The Witch's Christmas Wish

by Rebecca Lovell

  “We should stop doing this,” Gard said breathlessly when Terra let go of him. “You’re going to ruin my reputation as a gentleman.”

  “I don’t believe that’s possible. You’re the finest gentleman I’ve ever met.” As if to defy anyone who might be looking in on them, Terra leaned in and kissed him again, gently this time. “You’re right. We’re so close to the end of this case. Maybe we should keep our minds on solving it.”

  “We’re going to have to talk to Alvin Keats to solve the why of it, but at least we know the who and the where. Not to mention the fact that we potentially saved lives.” Sitting back, it was Gard’s turn to look out the window. All he saw was a gray sky and snow on the ground, so he had no idea where they were. “Christmas is in two days. I can hardly believe it.”

  “Me either. Time has gone by so quickly.” She sighed. “I do wish I could spend the holiday with my brother but I hope he’ll be here soon.”

  “It’ll be almost as good with Jake and Tilly,” Gard said. “Especially this year since they have Isabella. She’s really going to make the place fun.”

  “This year? Isabella looks like she’s six or seven years old.”

  “She’s adopted. They just got her a few months ago from an orphanage, so I’m pretty sure she hasn’t had many fun Christmases.” He grinned. “I can’t wait to spoil her and the new baby.” Gard lowered his voice and gave her a furtive look. “I’m knitting a blanket for the baby.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Terra said, her eyes lighting up. “Oh, Tilly will love that!”

  “I hope so. They don’t know that I do it yet, but I don’t think that they’ll make fun of me too much. Jake maybe, but he wouldn’t spread it around the station.” He yawned. “I think I’m gonna take a nap before we get back to Roanoke. I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a long day once we get home.”

  “You’re right. A nap sounds lovely.” Terra took off her hat and set it on the seat across from them. Then she leaned her head on Gard’s shoulder and smiled. “This seems like a good place.”

  “That it does,” he said, then closed his own eyes.

  Tired though he was, Gard couldn’t stop thinking about the case. The police in Baltimore would no doubt be looking for the person behind the damage to the brake lever, and Terra was right. Keats’s son clearly wasn’t an unintelligent man, he could easily blend in or leave town before they came up with a good reason that Terra knew what he looked like and who he was. As for his father, he might already be gone. He had a two day head start on them, and he could be anywhere. For all they knew, father and son had already met up and disappeared.

  He considered their next move. They could go to the hospital and talk to Mrs. Lovett to try and get her to remember something about the man who was escorted away. All they needed was a vague description, then they could give it to the rail police and take one of the Keats men in custody. They could try and prod her toward it, but he wasn’t that sort of man. If it turned out she couldn’t remember, they’d have to come up with a better reason to go after him.

  Terra was already snoring softly and Gard pressed his lips to the top of her head. Until they got back to Roanoke, he was just going to enjoy being with the woman who had stolen his heart. Even if it meant going to New York with her, he would do whatever it took to make her happy.

  Chapter Fourteen

  It was close to evening when the train reached the station in Roanoke City and Gard woke Terra from her nap. She was rubbing her eyes as she followed him down the steps to get their luggage and when he took the two suitcases from the porter he turned to her with a grin.

  “You really slept. I felt bad waking you up in case you were having some kind of nice dream.”

  “I don’t remember anything about what I was dreaming about.” Terra pinned her hat more securely in place as she walked. “Usually I remember everything unless I’m sick.” She sighed. “I hope I’m not getting sick. I don’t want to be coughing and sneezing all Christmas.”

  “No one would.” Gard looked around, and Terra was glad he was tall. It made it much easier when she was unable to reach or see something. “What do you say we go put these away and then go to the hospital to talk to Mrs. Lovett?”

  “That’s fine with me. I think our best bet would be a hotel, just in case it takes longer to do everything than we expect. I doubt the Margolis would have my old room available with Christmas so close but we can try.” She looked for the station clock on the wall and saw the timetable for all the trains that were coming in and out. Three trains were scheduled to come into Roanoke from the north; two from Baltimore and one from New York. There was a man carefully writing ‘DELAYED’ on the number 5811 train line from Baltimore and Terra smiled. “Look, Gard. We did it.”

  “It’s a huge relief,” he said, grinning. “I’m not going to say we should take our time but at least we don’t have to worry about anyone dying.”

  “You’re right. We should also report our findings to the detectives here. I’m sure they’re waiting to hear from you.” Terra looked at the slim watch on her wrist, a gift from Tommy when she graduated from school. “Visiting hours will be over soon. We’ll have to hurry to see Mrs. Lovett before they’re over.” She quickened her step and Gard followed behind her.

  “I feel like I’m forgetting something.” He stopped in his tracks and stared at Terra. “I forgot my briefcase in our compartment.”

  “The train will be here at the station for a little while, if not for the night. We’d better hurry if we’re going to go back and get it. We may have to take the suitcases to the hospital with us.” Gard groaned, then turned around and headed back for the platform.

  “It’s a good thing we were able to get on the non-damaged train before it left,” he said. “Otherwise we would have been stuck in Baltimore for the night. These were the last two to come in from there tonight, it looked like.”

  “If we had a way to explain how I know who tampered with the brake lever, this would be halfway to finished. All we’d need to do is send someone to find Alvin.” They were approaching the train platform and Terra pointed over to it. “You’ve got the suitcases, let me run over and get your case.”

  “Sure. I put it in the overhead rack.” Gard stood under the overhang while Terra ran over to the train and found a conductor. “Excuse me, sir. I think I left a case on the rack in my compartment. Would you be so kind as to let me go get it?”

  “Of course, Miss. Do you need help?”

  “Oh, no thank you. I’ll just be in and out.” Terra gave him her most winning smile and let him help her up the stairs. Sometimes the image of her as a weak and fragile woman was useful, it seemed.

  Once she was on the train, she checked her watch and hurried to the compartment she and Gard had shared. It was all the way at the back of the train and she sighed. As he’d suspected, the case was on the rack and she pulled it down. Out of habit, she looked out the back window of the train and realized she could see the platform behind it. People who hadn’t heard about the delay were standing on the platform shivering and looking confused, and Terra gasped when she saw a familiar face.

  Briefcase in hand, she ran down the length of the train and down the steps. She called a quick thank you to the conductor as she did, but instead of running to Gard she ran to the next platform. Terra knew he would be confused but she couldn’t risk letting the man go.

  “Terra? Where are you going? Terra!” She could hear Gard calling her, but she didn’t look back, hoping that he would just follow her.

  When she got to the platform, Terra slowed down and walked toward Alvin Keats, who was wearing an old suit that was too large for him. He had no coat or hat on and looked as if he was in a daze. She approached him carefully, not wanting to scare him into doing something rash. Terra wanted the case to be over but she didn’t want to be responsible for a man taking his own life.

  “Mr. Keats? Alvin?” He didn’t respond and she moved a little closer to him so he could hear her bette
r. “The train isn’t coming, Mr. Keats.”

  “Did they find the brake lever or did you?” Alvin didn’t meet her eyes, but kept staring into the distance. Terra considered getting in front of him so he couldn’t jump but didn’t want to risk being pushed onto the tracks herself.

  “I did.”

  “Of course. I didn’t expect you to be so clever.” He chuckled, his voice sounding as if it was coming from far away. “I suppose it’s only fair that you found me. I never should have underestimated you. Women are getting smarter, I guess.”

  “I’ll need you to come with us,” Terra said gently. “They’re looking for your son in Baltimore right now. Please don’t make it difficult. Detective Lewis and I don’t want to cause a scene.”

  “Just let me watch the sun set one last time,” Alvin said. He seemed so much smaller and more frail than when she’d met him. Terra nodded.

  “All right.” She looked back and saw Gard standing with their suitcases, wide-eyed. Terra gave him an almost imperceptible shake of her head and he nodded.

  The sun sank lower in the sky, lighting it up with rosy pink and orange with smudges of the purple twilight to come. Terra could see tears in Alvin’s eyes as he watched it and without turning to her or raising his voice, he finally spoke.

  “I worked for this rail line from the time I was eighteen. I was away from my family all day, sometimes weeks at a time. When I asked for time off, I was told I was lucky to have my job. My wife died having Daniel because I wasn’t home to get her to the doctor. A neighbor lady had to do it and she saved my boy, but my wife bled to death while I was punching tickets.” His lower lip trembled as he spoke, and he wiped his eyes. “They promoted me because they felt sorry for me, then once I get a little respect, they throw me out because it’s cheaper to pay a young kid. This rail line took everything from me. Everything.”

  “I’m so sorry for your loss, but that’s no reason to hurt people. You’re angry, I understand, but people have been killed. We can’t let you do this anymore.” She motioned for Gard to come over and saw him set down the suitcases.

  “Alvin Keats, you’re under arrest,” Gard said quietly. “I don’t have to handcuff you here and make a scene but you’ll have to come with us.”

  “Go ahead and put them on. I have nothing left, you might as well just treat me like a criminal.” He chuckled again. “I suppose I am one.”

  Terra and Gard exchanged a look, then he took the handcuffs out of his pocket and put them on Alvin’s outstretched wrists. They were large enough to look like bracelets on him and Gard shrugged off his coat to put it around Alvin’s shoulders. The old man went with them obediently enough that Gard was able to carry the suitcases while Terra held one of Alvin’s arms and the briefcase.

  Rather than drag him to the police station themselves, Terra and Gard found the rail police office and took him inside for the officers to deal with. They immediately put him in one of the small holding cells they had and called the Roanoke City precinct where Detective Carlisle was on duty. While Terra and Gard waited for them to arrive, they sat on the benches outside the office. Gard had his coat back and Terra sighed deeply.

  “What a terrible thing to have to go through,” she said. “The poor man really did lose everything. Now he’s lost his son too.”

  “It’s hard to feel sorry for the man knowing he could have killed more innocent people.” Gard tugged at his gloves. “Now that we’ve met the rail police, it makes me wonder why I wasn’t sent to talk to them in the first place. Why were we sent to talk to Alvin instead?”

  “I don’t know. I was just told by my department head that I was to speak to the head conductor.” She shook her head. “I could tell you all about the train we rode on and the condition of the tracks but I have no idea how rail stations are run. Maybe you should ask Detective Carlisle when he gets here.” Terra looked over at him. “Since all this started here, I guess it comes back to Virginia.”

  “That’s hard to say. Alvin made the plan but his son carried out the actual damage. I guess it might be separate charges in separate states. I’m not sure about Maryland’s laws.” He reached over and tucked the muffler he’d given her into her coat a little more securely. “Either way, my work here is done. I’ll talk to Mrs. Lovett and get a description, write up the reports and probably come back and testify at the trial, but once Detective Carlisle is finished with me I’ll go back to Garden City.”

  “Do you think I’ll have to testify?” The thought made Terra a little uncomfortable. There were a lot of things she couldn’t explain without talking about her visions and Gard shrugged.

  “Maybe. You can keep it to the train evidence, though. That’s your profession, so they’ll probably leave it at that. I’ll take care of everything else. Jake’ll help me figure out how to write it so that your magic isn’t involved.” He patted her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”

  Gard’s words made Terra’s heart feel like it was going to burst. It had always been too dangerous to let a man tell her he was going to take care of her. The slightest whisper of that around the university would confirm what her male peers always suspected: that she was a woman who was naturally inferior to them because she couldn’t take care of herself. Roanoke was so far from New York, though, and there was no one to see her but Gard and perhaps Tilly. She’d discovered as she spent more time with Gard that sometimes she liked having someone take care of her.

  “Gard?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I do want to stay in Roanoke. I don’t care if I’m a detective, an engineer, or if I just talk Tilly into letting me work in her shop.” She reached over and took his hands. “I want to stay with you.” Before Gard could reply, she took a deep breath and said the one thing she thought she’d never say to a man. “Because I love you.”

  “You do?” Gard’s face turned red enough to compete with his hair. Then, as if they weren’t in the middle of a crowded train station, he leaned forward and put his arms around her, holding her tightly to his chest. “I was afraid to tell you because I didn’t want you to make your decision based on it, but I’ve known for a while that I love you too.”

  Warmth flooded every part of Terra’s body. She felt as if her heart would burst with the happiness and love she felt at that moment. She knew people were watching them and whispering behind their hands but she didn’t care. All she wanted was to stay in his arms forever and for him to never, ever let go.

  “Detective Lewis?” A voice that Terra didn’t recognize came from outside Terra’s cocoon of warmth and Gard let go of her.

  “Yes, sorry,” Gard said. He motioned to Terra. “Detective Carlisle, this is Dr. Terra Rendon. She’s been helping me with the case, and the one who took the confession from Mr. Keats.”

  “Good to meet you, Dr. Rendon. Let’s go talk to the rail police. I want to get this all taken care of so the bosses will leave me alone.” Both Terra and Gard got up from the bench and went with Carlisle into the office, where the rail police were waiting.

  It took them a while to get all the information relayed to the proper people, and by the time Carlisle was satisfied Terra was fully exhausted. The thought of a soft, warm bed made her feel even sleepier and once Gard was finished talking to the rail police in Baltimore she was about ready to sit on the bench and fall asleep while Gard talked to Carlisle alone.

  “They’re going to search the station for Keats and try to bring him into custody. There’s the possibility that he might disappear but they know what he looks like, and I didn’t have to explain how we knew.” He said as he came out and grinned at Terra. “Everything’s gonna be fine.”

  “That’s wonderful. We can have a nice Christmas without the case weighing us down.” She saw Carlisle coming toward them with a smile of his own on his face.

  “Great work, both of you. You saved who knows how many lives, and solved a case that involved not one state, but two. I’m very impressed.” He turned to Gard. “I’ll be speaking to your cap
tain tomorrow and telling him about everything.” Surprisingly, he looked at Terra. “You may not be a detective, ma’am, but you’ve done fine work as well. I’ll speak to your superiors as well. You both deserve commendations as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Oh my,” Terra said, her eyes wide. “Thank you so much, Detective Carlisle.”

  “You’re welcome. Now go home and get some sleep,” the detective said. “I’m sure you’re ready to relax for the night.” He shook both of their hands and went back into the rail police office, leaving Terra to sigh.

  “I’m so tired,” Terra said. “I don’t want to go all the way across town. Let’s just stay at the hotel tonight and go to Garden City tomorrow.”

  “Sounds fine to me. I’ll pay for a night at a hotel so I can give my car a rest. Not to mention the fact that these suitcases are starting to get a little heavy.” He hefted both of the suitcases and Terra laughed. “I’ve been keeping an eye on these since Baltimore, I’m ready to set them down.”

  “That’s reasonable.” She pointed to his car. “Look at all the snow on it.”

  “It’s going to be impossible to crank,” Gard sighed. “Let’s go. The sooner we get the snow off it, the sooner we can be in a warm hotel room.”

  The car didn’t take as long to start as they’d expected, and the hotel lobby was every bit as warm as Terra had hoped. As soon as they walked in, she breathed a sigh of relief and was pleased when she couldn’t see her breath as she did so. The clerk saw her and immediately smiled.

  “Miss Rendon, so good to see you again! Are you back in town now?”

  “Yes, but I’ll only need one night.” She looked over at Gard. “He’ll need a room too, for one night.” The clerk looked between them and she blushed. “Two separate rooms.”

  “Ah, I see. We have two rooms right across from each other.” He wrote up a bill for each of them, then took out two keys and set them on the counter. “I’m glad you came back, I was wondering what I should do with the telegram.”