Lourdes: A Vampire In The Old West

7. A Curious Encounter with a Little Girl

"Leroy Adelaide? Christina Adelaide?" A tall man asks from the train's main hall. Streaks of starlight pass through the stateroom with rosewood panels and ivory accents. The man and woman inside look out at the porter, inspecting a large leather-bound book.

"How can we help you?" Mr. Adelaide asks. Nervous, he stands and starts toward the tall man. "I assure you we're supposed to be in this room. If the ledger says otherwise, it must be mistaken."

"Oh, don't fret, sir," the man in the hall laughs. "I'm just trying to confirm you and your wife are, in fact, Leroy and Christina Adelaide. And that it's spelled A-D-E-L-A-I-D-E. This right?"

"Yes..." Leroy hesitates.

"Very good," the porter nods. He looks inside, bows to Mrs. Adelaide, and waves to their daughter. "I don't, though, have the child in my book. May I ask her name?"

"Do you have my Belgian chocolate?" The girl with ribbons in her hair calls through a mouthful of Chantilly. She's finished her hot cocoa and now lifts the cup to kiss its last drops.

"I'm afraid not," the tall man chuckles. "But please allow me to take away your empty saucer. May I come in?"

"Yes, thank you," Mrs. Adelaide smiles. She offers the tall man the mug as he enters their chamber. He takes it, looks it over for a moment, and then casts it against a wall. The little girl yelps. Her mother takes a step back. Her father takes a step forward. China dust rains down.

"Who sent you?" Leroy barks. "What are they paying you? I'll fight you! You can't do this to me and my family!" The tall man, whoever he is, does nothing more. He stands cordially, albeit coated in porcelain powder, while Mr. Adelaide puffs out his chest. His whole frame resonates with his voice, Leroy bellowing his words. He yells not to scare the man but in the hopes of drawing an ear from another passenger or an actual porter, but under the rush of the train's wheels and whinnying of its steam, he's no more than a mouse. And after his outburst, Mr. Adelaide looks the size of a mouse, too. No rescue party comes for him, nor does he tackle the stranger. There's no fight. There's no scuffle. He just stands there, and his eyes glare an empty glare. The man across from him offers a corkscrew smile in return.

"Mr. Adelaide, I'm no hired gun," the tall man explains. There's no menace in his form, and his tone is almost familial. His words, though, are sharpened. "You stole from me. You ran from me. And you did it all without even trying to cover your trail. I'm here to collect."

"You..." Leroy gasps.

"I'm Ustinov," the tall man grins. Mr. Adelaide, after pushing his wife and child into the far corner, throws up his hands. Vacillating between open palms and fists, he's unsure of whether to plead with or box the intruder.

"I'm sorry!" Mr. Adelaide spits. "Look, I can get you more money. I'll make it back. I promise you!" The man's down on one knee. His hands are folded in prayer. Ustinov sighs.

"I don't want your money," the tall man speaks.

"Right... Right... That's fine..." Leroy stutters. "Your horses! I can get you new horses! I can get you better horses!" The man smiles, wishing, wanting, and hoping for the gangster to accept. Ustinov, still a stolid figure who's yet to do anything to generate Mr. Adelaide's terror, looks on plainly.

"I don't want your horses," Ustinov states.

"I see... I'm sorry I wronged you, but I did it for them!" Leroy Adelaide yells, pointing to his wife and daughter. Mrs. Adelaide watches breathlessly while her fingers cover her child. "And... And I can still make it right. Just give me a week! Just give me a chance!"

"Mr. Adelaide, when you first met my associates, what did they say would happen if you crossed me?" Ustinov asks. He bends down now to meet Leroy on the floor. Frost fills his veins as the tall man nears.