Loco Motive

by Mary Daheim

  “We did. I’d rather wait for lunch.”

  “Me, too.” She paused. “Should we head for the other sleeper now? We’re slowing down. I don’t want to get stranded in Shelby.”

  “Okay,” Renie agreed, her amiable mood restored. “I’ll join you. After your call, I’ll go to the club car to get some soda or juice.”

  It took several minutes for the cousins to maneuver through the sleeping cars and reach the lower level. A young female attendant was already positioned by the door. Her name tag identified her as Jax Wells. “Fresh-air fiends or smokers?” she asked with a cheerful smile.

  “Neither,” Judith said before introducing herself and Renie. “I have to make a phone call.”

  “Stay close,” Jax said. Her voice was soft yet clear. “We’re taking on one new passenger and letting two off from the coach section.”

  The train slowed to a crawl. “Shelby looks small,” Judith noted. “It is,” Jax replied, “but it’s the seat of Toole County.” The sleeper car stopped just short of the station. She opened the door and placed the movable step on the platform. “Be careful. I’m not going anywhere except to have a cigarette and stretch my legs.”

  After Jax stepped outside, Renie followed. “I always go first on the stairs,” she explained. “My cousin’s had a hip replacement, so if she falls, she can land on me. I’m a human cushion.”

  Jax smiled. “Are you a deductible medical expense on her taxes?”

  “Not a bad idea,” Renie responded as Judith cautiously made her descent. “I don’t come cheap, though.”

  “Big blue sky or not, it’s chilly out here,” Judith said, dialing Mike’s number. “I hope he picks up. What time would it be at home?”

  Renie looked incredulous. “You’re asking me?”

  “Okay, an hour behind…Hi, Mike,” she said, relieved. “No, I’m fine. We’re in Shelby…I thought you’d know where it is after your stint in Montana. I have to make this quick. Did you leave your camera at our house?…You didn’t?” Judith read from the note she’d made. “It’s a Canon EOS 5D Mark II…Yes, Aunt Renie told me they were pricey…Is everything okay with you guys?…Good. I still feel bad about having to leave…What?” She saw Jax walking toward the train.

  “Let’s go,” the attendant called, putting her cigarette out. Renie was by the door with one foot on the step. “No,” Judith said into the phone. “Did you ask your dad?…They must be somewhere. Have to go. Love you.” She disconnected and let Jax help her get back on.

  “Well?” Renie said as the train started moving again.

  “It’s not Mike’s camera. Otherwise, all’s well, except they can’t find Willie’s old videos they watched at our house. I told him to check with Joe.”

  Renie’s expression was sardonic. “Kristin screwed up?”

  “She is human,” Judith said.

  “I think.”

  The cousins climbed the stairs to the upper level. “Can you make it back to our compartment without me?” Renie asked. “I have to go through the dining car to get to the bar on the lower level.”

  “I think so,” Judith said. “Bottled water for me. I finished the freebies.”

  “Okay. Be careful. It’s noon so it may take me a while. Lots of passengers get sandwiches and salads in the club car.”

  Fortunately, the train wasn’t yet at full speed by the time Judith reached their bedroom. Twenty minutes passed before Renie staggered through the door. “Now I’m hungry,” she declared, setting down two bottled waters and two Pepsis.

  “What’s our next stop?” Judith asked.

  Renie scanned the schedule she kept inside her book. “Havre, just after one. We’re there for twenty minutes. It’s the Empire Builder’s midway point before the Twin Cities. When James J. Hill built the Great Northern Railway, he founded the town as a major service center. It’s our last stop until Malta just before three.”

  Judith opened a water bottle. “Shall we head for the dining car at the Havre stop?”

  “Sure.” Renie poured Pepsi into a plastic glass. “Do you want to me to check your suitcase to make sure you didn’t pack your camera?”

  “It might be Joe’s. He meant to take pictures of the Halloween parade, but left it at the house. Maybe I grabbed it by mistake in my addled condition.”

  “I should put the Canon back. Can you lock your luggage?” Judith grimaced. “I could if I knew where I put the key. I haven’t seen it since the Scotland trip. It’s probably in the suitcase.”

  Renie nodded. “I’ll look for—” She was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Now what? Yes?” she called.

  The door slid open. Jax stepped just inside the compartment. “They’re working on the sound system, so we’re taking dinner reservations now.”

  “Where’s Roy?” Judith asked, standing up.

  Jax’s smooth, almond skin grew darker. “He’s…not available. I’m taking on his duties in both sleeper cars, at least for the rest of the day.”

  “Is he ill?” Judith asked.

  Jax clutched the clipboard she was holding and didn’t make eye contact. “I can’t say. Which dinner service would you prefer?”

  Judith looked at Renie. “Six-thirty?” Seeing her cousin nod, she turned back to Jax. “Can we do that?”

  “I…” Jax dropped the clipboard. “Oh, darn! I’m all thumbs!” Renie picked up the clipboard. “You’re also upside down. Let me switch this around.” She unclipped the reservation sheet, turned it right side up, and secured it to the board. “You’re trembling. What’s going on around here?”

  Jax held out her hands and studied them with an anxious eye. “I…I’m upset. You must think I’m an idiot.”

  “No we don’t,” Judith said with compassion. “You might feel better if you told us what’s going on.”

  Judith and Jax were the same height. The attendant couldn’t avoid her passenger’s compassionate dark-eyed gaze. “I can’t. I mean…” She gave herself a good shake. “It’s just strange.”

  Judith nodded. “Roy’s not ill, right?”

  Jax looked startled. “Why do you say that?”

  “I can’t explain,” Judith admitted. “I don’t mean to pry, but—” She stopped. “If he’d come down with flu, you’d say so.”

  “Mrs. Flynn isn’t nuts,” Renie said, wearing what Judith called her Boardroom Face. “If you tell her what’s wrong, maybe she can help.”

  Jax bit her lower lip. “Help?” she finally said. “How?”

  “I have to know what’s wrong first,” Judith said quietly.

  “Maybe,” Jax said after looking out into the corridor, “I should come in and try to pull myself together.”

  Judith stepped aside; Renie slid the door shut. Jax glanced at the closed door, as if she suddenly had misgivings. “This feels wrong,” she said fretfully. “You should talk to the conductor.”

  “Bad idea,” Renie said. “Have a seat. I’ll stand.”

  Jax still looked in doubt. “Why not talk to Mr. Peterson?” she asked.

  Renie spoke first. “If there’s a problem besides the sound system, he’s already got a full plate. My cousin has a reputation for solving problems. You might say she has special powers.”

  Jax stared at Judith. “You mean she’s like a psychic?”

  Renie looked aghast. “Oh, no! ‘Consultant’ describes it best. She has a Web site you can check. Sit and unburden yourself.”

  Judith was already seated. Renie’s sudden about-face was puzzling. She seemed as ambiguous as Jax, who was frowning as she settled into the other chair. “Go ahead,” Judith said. “I’ve heard it all.”

  “There isn’t much to say,” Jax said after a pause. “Roy hasn’t been seen since around ten o’clock this morning.” Her soft voice had an edge and her limpid brown eyes were moist. “It’s not like him. I’ve worked with Roy for six years. I’ve heard tales about employees who’ve jumped ship and disappeared. But Roy’s totally reliable. We’ve had three stops since ten o’clock, not coun
ting the freight train delay. We were ahead of schedule before that.”

  Renie was perched on the edge of the sink. “I realized that at Essex.” She shot Judith reproachful look. “If we’d kept to the schedule, coz here wouldn’t have had to wake me earlier with her excitement over the Izaak Walton Inn.”

  Jax tugged nervously at the cuffs of her white shirt. “We slowed down by the inn, but Roy wouldn’t have gotten off unless we’d come to a complete stop. We searched the train and called Browning and Cut Bank. Mr. Peterson even contacted Shelby, though we were sure Roy was missing before we got there.” She pressed her hands together. “I’d better go. My workload’s doubled.”

  Judith recalled her chat with Roy. “He was chipper when we saw him after we slowed down at Essex. He told us about the inn. Our beds were made when we got back from breakfast.”

  “If,” Jax said, “you spoke to him around nine, you were among the last people to see him. Everyone had already gone to breakfast except the couple next door.”

  “The Kloppenburgs?” Judith said.

  “Yes. They wanted to make up their beds themselves, but around nine-thirty, they asked Roy to bring breakfast and leave it outside. They’re very private people. Some passengers don’t want strangers in their rooms. Maybe they’ve had a bad experience. It happens.”

  Judith understood. As an innkeeper, she’d had guests who’d insisted on complete privacy during their stay. “Let me think on this,” she said as Jax got to her feet. “If you hear anything, no matter how trivial, tell me.”

  Jax frowned. “I suppose it’s okay to do that.”

  “It might help,” Judith said, also standing up. “By the way, have you been downstairs since Roy went missing?”

  “Yes,” Jax replied, edging toward the door. “Mr. Weevil has his meals brought in. I took him lunch just a few minutes ago.”

  “How’s he doing?” Judith asked.

  Jax shrugged. “He seems out of it. The poor man rambled. Mr. Peterson said Mr. Weevil was a big TV and movie star, but I didn’t recognize him.”

  Judith figured Jax for late twenties. “You missed his glory days.”

  “I guess.” She opened the door. “Mr. Weevil and his companions are getting off at Wolf Point around four-thirty. If you need to make another phone call, we’ll be there at least twenty minutes while we move him from the train.”

  “Thanks for letting us know,” Judith said.

  At the doorway, Jax still looked upset. “Do you really solve…mysteries?”

  Judith grimaced. “I wouldn’t put it like that. I’ve got a logical mind and I understand people. The combination helps me solve…problems.”

  Jax nodded. “That makes sense.” She disappeared into the corridor.

  “Well?” Judith said, fists on hips as Renie slid the door shut. “What’s with you? I thought you were pissed off because I couldn’t stand not being caught up in some kind of mysterious predicament.”

  “I was,” Renie said, looking puckish, “until I realized that if I had to listen to you jabber about trivialities all the way to Boston, you might as well have a real problem to chew on. We’re trapped on this train, so you can’t look for trouble. Thus, the Case of the Missing Amtrak Attendant is right up your alley.”

  “You made me sound like some crackpot psychic.”

  “So?”

  Judith threw up her hands. “Okay, okay. I’m curious, snoopy, meddlesome, and inquisitive. Anything else you’d like to add?”

  “That pretty much covers it,” Renie said placidly. “I could’ve told her how to find your Web site, but after careful consideration I realized that if I did, you might kill me.”

  “Probably,” Judith agreed. “The site’s embarrassing. It’s flattering to have admirers like the people who created it, but I wish they had a different acronym. ‘Female Amateur Sleuth Tracking Offenders’ is too easily turned into FATSO instead of FASTO. I don’t need any reminders to watch my weight.”

  “You obsess about it,” Renie said. “You always have. Speaking of calories, are you hungry yet? It’s going on one.”

  “Not very,” Judith replied, “but let’s go to the diner at the next stop. I felt wobbly while I was calling Mike. Riding a train is like being on a ship. Even on solid ground, you feel as if you’re still in motion.”

  Renie agreed. “It takes me a whole day after a train trip to get my bearings. Say—do you want me to put that camera in my suitcase? It’s locked.”

  “Wait until after lunch. I’ll take it with me. I don’t want somebody swiping it while we’re at lunch.” Judith unzipped the carry-on, removed the camera, and placed it in her handbag. “We’re slowing down. Let’s go.”

  Renie led the way. When they reached the dining car, she eyeballed the other passengers. “All clear,” she announced as a waiter beckoned them to a vacant table near the entrance.

  Judith recognized the Chans, who were just finishing their meal. “Hi,” she said, “This is my cousin Serena Jones, also known as Renie.”

  Laurie smiled as the cousins sat down on the other side of the table. “Flynn, right?”

  “Call me Judith,” she said. “How was lunch?”

  “Good,” Matt replied. “Nothing exotic, but highly edible.”

  Laurie cuffed her husband’s shoulder. “Matt’s a doctor, one of the rare MDs under forty who’s in family practice.”

  Matt chuckled. “It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.”

  “I know there’s a critical shortage of GPs,” Renie said. “Med students want to specialize because that’s where the big money is.”

  “Speaking of shortages,” Judith said, “have you seen our attendant, Roy?”

  “Not since this morning,” Laurie replied. “I saw a young woman dressed like an attendant talking to a couple of kids who’d been running up and down the corridor. She warned them they could get hurt when the train goes fast.”

  “They could get hurt by the other passengers,” Renie said drily.

  “I’m glad they were—” She stopped as the waiter appeared.

  “Hey,” Matt said, “we’ll leave you in peace. Enjoy your lunch.” The cousins both ordered hamburgers, salad, and chips. Judith was the first to speak after the waiter moved on. “It doesn’t sound as if the Chans know Roy’s disappeared.”

  “Word will get out,” Renie said. She looked through the window. “We’re slowing down for Havre.”

  “It doesn’t seem like a very big town, either,” Judith said. “Or is this just the outskirts?”

  “It’s Montana. The state is huge, the towns are small. Get over it.”

  “I’m not complaining,” Judith protested. “It’s fascinating country. Diverse scenery, dramatic landscape, and a sense of the real West. Not just now, but in the past.” She lowered her voice. “If someone like Roy decided to quit his job and jump off the train, why here? A stranger would be noticed right away.”

  Renie paused as their salads arrived. “You think he deserted?”

  “No.” Judith stared out the window as the train pulled up beside a life-size sculpture of two military men shaking hands. “What’s that?”

  Renie studied the bronze figures. “Oh—it symbolizes U.S. and Canadian friendship.” She pointed to the Stars and Stripes and the Maple Leaf flanking what Judith assumed was Montana’s state flag. “As I mentioned, we’re closer to the border than you’d think.”

  “Hmm.” Judith looked thoughtful. “Maybe I should revise my thinking about Roy. What if he had serious personal problems?”

  “Criminal or otherwise?”

  “Otherwise,” Judith said without hesitation. “I’ve known lots of crooks who can fool the rest of the world, but…” She grimaced. “If I have any God-given talent, it’s for judging people.”

  “Definitely.” Renie’s expression was ironic. “You married Dan.”

  Judith didn’t try to hide her exasperation. “I knew what Dan was like. You know better than anybody that I was in a jam, being pregnant a
nd Joe eloping with Herself in a drunken stupor.”

  Renie’s expression softened, though Judith couldn’t be sure if the change was caused by remorse or gratitude for the waiter serving their hamburgers.

  “Okay,” Renie said, adding onion slices to her patty. “You have amazing people skills. If Roy isn’t a felon, I assume you mean he’d head over the border to dodge an ex-wife, a jealous husband, or…the IRS?”

  “Not the IRS,” Judith said in a droll voice. “That spells felony. The last I heard, we still have an extradition treaty with Canada.”

  “Right,” Renie agreed. “I see your point. The middle of Montana has a long, lonely border without patrols.”

  “It’d be easy to…oops!” Judith looked at the floor. “I dropped my tomato. I can’t reach it. Can you ask the waiter to get me another one?”

  “Sure.” Renie leaned out into the aisle. “Here he comes. Let me grab the one on the floor so nobody steps in it and slips.”

  While Renie ducked under the table, Judith apologized to the waiter and asked for another tomato slice. “I’m clumsy,” she said. “By the way, where are the Canadian border crossings on this route?”

  The waiter, whose name tag identified him as Earl, cocked his head to one side. “Are you making a connection?”

  “Just curious,” Judith said, hearing a thud and a cussword near her feet.

  “Ah.” He nodded. “We passed a connecting point at Cut Bank,” he said as Renie clambered into her place and rubbed her head. The waiter offered her a solicitous look.

  “Are you all right, ma’am? I could’ve picked up that tomato.”

  “No problem,” Renie said.

  The waiter started for the serving area, but stepped aside to let a young woman pass. Nearing the cousins, she smiled, nodded, and kept going.

  “There she is again,” Judith murmured. “Did you see her?”

  “Who?”

  “The blond with the dimples that I saw earlier. I’ve seen her recently, and this time she acted as if she recognized me.”

  “She may have,” Renie said. “We started from home. It’s a wonder you haven’t run into a dozen people you know. Maybe she’s from Heraldsgate Hill.”