Ironhorse

16

I stepped out onto the platform to have a look back on top of the coach to make sure there was nobody trying to crawl their way forward. I climbed the ladder and peeked over the top, looking back behind us. It was dark, and the only thing I could see was the light coming from the interior of the cars shining on the trees passing by. I felt a drop of water on my face, followed shortly by another drop and another. A distant flash of lightning briefly illuminated the whole of everything for me, the train, the trees. There was nobody, at least for the moment, on his way to ambush us. The sprinkling continued as I came down the ladder and reentered the coach.

Emma was talking but stopped when Virgil looked at me.

“Nothing,” I said. “Rain coming though.”

Virgil turned his head slightly, listening for a second, then looked back to Emma.

Emma continued. “The conductor man told Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Lassiter to get off the train or he’d tell the man with the knife to cut Mother’s throat.”

“And they did that,” I said. “They got off?”

Abigail and Emma looked at each other and nodded.

“It... it was so awful,” Abigail said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Does your father always travel with Pinkertons?” Virgil said.

Emma looked to her sister, and they shook their heads.

“As far as I know, this is the first time,” Emma said.

“Daddy generally has security,” Abigail said. “Just not the Pinkertons... I think they were maybe Mr. Hobbs’ men.”

“How was it you and your sister were brought forward?” I said.

“Another man came from the front, a big heavyset man. He said that the train had passed where it was supposed to stop,” Abigail said. “He said he had seen two men jumping into the engine cabin.”

“The conductor man became incensed and yelled at the big man. He told him to take us, me and Abby, and to use us to get control of the engine,” Emma said, “with whatever means necessary.”

“And he brought you here,” I said, “to the first car?”

“Yes,” Abigail said.

“He did. There were other men, too,” Emma said.

Virgil pointed to Dean. “That skinny fellow there,” he said. “Was he one of them that brought you to this car?”

“No,” Emma said. “He was already here when the others brought us forward.”

Virgil looked at me. Then he walked back toward Dean.

“Dean,” Virgil said.

“What?”

“Turn around.”

Dean turned to face Virgil.

“Who came on this train posin’ like he was the conductor?”

Dean didn’t reply.

“Answer me.”

“I don’t know ’bout no conductor.”

Virgil walked closer to Dean.

“How were you boys split up?”

“What do you mean?”

“How many in each car?”

“Oh, um, three of us in each car.”

“Who was in the Pullman?”

“I don’t know,” Dean said. “I was just tol’ by Vince to get in this first car and holler robbery at five-thirty.”

“Go back there and tell Vince to come up here,” Virgil said.

“Huh?”

“Tell him I need to talk with him,” Virgil said. “Tell him he’s got one chance to back out. He gives himself up right now and I’ll be nice. He don’t, I won’t.”

“I’ll do that,” Dean said and turned toward the door.

“Dean?” Virgil said.

Dean looked back at Virgil.

“Tell him if he don’t, me and Everett will kill the lot of you. All of you together, a few at a time, or one by one. Makes no difference.”

Dean turned toward the door.

“One more thing. Do like I tell you, you might have a chance to be counted. You don’t, you’ll be dead like the others.”

Dean swallowed hard.

“I’ll go get Vince.”

Dean moved to one side out of the center of the aisle and called out loudly, “It’s Dean! I’m coming out! If y’all is there! Don’t shoot! I’m coming out! It’s Dean!”

Dean opened the door a little. Then he opened it a little more, just enough for him to get through. There was no gunfire, just the partially open door, and without incident Dean left, closing the door behind him.