Termination Clause

Part 6

Jimmy had been driving for a while and there was no sign of an end to this road he was on.  He spotted the lights of a late night diner up ahead and decided it would be a decent place to rest for a while.

He pulled up to the diner lot and turned off the ignition.  There was minimal light outside, and the melodramatic tune emanating from the diner was the only sound he could hear other than the persistent chirping of bugs off in the field.  He checked the bullets in the magazine of his pistol before holstering it in his belt and stepped out the car.

Nobody looked up as he entered the diner.  About five people were sitting inside at various tables; only one waitress was on duty.  Jimmy sat on a bar stool at the counter and flicked a crumb that was lying there before resting one arm atop the counter.

The waitress walked over from an elderly duo sitting in the corner.

"What can I get you Hun?"

"I'll have some coffee and some of your pot pie if that's alright."

"Sure thing darlin'.  Will that be all you're havin'?"

"Yeah.  It'll do."

"I'll be right out with it dear."  She turned on her heel and walked around the counter to the back.

Jimmy sighed as he rubbed his eyes.  He was feeling glad his uncle suggested taking a vacation right about now.

The waitress returned with a cup of coffee, placed it on the counter, and returned to the back.

Chattering voices took Jimmy's concentration off his coffee.  The front door of the diner opened just as he turned his head, and two officers walked into the diner.

Jimmy's hand slowly inched towards his pistol as the officers walked towards him.  He tried to act natural as the footsteps drew nearer behind him.  Jimmy waited on the hand to reach out for him, but it never came.

The two officers took seats beside him at the counter and gave half nods and a grumble that sounded like "hey."  This was no moment to be losing his cool so easily.

Jimmy nodded back and lowered his head into his coffee as the two officers continued chatting.  The waitress returned with his food, which he ate happily, and smiled with a wink as she left his ticket on the counter beside him.

The officers were still chatting as he stood up.  He left the money for the bill and a sizable tip on the counter and walked out the diner to his car.

Jimmy drove about thirty more miles down the road until he arrived at an inn.  He booked a room for the night, carried his bags up to the room, and went to sleep with his clothes still on.