Orphan Train Christmas

by Rachel Wesson

  The inspector moved quicker than she expected for a man of his age. He ordered some of the beat cops to meet him at the sanctuary. He then grabbed his hat and followed her to the cab, doing a double take when he saw Mike.

  “I’m guessing his injury is a part of the reason I am taking this trip?”

  “Yes, sir.” Kathleen quickly explained everything she knew and then left Mike to fill in the rest. The drive back to the sanctuary seemed to take forever. When they arrived, it looked the same as always. But she didn’t get a chance to open the door. Instead, Angel came running out to greet her.

  “Did you find him? Is he okay?” the girl asked, sounding panicked.

  “Yes, I found him, but come inside. We need to talk. He’s alive, but we have trouble,” Kathleen told her.

  Angel led the way into the office, where Bridget and Carl joined them. They quickly explained that Charlie was home with Lily, who was in bed after staying up all night.

  “Shane is fine,” Kathleen said. “Richard is looking after him.”

  “Can I see him?” Angel asked.

  “Yes, but first you have to be brave, Angel. Your bother is at Richard’s clinic, too.”

  “Lucky?”

  “No, it’s Axel.” Quickly Kathleen explained how she had found Axel.

  “Did Shane do it?” Angel asked.

  “No, Angel, at least not that we know of. You know he wouldn’t be capable of doing something like that, unless you were hurt by someone. Axel didn’t hurt you.”

  “No, it was Lucky,” Angel confirmed.

  “Which brings me to our next problem. He is gone from the hospital. We don’t know where he is, so there is a chance he might come here. Inspector Griffin is going to put a guard on the house.”

  “Here, but why?” Bridget asked.

  “Because of me? I’ve put you all in danger. I have to leave.” Angel stood.

  “No, you aren’t going anywhere. Shane would kill us if anything happened to you. Bridget, we don’t know if Lucky wants Angel or Kenny. Maybe both of them,” Kathleen explained.

  Bridget paled and grasped Carl’s hand.

  “We will have the place watched twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and we’ll make sure the guards all have a description of Lucky,” Inspector Griffin outlined his plan. “Most of them have met him. You people will be safe, so long as you stay inside.”

  “I want to see Shane,” Angel said.

  “We know you do, and we do, too,” Kathleen assured her. “So, Inspector Griffin will take us to him and leave his second in command to stay guard here. Bridget you will have to make sure Kenny stays indoors, no matter what Jack wants to do.”

  Bridget nodded.

  “Kenny and the other children will be fine,” Carl said decisively. “Kathleen go and get changed, and then you can go back to Shane. We will look after things here. Be careful.”

  Kathleen was never more grateful to anyone in her life. She ran upstairs to change, before joining Angel and Inspector Griffin in a cab heading to Richard’s office. Mike stayed behind, saying he would help Carl. Kathleen knew the gentle giant would protect the children and the sanctuary.

  Chapter 63

  The cab ride back to Richard’s didn’t take long. Richard greeted her with a hug and then took Angel to see Axel for a minute, as he was still out cold. Kathleen went straight to Shane’s bed with Inspector Griffin. Her brother had woken up and was anxious to leave.

  “I think you will have to cuff him to the bed, Inspector,” Richard suggested, when Angel and he came in.

  “That’s not a bad idea, Doc,” Inspector Griffin replied. “Shane, you want to tell me what happened to Axel?”

  “I have no idea, Inspector, but it wasn’t me. Axel is Angel’s brother, and I wouldn’t hurt him. He gave us permission to be together.”

  “I see,” the inspector said. “Someone attacked him and left him for dead. Would you have any ideas about who that might be?”

  Shane’s expression suggested he did, but he wasn’t talking. Angel sat on the edge of his bed, holding his good hand.

  “Shane, I know the rule on the street is you don’t rat on the gangs. But her brother nearly died. It’s Christmas. Can’t you give me something?” the inspector asked.

  Shane glanced at Angel before answering, “I think you should look closer to home, Inspector.”

  Angel’s face turned the color of Shane’s bedsheets.

  “No, he wouldn’t. Axel’s always looked out for us. All of us,” Angel protested.

  Shane took her hand.

  “Lucky’s in a bad way and probably behaving like an injured, wild animal, striking out at everyone. We both know what he’s like. You can’t be surprised,” Shane said.

  “How did you get injured, if it wasn’t hurting Axel or Lucky?” Inspector Griffin asked Shane.

  “One of your men did it to me, Inspector. I guess he thought I was part of a gang.”

  “One of my men? Tell me his name,” the inspector demanded.

  “I can’t. There were a few of them, and I didn’t stop to ask for their names. I will be fine. Doc said so.” Shane turned his attention back to Angel. “We need to find Lucky. Do you have any idea where he might be?”

  Angel stared into his eyes for a while before nodding. Turning to Inspector Griffin, “Do you have a pencil and paper? I can write the address for you. It’s an abandoned warehouse. Just be careful. He isn’t the only one who uses it as a hideout.”

  “Thanks, Angel.” Inspector Griffin left. Angel collapsed against Shane in tears, making Kathleen decide to leave them to it.

  She met Richard, as she walked downstairs. “Is Axel any better?”

  “Early signs are good, but he could use some prayers. Are they okay?” He nodded in the direction of Shane’s room.

  “They will be. Angel just gave Inspector Griffin the address where Lucky may be hiding. Shane thinks Lucky beat Axel up.”

  “I think so, too, but he wasn’t alone. He was too badly beaten himself. Inspector Griffin better bring back up.”

  Richard put his arms around Kathleen and held her close, as she prayed for Angel, the inspector, and everyone else she cared for to be safe.

  “Can you believe it will be Christmas Eve tomorrow?” he whispered.

  “I know,” Kathleen said. “I wish I felt more in the Christmas spirit, for the kids’ sake.”

  Chapter 64

  Kenny was sitting on his bed, when Bridget came to find him. He hid his face, so she wouldn’t know he’d been crying, but it was no use.

  “Kenny, crying is good for us. It lets the sadness out. I cried when my mam and dad died, and I was older than you are now,” Bridget told him.

  “You’re a girl.”

  “I sure am, but it doesn’t matter. Does Jack ever cry?” she asked.

  “He whimpers in his sleep. I think someone treated him bad before I got him. But he is doing better,” Kenny said, stroking his beloved pet.

  “I think he is doing great, because he has someone to love him and care for him.”

  “I love him, and I don’t want to lose him, too, but I will, when I go on that train. Won’t I?” He didn’t look up as he asked but kept his gaze on the dog.

  “Why do you think that?” Bridget asked.

  Kenny debated whether to tell her the truth, but that meant admitting he had been listening, and he shouldn’t have been.

  “Did you hear the adults talking?” she asked.

  He nodded.

  “Did they say you might lose Jack?”

  “They said a new family might not want a crazy dog. He’s not crazy though. Well, I guess he is a bit, as he likes to chew up clothes. I don’t know why. They don’t taste good, but he likes it,” Kenny said.

  “I can’t promise you a family will take you and the dog, but I think it could happen. Maybe if you said a prayer. I heard you already asked Santa for something, so maybe you could ask him for this, too.”

  “I did, but they didn’t come tr
ue. Mary didn’t come back and neither did Ma,” his voice choked, and, when she drew him against her, he didn’t fight it. He let the tears fall. She stroked his hair as he cried, and it felt nice. She would make a great mom. He didn't know if she had kids, but it seemed like she would. She knew how to be around them.

  He decided he could trust her.

  “I did something bad,” he whispered into her arms.

  “What did you do, Kenny? Tell me. I promise not to be cross.”

  “I didn’t mean to do it, but I kicked George’s toy, the one he’s been looking for. I tried to fix it, but I couldn’t.”

  “If it was an accident, why didn’t you tell someone?” Bridget asked.

  “I didn’t want anyone to be mad with me. I kicked it when I was angry. I asked Santa to bring me one, so I can replace it. Do you think he will?” He risked looking at her face.

  “I don’t know Kenny, but he might. I think you should tell George, though. He thinks he lost it, and he feels bad about it.”

  “Will he still be my friend?” Kenny asked.

  “Of course, he will. He may be a little angry, but that will fade. You and George are good friends. Would you like me to come with you when you tell him?”

  Kenny would, but he thought it would be better if he faced this on his own. He couldn’t rely on her to always be by his side, although he wished, more than anything, she would be.

  “I’ll tell him, man to man. But thank you, Miss Bridget.”

  She hugged him in reply, and he stayed in her arms, never wanting the hug to end.

  Chapter 65

  Kathleen returned to the sanctuary alone, having left Angel with Shane and her brother. The girl wouldn’t leave either of them, and Kathleen couldn’t blame her. She would have done the same.

  Bridget was waiting for her, so she quickly told her what had happened.

  “I don’t know whether to hug Shane or kill him,” Bridget said, weeping.

  “I know, but he loves Angel. Tommy and Mike said he does what he does to make up for the crimes Michael and he committed before they got sent west.”

  “What about Lucky? I hate the idea someone is watching us, especially the children.”

  Kathleen suspected it was one child in particular, but she didn’t say so. She knew her sister had a soft spot for Kenny, but, given her job, Bridget couldn't afford to get involved emotionally with the children. She had to maintain a distance in order to place them in homes.

  A knock at the door scared them half to death. Sheila came in, closely followed by Inspector Griffin, his expression grave. He didn’t meet her eye, when he came into the room. She sat down, expecting bad news.

  “Lucky won’t ever hurt anyone again. Nobody is talking, but it’s a toss-up whether he died because he left the hospital too early or someone finished him off. Anyway, I’ll go and let Angel know. I just came to let you know the risk has gone.”

  “Thank you so much, Inspector Griffin. I wouldn't wish anyone dead, but I can’t pretend to be sorry for him. He was a nasty man,” Bridget replied, as Kathleen couldn’t speak.

  He was dead. The larger-than-life man she had met in Macy’s. What could he have become if someone had taken him off the streets before he had gotten involved with a gang? It was pointless thinking like that, but sometimes Kathleen couldn’t help herself.

  Bridget saw Inspector Griffin out and then ordered Kathleen to bed in a way only an elder sister could. Kathleen felt guilty leaving her sister to cope, but she knew she needed some time away from everyone. She didn’t think she would be able to sleep, but, when her head hit the pillow, her eyes closed in no time.

  * * *

  She slept for hours, and, when she came back downstairs, she found Bridget and Carl with Sheila and the children. Bridget said Angel was up in bed and Shane was doing better. He was helping Richard watch over Axel. Richard was quietly confident Axel would make a full recovery and follow his brother to live with their aunt Rachel. Axel had given permission for Angel to remain at the sanctuary, and, when she came of age, she was free to marry Shane.

  Only then did Kathleen realize it was Christmas Eve, and she had missed most of it. The children went to bed full of excitement for what the morning might bring.

  Chapter 66

  Everyone was up bright and early on Christmas morning. They went to mass first and then came back to have breakfast. Cook had made everyone’s favorite. The men had a big fry with sausages, bacon, tomatoes, and eggs. The children could have that or pancakes, if they preferred. Kenny and George had a competition to see how many pancakes they could eat. Sammy, the runner Kathleen used regularly, came in to eat breakfast with them, and, if anyone saw him stuffing food in his pockets, they didn’t comment.

  The present opening came after breakfast. George and the other children were almost jumping up and down with excitement. She saw Kenny looking several times at the door. Surely the poor child still didn’t believe Santa was going to bring Mary back to life? How would she deal with his disappointment?

  Clapping dragged her attention back to the events in hand.

  Inspector Griffin went all red when he unwrapped his gift to see a brand-new pair of leather gloves.

  “Just what I needed, thank you, everyone,” the kind man said, smiling.

  “Cook insisted you take these as well, Inspector. As a special thank you for everything you did for us, including Angel and me,” Shane said, pointing the man toward a large hamper of baked goods sitting on the table. “I would carry it for you, only my arm isn’t co-operating.”

  “Doc said you were to take things easy. You shouldn’t try to carry anything,” Angel ordered.

  “I best get back to my wife. Thank you for everything. See you around Shane, by the sounds of Angel’s nagging, you will soon have a wife of your own,” the inspector said, making everyone laugh.

  “Actually, Inspector, you might not. I am going to see Liam and Annie in Riverside Springs. Angel is coming with me. We thought a change of scenery would do us both good.”

  Kathleen expected the inspector to look surprised, but he didn’t. He knew more about Shane’s life than she did and that hurt. She saw him out and then came back to the tree. As everyone unwrapped their gifts, she pulled Angel aside.

  “So, you have decided to leave New York, Angel?” Kathleen asked.

  “Yes, Shane has the money for the tickets, and he said Bridget might be able to help me find a job. I am good with children, I can cook – Jewish food, but I can learn, and I can keep a house.”

  Kathleen wasn’t sure what plans had been made for the train yet. She would have to speak to Bridget. Hopefully, there was something they could work out for this girl who had risked so much.

  “I am sure we will be able to find something for you to do,” Kathleen told her. “For now, try to relax and enjoy yourself. I know you don’t celebrate Christmas like we do, but it’s fun to watch the children get so excited. You did a great job of wrapping the presents.”

  “Thank you,” Angel said, blushing. “Not just for saying that, but for being so kind to me. Shane said you would be, but I wasn’t convinced. There hasn’t been a lot of good history between my people and yours.”

  “I like people as individuals, Angel, not because of where they come from or what religion they follow. Our mam brought us up to believe everyone was equal. The Bible doesn’t say ‘love thy neighbor, only if he is a certain color or nationality’.”

  Kathleen was distracted, when she saw Kenny walk up to collect his present. She moved forward to watch his face, when he saw what he had been given. Bridget had insisted he get two little, red, fire engines, but she wouldn’t explain why, and she was curious.

  Kenny beamed when he opened his present which held two, small, red, fire engines. He gave one to Kathleen to hold before asking for quiet. Everyone fell silent.

  “This is for you, George. I broke yours by accident and asked Santa to bring me one, so I could replace it.”

  “You did?” George sai
d, his eyes shining.

  “Yes,” Kenny admitted. “I am really sorry for breaking your other one.”

  George burst into tears, and it took a while to convince Kenny he was crying tears of joy.

  Next up was Sammy the street boy. Tommy and Mike were staying with Granny for Christmas but had dropped off Sammy’s present the night before. The look on the child’s face when he opened the box to reveal a pair of slightly worn shoes was priceless. He insisted on putting them on immediately, although his gift had included socks and other underclothes for him as well. Kathleen brushed away a tear at the boy’s expression, as he showed off his new shoes.

  Everyone got new gifts, including Angel, who was presented with one of Lily’s better-made scarves and a new, red shawl made of the finest wool from Shane. Kathleen received a couple of books, together with some personal items, including a box of perfumed soaps from Richard. She was more than a little disappointed the box hadn’t contained a ring, but she put on a brave face, so no one would know.

  He seemed to like the books she had brought him, although he didn’t spend as much time looking at the Guide to Surgery as she thought he might.

  Chapter 67

  Dinner passed quickly, as the entire group sat down to eat together. Cook was given pride of place at the head of the table, much to her embarrassment. She wore her new apron with pride and insisted on wearing her new slippers, saying nobody could see them.

  Once everyone ate their fill, Bridget and Kathleen made up some baskets from the left-over food. Tommy and Mike would call later to collect them and pass them out to families in need. Kathleen had included some gifts of gloves, scarves, and underwear. For Granny, they had a basket made up specially, and, in addition to food and clothing, they had included a box of chocolate fudge made by Cook. Kathleen had debated taking Kenny with her to give Granny the gift in person but had decided not to, as it may upset him to visit his old home.