Loco Motive (13 page)

“Sorry. It brings back grisly memories, but I can still eat.” Renie gobbled up the last potato chips before pointing to the window. Mr. Peterson and some other Amtrak employees were in deep conversation. “They seem upset.”

“You're right,” Judith said. “They're shaking their heads. They must not have found any trace of Roy.”

Renie checked her watch. “We're due to leave here just after one-thirty. It's one-forty—assuming my watch is correct.”

“Dubious,” Judith murmured. “Shall we visit the dome car?”

“I thought you wanted me to put your camera in the suitcase.”

“That can wait,” Judith replied. “It's safe in my purse.”

The cousins moved through the dining car with Renie leading the way to make sure that Pepper and Wayne weren't anywhere in sight.

“All clear,” Renie announced, “but the place is pretty crowded. I think there may be a couple of seats toward the far end. Are you game?”

“Lame but game,” Judith responded.

“Funny, coz,” Renie remarked drily.

The cousins sat down just as the train began to move again. Judith poked Renie. “See those two people in cowboy hats sitting near the club car stairs?”

“Yes. Why do I care?”

“They're the Johnstons,” Judith said in a low voice. “You know—the couple next to the Kloppenburgs.”

“Fascinating. How can I contain my excitement?”

Judith ignored the remark. She also tried to ignore Renie's sudden frenzied back-and-forth foot movement. “What are you doing?” Judith asked.

“Something's stuck to my left shoe,” Renie said. “I thought I scraped it off on the way from the dining car, but it's still there.”

“Have you considered removing it with your fingers instead of looking like you're having a conniption fit?”

Renie looked indignant. “You want me to actually touch whatever it is? You were not raised by a germaphobe. Yes, Mom's obsessive, but some of her cautions rubbed off on me. I never touch unknown items off of floors.”

“So take your shoe off and see what it is. People are staring as if you're some kind of shuffling, scuffling freak show.”

“I can't,” Renie said, grimacing.

“Why not?”

“I hurt my other shoulder opening the door into this car.” Judith gaped at Renie. “You dislocated your good shoulder?”

“No,” Renie replied, finally keeping her feet still. “But it scared me. You know what that's like. You always fear the worst. I want to sit here until I know it's only a twinge, not a disaster.”

Judith leaned back in her chair. “I'm sorry,” she said softly. “If I could help you more, it'd be…” Her words trailed off helplessly.

“It's fine. It's just annoying,” Renie said. “I think it stuck to my shoe when I was under the table retrieving your tomato.” She stared at her brown suede flats. “I got these at Nordquist's spring sale. I love buying shoes, but I don't love wearing them.” She
paused, gazing at the gold-and-brown fields of Montana. “I think I'll stop wearing shoes. At least when I'm home.”

“That's very…strange,” Judith said.

“Not really. Why do we wear shoes in the first place?”

“Coz,” Judith said, puzzled, “why are we having this conversation?”

Renie smiled. “The Cowboy Hats just went down to the bar with Pepper and Wayne Fielding. I wanted you focused on me with your back turned so they couldn't see you.” She paused as Judith swiveled around in her chair to look where the Johnstons had been sitting. “Would you rather I discussed whether Richard the Third murdered his nephews in the Tower of London?”

“Stick to Dumpster horror stories. Were the couples chummy?”

“No. Maybe it was a coincidence they went downstairs at the same time.”

Judith frowned. “So they may not know each other.”

“Why do you care other than to avoid the Weevils and their putative hangers-on? Aren't you more concerned about Roy? I told you to concentrate on real life, not some fantasy about Willie and Company.”

Judith felt sheepish. “You're right. But Roy's disappearance stumps me. I've no idea what's happened to him. His coworkers have far more to go on than I do—yet they seem dumbfounded.”

“I gather Roy's worked for Amtrak quite a while,” Renie said.

“He's what? Around forty? Did you notice a wedding ring?”

“No,” Judith replied, “and I always check. Old habits die hard.” Renie laughed. “It's good to hedge your bets. Speaking of looking, would you mind not turning every ten seconds to see if your nemeses are coming back from the club car?”

“Sorry.” Judith forced herself to stop glancing at the stairwell.

“Maybe we should go back to our room. I feel edgy.”

“Why? Even if Pepper or Wayne recognized you, they couldn't do more than make a scene and embarrass themselves.”

“It'd embarrass me, too. It's not just that. You said something
a minute ago that reminded me of…I don't know, but it made me uneasy.”

“We were talking about Roy,” Renie said. “You should feel uneasy. You're supposed to find him.”

Judith scowled at her cousin. “I'm not a magician. Come on, let's go.”

Renie hesitated. “We're moving pretty fast. Shouldn't we wait?”

“For what? Isn't the next stop way down the line?”

“Yes, at Malta, an hour or so away.”

Judith pondered her ability to cope with the fast-moving train. “Oh, heck, let's do it. I'm getting a stomachache wondering when Pepper will pop up out of those stairs and attack me.”

Renie looked dubious, but finally agreed. “Hang on to my arm,” she urged as they cautiously made their way through the dome car.

“How's your shoulder?”

“It hasn't fallen off yet. Don't try to pull it out of the socket, okay?”

The cousins went through the dining car, which was now empty except for the employees preparing the dinner settings. In both sleepers, all was quiet. Judith felt as if they had the train to themselves. It was a pleasant thought, especially compared to airplane travel.

“Give me the camera,” Renie said when they reached their room. “I'll take it downstairs.”

Judith delved into her purse while Renie removed her left shoe. “It's not gum, but it's sticky,” she said, carefully using a tissue to peel off the scrap. “There's some numbers and the word ‘ox.'”

Judith was puzzled. “Ox?”

“So?” Renie tossed the scrap and tissue into a waste bin by the stairs.

Judith shrugged. “Nothing. Oh—could you get a pair of my thick wool socks? I imagine it'll get colder as we move east.”

“Sure,” Renie said, already halfway down the stairs. “Back in a—”

The train suddenly rocked violently. Judith lost her balance. She felt herself falling, opened her mouth to scream, but only heard the sound inside her head.
Have I gone mute?

That was her last thought before the world faded to black.

J
udith was aware of nearby shouts and a shriek that seemed to come from a hollow cave. She slowly opened her eyes to see a blank wall. Blinking several times, Judith realized she wasn't lying on whatever was beneath her feet.
I'm disoriented, but not in pain.
Her hands clung to a sturdy waste bin that seemed to be propping up the rest of her body.
Not my home, yet it seems familiar.
She was on a train—in Montana? The train wasn't moving. Gasping for breath, she heard anxious voices, mostly male. A female voice, loud and angry, rose up from the stairwell.
I know that voice. It's Renie.
Relieved, Judith tried to focus.

“Coz!” Renie staggered up the stairs. “Are you okay?”

Feeling stupid, Judith nodded. She was shaking, but found her voice. “You…” She blinked a couple of times. “Did you fall?”

“Not quite,” Renie replied, also looking unsteady. “I caught myself just in time. But I banged my knees on the luggage shelves.”

Jim Downey and Matt Chan had come out of their respective compartments. So had some other people Judith didn't recognize.

“Does anyone know what happened?” Jim asked.

No one responded immediately.

“We've stopped,” Renie finally said. “Maybe we hit something.” Matt, with Laurie now at his side, spoke up. “Is anybody hurt?
I'm a doctor.” His expression turned wry. “If needed, I make train calls.”

The cousins looked at each other. “We're fine,” Judith declared. A plump brunette was standing behind the Chans, her hands on the shoulders of the two young boys Judith had seen earlier. “Jason,” she said, giving the younger child a slight nudge, “hit his head on the sink. He seems all right, but I'd feel better if you took a look, Doctor.”

“I'll check it out,” Matt said. “My kit's downstairs. I'll be right back. And,” he added, starting for the stairs, “let everybody know I'm available.”

Renie intercepted Matt before he reached the first step. “When you finish with the kid, could you check my cousin? She may be in shock.”

“Sure,” Matt said, and quickly headed down the stairs.

Judith stared at Renie. “You think I'm acting goofy?”

“You're shaken up,” Renie said, rubbing her sore knees. “You should sit.”

Judith wanted to protest, but saw Jax rush from the stairwell. “Everyone okay?” She noticed Jason and his mother. “We've got a doctor on board.”

The Downeys were in the corridor. “What happened?” Sharon asked.

Jax looked grim. “We've been told someone tried to beat the train at the crossing. He made it, but his load of sugar beets is all over the place. There may be some damage to the first of our two engines. We'll be stuck here at least until the tracks are cleared. I'm very sorry.”

Laurie spoke up. “We look like we're in the middle of nowhere.” Jax made a face. “That's because it
is
the middle of nowhere. Not many people live around here, which is why the crossing has signs and flashing lights and bells, but no arms that come down. It's a dirt road used mainly by farmers.”

Matt returned with his kit. “Okay, Jason,” he said to the boy,
“let's go in your room to take a look.” He let Jason's mother lead the way.

“Don't forget Mrs. Flynn,” Renie called after Matt.

“I won't,” he promised just before disappearing from view.

Jax excused herself. “I must check the other sleeper.” Somewhat reluctantly, Judith let Renie herd her into their room. “I'll get us a couple of drinks from the bar car. Meanwhile,” she went on, all but shoving Judith into the chair, “let's play Log.”

“Log?” Judith didn't think she'd heard correctly. “What's that?”

“Log,” Renie repeated, only louder. “It was Bill's game with the kids on long car trips. The point was to see which kid could keep quiet and stay motionless the longest. It worked wonders, at least until they got to be nine or ten and finally figured it out.”

“Maybe it was just as well that Dan and I couldn't take vacations like that,” Judith said. “Of course we only had Mike.”

“Two parents and one kid. Bad idea,” Renie asserted. “We did that once when our kids got older and had summer jobs or felt that Mom and Dad were so uncool that they couldn't bear to be seen with us in the same vehicle. We thought we solved it the next time by taking along one of our kid's friends, who always turned out to be ten times worse than our own.” Renie slung her purse over her shoulder. “I won't be long. Stay quiet.”

Judith stared out the window. There was no sign of the wreckage from her vantage point. Instead, she saw ominous gray clouds moving across the vast horizon. Maybe it'd rain. Her mind drifted, wondering why anyone with half a brain would try to race a train. Maybe the wide-open spaces that reminded her of the Old West still stirred a sense of adventure and risk. The great openness of the land must rouse a primal urge to challenge the elements. Or, in this case, an iron horse, symbolic of the movement to the last frontier.

“Hi.”

Judith gave a start. “Matt! I was daydreaming.”

“How do you feel?” he asked, entering the roomette.

“Better.”

His dark-eyed gaze had a piercing quality. “You sure?”

“I think so,” she said, aware that her tone wasn't as convincing as she'd hoped. “I guess I blacked out for a minute.”

“Let me have a look.”

Judith followed the movement of Matt's fingers this way and that. “Okay,” he murmured before looking into her eyes with a bright light. “Now I'll check your pulse, heart rate, and blood pressure.”

Judith didn't say a word as they went through the medical ritual. “Have you been under a lot of stress lately?” he asked.

“Well…yes.”

Matt closed his kit. “Your blood pressure's elevated and your pulse rate's a bit fast.” He smiled wryly. “I hope this trip's a vacation for you.”

“It is,” Judith assured him. “My cousin told me I needed to get away.”

“Good idea—except for this wreck.” Matt paused and raised his voice. “Anyone else need a doctor?”

No one responded. “Is the little boy okay?” Judith asked.

Matt chuckled. “He could use a dose of discipline, but I don't have any with me. He and his brother are growing up in the School of Rampant Self-Expression. Every time Laurie and I run into brats like that we rethink our decision to start a family of our own.”

“It's not the children's fault,” Judith pointed out. “It's the parents'.”

Matt made a face. “That's what scares us. You think having kids is a wonderful idea, but there's no way to practice parenting. Maybe Jason's mother gave up before her boys could walk and talk.” He shook his head. “I have a family practice, but I don't know how to practice having a family.”

“It's hard, but it can be done. I had only one child, but he
turned out fine. By the way, do you know how Mr. Weevil survived the wreck?”

Matt looked puzzled. “Mr. Weevil?”

Judith realized Matt might not know Willie was on board. “The movie and TV daredevil.” She paused to smile at Laurie, who'd just entered the bedroom. “He's in this sleeper.”

“Wow!” Matt's eyes lit up. “My brother, Luke, and I worshipped him. Willie was incredible, especially with martial arts. We begged our folks to let us take classes in kung fu, karate, judo, aikido, or anything Willie did. Mom and Dad finally gave in, but it was a waste. We were the only Asians in the class, but the worst students. The only sport I can play without embarrassing myself is tennis.”

Laurie snickered. “The last time we played I beat Matt six–one and six–two.”

Matt frowned at his wife. “I turned my ankle.”

“What about your brother?” Judith asked before an argument could start.

Matt hesitated before answering. “Luke's much more athletic. He played hockey and was on the wrestling team in college. Then he took up kayaking, motorcycling, mountain biking, and I don't know what all. With a last name like ours, he thought he could be the next Jackie Chan. Instead, he's an auto mechanic—but a darned good one.”

“Lucky us,” Laurie said. “He works for free.” She squeezed her husband's arm and laughed. “Matt still had Willie's comic books when we got married.”

“I sure did.” He made a face at Laurie. “She tossed my collection on one of her cleaning rampages. Laurie was into Wonder Woman.”

“My son admired Willie, too,” Judith said. “He's about your age.”

“I wouldn't mind seeing Willie,” Matt said. “Where is he?” Judith was reluctant to reveal too much information. “I think
he wants to stay incognito.” Seeing Matt's look of disappointment, she rushed on. “He's not feeling so good. By chance, I saw him come aboard in a wheelchair.”

“How sad,” Matt murmured. “Maybe I'll spot him along the route.”

“Maybe,” Judith said. “Thanks for checking on me.”

“Sure. Take it easy, okay?” Matt smiled before he and Laurie exited.

Several minutes passed in silence. There were no raised voices, no footsteps, no sounds from outside—just a calm that somehow unnerved Judith. She wished she knew what was going on outside. But she'd have to use the stairs. That wasn't merely foolhardy, but dangerous.

Judith started to nod off, but kept trying to stay awake. She was almost asleep when Renie's arrival startled her. “Coz!” Judith gasped, shaking herself. “Good grief, I guess I'm more worn out than I thought.”

“I don't doubt it,” Renie said, placing their drinks on the small table. “Pepper, Wayne, and the Cowboy Hats weren't in the bar or dome cars. Everybody's milling around, talking about Mr. Beets.” She added ice to the Scotch and handed the drink to Judith. “Did Dr. Chan pay you a call?”

Judith nodded. “He thought it was stress. I think he's right.”

“You've been running on fumes too long. Chill.” Renie settled into her chair. “Before I got to the bar, I wanted to view the wreckage, but Jax was by the other sleeper's door and told me to get back on the train. They were rounding up passengers who were already having a look-see.”

“Did they arrest the truck driver?”

“No. I suppose they have to wait for the sheriff or the state patrol.”

“That could take a while,” Judith said.

“That's not all,” Renie said. “We have to replace the front engine. It should come from Havre, but Jax says there's too much
track damage. We'll switch to another spur, then crawl to Williston, our first stop in North Dakota. Even on schedule, we wouldn't get there until tonight.”

“That's a pain in the butt,” Judith remarked. “Oh, well. At least we're not stuck sleeping on an airport floor with small children stepping on our heads.”

“Nor are we dead,” Renie said, “which is what happens when planes crash.”

“True.” The cousins were silent for a few moments. “Oh,” Judith finally said, “did you find my wool socks when you put the camera away?”

Renie's brown eyes widened. “Damn!” She set her drink down and stood up. “We crashed before I could do anything. I landed against the luggage shelves and—” She stopped, frowning. “I rushed up here. Did I still have the camera?”

“I don't think so,” Judith said, “but I was muddled.”

Renie moved to the corridor. “I must've dropped the camera between the stairs and the luggage racks. I'll look for it and get your socks.”

Judith hoped the expensive camera wasn't lost. It might belong to a B&B guest. If so, the owner would be upset. Maybe she should ask Joe if there'd been any inquiries. Sipping her drink, she tried not to anticipate trouble. But there wasn't much activity outside to divert her. Small dark birds hopped among thimble-berry vines. A rusted farm implement lay against a ramshackle split-rail fence. The gray clouds continued to gather. Would rain hinder the accident cleanup? To her knowledge, she'd never seen a sugar beet.

Judith checked her watch. It was two-thirty, mountain standard time. They'd change to central time in North Dakota, losing another hour. Sipping more Scotch, she heard voices nearby. One belonged to Renie, but she didn't recognize the others until the Cowboy Hats walked by. The Johnstons, she reminded herself as Renie appeared a moment later looking chagrined.

“I couldn't find the camera,” she confessed, handing Judith a pair of dark green wool socks. “I'll ask Jax if anyone's turned it in.”

“Damn,” Judith murmured. “Did you find my camera?”

“No.” Renie sat down. “I found the socks, but a couple of people from the downstairs roomettes were using the restrooms, and the Cowboy Hats were searching their own luggage. I didn't have much maneuvering space.”

“Did you talk to the Johnstons?”

Renie frowned. “Who? Oh—the Johnstons. Or the Bobbsey Twins. Couples who dress alike look alike. Mrs. Johnston heard we were moving on. She asked if I knew where we'd get another engine. I told her at Williston.”

“We need a change of scenery,” Judith said. “I'm bored watching birds try to eat thimbleberries that probably dried up a month ago.”

Renie gazed out the window. “Are those thimbleberries or salmonberries?”

“I don't suppose they'd let me off to call Joe and ask if anyone's lost a camera at the B&B.”

“I think two of those birds are some kind of warbler.”

“If we start moving, I'll have to wait until we get to…Williston?”

“Not warblers—more like buntings. We rarely see them at home.”

“I don't remember if Joe had any appointments today,” Judith said. “He and Bill leave tomorrow, so he may be wrapping up loose ends.”

Renie's nose was all but pressed against the glass. “Or some kind of thrush? It has to be a bird that doesn't go south for—”