My boss chose me to go in and help one of our suppliers get their operating licence reinstated after it had been suspended, all because some idiot on the shop floor didn`t clean the equipment to the correct standard for the Health Inspector during their annual inspection.
The service centre was busy as I fuelled my car. I had at least three hours driving to go, then a boring night in a hotel, morning meeting and a long drive home. That`s my life, driving, hotel rooms and countless meetings. I`m getting too old for this.
Walking back to my car an unremarkable woman approached "Excuse me! Excuse me!"
"Hi, how can I help?"
"I was wondering if you could give me a lift?"
The shadows of the overhead lights concealed the finer details of her face, I suspect she was in her thirties, dark hair, maybe Asian, maybe not, hard to tell.
"You travelling alone?"
"Yes, I`m travelling alone!"
"I was half expecting the rest of the family would appear, as soon as I said yes," I smiled.
"No, it`s only me!"
"Where are you trying to get to?"
The woman hesitated. "I was hoping you were going north."
"North, it is then... Hop in... I`m Dan," as I opened the door for her to get in, "You're travelling light"
The woman smiled back at me as she slid into the passenger seat, placing a knapsack between her legs.
Driving along the highway the silence was deafening. I wasn`t sure, maybe she was regretting getting is a car with a stranger or maybe she just doesn't want to talk. I really didn`t care, it made no difference to me.
A few hours down the highway we approached a small town, the woman looked across and spoke. "Vicky!"
I was far, far away in a driving trance, I didn`t clearly hear what the woman had said. "Sorry?"
"My name is Vicky! Would it be possible to stop somewhere, I need a rest room?"
I took the next off ramp into a BP service centre.
"While you're in the rest room I`m going to get something from the canteen, you want something?"
"No, I`m fine, thanks for offering."
As I was getting out of the car my iPhone pinged, what`s this alert (AirTag Found Moving with You.) I read the information on the alert while I walked across to the canteen. It seems you only receive an alert if an air tag is moving with you for some time without its register owner.
I was thinking under my breath. "Fucking hell, surely, she isn`t still trying to catch me out after last time. We had this out months ago when her friend tried to entrap me with their silly games," I still wasn`t convinced my wife was telling me the truth when I confronted her about what she said about winning the bet. I went to dial my phone to ask her what the fuck was going on, but then thought, what the fuck who cares. I was passed it, our marriage was drifting apart anyway. I put the phone back in my pocket.
Vicky came out of the rest room and could see something was wrong. "You ok, you look terrible?"
"I`m ok, just coming to terms with the bullshit in my life," looking up at the menu board then back to Vicky. "I was going to have the steak and chips. Sure, you don`t want something? I`m happy to pay!"
"That's very kind, can I have the same as you."
"You want a coffee or something with your meal?"
Vicky smiled. "Flat black would be great, I`ll go and find a table!"
I was still stewing about the Air Tag while we waited for the order to be called, Vicky was looking a little uneasy, constantly looking around the restaurant.
Vicky, I know I`m a bit off... I hope I`m not making you nervous; it`s nothing to do with you?"
"Arr... yer, I`m ok, just a bit worried my ex seems to be able to keep finding me. It ended badly with him and he really scares me!"
"So, you're on the run from your ex that doesn't sound good! How long have you been apart?"
"Arr... only a few days!"
"Do you know how he keeps tracking you down?"
"No, I don`t know! He keeps finding me where every I go, last night he was sitting outside the woman's shelter I stayed in. They called the police and he took off as soon as the police car arrived.
"Can I ask, what sort of phone you have?"
"Samsung, why?"
I pulled out my phone and showed Vicky the Air Tag alert. Vicky looked surprised and a little confused. "What`s that got to do with me?"
"What type of phone dose your ex, have?"
iPho... That fucking bastard, that's how he`s finding me, shit, I have to leave now before he gets here!"
"Slow down, slow down, do you know what an Air Tag looks like?"
"No not really, can we just leave, please..."
"Slow down, I`m not sure what a Air Tag look like either; I`ll google it."
Google showed a photo and description. "It seems they are a round flat disc about the size of a 20-cent piece but a bit thicker, it has an apple logo on the face. Have a good look in your hand bag to start with."
Vicky tipped the content of her hand bag onto the table looking though its contents. No Tag. I put my hand gently on hers. "Don`t worry we`ll find it!"
Vicky started crying. "I really need to get out of here!"
"It`s ok. Let's have our meals first."
"You don`t understand, after getting the police involved last night, he will kill me! He`s very violent!"