Ironhorse

13

Virgil came down from the coach ladder when I returned with my eight-gauge. The train was now in a full crescent bend, moving slowly upgrade. The cars were stretched out behind us, trailing off to the left in a semicircle, and the lighted windows of the cars shined brightly in the dark night. We could see all the way back to the caboose.

“There’s more to this,” Virgil said.

“What are you thinking?”

“Don’t know exactly,” Virgil said, shaking his head slowly, “but this ain’t Vince, Dean, and the others’ territory.”

“No, it’s not.”

Virgil looked at the cars circled behind us.

“Think Dean’s lying?” I said.

“Yep.”

“’Bout what?”

“Don’t know,” Virgil said. “It’s all he knows how to do.”

“Reckon it’s hard for him not to.”

“Been doing it so long,” Virgil said, “he’s grown particular to it.”

“He’s not very good at it.”

“No,” Virgil said. “He ain’t.”

I looked to Dean, and thought about what Virgil was saying.

“I suppose it’s just a matter about how much he’s lying about,” I said. “And about what.”

“That’s right.”

“What do you speculate?” I said. “You think they are down here for something else?”

“They knew the governor was on board,” Virgil said.

“Think they targeted the governor?”

“They’re after something else.”

“Vince and the bunch are a back-shooting bunch,” I said, “capable of doing bad things, but I wouldn’t figure they’d have the smarts for doing an ambitious job that requires too much thinking.”

“Me neither.”

Virgil looked at Dean standing facing the door at the other end of the coach.

“Me neither,” Virgil said again and reentered the coach.

He walked halfway down the aisle and stopped.

“Dean?” Virgil said.

“What?” Dean said.

“What are you boys doing down this far?” Virgil said.

“What do you mean?” Dean asked.

“Next time you answer with a question,” Virgil said, “me or Everett will throw you off this train. Turn around.”

Dean turned and faced Virgil.

“I will ask you a few questions,” Virgil said, “and you’re gonna answer me straight.”

“Wha—” Dean stopped, afraid he was about to ask a question.

“You boys are outside of your whereabouts,” Virgil said. “How come this train, this far?”

“I told you.”

“What else ain’t you telling me?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t get sidetracked with your lies, Dean.”

Dean shook his head. “I ain’t lying.”

“This was not Vince’s idea,” Virgil said. “Coming down this far and robbing this train, was it?”