I was inclined to pursue the subject, but Pavlik retook control of the conversation. Probably a good thing, since my mother always said if you’re afraid of the answers, then you shouldn’t be asking the questions.
‘Assuming some of the cars are still … stable,’ Pavlik said, ‘would it make sense for us to uncouple any that might do us damage?’
‘If you was Superman, maybe,’ the engineer said.
‘I take it that’s a no?’ Pavlik kept his tone even.
‘You ever seen two train cars being coupled, Sheriff? They bang ’em one right into the other, like two big ol’ Indian elephants doing the dirty. Sorry, ma’am.’ A wink at me. ‘These huge C-clamps, they hook together. Knuckle, we call it. You can’t undo that with no screwdriver and pair of tweezers, I’m here to tell you. But aren’t you getting ahead of yourselves?’
I looked at Pavlik, a little dazed by this outpouring of train lore. ‘Umm …’
‘Engineer Hertel’s right,’ Pavlik said. ‘We need to know what we’re dealing with and I’d like to leave Boyce here. Are you willing to be heroic again and come out with me to reconnoiter, Maggy?’
‘“Nigh-on” to heroic, I believe was your term,’ I said, smiling. ‘But, of course, I’ll go with you.’
In truth, my head was hurting where I’d bumped it, and the second last thing I wanted to do was to go outside with anyone. The very last thing, though, was to let Pavlik do it alone. ‘Should we check on the passenger car first?’
As I said it, the vestibule door from that direction slid open and Zoe stuck her head in. ‘You OK in here?’
‘We are,’ Pavlik said.
‘Thanks for asking,’ I said, a little snippy. We could have been lying dead on the floor for all they knew, yet it was only now our comrades had thought to check on us?
‘Assuming all is well in the passenger car, Zoe,’ Pavlik said, ‘Maggy and I are going to go out and take a look.’
‘We’re fine.’ Zoe had one of Missy’s shawls around her shoulders and, despite her words, seemed shaken. ‘You go ahead.’
Pavlik was studying her. ‘I should update Boyce first.’
Zoe held up her hand, palm out, and seemed to pull herself together. ‘That’s the least I can do, given everything you’ve already done for us.’
‘We shouldn’t be long.’ Pavlik seemed reluctant to leave. ‘You sure you’re all right?’
‘I am, Jacob.’ Zoe smiled. ‘But thank you.’
Enough of their lovefest. The egg on my temple was throbbing, and I wanted to get our second expedition in the books.
‘I think you’ll be just fine goin’ out that way.’ The engineer had the vestibule door between the dining and club cars open. ‘She seems to be holding steady.’
Yippee. I pulled on Pavlik’s sleeve. ‘The sooner we go, the sooner we’ll be back. You can brief everybody then.’
‘She’s right.’ Zoe was pulling off her shawl. ‘Would you like this, Maggy?’
Even I was getting suspicious. The woman was being too courteous, but, unlike Pavlik, I didn’t give a shit why. ‘Thanks, but I think I’ll be fine.’
‘You might wanna go while it’s clear and you can see by the moon,’ Hertel said, cocking his head toward the windows. ‘Down here, storms come on as fast as they go.’
Pavlik was watching Zoe as she opened the door and stepped back through the vestibule. ‘We will, but would you mind checking on the passenger car?’
Hertel looked surprised. ‘Me? I thought I’d stand by right here. Make sure you get back safe?’
‘That’s not a bad idea,’ I said to Pavlik. ‘Whatever they’re doing in there, we’ll find out soon enough. Besides, we may need his help.’
Pavlik hesitated, then nodded. ‘You’re right.’
Back in the Flagler Suite, I would have asked the sheriff to repeat that, maybe teased him that he said it so seldom I wanted to hear it again.
But now, I just nudged one of our ‘fingerprint’ glasses out of the aisle with my toe. Another ‘good idea at the time.’ Too bad, but I assumed we’d each be fingerprinted officially when help finally arrived. After all, a man had been killed.
But as the three of us moved into the vestibule of the precariously tilted club car, a murderer amongst us seemed – however irrationally – to be the least of our problems.
TWENTY-SEVEN
‘Careful,’ Hertel called to us as I took the sheriff’s hand and jumped down to join him on the railroad bed. ‘That water’s gotten mighty close in.’