Long Road to Mercy (Atlee Pine, #1)(86)

“But how in the world could the North Koreans, or the Russians, have gotten a nuke down there with no one aware of it? I mean really?”

“I guess they could have taken it down there in parts, over time. And assembled it in a cave off the beaten path that no one knows about. It’s not like you have to go through a security checkpoint and magnetometer to hike down.”

“Do you think the latitude and longitude lines mark where this cave is?”

“Yes.”

“What are we going to do when we get back to Arizona?”

“I’m not sure. But we have a long train ride to figure it out.”

Pine left the compartment and walked down to the train car that sold snacks and drinks. She bought a beer and some chips and sat by herself in the observation car.

She fingered her phone and then decided to make the call.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Sam, it’s Atlee.”

“Atlee, I didn’t recognize the number.”

“Yeah, I’m traveling. Using another phone. How are things?”

“Fine. Good. You coming back soon?”

“Yeah, I’m on my way, actually. How was the concert?”

“What?”

“Carlos Santana.”

“Oh, right. Hey, it was great. The dude can still bring it, that’s for damn sure. I took a buddy. Wasn’t as much fun as if you had gone instead.”

“Now, that’s what I like to hear. Hey, Sam, you hear anything else about Lambert or Rice?”

“No, just that they went to Utah.”

“Any replacements for them yet?”

“No, not yet. We’re having to pick up the slack for them until the new guys arrive. How’s your investigation going?”

“I’m making progress. Turned out to be a little more complicated than I thought.”

“Well, I hope you catch whoever killed the mule. I still can’t believe someone could be that cruel. I mean, what did that mule ever do to anybody?”

“Yeah, I know. You on duty the next few nights?”

“Yeah, I am. Hey, if you wanted to go out somewhere when you get back, I can see if I can switch with someone. It might not be possible because we’re shorthanded.”

“No, it’s not that. I, uh, I thought I might hike the Canyon one night.”

“Okay, let me know when, I’ll make sure we hook up down there.” He laughed. “I’ll bring you a beer.”

“Right, sounds good.”

“You’re not hiking alone, are you?” he said suddenly.

“Well, I’m a big girl. And I’ve done it solo before.”

“Doesn’t make it smart.”

“I never said I was smart, Sam.”

Later, Pine and Blum went to the dining car to eat. They had to sit with two other people and didn’t get a chance to talk during their meal.

At half past midnight, the train stopped in Lawrence, Kansas. Two passengers got on and none got off. The train headed out five minutes later.

Barely five minutes after that, the train began to slow.

“Another stop?” mumbled Blum, who had been dozing in her bunk.

Pine sat up and snagged her phone, where she’d downloaded the train schedule.

“Not until Topeka about thirty minutes from now.”

“Then why are we slowing down?”

Pine already had her gun out. “Good question.”

A minute later there was a screech of brakes, and the train decelerated so swiftly that they were flung against the wall.

That was followed by a jolt.

And then the mighty Southwest Chief came to a dead stop.





Chapter

48



WHAT HAPPENED?” SAID BLUM, rubbing her shoulder where it had struck the wall.

“I think we hit something,” said Pine. She climbed down from her bunk and slipped on her shoes. “You got your gun out?” she whispered to Blum.

“No.”

“Then get it out.”

“You don’t think…?”

“I don’t know for sure, so the answer is yes.”

Pine pulled the curtain aside and looked out the window. It was too dark to see anything out there.

She heard the sounds of footsteps rushing down the train corridor. She slid open their compartment door and saw a train attendant hustling by.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Not sure, miss. Stay in your compartment. They’ll give everyone an update over the PA when they know for sure.”

He rushed on and disappeared from her sight.

Pine heard the whoosh of exterior doors opening. A few moments later the train’s interior lights blinked twice and then went out, plunging them into darkness.

Pine heard several screams coming from other compartments.

She snagged her Maglite from her duffel, told Blum to stay put, and went back out into the corridor.

While it was true that trains occasionally hit things, she didn’t like the odds here. It was too much of a coincidence.

She moved down the corridor slowly, shining her light around and occasionally pointing it out the window into the Kansas night. She could see nothing, however. And no announcement came over the PA. And the lights stayed out and the train did not move.