Chapter XXVII #2
As she peeked out from behind the woman’s father, she saw the sea of people part as the police officer hoisted a young boy no older than Simon up by the collar. He was dragging him from the station.
“I didn’t take it, Officer! It wasn’t me!
” Mae heard the boy yelling as he twisted in the officer’s vise-like grip.
She watched the onlookers whisper behind their hands as he went by, but no one intervened.
Her legs tensed as if she wanted to help, but her feet were rooted in place.
That wasn’t Simon. She had to keep priorities.
As she turned back to the line, the woman and the older man drifted over to be helped by the far-right ticket agent.
The younger, well-dressed businessman speaking to the left-hand ticket agent thanked him and turned to find his platform.
Mae stepped up and tried to smooth her features to appear calm.
“How can I help you, Miss?” he asked, barely bothering to look at her.
“Yes, I would like to book travel to New York on the next available train for two adults and two children.” As she spoke, Mae's hands shook. She clutched her purse a little tighter as she awaited the cost.
“That train leaves at six fifteen tonight and arrives in Chicago tomorrow morning at ten forty-five. You must exit the train and re-board a second connecting train in Chicago leaving at twelve thirty tomorrow in order to arrive in New York the following day.” As the words poured out of the agent’s mouth, Mae tried to collect them into her mind.
He continued, “Would you like a Pullman for overnighting?”
Mae paused, her fingers tightening over the coins in her purse. “And the cost for travel alone versus the Pullman?”
“It’ll be $99.25 for travel alone and $120.75 for a Pullman for both nights.” He looked up at her and added, “Although I do recommend the Pullman if you have little ones.”
Her throat tightened. She forced herself to think logically. There had to be another way. “Are those the only two options for the fares?”
The agent’s brow creased. “Well, I suppose emigrant class is available, but it’s plain seating, Ma’am. Not too proper for a lady.” His eyebrows rose in tandem, making his impatience plain for Mae to read.
“And the price for that?” Mae pressed.
“Hmmm… For two adults, two children…” He did the quick sum in his head while he fiddled with the paperwork in front of him. “That’d be $84.75.”
She would be stuck here. Should she just buy three tickets? Would Winona really stay here and let Lily go home on the train without her? And what would Mae do with Lily once they arrived? Heat began to rise in Mae’s cheeks.
“Ma’am, if you don’t mind, I will help the next in line while you think it over.” He began to wave to the next customer in line.
As the questions swirled in her mind, she took a step back and felt a presence behind her.
The smell of stale cigarettes permeated her nose, and she knew without question that it was him.
The man in the felt hat who had been following her—he had been waiting there for her all along.
Suddenly, the ticket agent straightened, smoothing his shirt down.
“Good evening, Bill,” said a deep, calm voice.
Mae froze. The stench of cigarettes stole her breath.
She forced her eyes to stay forward. This was it.
She wouldn’t be getting back to New York.
She would never see Simon again. Her heartbeat quickened, and the loud pulsing traveled to her ears.
She should run. Run over to Simon and snatch him up.
They would find somewhere to live. She had some money.
As the instantaneous thoughts pummeled her mind, she waited for a hand to close in on her shoulder.
“Evenin’, Mr. Foster.” The ticket agent, Bill, said as a smile creased his cheeks and his spine snapped straight.
Mae’s mind snapped to the name.
“Please give us just a moment, Bill.” Mae dared a glance at this man and froze—the felt hat, sitting at a fashionable angle atop his head.
Her mouth fell open as her eyes widened.
Foster. Henry’s folded note inside the watch burned on her chest. Bill shifted his weight as he surveyed the growing line.
“Of course, Mr. Foster.” Bill did not take on a new customer as Mae thought he would.
He turned instead to organizing some of the paperwork on his small counter.
Mae felt a slight pressure against her right elbow.
To counter the shift in balance, her feet had to move to the left.
She stumbled awkwardly to the end of the counter.
She still hadn’t looked back. A blackness crept into the edges of her vision.
Focusing on the knot in the wooden plank at her feet, she drew in a long, slow breath.
Two polished black Balmorals clicked around her and came into her sightline.
The intricate broguing spiraled around the perimeter of the pristine leather and terminated in the perfectly tied lace at the instep.
“You’ve caused quite a disturbance today.” He paused.
The matron—she had contacted him. She shuddered as the realization came too late.
“Many mothers would have stopped long before this afternoon’s performance could be documented.
” He stood unusually still. “You move quickly, Mrs. Turner.
I've noticed that about you. Things tend to move quickly around your cases.
" His mouth closed into a flattened smile. "That's a quality I find useful."
Mae tilted her head at his unexpected word choice—useful.
“I had wondered how far you would get. Amazing what a person is capable of when allowed to run unimpeded. But now I’ve seen that you are a very resourceful and persuasive woman. You fabricated jurisdiction. Leveraged uncertainty. And relied on fears of exposure.” He paused. “Efficient.”
Mae made no move to speak.
“Of course, you’ve forgotten one key detail. I can have Simon’s release revoked in an instant. Right now, in fact, if I should so choose.” Mae followed his eyes across the crowded train station to where Simon sat with Winona and Lily. Her breath seized in her chest.
He continued, “However, it would be wasteful to stop you from using your skills now that I’ve witnessed the full spectrum of your capabilities.” His voice was only loud enough to reach her ears. The steady cadence set her nerves on edge.
Turning back to Bill, he said, “This is Mrs. Turner.” Mae listened to his voice without turning, and a small shudder went through her. “She requires four tickets with a berth in the Pullman.”
“Certainly, sir.” His eyes slid to Mae, and she saw his surprise.
Before the agent could repeat the total, Mr. Foster slid two crisp $100 bills across the counter to Bill. Bill’s eyes focused solely on the man still standing behind Mae.
“Thank you, Bill.”
“My pleasure, Mr. Foster.” Bill forced a smile as he turned back to Mae and slid the four red tickets to her across the counter. “Safe travels, Mrs. Turner.”
Mae stared at the tickets, too shocked to move. The man was still behind her, and she saw a gray woolen arm reach out in her periphery. The black leather glove reached out and picked up the tickets. “Here you are, Mrs. Turner. Let’s step aside so that Bill can help the next customer.”
Bill’s focus was over Mae’s shoulder now as the smile extended toward his ears. “Thank you, sir. Safe travels to you as well.”
Mr. Foster stepped to the side, and Mae followed, not wanting to draw more attention to herself than was needed. She felt like a mouse waiting to be pounced upon. The tickets hadn’t been a gift—they were just another thing to hold over her.
The ceaseless cadence of his voice filled her ears. “Unfortunately for you, though, the gentleman at the Children’s Home filed a formal complaint. You surely understand that this has initiated a review into today’s happenings.”
The matron’s pen scrawling her name into the register blazed through her mind’s eye.
The review board would follow the trail, and that trail would lead to her name.
She knew the matron was smart enough to claim ignorance regarding the validity of the stay order.
She had forgotten to retrieve it before exiting with Simon.
A tremor coursed through her body at the realization.
She would be charged with kidnapping. The register included her name, and Simon’s truancy case court documents would list her address.
It would look like she’d victimized the Children’s Home and tricked them into handing over Simon.
She tried to breathe again, but her chest constricted, only allowing a shallow breath.