Murder on the Orient Espresso(68)

‘That makes some sense. But you’re not thinking everyone would go with us, are you? Plus, what about the alligators, snakes and all?’ I fought the shiver that threatened to climb down my spine.

‘Actually,’ Pavlik said, seeming to tread carefully. ‘I was thinking Boyce would come with me, given we don’t know what we may find. Not only does he have some training, but he’s an outsider to this group.’

I should have been relieved but, in truth, I was a little hurt. I might not be Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2, but hadn’t Pavlik just complimented me on how well I’d accounted for myself under dire circumstances? ‘So you trust him.’

‘Yes. And I trust you, too.’

I brightened. ‘So I am coming with you.’

‘Honestly, I was hoping you’d take over Boyce’s post and keep everyone else out of the sleeping car.’

I saw the reasoning, though I didn’t like it much. But then how logical was it for me to be disappointed that I couldn’t again become one with the denizens of the Everglades?

‘Sure you want a sociopath minding the store?’

Pavlik smiled. ‘Struck a nerve, did I?’

I shifted uncomfortably. ‘My roommate in college called me a sociopath once. I guess ever since I’ve wondered if she was right.’

‘What was her reasoning?’

‘You mean besides her being a psych major? I found the apartment, so I took the bigger bedroom.’ I shrugged. ‘It seemed only fair to me.’

‘Well, cheer up.’ Pavlik gave me a squeeze. ‘You’re probably just self-centered.’

‘Thank you. Coming from you, that means a lot.’

Pavlik looked past me out the window. ‘There’s a glow on the horizon. The sun is starting to come up.’

So it was. I could actually see the water and scrubby grasses across from us.

‘And still not raining.’ I sighed. ‘When will you go?’

‘Soon. But not until I’ve kissed you properly.’

And he did.

‘But the dispatchers must have missed us by now,’ Markus was saying. ‘We haven’t knocked the next signal down. They’ll know exactly what block to find us in.’

‘His family is in railroad,’ I told Pavlik. I knew it sounded like ‘my uncle sells insurance,’ but even at this short acquaintance, I trusted Markus and his information.

Despite the 148 errors in his books.

Pavlik had briefed the passengers – now sober in more ways than the obvious – on our current situation, as well as his plan.

‘What do you mean by knocking the signals down?’ he asked Markus.

‘There are electrical circuits on the track,’ Markus explained. ‘When a train passes through it breaks a connection – a signal – giving the train’s location. That’s what causes the gates to go down at railroad crossings and stop automobile traffic. A knocked-down signal also informs dispatchers that a train has crossed into another section or “block.” Or not, in our case. It may take a while, but eventually someone will come looking for us.’

‘We’re saved!’ Grace said, clapping her hands. Everyone was sitting up a little straighter, hangovers be damned.

Pavlik turned to Engineer Hertel. ‘You couldn’t have told me about this?’

‘I would’ve if they’d been working,’ the old man said, pulling at an ear. ‘Same with the radios, which somebody neglected to equip with batteries before we left.’

Somebody. I wondered who. Or whom.

I was starting to wonder if the engineer was, in reality, an evil genius who’d hatched a plan to not only murder Potter and feed him to a giant python, but strand us here in the Everglades ‘purely in-commun-i-cado’ so he could make his escape.

If only he would make his escape.

The whole car had slumped again.

Pavlik just shook his head. ‘Since I don’t know how far we’ll have to walk to find cell service and call for help, it may be a while before we get back. Hopefully not too long.’

‘Are we talking hours or days here?’ Harvey asked.

‘Hours, I hope.’ Pavlik turned back to the engineer. ‘I assume we’re most likely to find civilization by heading east.’

‘You are. Besides the track not being finished all the way west anyway.’

‘Good point,’ Pavlik said lightly. ‘Though I’m hoping we wouldn’t have had to walk all the way to Naples anyway.’

‘If you’re not back by, say, tomorrow morning, what should we do?’ Prudence asked. ‘Send out a search party?’

Pavlik and Boyce were standing at the door by the dining car – the exit The Raiders of the Last Car had used to sneak back the booze. I was on the opposite end of the passenger car, keeping an eye on the door the coffee man had been guarding earlier.