Caribbean? For a month?”

“
It’s a great incentive for them, and they deserve it. Those dirty-scruffy rednecks are the hardest workers I have ever seen.”

“You don’t get out much.”

William’s eyes narrowed.

“Sorry, that was out of line.” Laura looked down at her salad and poked at the iceberg cabbage.

“I suppose you’ve traveled the world?” William’s voice had a bit of sarcasm.

“I spend a lot of time in England, France, Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and then there are a dozen other countries that I occasionally visit.”

“Tell me about your work. What kinds of databases require that much travel?”

“We ship parts all over the
world, and someone has to track their location so they can be accessed or moved on a moment’s notice.”

William paused eating and looked at Laura. He was waiting for her to expand on her explanation.

“The
inefficient
government doesn’t like losing track of its assets, especially overseas.” Laura bit into a large piece of shrimp.

“Hey, I told you I’m sorry about the wise crack. What kind of assets.”

Laura paused as she tried to think of a way to sidestep William’s question.

Country music blasted as the back door opened and Mama came out. “Will there be anything else? Could I interest you in some of my apple pie? I have fresh homemade vanilla ice cream I can put on it.”

“Mama, the salad was wonderful, but
I’m afraid that I don’t have room,” said Laura.

“That’s okay,
maybe next time William brings you here, you can try some.”

Laura’s lips poked out as she glanced at William.

“Well, it was nice to meet you Laura.” Mama put the check on the table, and reached out and squeezed Laura’s hand that was resting on the table. “You come back and visit any time, you’re always welcome.” She then turned and went inside.

William pulled out a fat wallet and put several twentys on the check. Laura wondered if his bank account was as fat as his wallet.

“Now, you were going to explain these databases to me.”

Laura knew she had to change the subject quickly
. “William, you seem like a nice guy, but–“

“We haven’t finished our first date and you
’re giving me the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’?”

“You seem like a really . . . nice . . . friendly . . . generous . . .”

“Redneck.”

Laura was glad she didn’t have to finish the sentence.
“William, some people just aren’t made for each other. I live in a different world than you.”

“Yea
h, high fashion, elite jobs with the government, fancy cars, and you probably hang out with big time politicians at cocktail parties.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Laura, you need to broaden your perspective.  I know I grew up a redneck, and will always be that, but I’ve tried to be more than that. I’ve learned how business works, how people think, and I can see situations from the top down. You’re intelligent and accomplished, but you’re stuck in a groove. All you see are the things in front of you, your career, friends, and fancy clothes. Those things have their place, but there’s more to life than that.”

“First of all, Mr. Armani, I’
m not the only one who wears fancy clothes. And my friends mean the world to me.”

“I told you I
only wear these suits because I have to for the business. And as far as your friends are concerned, if you really like them, why don’t you do something to help them?”

“
How dare you talk to me like that? I do take care of my friends. I go shopping with them, go to parties with them, watch movies with them, and spend time just hanging out together.”

“Let me guess
. You probably do those things because they ask you, not because you ask them. I bet you’d prefer hanging out with your databases on a Friday night. And I think you only came on this date tonight because you think I’m rich and good looking.”

“William! That’s enough. I’m out of here.”

Laura stood and snatched up her purse. Stomping past William, she headed for the back door. Just before entering the smoky restaurant, she took a deep breath hoping she could hold it until she got to the front door. She didn’t look back, but she could hear William’s footsteps behind her. The restaurant was busier than before and she had to elbow her way between rednecks every several steps. Sometimes, when they saw her coming, they closed the gap between themselves, making it more difficult to squeeze between them. She cringed at the way their eyes looked up and down her body.

Exiting the front door she paused as
she exhaled and took several deep breaths.

“
Laura, I’m sorry, you didn’t deserve that.”

Laura turned and faced William.

“Please, Laura, let’s not end our first date like this.”

“First date? No, it’s not our first date, it’s our last date.”

Laura turned toward her car and took a step. A loud sound interrupted her thoughts about William. A bright light filled her field of vision, and she saw a car at the edge of the parking lot surge into the air, spinning like a top as it rode a mushroom cloud of fire and black smoke into the clear-blue evening sky.

“That’s . . . that’s . . . my . . . car.”

She saw the car fall back to the ground, and heard a loud crunching sound as it landed. A pair of muscular arms wrapped around her and turned her into a warm muscular chest that protected her from the bits of metal, glass and gravel that were blowing past her at supersonic speed. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around William and squeezed as if her life depended on it.

“Let’s get out of here,
” yelled William.

Laura fel
t a hand grab her elbow and pull her towards a late-model shiny red pickup truck. William opened the driver’s side door, pushed her in, and said, “Slide over!”

Crawling over
the console she plopped into a soft leather seat that had a macho-virile smell.

“Buckle up!
” said William.

He buckled his seatbelt with one hand while simultaneously starting the engine with the other.
He slammed the shifter into reverse, and the truck wheels spun in the gravel as the truck pulled toward the asphalt road. William hit the shifter with the palm of his hand, and the tires squealed as they accelerated down the winding road.

***

Tariq Abdul Jabar calmly set down his remote detonator, picked up his cell phone and dialed.  “Hamid, I have a license number for you. Give this to your contact at the Motor Vehicle Administration and get his address. Then go to his house and learn everything you can about him. I must know everything about my enemy if I’m going to be victorious.”

William took several long deep breaths. It had been a long time since he’d had an adrenalin rush like that.

“I
t’s time we stop beating around the bush. What kind of databases do you manage?”

“It was brand new
.” Tears appeared at the corners of Laura’s eyes.

“What are you talking about?”

“My car, it was brand new. It didn’t have a single scratch.” Her voice was ragged.

William took several more deep breaths. “We have more important issues to deal with. Someone put an IED on your car.”

“IED?”

“Improvised explosive device.”

“Why would they do that?”

“Only you can answer that question. Start talking.”

Laura trembled as the tears ran down her cheeks. “He said it might be dangerous.”

“Who told you that?”

“My boss.”

“Who’s that?”

Laura looked at the floor of his truck in silence.

“I can’t help you unles
s I know what is going on. Who’s your boss!”

“
I’m sworn to secrecy,” Laura whimpered.

“Secrecy
isn’t going to help you when you’re dead.”

Laura looked up at William.
“They wouldn’t do that to me–would they?”

“They gave you a warning. They want your cooperation. If you don’t cooperate, the next time they
’ll wait for you to get in the car before they detonate the bomb.”

Laura
whimpered several more times, blew her nose on a handkerchief, and took several deep breaths. “General Thompson.”

“Gene
ral Thompson? He’s a member of the Joint Chief of Staff. Good grief, we’re in big trouble.”