Train From Marietta Read Online Free Page B

the large knife out to his side so that she could see it clearly. “You ain’t got no respect.”
    A bead of sweat slowly ran down her cheek. She didn’t know if it was from the heat or the fear that sliced through her.
    “But this here’s something you better respect,” the scarred man continued. “’Cause if you don’t…,” he said, and made a slashing motion with his arm.
    “Hayden!” Eddy yelled, scrambling up the hill. “There’s no need for that. Kate was just coming back down to the house. Weren’t you, Kate?”
    “Yes. Yes, I was,” she answered, making her way back down the rocky hill. Hayden was dangerous! Even now he still had the knife out, his eyes boring holes into her.
    “Put the knife away, Hayden,” Eddy ordered.
    Silently, his eyes never leaving Katherine, Hayden slid the knife back into its scabbard. Without a word, he turned on his heel and headed back toward the car.
    She stifled an impulse to thank Eddy for his help. Why should she thank him? He appeared to be in on this bizarre plot, whatever it was.
    “Bitch! I’m not forgettin’ this!” Squirrelly had stumbled to his feet, his handkerchief held to his nose, a crimson stain of blood on the white fabric. His clothes were covered in dust and dirt from his tumble down the hillside.
    “Shut up, Squirrelly,” Eddy said sternly.
    “To hell with that! She’s gonna pay!”
    “I said shut up!”
    Squirrelly stared at them for a moment, the hatred evident in his eyes. He kept dabbing the handkerchief against his nose before he, too, stalked off toward the car.
    “Eddy, I …,” Kate started, but no further words came.
    “Don’t mess with those two, Katherine. They’d just as soon hurt you as look at you. Just do what we say, and everything will be fine.”
    His tone was comforting. Katherine didn’t know if she’d ever been more confused in her entire life.
    Edwin grabbed her by the elbow and led her into the cabin.

Chapter 3
    “N EXT STOP, MUDDY CREEK!”
    At the sound of the conductor’s voice, Tate sat up and looked out the window. The first scattering of small houses came into view. The train would soon be pulling into the station. He stood and pulled his satchel and a large paper sack down from the rack above the seat, slung the bags over his shoulder, and started to move toward the back of the train.
    He made his way through the other passengers who were gathering their belongings. When he reached the end of the car, he looked for the woman whose bag he’d dumped. She wasn’t in her seat.
    He stood on the small platform that separated the cars and waited for the train to come to a stop. He peered through the door into the car behind him but saw no sign of her.
    Tate hoped Jorge would be waiting for him. He’d sent a message ahead from Fort Davis to the Muddy Creek station agent asking him to notify Jorge Gomez to meet him today. If the message hadn’t gone through, he would be stranded here for the rest of the day.
    As soon as the train came to a halt, he swung down onto the platform. The sun was high overhead. The temperature in June often got above one hundred degrees, and this day didn’t appear to be an exception. Tate pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his brow.
    Suddenly he heard a shout. “Señor Castle! Señor Castle!”
    A short Mexican man with a large-brimmed hat and a wide grin came hurrying from the back of the depot. The foreman’s clothes were dust-covered.
    “Jorge! Am I glad to see you. I was afraid you hadn’t received my message.” Tate picked up his satchel and the sack and went toward him, holding out his hand. The two men shook vigorously.
    “Señor, is good that you’re back. Little one, she miss you.”
    “I missed her too. It’s been almost three weeks.”
    As they talked, the two men moved through the station. Up ahead of them, a man knelt to embrace two small children who were peppering his cheeks with kisses. Their mother stood nearby smiling. The reunion made