Ashes of Yesterday

Chapter 6

The train left the station and lumbered down the tracks. Many of the passengers opted to leave the windows down to let the fresh air stream into the speeding car. It was such a lovely day. Passengers quietly talked or knitted or read. Phalen had the window seat. Flix took the aisle. Steppson had booked the two investigators on a Pullman sleeper car. Their belongings were stored in the little convenient closet opposite what would be their bed for the next few days. The two retreated to the lounge car to socialize and observe their fellow passengers. Both enjoyed people watching. They made up little stories about their observations and played them off each other to pass the time.

A pretty woman two seats ahead had a fussy young child. Phalen looked at Flix. Neither the monotonous clack-clack-clack of the wheels rolling over the tracks nor the gentle sway of the train as it made its way west did little to soothe the cranky tot.

"She's having a rough go of it," he said.

"I wonder if the child is ill?" Flix said.

"Think I'll see if she will let me lend a hand," Phalen said.

Flix watched as Phalen introduced himself and sat down in the seat next to the lady. Phalen talked a bit to the little boy. He did a few magic tricks with his handkerchief and ended by 'pulling' a coin from the little boy's ear.

Everyone in the car was smiling. The young man who had bumped into Phalen at the train station earlier seemed particularly awed. He moved to the empty seat behind Phalen and the lady, carefully putting his oversized bag in the aisle seat and stood by the window behind the young woman.

"I'll say," he said, "you're pretty good."

"Thanks," Phalen said. "It's nothing, really. Just sleight of hand."

"Names Chester Morehouse," the young man said, offering Phalen his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Chester. I'm Phalen, and this is Anna and her son, Frankie."

"Good to meet you all," said Chester, briefly removing his hat and bowing his head to the lady and her son.

"Got any more?" Chester asked.

"Tricks?" asked Phalen.

"I sure could use something to grease the wheels when I'm trying to introduce myself to folks," said Chester.

"Are you a salesman?" asked Phalen.

"Well, sir, what I got is better than anything any man has ever made," Chester said.

"Bibles?" asked Phalen.

"Yes, sir. I been selling them for all of two weeks," said Chester.

"How old are you, son?" Phalen asked.

"Seventeen," said Chester.

"Two weeks off the farm?" Phalen asked.

"Why, sir, you really are a real magic man, ain't you?"

"No, Chester," Phalen said. "Like I told you, it's all just sleight of hand."

"I don't believe you," Chester said.

"There's a trick to it, Chester. Give me your hat. I'll show you."

Phalen performed a trick with Chester's hat.

"Ain't no trick that I can see, Mister," Chester said.

"Watch. I'll show you," Phalen said.

Chester watched wide-eyed as Phalen performed the trick again. This time in slow motion.

"See," Phalen said. "Sleight of hand."

"Wow," said Chester. "That's really something."

"Nothing at all. Once you know the trick," said Phalen. "Here's your hat. You try it, Chester."

"Oh, naw. I couldn't," said Chester. "I'm all thumbs."

"Nonsense," said Phalen. "You try."

Chester took his battered hat. He slowly attempted to perform the trick but failed.

"No," said Phalen. "Just turn the brim this way. See?"

"Yeah," said Chester. "I think I do."

Chester performed the trick perfectly.

"Great," said Phalen. "Now, this time, do it a little faster."

Phalen watched Chester repeat the trick.

"I got it," said Chester, at the same time the train veered into a curve.

Chester was thrown off balance. His shoulder hit the edge of the window, and his hat tumbled from his grip. The wind picked up the hat, and it was sucked right out the window.

"My hat," Chester cried, sticking his head out of the passenger car, watching his lost hat tumble and turn and stop in the dirt.

It was in that instant that the train passed a pole planted near the tracks. The back of Chester's head hit the pole with a sickening thud. His body slumped limply, falling like a rock onto the floor.

The pretty lady and her little boy screamed simultaneously.

Phalen stared, aghast at what had just occurred.

Flix sprang from his seat and rushed to Chester's body.

"He's dead," Flix said. "If we can be thankful for anything, I guess it's the fact that Chester never knew what hit him."

Someone pulled the emergency brake, and the train screeched to a halt.