by Cindy Bell
“I don’t have any intentions,” Peter snapped out his words. “I don’t have time for this, Eddy.”
Eddy watched as Peter walked away. He could tell that the man had a lot more to say, but he held it back. Eddy pursed his lips as he forced down a surge of unease. Something wasn’t right with Peter Wilks, of that he had no doubt.
***
Eddy’s mind flipped through the information that he knew as he walked back to the room. He opened the door and slipped inside.
“Eddy, we saw you out there with Peter and the police, what is going on?” Samantha frowned.
“I saw Peter out there so I figured he might have some information.”
“Did he?” Jo met his eyes.
“Yes, he did. The victim was Ryan Barker and apparently he left a suicide note in his room.”
“That’s terrible.” Samantha frowned.
“But I know that he didn’t commit suicide!” Eddy exclaimed.
“You know that for sure?” Walt asked. “How?”
“I overheard him in the dining car. He was a young man on his way to propose to the love of his life.” Eddy shook his head. “There’s no way he would kill himself.”
“But he left a note.” Jo pointed out. “Why would he do that?”
“The only time I ever saw a suicide that wasn’t a suicide, it was a murder,” Eddy said.
“You think that someone made it look like a suicide?” Samantha’s eyes widened. “That is quite a plan to come up with whilst we’ve been on the train. To think it through, make a plan, and execute it?”
“It would be a stretch, but it’s possible, we’ve already been on the train for quite a few hours.” Eddy cleared his throat. “But, I think that if this wasn’t a suicide, if it was a murder, someone boarded this train with the intent to kill.”
“Now, wait a minute.” Jo sighed. “Are you so bored on the train that you’re having to invent a murder?”
“I’m not inventing anything,” Eddy said.
“Sure you are. You have a young man, who left a suicide note, and then killed himself. That’s cut and dry,” Jo said.
“But he didn’t kill himself.” Eddy turned to face her.
“Because you say so?” Jo shook her head. “You don’t have anything to support that.”
“He was going to meet his girlfriend and propose to her.” Eddy shoved his hands into his pockets in frustration. “A man doesn’t kill himself just before he asks someone to marry them.”
“You don’t know that. You don’t know what was going on in Ryan’s head. Maybe he realized he didn’t love her. Maybe he found out she didn’t want to marry him. Or maybe he just swung into a bout of depression and convinced himself he wasn’t worthy of her. All of those things are very possible. You can’t just decide that someone didn’t commit suicide after they’ve left a note,” Walt said.
“My instincts tell me he didn’t!” Eddy said firmly.
“Wait, why was Pete out there?” Samantha looked towards the window.
“I’m not sure.” Eddy shook his head. “That’s the other thing. He’s acting odd. This whole situation seems off.”
“Well, there’s nothing normal about someone jumping off a train.” Jo sighed and sank back down onto the bed. “Poor kid.”
“Kid is right. He was very young.” Eddy frowned. “Awfully young to kill himself.”
“Suicide doesn’t discriminate.” Walt looked up at Eddy. “Actually adolescents and young adults have the highest prevalence of suicide. In fact, suicide is the second leading cause of death in fifteen to twenty-four year olds. I’m sorry, Eddy, but the numbers don’t lie. Suicides in this country outnumber homicides five to three. The numbers say this was a suicide, as does the suicide note.”
“But my gut disagrees.” Eddy shook his head.
“Your gut is also full of free beer.” Jo pointed out.
“Excuse me?” Eddy cut his eyes sharply in Jo’s direction. “Are you accusing me of being drunk?”
“I didn’t say that.” Jo shrugged. “But if you think you might be, I understand, that was the point of the trip right? The free drinks and food?”
“Jo.” Samantha moved between the two, which meant that she was squeezed between them because of the small space. “I think we all just need to cool off. This came as a shock to all of us. Whether it was a suicide or a murder, it’s sad, and it’s changed our trip.”
“Yes, there’s no way we can go back to just having fun.” Walt sighed. “We’re going to have to figure this out.”
“But there’s nothing to figure out.” Jo shook her head. “I think that it would be intrusive to investigate.”
“Jo, you didn’t see this man, you didn’t hear the way that he talked about his girlfriend. Leila was her name. He wanted to marry her, when a man loves like that, nothing stops him.”
“Unless she doesn’t love him back.” Jo looked at Samantha. “Heartbreak can be too much to take.”
“All right, all right. So we have an argument for suicide, and evidence for suicide. But I for one trust Eddy’s instincts. So, what could it hurt if we checked things out a bit?” Samantha asked. “The train still hasn’t moved, and we still have a long time before we reach our destination. What could it hurt to just follow Eddy’s hunch and see where it leads?”
“You just want an excuse to talk to Peter again.” Jo shook her head.
“Jo, really?” Samantha sighed.
“All right, I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated. I thought this was going to be a fun, relaxing trip. Now, it feels like it’s getting out of hand.”
“It’s okay, Jo.” Eddy glanced towards the window. “I got my feathers ruffled by Peter and the locals. I didn’t mean to be so harsh. This is your trip, if you want me to drop it I will.” He looked back at Jo. “I mean it.”
Jo’s expression softened. “You’d really stop the investigation for me?”
“I didn’t say I would like it.”
Jo nodded. She looked over at Walt and then to Samantha. “I guess we don’t have anything better to do. Do we know where he left the train?”
“Apparently, from the rear viewing platform, but I don’t even think the doors have been roped off. The locals just want this over with,” Eddy said.
“Well, let’s take a look.” Walt nodded.
The intercom crackled to life.
“Attention, passengers the dining car will be open to serve dinner. Please remain either in the dining car or in your room. We should be moving again within the hour.” The intercom shut back off.
“Smart move, if people get hungry and cranky on this crowded train there’s going to be a real problem.” Eddy snapped his fingers. “All right, this is what I think we should do. Walt and I will check out the viewing platform. Jo, you and Sam can go to the dining car to see if there’s any chatter about Ryan or what happened. Does that sound good?”
“Yes, we’ll see what we can find out,” Samantha said.
Chapter Six
Walt and Eddy walked down the corridor away from the dining car. They had to dodge the flow of people that walked towards the dining car.
“We better make this quick or the train staff are going to spot us.” Walt frowned. “I don’t want to get thrown off the train.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t take long.” Eddy opened the door to the back platform of the train. “I doubt he was here for long.”
“What do you think he was doing here in the first place?” Walt looked around the outdoor platform. It was already getting dark.
“Well, if we assume that it wasn’t to kill himself, then the killer had to be here, too. Maybe he was just looking at the view? Maybe the killer lured him somehow?” Eddy glanced through the door along the corridor. “There are plenty of rooms nearby.”
“We should figure out which one was his. Do you smell that?” Walt sniffed the air.
“What is it?” Eddy sniffed as well.
“Cigarettes. No one’s allowed to smoke on the train.”
“Do you think Ryan came here to smoke?” Eddy crouched down and searched the floor. “I don’t see any ash or cigarette butts.”
“So, maybe Ryan comes here to look at the view. Maybe he came here to smoke. He’s nervous about proposing, he’s trying to calm his nerves.” Walt tapped his chin. “Such a dirty habit.”
“Oh, so alcoholics you’re okay with but smokers not so much?”
“It’s just so smelly.” Walt shuddered.
“If he fell off the train that doesn’t explain the suicide note.” Eddy frowned.
“Right, but at least we know Ryan was here. Maybe he was smoking, probably relaxed, and not expecting anyone to catch him.” Walt swept his gaze towards the corridor again.
“Most people were in their rooms. But maybe someone was following him or came across him here.” Eddy narrowed his eyes. “Someone had it in for Ryan.”
“Probably.” Walt studied the door frame. “If those cops were worth anything they would have dusted the railing for prints.”
“Yes, I agree they should have, but really, any passenger on the train could have been at the viewing platform at any time, so fingerprints might not help much even if we find them.”
“What’s this?” Walt pointed to a piece of red cloth caught on the railing. Eddy leaned close.
“Maybe it’s someone’s clothes. Do you have a tissue, Walt?”
“Here.” Walt handed him a tissue. Eddy used it to tug the piece of cloth free.
“It could be from anyone.” Eddy studied it.
“Do you remember what Ryan was wearing?”
Eddy closed his eyes. He remembered being in the dining car. Ryan had caught his attention because he stood out from the rest of the crowd. He was talking very enthusiastically and his shirt was bright red.
“He was wearing a bright red shirt. It could be this color.” Eddy wrapped up the tissue and handed it to Walt. Walt tucked it carefully into his shirt pocket.
“If that’s the case, then maybe Ryan fought back.” Walt pointed to the position of the latch. “If it was a clean shove, then the shirt never would have come near this latch.”
“Whoever pushed him, fought with him to do it.” Eddy nodded and stood up again. “I really think that this indicates that there was a struggle and he was murdered.”
“By someone who knew enough to follow him, and to write a suicide note,” Walt said. “The note was found in Ryan’s room. That means that whoever it was knew which room Ryan was in.”
“We need to get a look inside of that room.”
***
Samantha and Jo stepped into the dining car. It was packed, with no tables available.
“I guess the announcement drew everyone out.” Samantha nodded her head towards the bar. “There’s a few seats left up there.”
The two weaved through the thick crowd of people. Samantha perched on the first bar stool, Jo took the next. The woman behind the counter ran back and forth as she tried to put together everyone’s orders. Samantha tuned into the chatter right away.
“I heard there was a body on the tracks.” A man muttered to another man beside him. “Or there was. If the train hit the poor sap, there won’t be much left of him now.”
“Phil, please don’t be so gruesome.” The man beside him toyed with his glass. “It’s a horrible thing to picture.”
“You’re right.” Phil finished his beer.
“It wasn’t a body on the tracks,” a woman who walked up to the bar volunteered. “Someone jumped.”
Samantha listened closer.
“Are you sure? Someone jumped off a moving train? How do you know that?”
“I overheard the security guards talking about it. Apparently it’s the first suicide they’ve dealt with.” She ordered her drink and then looked at the two men. “It’s too bad we all have to be delayed because of some guy’s poor choice.”
“It’s terrible that anyone would think that was their only way out.” The man who fiddled with his drink sighed. “If only he had asked for help.”
“Not everyone wants help.” The woman accepted her drink from the bartender.
“Hey!” A shrill voice broke through the din of conversation. “I’ve been waiting here forever! Where is my drink? Why did she get hers first?” Samantha leaned back on her bar stool far enough to see the woman who complained. She recognized her right away as the woman from the platform. Her speech was slurred.
“Ma’am, I told you, you have to sober up or go back to your room. I can’t serve you anymore.” The bartender fixed the woman with an annoyed scowl.
“Can I at least get a drink delivered to my room like before?”
“I can’t,” the bartender repeated. “Please don’t make me call security to escort you to your room.”
“This is crazy. I just want a drink. It’s not like I’m driving.”
“But you are being disruptive. With everything that is going on, we don’t need any added chaos in the dining car. All right?”
The woman shook her head. “No, it’s not all right. I’m a paying customer just like everyone else here, and I want my drink.” She slapped her hand against the bar. Samantha exchanged a look with Jo.
“All right, I’m calling security.” The bartender walked towards the phone.
“No, fine. I’m leaving.” She staggered away from the bar. “No need to trouble yourself.”
The bartender watched to make sure that she left. Then she turned back to her customers.
“Do you want to order something?” Jo nudged Samantha with her elbow.
“No, don’t bother. It’ll be too long before we’re served.”
“Well, it sounds like all anyone knows is that Ryan committed suicide. Maybe we should just get out of here and see what the guys found.” Jo started to stand up from the stool.
“Wait a minute.” Samantha spotted someone who stepped into the dining car. “Pete is here.”
“Your Pete?”
“He’s not my Pete.” Samantha tucked her hair back behind her ears. “He’s just Pete.”
“Okay.”
“I’m going to see if I can get his attention.” She waved her hand in the air to Peter. Peter froze when he saw her. He stared with an indifferent expression, then a smile broke out across his lips. He walked towards them.
“Samantha.” He paused beside her.
“Hi Pete. This is my friend, Jo. Jo, this is Pete.”
“Peter.” Peter held out his hand to her. Jo took it in a firm shake.
“It’s nice to meet you, Peter. I hear that you’re a friend of Eddy’s as well.”
“Yes, we worked together in the past.” Peter leaned against the bar beside Samantha. “Just like Samantha and I did.” He leaned so close to Samantha that she could smell his cologne. The scent was familiar. She remembered it from the nights they had worked together. It was one of the only times she had liked the smell of a man’s cologne. Her cheeks heated up as she glanced away from him.
“Sounds like you keep good company.” Jo smiled. “Good luck getting a drink, there’s too much of a crowd.”
“Oh, I’m not interested in a drink.”
“Are you working a case?” Samantha tilted her head to the side and stole a glance at Peter.
“Is there a reason you’re asking?” He raised his thick, brown eyebrows. “Feeling nostalgic, Samantha?” His words were mild, but his tone was hard.
“Pete, if I did something to hurt you, it wasn’t intentional.” She gripped the edge of her stool as she waited for his response.
“Samantha?” He leaned a little closer and locked his eyes to hers. “Do you think this is really the place to have that conversation?”
Samantha drew back a few inches. His eyes brimmed with a strange emotion, something between anger and desperation.
“I guess not.” She swallowed back her fear. “Another time, perhaps?”
“Definitely.” He straightened up and looked past Samantha at Jo. “It was a pleasure to meet y
ou.”
Jo didn’t answer. She only stared. Peter started to turn away.
“Pete, wait. Do you really think this was a suicide?”
Peter looked back at her. “Eddy was sniffing around this, too. Are you investigating it?”
“I’ll tell you, if you tell me.” Samantha smiled.
“I’m sure the police did a fine job of looking into it.” Peter rested his hand on the bar beside Samantha. “I think it’s best that you leave this alone, Samantha. If you know what’s good for you.”
“Is that a threat?” Samantha arched an eyebrow.
“It is what it is. Ladies.” He nodded to them both, then turned and pushed through the crowd.
“You had a crush on that?” Jo shook her head.
“He was much nicer back then.” Samantha frowned. “He was very kind.”
“Until you had your way with him.” Jo poked her side.
“It’s not funny, Jo. Something has definitely changed about him. It makes me wonder.”
“Let’s go see what the guys found. Hopefully it’s more than we did.” Jo stood up and started to walk away from the bar. As she moved past a man who had just retrieved his beer, she bumped into him by accident. He spilled the beer onto his shirt.
“Great!” He growled.
“I’m sorry, let me get you a napkin.” Jo reached towards the bar, but the man shook his head.
“Forget it, I’m soaked. I’ll have to change.”
“Please, at least let me…” Jo patted the man’s hands with a napkin, then froze. She noticed several scabs all over his hands.
“Skin condition,” the man muttered. “I’ll handle it.” He turned away from Jo and left the dining car.
“You okay?” Samantha patted her arm.
“Yes. I just wish I hadn’t been so clumsy.”
“It’s impossible not to be in here. It’s only getting more crowded. Let’s get out of here.”
The two women made their way out of the dining car. No one seemed to be talking about the suicide. Life had moved on for the majority of the train passengers. Once they were out of the dining car, Samantha took a deep breath.
“Phew, that’s better,” Samantha said.