The real life of an American police officer: Winning over others with virtue

Chapter 227 Price
After nearly a day of bumpy travel, the Lake Shore Express finally pulled into the magnificent and bustling Chicago Union Station late in the morning of the second day.

Eric followed the flow of people down the lakeside express and onto the platform.

As I walked, I observed the station.

To be honest, although America's infrastructure is a bit lacking, it does have its own unique charm.

Or rather, it has a feeling unique to the Western Middle Ages.

The enormous arched glass skylight brings natural light into the magnificent main hall, while the towering Roman columns, the ornate marble floors, and the vintage chandeliers all testify to the splendor this place once possessed.

"This is the main waiting room auditorium of the Buzá Art Museum? No wonder it's one of the most historically significant public spaces in American history." Eric nodded.

But that's about it.

Eric looked up at the sign; he needed to transfer to the Southwest Chieftain to Los Angeles.

The signs point to different platforms and waiting areas.

Eric followed the signs, blending into the crowd, searching for boarding information for the Southwest Chieftain among the electronic displays showing train numbers and statuses.

Finally, I found it among the dense information.

There are still a few hours before departure.

Eric decided to take advantage of this time to go out and experience the atmosphere of this city called Chicago.

However, it didn't feel any different.

However, he was somewhat satisfied with the Chicago-style hot dogs sold at a deli near the station that seemed to be quite popular with locals.

It was piled high with pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, yellow mustard, and other ingredients.

Eric bought another strong coffee and sat on a bench in the square outside the station, eating while observing a corner of this vast city.

Hurried pedestrians, street performers, and distant sirens all contribute to Chicago's unique background soundscape.

It has to be said that he hasn't been this relaxed in a long time.

"What bad luck," Eric chuckled to himself. After finishing his meal, he returned to the magnificent main hall, found a relatively quiet corner to sit down, took out his book to continue reading, and kept an eye out for the boarding announcements.

In the afternoon, the announcement finally called for passengers bound for Los Angeles to board the bus.

Eric packed his things and headed towards the designated platform.

The Southwest Chief is a longer double-decker train with striking red, yellow, and blue stripes on its body. It looks younger than the Lake Shore Express and has more of the characteristics of a long-distance sightseeing train.

As before, Eric found his compartment and berth; this time he had booked a small sleeper compartment.

The space is very compact, but it is private. During the day, there are two seats facing each other. At night, the train attendant will come and put them together to form a small bed, and the upper bunk will also be lowered.

The private room also has a small washbasin, and the cost of the meal from the food cart is included.

This is much more comfortable than a hard seat.

Eric habitually glanced around once, then got up and inspected the entire train in the same way he had done before.

Fortunately, the test results were good.

After Eric finished his inspection, he sat back down in his private compartment, picked up his book, and continued reading.

The Southwest Chieftain train from Chicago to Los Angeles is a typical long-distance intercity sightseeing train, and he will have plenty of time to finish reading the book.

However, since it is a long-distance intercity sightseeing train, it will stop at multiple stations along the way.

Arrival at my destination, Union Station in Los Angeles, will take until at least the following evening.

This would interrupt Eric's rhythm from time to time.

Even so, Eric spent most of his time in his private box reading or resting, occasionally going to the dining car for meals.

He preferred the observation cabin.

This carriage features huge curved windows and comfortable swivel seats.

He likes to order a coffee here and sit for hours, watching the boundless scenery unfold before him.

However, this leisurely time had to come to an end. The following afternoon, when the train stopped at Flagstaff station, Eric knew he was heading to Los Angeles.

"Almost home." Eric glanced out the window as usual, observing everything outside.

The passengers' condition was no different from that of the passengers observed at previous stops.

But when his gaze finally settled on a man making a phone call, Eric's brows furrowed.

The man in her eyes had a face with South Asian features.

Unlike the other passengers, this man looked much more serious.

Micro-expressions also vary greatly.

The inner part of the eyebrows is raised and gathered, while the entire eyebrow area may be pressed down due to tension.

This is characterized by worry and seriousness.

The man's gaze was very focused, and he would quickly scan his surroundings.

The body posture is stiff and tense.

He gripped the phone very tightly, his knuckles turning white.

His shoulders were tense and hunched, yet he tried to keep them straight.

The key point is that, not only did they make the phone call, but they also engaged in highly suspicious behavior.

After finishing the call, he broke his phone in half, threw it into the nearby trash can, and then hurriedly left with the crowd.

The man's unusual behavior instantly heightened Eric's alertness.

"Damn it! Not again?" Eric cursed inwardly, immediately getting up to walk in the direction the man had left, to see what this suspicious man was up to.

But the train had already begun to move slowly.

The man didn't get on the bus?

Eric frowned involuntarily, pretending to be nonchalant as he walked towards the connecting area between the carriages, but his eyes scanned the surroundings like radar.

The passengers were either dozing off, talking in hushed tones, or watching the scenery rushing past the window; everything seemed peaceful.

But Eric understood that if the man was definitely suspicious, then the train must be suspicious too.

However, after walking around, Eric did not find anything suspicious or visually incongruous.

This leaves only high-risk areas.

If there is anyone suspicious, they will usually choose a hidden location that is not easily noticed.

That is, the bathroom.

Eric's expression turned serious as he looked at the restroom in the connecting space between the two carriages ahead and strode towards it.

But before he could get close, he heard a noise and Eric stopped and turned around.

A female train attendant in her thirties appeared before them. Her expression was very serious. When she saw Eric standing in the middle of the carriage, she paused for a moment, then looked at Eric carefully and nodded in acknowledgment.

Eric nodded in agreement, watching the female train attendant walk by.

She observed her surroundings, eventually stopping behind someone who appeared to be South Asian, secretly watching their actions.

When he found that the other party did not behave suspiciously, he left the place and walked towards the bathroom. Then he stopped, hesitated for a moment, and gently knocked on the closed bathroom door.

Seeing this, Eric sighed inwardly.

"As expected, something bad has happened again."

The female train attendant followed the exact same inspection procedure as him.

"What bad luck! Is this the price for getting the Deep Blue stat boost?"

(End of this chapter)