“I’m so sorry,” Paige replied. Until now, she hadn’t known the specific reason Jesse’s wife had passed away. She was glad he had both Rose and Lily to help out.
“We get by,” Jesse said, looking up as the front door’s whistle signaled another arrival.
Leaving Jesse to attend to the new visitors, Paige wished him a good day and returned to the inn.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Paige set her coffee mug on a side table and looked across the inn’s front parlor. Jake’s book lay open on his chest as he inhaled and exhaled slowly, eyes closed. His late afternoon trip to Durango and back to inspect the horses had sapped his energy, so it was unsurprising that he’d dozed off while reading. He’d returned filled with enthusiasm, recounting the visit to the ranch, the excitement of working with and riding all three of the horses. The quarter horse and appaloosa had been gentle, with sweet dispositions, just as he’d expected. The Arabian also lived up to his initial suspicions, showing a feisty temperament, but not more than he could handle. Confident all three horses would be a good fit for his ranch, he’d arranged plans to purchase them and transfer them to Jackson Hole.
In turn, Paige had recounted her visit to the museum, her exploration of the caboose, the conversation with Jesse, and the accomplishment of finishing the railroad article and sending it off to Susan. She and Jake had both had long, productive days. Yet, while he was able to relax, she was energized, awake and restless.
She tiptoed back to the suite to grab a light jacket and jotted down a quick note to Jake to let him know she’d be back after a walk. Rose was setting up for the following morning’s breakfast as Paige passed through the foyer, so she let her know, too, that she was going out for a bit. Sam followed Rose from one place setting to another, placing a napkin alongside each set of silverware.
“Take a flashlight,” Rose said. “It’s almost dark out there. You’ll find one by the front door.”
“Yes,” Sam said, taking on Rose’s adult tone. “Take a flashlight. It’s smart to have a flashlight when it’s dark.”
“Thank you, Rose, and thank you, Sam. I won’t be long.” Paige picked up one of several flashlights propped up on a small table and headed out.
A nagging feeling that she’d missed something at the museum led her straight there. A glance at Jesse’s house showed lights off, other than one bulb on the front porch. Apparently Jesse was out for the evening, which explained why Sam was at the inn helping Rose. The thought that Jesse might have plans pleased her. His wife had been gone for years already. Keeping the museum going in addition to raising a child alone wasn’t easy. He deserved some personal time.
Reassured by the flashlight, she slipped through the back gate and made her way around the yard. Retracing her steps from that afternoon, Paige moved from one train car to another, directing the light at areas that someone could have tampered with in the past. One by one, she inspected each car’s walls, floor and siding, moving on once satisfied there was nothing to discover.
Paige sat on the back steps of the museum and turned off the flashlight. It was no use continuing to search. If there had ever been coins stashed away at the museum, they’d surely have been discovered sometime over these ninety years.
The sound of a car drew Paige’s attention out to the street. She knew no one could see her where she sat in the dark, but she could see the car that passed by under the dim street lights. She recognized it easily: Lulu. Assuming Henry was going to pull over, she stood and brushed dirt off her jeans, prepared to say hello. However, Lulu continued on. As the old car faded away, Paige sat back down and returned to her thoughts.
There wasn’t even a guarantee that the coin Sam found was from the stolen batch. A visitor might have dropped it, or it may have been lost in one of the train cars long ago and fallen out after the car was moved to the museum. Sam, who was always exploring, might have found it somewhere else – at the inn, perhaps, or at the Rails Café – and brought it with her to the museum yard.
Again the sound of an engine interrupted her thoughts. Expecting it to be Henry again, Paige felt a shiver of fear run through her when she saw, instead, a tan car pulled up to the curb. Chancy! She had no desire to run into him alone, at night. Although in the first few moments she’d met him, he seemed like a fragile, old man, his robust reaction to the coin had scared her. She held her breath, hoping he would pull away from the curb and continue on, but, to her dismay, he turned off the ignition. When she heard a creaky car door opening, she quickly looked for a place to hide. The Morning Star was her closest option, so she made a beeline for it as she heard the car door swing shut.
Hovering behind a bench inside, she prayed she’d made it without Chancy seeing her. She remained motionless for several minutes, listening for footsteps, but heard nothing. Where would he have gone, if not inside the museum yard? To Jesse’s house? No one was home. Besides, she had no reason to believe he knew Jesse personally. Inside the museum itself? Why would he have a key?
She inched up until she was able to peek out the train window and across to the Impala. It was still there. Wherever Chancy had gone, he’d be returning to the car at some point. As much as she wished she were back at the inn watching Jake’s peaceful, sleeping expression, she couldn’t risk moving.
Minutes passed without any sound, but then the soft scraping of footsteps on gravel strummed her nerves. She panicked when the sound of the footsteps grew closer instead of passing by or fading. She clutched the flashlight firmly, counting on the heavy, blunt object to deliver at least one good blow. Her grip tightened as she heard the person stop just outside the door. As a dark figured stepped aboard the train, she raised the flashlight over her head, prepared to strike.
“Paige?”
Motionless, she tried to release the terror she’d just been feeling. “Jake? Is that you?” she whispered.
“Yes, Paige, of course it’s me.” Jake boarded the train and walked down the aisle, finding Paige hovering behind a seat back. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, what are you doing here?” Paige lowered the flashlight. Her weak voice gained strength with each word.
“I saw your note. I knew you’d end up here.”
Paige straightened up, but only long enough to grab Jake’s hand and tug him behind the seat. She grasped his jacket and pulled him close.
“Cozy, but somewhat uncomfortable, Paige. If you’re feeling affectionate, maybe we should go back to the inn.”
Jake started to stand up, but Paige pulled him back down. “Chancy’s here.”
“What are you talking about?” Jake said. “No one is here.”
“His car is parked on the street.” Paige insisted.
“And that’s why you’re hiding in here?”
“Yes,” Paige whispered.
“Paige, I think this whole coin thing has made you paranoid. So what if he’s here. Maybe he drove down for a bite at the Rails Café or something. Maybe he has a friend in town and came to visit. I didn’t see anyone in the yard. Let’s go back to the inn. Maybe…a back massage might calm your nerves?”
Paige could hear the light teasing in Jake’s voice. Admittedly, a massage sounded lovely. Being scrunched down and tense had strained every muscle in her body. Cautiously, she allowed Jake to stand and pull her to her feet. Almost convinced she had imagined being in danger, she followed Jake toward the door. But a burst of noise pierced the night air and a sharp jolt caused them to stumble and fall before they could leave The Morning Star.
“What was that?” Paige cried out over the noise.
“It sounded like an engine,” Jake shouted. He attempted to stand up and help Paige to her feet, but a sudden movement threw them both off balance again.
“We’re moving!” Paige said. “Someone must still be switching the cars around. I saw some had been shifted this morning.”
“Is that normal?” Jake made another attempt to get them both to their feet, this time successful.
“I don’t
know!” Paige’s panic grew stronger with every passing second. “Let’s just get out of here.” She edged forward, but Jake’s strong grasp stopped her as she neared the door.
“We’re moving too quickly!” he shouted. “It’s not safe to jump.” He pulled her away from the door and pushed her into a seat. “Stay there!” His command was firm – almost firm enough for Paige to listen. Instead, she followed him as he ran to the far end of the car, stepping out onto the back porch, where he attempted to turn a wheel for the emergency brake. A few choice words tumbled across his lips.
“What’s wrong?” Paige shouted.
“I told you to stay put,” Jake yelled back. Again he tried to turn the wheel. “It’s stuck.”
Paige could tell the car was gaining speed. She looked back to see the museum disappearing behind them, as well as the engine that had pushed the car forward. Worse yet, she could feel them moving ahead at a downhill angle.
“We’re not attached to the engine anymore!” she screamed.
Jake braced his foot against a railing and leaned back, using all his body weight and strength to put pressure on the emergency brake. Paige was both terrified and hopeful. Still, the car continued to move forward, and the wheel refused to budge. Jake adjusted his grip and braced again, continuing to strain against the stubborn equipment.
“This is a long grade!” Paige shouted, her heart pounding inside her chest. With one hand grasping the back of the nearest seat, she cupped one hand in front of her mouth so that he could better hear her over the clattering of wheels over tracks. “We have to jump!”
“No!” Jake again changed angles, stabilizing his weight against a different railing in an attempt to put more leverage on the brake. This time the wheel gave way, sending Jake sprawling to the floor as he lost his balance. Paige screamed as he slipped toward the edge of the porch, just inches away from sliding off. He grabbed a railing and pulled himself back up, grasping the wheel again. Slowly the train began to slow down. Metal screeched against metal.
Although adrenalin continued to pump through her at a furious pace, Paige began to breathe more easily as the speed of the train diminished.
Jake continued to apply pressure to the brake, slowly bringing the train to a crawl. “Almost!” he shouted. “Another fifty yards or so and we’ll be stopped.”
Relieved the ordeal was almost over, Paige let go of the seat back and stepped forward toward Jake. But she staggered, then lost her balance altogether as a sudden jarring motion sent them both sideways. The car tilting steeply was the last movement Paige felt before everything went black.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Paige! Paige!” The words came to her as if through fog, almost indecipherable. They began as a distant murmur, like an echo against a mountain, and grew louder, like approaching thunder. Drawn out of a deep haze, Paige struggled to open her eyes, but couldn’t muster the strength.
“Paige!”
Was that her name she was hearing? Paige wondered as the murky voice became clearer. What was that striking her face? She strained to open her eyes, succeeding this time, but saw only black. Why can’t I see? Nothing made sense, not the voice, not the sharp sensation against her cheeks, not the darkness.
“Paige! Can you hear me?”
She turned her head slightly toward the voice, pain shooting across her left shoulder at the same time.
“Paige! It’s Jake! Can you hear me?” the voice repeated. “Don’t try to talk, just squeeze my hand if you can hear me.”
Paige felt pressure on one hand and tried unsuccessfully to return it. Her fingers wouldn’t move. What was wrong? Something was terribly wrong. The pressure moved to the other hand. This time she managed to wrap her fingers lightly around whatever pressed against her hand.
“Jake?” she whispered, suddenly frightened. “I can’t see!”
“It’s OK, Paige,” Jake said. “It’s dark; there’s no light.”
“No light?” Paige mumbled, confused. “Why is there no light?” She became aware that she was shivering. It’s so cold…
“It’s nighttime,” Jake said. “We were in an accident. Here, this will help you stay warm.”
Paige winced as something wrapped around her, some type of cloth, maybe? Jake’s jacket… She tried to sit up, but pain stopped her. She gave up, her muscles melting into the hard ground.
“Don’t try to move,” Jake said. “We need to wait for help.”
“Phone,” Paige whispered. She fought to remember where she kept her phone, if she had it with her. As she searched her memory for the information, a rush of emotion overtook her as the events leading up to that moment filtered back into her mind. She felt herself begin to shake uncontrollably. She heard sobs coming from somewhere. Were they hers?
“In your left pocket? That’s where you keep it.”
Paige felt Jake reach into her pocket. Another sharp surge of pain swept through her as he slid the phone out. Her hip felt like it was on fire. Her left arm and shoulder felt like they were on fire. Yet she was shivering. The combination of everything seemed surreal.
“The phone is shattered,” Jake said, “We can’t use it.”
“Yours?” Paige whispered.
“Gone. It was in my shirt pocket. It could have landed anywhere. It’s OK, Paige; someone will find us.”
Paige struggled to lift her right arm, succeeding in raising it halfway, her elbow lingering on the ground. It was enough to reach Jake’s face. She touched his cheek with her fingers and gasped. “Is that...you’re bleeding…”
“It’s all right,” Jake said. “It’s just a cut, nothing serious.”
“Help?” Paige mumbled. The words escaped her lips as half question and half confusion.
“Someone will find us. That crash had to have been loud, and we can’t be more than a mile from Hutchins Creek, maybe not even that far.” Jake’s voice was reassuring, though Paige detected a hint of worry.
“Go…find…” Paige fought to focus.
“Absolutely not,” Jake said. “I’m not leaving you alone out here to go get help, not in the dark and not after someone tried…” His voice faded away, unwilling to finish the sentence.
Again, Paige tried to sit up, but Jake stopped her. “You need to stay still until help arrives. You don’t know what kind of injuries you have.”
“You…?”
“Don’t worry about me,” Jake said. “We were both lucky. It could have been much worse. We landed clear of the train car.”
“Clear of…how?”
“I…pushed you,” Jake said.
Paige attempted to piece together this new information. Little by little, the episode was coming back to her. She lifted her head slightly off the ground, in spite of a shooting pain in her left shoulder. “You…pushed me?” Her voice became louder as the visual image formed. “You threw me off a train? A moving train? Seriously, Jake?”
“Stop trying to move!” Jake insisted. Placing his hands on each side of her face, he eased her head back down onto the ground. “Yes, of course I threw you off the train. It was heading for a cluster of trees and boulders. We could have ended up in the crash.”
Attempting to take a deep breath, Paige felt a sharp pain in her ribcage and cried out. “It hurts when I breathe.”
“Take shallow breaths,” Jake advised. “You probably cracked a rib. Or two.”
“Or three,” Paige added, exhaling slowly.
“The flashlight,” Jake said. “You had a flashlight with you. You were ready to knock me out cold with it. Maybe I can find it.”
“Could have rolled anywhere.”
“If I can find it, I might be able to locate my phone,” Jake said. “There’s a chance it could still work.”
Paige heard a grunt from Jake as he stood, following by an expletive.
“What?”
“My ankle,” Jake said. “I can’t put all my weight on it. Must be sprained. I remember it twisting after I jumped, just before I landed on you.”
> “Not nearly as romantic as it sounds…”
“Tell me about it.” Jake made another weak attempt to laugh, then grunted again. “I can still hop. I’m going to try to find the flashlight.”
Sounds of crackling leaves and snapping twigs accompanied Jake’s efforts to find the flashlight. A wave of fear hit Paige as she heard Jake moving farther away. When she tried to take deep, calming breaths, the sharp pain that radiated across her ribcage reminded her of the need to inhale lightly.
“Found it.”
Jake’s voice, though faint, sounded encouraging.
“Your phone?”
“No, the flashlight,” Jake replied. “As good as, if not better than, finding the phone. Maybe we can figure out what happened even if the phone doesn’t turn up.” The crackling and snapping resumed as he made his way back to Paige. “Your right hand is fine, right? That’s the one you moved before.”
“Yes.”
“Then can you hold the flashlight and aim it toward the train while I look?”
Jake helped Paige grasp the flashlight and balance it across her chest. She twisted her wrist from side to side, proving that she could direct the light so that Jake could search different sections of ground.
“Great,” Jake said. “Now just hold onto it and only swing the light if I tell you to.” He kissed Paige’s forehead and hobbled off toward the train.
“How far away is the train?” Paige asked.
“About fifteen yards from here,” Jake answered. “Far enough that we were thrown clear before it hit the side of the mountain.” His voiced paused. “Twist the light a little more to the left.”
Paige followed his directions, managing to twist her head enough to see Jake approaching the end of the train car.
“Here’s the problem,” Jake called back. “This metal device. It’s a derailer.”
“A derailer? What does that mean? We hit a section of track that branches off?”
“I’m afraid not, Paige,” Jake said. “This was set on the tracks with the intention of derailing this train car.”
Hutchins Creek Cache Page 15