The Fire (Northwest Passage Book 4)

by John A. Heldt

  Kevin retrieved the camera, changed a volume setting to low, and switched to movie mode. When he was ready to shoot a video, he pointed the lens at Sarah.

  "Say something to Mr. Camera. Tell him why you love me and want to marry me."

  "I can't talk to a camera," she whispered forcefully. "There are people in this room. They might think I'm crazy."

  "They might. I concede it's a risk. Just say something short and sweet, like, 'Kevin Johnson is the smartest, most awesome dude I have ever met.'"

  "All right," Sarah said with a hint of exasperation. She stared into the lens. "Kevin Johnson is a smart, awesome dude or whatever you just said."

  "That's perfect," he said as he lowered the camera. "This is going on YouTube."

  "It's going on what?"

  Kevin glanced again at the two couples seated at distant tables to make sure they were minding their own business. Then he turned to Sarah with a smile. He pushed a button and handed his favorite teacher a movie in a box.

  "Take a look at that."

  Sarah stared at a tiny screen and watched a replay of a flirtatious exchange.

  "This is amazing," she said.

  "There's more."

  Kevin took the camera and returned it to picture mode. A moment later, he held the device so Sarah could see the screen and flipped through photos he had taken in 1910 and 2013. He stopped at one he knew she would like.

  "That's you," she said.

  "That's me in Seattle the day I graduated."

  Sarah glanced at Kevin.

  "There's a strange tower in the background."

  "It's not strange to me. It's the Space Needle."

  "I've seen photographs of Seattle, Kevin, recent photographs. There's no 'Space Needle' there."

  Kevin smiled.

  "Let's look at more pictures."

  He pushed a button three times to get the image he wanted.

  "This is my family at Snoqualmie Falls. That's my dad, of course," Kevin said as he pointed to a man in the photo. "His name is Brian. My mom is Michelle, though everyone calls her Shelly. My sister is Irene. She's Sadie's age. I call her Rena when I'm happy with her and other things when I'm not. I'm the handsome guy on the right."

  Sarah displayed her amusement with the narrator and returned to the camera. She studied the image for a few seconds and then took a long look at the man at her table.

  "You take after your mother."

  "That's what most people say."

  "She's beautiful."

  Kevin chuckled.

  "That's what most people say."

  Kevin proceeded to two photos that amounted to his smoking gun. He put them next to each other in the camera's directory and then flipped to the first.

  "Tell me what you see," he said.

  Sarah examined the image.

  "I see the corner of Sixth and Bank."

  "That picture was taken last week."

  Kevin pushed a button.

  "Now what do you see?"

  Sarah's face turned white.

  "I see the corner of Sixth and Bank."

  Kevin turned the camera off and returned it to his pocket. He took a sip of water, grabbed Sarah's hands, and gazed at her with serious eyes.

  "That picture was taken on June 20, 2013. Rena is standing next to my car. She's in Spokane now, along with my parents and two hundred thousand other people who haven't been born yet. We've been staying in Wallace in a house currently occupied by Asa Johnson and his family. Asa is the owner of the shed. He's also my great-great-grandfather."

  "That's impossible."

  "I assure you it's very possible."

  Sarah looked defeated.

  "Oh, Kevin, I don't know what to believe. It's all so convincing."

  "I don't expect you to believe everything now. It's a lot to take in. That's why I want to bring you along slowly. I want to show you Asa's journal, his treasure, and a few other things. Then I want to take you on a little trip."

  "Do you mean what I think you mean?"

  Kevin tightened his hold on her hands.

  "You can't marry me until you know what you're getting into, Sarah – and to know what you're getting into, you have to see it firsthand."

  Sarah put a hand to her mouth.

  "Sometime Friday night, a full moon will rise in the east and turn Asa's shed into something from science fiction. We'll eat supper with the Marshalls, go on a walk at nine, and proceed directly to the Johnsons' backyard," Kevin said. "We'll step into the portal and into a time you can't possibly imagine. Whether we return to this time will be entirely up to you."

  CHAPTER 64: KEVIN

  Friday, July 22, 1910

  As train stations go, the new depot of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company wasn't much to look it. Located along the river in industrial east Wallace, it consisted of a modest brick building for passengers and a covered platform that sat in the shadow of a more aesthetically pleasing facility operated by the Northern Pacific. But it was convenient and practical and, for travelers heading to Spokane and all points west, it was the only choice in town.

  Kevin stood on the platform at half past one and looked at four people, including two friends he'd probably never see again and another he'd likely see for only a few more hours. He couldn't help but make connections between their life situations, prevailing moods, and current attire.

  Andy O'Connell stood at the end of the line of four. Dressed in a gray traveling suit, the former reporter and future city editor looked very much like a man on the move. He checked his watch every minute or so as he nervously awaited his ride to a better life.

  Sadie Hawkins seemed less eager to leave but just as determined to look her best. Attired in a blue sailor dress with a red tie and a white straw hat, she stood solemnly between two suitcases filled with clothes, books, and cosmetics that she didn't need but would probably learn to use.

  Maude Duvalier, the not-so-merry widow in the Merry Widow hat, appeared as tightly wound as her form-fitting suit. She sat alone on a nearby bench and stared into space, something she had done since arriving at the station.

  Sarah Thompson, the only visibly happy and relaxed member of the group, was also the only one who had dressed for comfort. She wore a white shirtwaist blouse and darker walking skirt, which had allowed her to move freely and comfortably on the long, hot walk from Maude's.

  "Cheer up, people. Spokane's not that far away," Kevin said with a smile.

  Sarah glanced at Kevin and shook her head in a way that said, "Now's not the time."

  Kevin couldn't really disagree. He had watched Andy, Maude, and Sadie go through a variety of changes in the past few days and none had been particularly pleasant.

  Andy had been in full avoidance mode for nine days running. Seemingly uneager to talk to Maude frankly about a separation that was no doubt difficult for both, he had spent most of his evenings not in Maude's arms or even at Maude's but rather on a barstool at the Shooting Star.

  Maude had handled the transition better. She had maintained a positive demeanor all week and went out of her way to spend more time not only with Sadie but also Kevin. She had dropped her facade only in the evening, when she retired early and occasionally cried herself to sleep. Maude's behavior, at least, had been predictable and understandable.

  Sadie's had not been. She had gone from sunshine and smiles on Monday morning to something that approached a deep depression by Monday night.

  Kevin at first suspected that she had learned of his pending engagement to Sarah but quickly dismissed the notion. He had not seen her in the house when he had proposed, nor had he told her about his plans. He and Sarah, in fact, had agreed to keep their new commitment to each other a secret from all others until the time they left for the future.

  Even more surprising had been Sadie's announcement the next morning that she had decided to apply for the job in Spokane. She had said the time was finally right to test her mettle in the workforce and then seek the college education everyone agreed
she deserved. She planned to enroll in the State Normal School in nearby Cheney at the first opportunity and pay her bills with a fund that Maude had established in May.

  Sadie had been friendly but distant toward Kevin since Tuesday. Though she had joined him at meals and frequently offered to tend to his needs, she seemed to avoid him at other times. She had spent most of the last three days shopping with Maude and packing her bags. She had apparently done precisely what he had encouraged her to do. She had moved on.

  Kevin was about to greet the happy camper of the group when he heard a whistle in the distance. The afternoon train to Spokane had arrived from Burke, seven miles up the canyon.

  The time traveler watched in awe as the engineer stuck his head out a window, applied the locomotive's distinctive-sounding air brakes, and brought the massive vehicle and the four cars it pulled to a complete stop. He stepped back to avoid the steam that spilled from the side of the locomotive like a fast-moving fog.

  "I guess this is it," he said as he walked up to Andy.

  "I guess it is," Andy said.

  Kevin looked at one of the most interesting people he had ever known and smiled. He would miss this guy. He would miss his sense of humor, his Irish brogue, and his attitude toward life, people, and the world at large. He would miss having a friend who had his back in a fight and could always be counted on for frank advice.

  "Take care, buddy," Kevin said as he stepped forward and gave the newsman a hug. "Take care of yourself and take care of Sadie. I'll hunt you down if you don't."

  Andy laughed.

  "There won't be any need for that," he said. "I'll watch her like a big brother. If anyone gives her any trouble, he'll have to answer to me."

  Kevin nodded.

  "I'll see you soon," he lied.

  Kevin stepped back and let the others say goodbye to Andy and Sadie. Sarah embraced both warmly and gave each a bag of cookies she had baked that morning. Maude gave Andy a light hug, as if to telegraph emotional detachment, and Sadie a firm hug, as if to convey just the opposite. She left little doubt that their relationship would survive the transition.

  When Sarah and Maude finished their business, they walked halfway to the passenger depot in an apparent attempt to give Kevin and Sadie privacy for the most difficult goodbye of all. Andy, too, had walked away. He waited for Sadie near the steps of the second passenger car.

  Kevin looked at Sadie and took a breath. He had dreaded this moment for days, but he knew he had to go through with it and make the most of it.

  "Are you going to be all right?" Kevin asked.

  Sadie didn't respond, at least with words. She instead looked at Kevin with sad, questioning eyes – eyes that had always been windows to her gentle soul. But she couldn't hold the gaze for long. Even eye contact, at this point, was apparently a painful and pointless exercise.

  "I know this is not how you wanted to part. It's not how I wanted to part," Kevin said. "I wish things could have turned out differently for us, but I can't and won't dwell on things I can't and won't change. I have to move on, Sadie, and so do you."

  Sadie once again looked at Kevin and this time maintained a gaze that morphed into a hard stare. It was clear she wasn't taking this well.

  "Look," Kevin said. "I don't want to part in anger. We can do better."

  Sadie lowered her eyes.

  When Kevin saw that words would not do the job, he turned to deeds. He reached into a bag and retrieved a wrapped package the size of a large book.

  "I have something for you," Kevin said.

  He offered Sadie the package when she looked at him.

  "I don't want it," Sadie said softly.

  "Oh, yes you do."

  Sadie shook her head and turned away.

  "Listen to me, Sadie. Listen carefully," Kevin said in a firm voice. "This is something you want. It's something you need."

  Sadie looked at him with new interest.

  "There are a hundred and six double eagles in this box," Kevin said. "I packed them just for you. I don't care whether you use them for something sensible or something frivolous. Just use them. Use them to live your dreams and find the life you deserve. Will you do that?"

  Sadie nodded but did not speak. Her teary eyes did the talking.

  "There's something else you need to know," Kevin said. "You need to know that even if I never see you again, I will never forget you. You're the best friend I've ever had, Sadie. I mean it. I love you."

  Kevin stepped forward and gave Sadie a long, tender hug. When they separated, he handed her the package, wiped away a tear, and gazed at her one last time.

  "Now go," Kevin said. He took a breath. "Run along before I decide to keep you."

  CHAPTER 65: KEVIN

  Kevin and Sarah left George and Bertha's right on schedule. At nine o'clock they told the elderly couple that they wanted to stretch their legs and get an hour of fresh air, even though the air hanging over Wallace, Idaho, was as heavy and smoky as it had been in years.

  The time traveler did not pack a suitcase for his third trip back. He figured he had all the clothes he needed in Roger Johnson's house and Sarah would have all the clothes she needed in Irene Johnson's closet. He had taken only his hard assets, Asa's diary, Chief Joseph's knife, the digital camera, and the hand of the woman he loved.

  As he led Sarah out the Marshalls' front door to the street beyond, Kevin was struck by a feeling of déjà vu. He had once stood in the same spot at the same time several months earlier, when he had stepped through the chamber of stones, walked down Garnet Street, and met a young woman who had called to him from a balcony.

  He felt sadness and regret as he thought of Asa Johnson, who had died or would die this day while visiting his in-laws Spokane. He hadn't returned for another dinner, as he had planned, and he hadn't introduced Sarah to the family. He had instead tended to his own interests as he looked ahead to the day he could return to his own time.

  "What if the Johnsons see us go into the shed?" Sarah asked.

  "They won't. They're in Spokane right now."

  "How do you know that?"

  Kevin smiled sadly.

  "I know it because I read it in a family history book."

  He looked back at Sarah and saw that she was still trying to make sense of it all. Rather than try to explain, he tightened his grip on her hand and led her to the Johnson house and finally to the shed. Though smoke from a growing number of small fires hung over the Silver Valley like big-city smog, it was not nearly enough to blot out a shimmering moon.

  "How does this work?" she asked.

  "I'll show you."

  Kevin released Sarah's hand as they stood in front of the chamber door and dug out two dozen gold coins that he had kept in a separate bag. He placed them in the usual order, waited a minute, and picked them up carefully. When he reached for the door and tried to pull it open, he encountered no resistance. He was becoming an old pro at time travel.

  "After you," he said.

  Kevin followed Sarah into the chamber and shut the door, which brought about near total darkness. He then pulled her close and kissed her on the top of her head.

  "If you only want to kiss me in the dark, Mr. Johnson, then I can think of better places," she said with obvious amusement.

  Kevin laughed, wrapped her in his arms, and gave her the tender kiss she clearly wanted. He was just beginning to realize how much he was going to enjoy life with this woman.

  "How long does it take?" she asked.

  "It doesn't take long, usually a minute or two," he said. "I'll know it's time to open the door when I feel the air and temperature change, like right now."

  Kevin lifted his nose high and inhaled.

  "Do you smell smoke?"

  "No."

  "Neither do I. Do you know what that means?"

  "No."

  "It means we're no longer in 1910. It means we can get out of here."

  He grabbed the knob, turned it, and slowly pushed open the door. The air was still warm
, as he had expected it to be, but it was also smoke-free and decidedly humid. He had little doubt that he had arrived at the time he had departed: 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 21, 2013.

  Kevin could sense Sarah's shock the second she stepped out of the chamber and into a day that was much brighter than the one she had left. She squeezed his hand and gasped.

  "What happened to the night?" she asked.

  "It's gone, along with the rest of 1910."

  Sarah let go of Kevin and lifted her hands to her face.

  "The house is different too. The yard is different. Everything is different."

  "Don't forget the year, sweetheart," he said. "Welcome to 2013."

  Sarah walked to the middle of the yard, extended her arms, and slowly spun around. When she finished assessing her surroundings, she looked at Kevin with wide eyes.

  "This is incredible! Can this thing take us to any year?"

  Kevin nodded.

  "I think so. We'll talk more about that later."

  "Can we see more of the town?"

  Kevin grinned. He loved her enthusiasm. She was like a kid in a time-travel candy store.

  "We can see it all, but first I want to show you the house."

  "OK."

  Kevin reclaimed Sarah's hand, the one sporting a diamond ring, and led her around the side of the house to the front, where his shiny black 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle, the one with the cream leatherette interior, sat in the driveway like the prized possession it was.

  "Do you recognize this?"

  Sarah beamed.

  "I may need a sedative before the night is through."

  Kevin laughed.

  "Come on. Let's go inside."

  Kevin opened the front door that he had left unlocked and led Sarah into the kitchen, where he saw his morning mess in the sink. He checked the cell phone he had left on the table and saw that no one had called, which was no surprise. He had been gone only a few minutes.

  Seeing nothing else of interest on the first floor, Kevin led Sarah to the bottom of the stairs. He stopped, pulled her close, and kissed her hard as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  He was tempted, sorely tempted, to take the show to one of several unoccupied bedrooms, but he decided to wait. There was no reason to leave his 1910 manners behind, even if he had, at least temporarily, left 1910 behind.