The Dingo

A Kidnapping Before Homecoming

Ten days after returning home, Peter was visiting with his Uncle Walter. He and Peter were sitting on his back deck, drinking iced tea, and discussing a case he had pending. Walter's phone rang, it was the university.

"Peter, we need to go to the school. Gloria's at it again." They took Walter's car, in case they needed to take Gloria home. When they pulled up in front of the school, they were met by a member of the faculty who escorted them into the commons. Gloria had a guy on his knees. She was behind him, and had him in a tight headlock. Three security guards were there, trying to convince her to let go.

Walter yelled, "Gloria! Let him go! What do you think you're doing?"

"He's been pestering me. He keeps asking me to be his date for home-coming."

"That's no excuse for putting him in a headlock. Just tell him you're not interested, and walk away." She smiled.

"I guess I could have just put my knee in his..."

"GLORIA!" Peter interrupted her.

She looked at him.

"What? It's just one option."

Peter walked up, held out his NSA badge, and pushed past the cops. He grabbed Gloria's upper arm.

"Come along, junior agent. That's an order."

The guy asked, "Junior agent?"

Gloria answered him, "Never mind, Timmy. It's none of your business."

Gloria let go of him, and stood up. Peter didn't let go of her arm until he'd walked her over to her dad, who wanted to talk to her privately. Peter returned, and helped the boy up.

"Come on, Timmy. She won't hurt you now."

"I'm guessing you're her boyfriend?"

"No, I'm her cousin. I was visiting with Uncle Walter when he got the call to come down here. I came along to see what was going on."

"So why did you call her 'junior agent?'"

"That's really none of your business. Timmy, we need you to forget you heard that."

"My name's not Timmy. It's Jordan. Gloria calls me Timmy. I don't know why."

Jordan Sommaren stands five foot ten. He has blonde hair, and blue eyes. He's on the thin side. When Jordan looked at Peter, his face sort of lit up.

"You must be her cousin Peter. The one with the hopped up Cougar." Peter nodded.

Jordan continued, "I've seen you pick her up in it. She's been bragging about how you let her drive it fast one day, and how she impressed you with her driving skills." Peter pointed at Margo.

"You know, Margo is a very nice girl, and she would never put you in a headlock. Why don't you ask her out, instead?"

"Because Margo and Jack are engaged."

At that point, Walter called out, "Peter, we're leaving."

Once they were in the car, Peter expressed his displeasure.

"Gloria, why do you have to attract attention to yourself like that? You're lucky I don't file an STP-43 on you."

She responded, "So all of a sudden, the Dingo is going by the book? What's with you, Peter?"

"We are not the FBI, or the CIA. We don't go around letting people know who we are. You know that!"

When they arrived back at Walter's home, Gloria packed, and Peter drove her out to the farm.