The Witch's Christmas Wish

by Rebecca Lovell

  “That’s right. I’m going to give you the specifics, then you can head over to the train station and get started talking to people.” Carlisle led him to a desk that was piled high with papers and folders, then picked up one of the thinner files. “This is the one.”

  “Looks like there hasn’t been a whole lot done,” Gard said as he took the folder from Carlisle. Inside was an incident report, what looked like a few interviews, and a stack of photographs. “You said we were going to a train station?”

  “Not ‘we,’ you.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Gard looked around and saw that there wasn’t a single other detective in the room. “Mike, the guy who had the case before you, got the flu and won’t be back for a week or so. The railroad wants this taken care of quickly so people won’t be so nervous about traveling during the holidays.”

  “You want me to take this case by myself?” Gard hated the whiny tone in his voice, but Carlisle had surprised him. He’d never taken on a whole case by himself before, and though he knew where to start he had no idea what paths to follow without Jacob helping him out.

  “Of course. Don’t tell me this is your first case?” Frowning, Carlisle held his hand out. “If you don’t think you can handle it, go home and I’ll call someone over from South Roanoke instead.”

  “No, no, I’ll be fine,” Gard said hurriedly. “Can you just give me an idea of what I’m doing?”

  “Sure. About four days ago there was an accident at the train station. A passenger train flew through the station without braking, slammed into another train, and killed three people. If it weren’t for the deaths, it would have been the train line’s problem. Now it’s our problem.” Carlisle chuckled. “Well, it’s your problem.”

  “I’ll get started right away,” Gard said. He pointed at the cluttered desk. “Mind if I sit here?”

  “Sit wherever you want. However you go about this is up to you. Just get it done.” Carlisle went to another desk in the room and sat down in front of his own stack of files, leaving Gard to take off his coat and hat so he could sit uncertainly at Mike’s desk. “By the way,” he called back to Gard, “someone at the train station mentioned they’d be requesting an engineer from New York to assist with the technical parts. Unless you know a lot more about railroads than I do, he’ll probably be a big help.”

  “I’ll be glad for any help he can give me.” Gard sighed as he looked at the case folder. Even an assistant engineer would know more about trains than he did.

  Flipping through the incident report and interviews was easy for the most part. There were a few inconsistencies that were easy to attribute to the different witnesses; a traumatic event either made memories crystal clear or removed them altogether. The pictures weren’t much help on their own. The only thing that Gard could really tell from them was that people had died in a very unpleasant way, and the engine was completely destroyed.

  Gard tapped his finger against the desk absently. The only way to really know what he was dealing with was to go to the train station and talk to someone there. He thumbed through the papers and found that one name stuck out because it was repeated.

  “Alvin Keats,” Gard muttered. “Head conductor?” He hadn’t even known there was a such a position. Then again, he supposed, someone had to write schedules and keep people in line. That was the man he needed to talk to about where to go next. He pushed the chair back and the scraping sound of the legs against the floor got Carlisle’s attention.

  “You leaving already?”

  “I’m going to the train station,” Gard said, putting on his coat again. “I want to talk to a few people there and take a look at the site of the accident.”

  “Good idea. I’ll be here most of the day if you need to come down and look something up.” Carlisle pointed at the folder with his pen. “Take that with you if you want. It’ll save you a trip. Just make sure it gets back to me at the end of the case.”

  “Of course.” Gard put on his hat and opened his briefcase, then set the file in it. The single folder looked depressingly alone, and Gard felt silly bringing the case along for this one thing. Hoping he would be able put something else in it, he snapped it shut and picked it up. “Have a good afternoon.”

  “You too, kid.” Carlisle was already looking back down at his papers and Gard walked out of the room and up the stairs with a sigh.

  Kid, he thought glumly. No matter where I go, I’m always just ‘the kid.’

  Chapter Two

  The squealing of the train’s brakes woke Terra from a dead sleep, and she opened her eyes slowly. The old dream was back again, the one where Tommy was in flames, and she rubbed her face with her gloved hands. She’d been having it more often lately, especially when she rode trains that he was driving.

  It had been twenty years since she had first had the vision and while it hadn’t been her last, it had been the one that stayed with her, gnawing at the edge of her mind like an unwelcome rat. She looked around at the boughs of greenery that were hanging around the walls of the train car and inhaled deeply of the scent.

  With less than two weeks until Christmas, Terra was looking forward to spending it with her brother rather than her parents. It wasn’t that she didn’t love them, more that she was tired of her father picking at her because of her choice of profession. Though she’d promised to always support Terra, her mother seemed to be getting impatient about her lack of a grandchild.

  At twenty-five, Terra had put aside every thought of marriage or attention from men in favor of pursuing a degree from New York University in mechanical engineering. It didn’t bother her in the least, as all she could think about was keeping Tommy safe. She’d never told him about her vision, and she never planned to.

  So far, his career as a train engineer had been uneventful. He had become known as a man who could keep the trains on time, and while she was the one who was able to suggest quick fixes for trains he was the one who got the recognition. Terra could care less. She was glad Tommy was safe and happy, and he always praised her in front of people that mattered.

  “How are you doing back here, ma’am?” A conductor came to her side and Terra blinked up at him. “We should be ready to disembark soon.”

  “Thank you, sir. I’m looking forward to seeing some new scenery.” Her words made the conductor laugh and he nodded. “Could you make sure my luggage is waiting beside the train with Tommy Rendon’s?”

  “Of course, but wouldn’t you rather us put it into a taxi for you? I’m not sure where you’re staying but it can’t be within walking distance,” the conductor said. “I wouldn’t want a lady struggling in the snow with a heavy suitcase.”

  “It’ll be fine,” Terra said, still smiling. It was the same thing she’d heard hundreds of times before and she stifled a sigh as soon as the conductor was gone. She knew he meant well; it was rare these days for a man to be intentionally rude to her, more often it was a benign condescension.

  She was wondering why she’d agreed to come to Virginia when her body went cold. Terra knew what was coming and closed her eyes. A man, tall and handsome with red hair and brown eyes, offered her a cup of tea, and her vision was so lifelike that she could even smell the combination of ginger and honey coming up from its surface. He smiled at her and she took the tea, but before she could thank him, the scene drained away and she was back in the seat of the train. Still shivering, she rubbed her arms and looked out the window, wondering who the man was and what he had to do with her.

  The train pulled into the station and when she heard the air brakes purge themselves, Terra stood up. There was a small bag in the seat beside her and she stretched her arms over her head before she picked it up. The trip had been more than a few hours long and she was looking forward to stretching her legs. She walked up the aisle, making sure her coat was buttoned to the top. It had been snowing when they left New York, and though they were further south, it still seemed to be gray and cold.

  She waited beside the train as people
walked past until she saw Tommy exit the engine. It was still like looking in a mirror with only minor changes, and he was very handsome. Their parents wondered why he hadn’t married yet but Terra would never tell them, not in a million years.

  “How’re you feeling after that long ride? It’s the longest one you’ve taken so far.” Tommy was always just as concerned about her as she was about him, and Terra had always supposed that it was because they were so close to one another.

  “I’m fine,” Terra replied. “A bit stiff but I’m sure walking around will straighten me out.”

  “That’s good. Where are you supposed to be meeting the head conductor?” Their bags lay just ahead of them and Terra shrugged.

  “They didn’t tell me that much. I’ll go to the hotel and put away my things, then come back to the station and try to find him.” Terra yawned behind her hand. “I’d like to take a nap if I can, more to stretch out than anything.”

  When they reached their bags, Terra went to pick hers up, only to have a porter appear out of nowhere to take it before she could. She frowned, then reached out and grabbed it out of his hand before turning to Tommy.

  “You see what I mean?” To the porter, she smiled politely. “I won’t be needing any help, thank you.” He looked as if he was about to say something, but Tommy held up a hand.

  “We’ll be fine on our own,” he said. It was as if his words were magic. The porter bowed and walked away without further discussion, and Terra felt the same old irritation boiling up. When she said she didn’t want help, she was argued with. When Tommy said the same thing, everyone listened to him. It even happened at the university, where she’d long shown she was capable of anything a man could do, and respect for her was an uncommon gesture.

  “I’m so sick of this,” Terra said as she picked up her suitcase. It wasn’t heavy, and she could manage it easily. She was just as strong as Tommy, though no one would believe that of her.

  “They’re just trying to help.” Shaking his head, Tommy sighed. “Most women don’t want to carry their own bags, so they all think they’re doing you a favor.”

  “I don’t need that sort of favor. Do you know where the hotel is?” She wasn’t surprised to see her brother shake his head, and she paused for a moment, setting down her luggage to rummage through her purse. There was a folded piece of paper there and she opened it. “Hmm. The Margolis Hotel. It says it’s in walking distance of the train station and it will be easy to spot but there’s no address.” Cursing her department head, she stuffed the paper back into her bag. “I suppose we can ask directions at the information desk.”

  “There’s a good plan,” Tommy said with a laugh. “You’ve always been the smarter twin, even if I am the better looking one.” Terra aimed an elbow at his ribs, and he dodged it, still laughing. “Why did you book the hotel without knowing where it was, anyway?”

  “Oh hush. I should just leave you here.” She quickened her step and Tommy matched it easily thanks to his long legs. “Don’t you need to sign some sort of paperwork now that you’re here?”

  “About a novel’s worth, but I want to get something to eat first.” His words made Terra stop in her tracks and she stepped in front of him, putting her hands on her hips.

  “Thomas Michael Rendon, I’m surprised at you! You march right back to wherever you’re supposed to be going and sign those papers.” She narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to argue with her, but she knew her brother wouldn’t.

  “All right, all right. You look just like Mom when you do that, you know.” He was still grinning at her as he spoke, the same laid-back Tommy as always, and Terra was pleased to see him take a left toward the offices instead of arguing. “I’ve only been here twice before so don’t blame me if we have to wander around for an hour.”

  “It’s an hour well spent if you take care of your responsibilities.” Terra followed him, absently thinking of her vision on the train. It wasn’t her first vision – not even her thirtieth – but there was something about it that stayed with her.

  For the most part, her visions came to her in times of stress. She’d tried multiple times to warn people about things she’d seen but most of them had brushed her off. It hadn’t surprised her, since most of them were men, but it had been frustrating to watch things play out and not be able to help. It only made her more determined to save Tommy from the fate she’d seen two decades earlier.

  “Look over there, Sis. That office says ‘head conductor’ on it. Maybe that’s where you want to go.” He pointed a little further up the hall. “That’s where I’m going. I’ll meet you back here.”

  “I shall look forward to it.” Terra shifted her suitcase to her left hand as she walked up to the door to the conductor’s office and knocked on it. A voice from inside told her to come in, so she turned the knob and went through the door. “Good afternoon?”

  “Hello, young lady! Are you Miss Rendon?” The man at the desk was wearing a conductor’s uniform and Terra nodded as she smiled at him, setting down her suitcase. “I was hoping you’d come by as soon as you got off your train. How was your trip?”

  “Excellent as always, seeing as how my brother was driving.” She sat down in a chair across from the conductor and he set down his pencil.

  “I’m glad to hear it. I’m not sure how much information they gave you but I’m Alvin Keats, the one who requested you from the university.” He got out of his chair to take a file folder from the cabinet by the wall, then handed it to her.

  “They haven’t told me much apart from the fact that there was an accident and the railroad wanted me to go over the site and see if I can find anything wrong with the tracks or the condition of the railway.”

  “It’s a bit more than that. We want to see if you can find out what caused the accident, and how to keep it from happening again. We’d also be very appreciative if you could help us figure out who did this.” Terra opened the file folder to see what she was working with, but there were only a few photographs and some paperwork. It was much less than she expected, and her stomach began to hurt. It was immediately obvious to her that she was out of her depth, and she was about to tell Alvin that she wasn’t the woman he wanted for the job when the door to the office opened.

  “Excuse me, sir, I was given your name by Detective Carlisle?” A young man in a suit and coat came through the door and Terra’s breath caught in her throat.

  It was the man from her vision, there was no doubt about it. His red hair was visible under his hat and when he turned to her, she saw that his eyes were a deep mahogany brown. He took off his hat and smiled at her.

  “Sorry to interrupt, miss. I’ll step out until you finish talking.”

  “No, wait,” Terra said, standing up. She didn’t want to lose her chance to talk to this man. “I’m an engineer. I mean, I’m a mechanical engineer, not a train engineer. That would be my brother.” She realized she was starting to babble, so she cleared her throat and started over. “I’m Terra Rendon.”

  “Detective Gardner Lewis,” he said, extending a hand to her. Terra was surprised; there weren’t many men who offered to shake her hand and she grasped his hand firmly. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Rendon. Nobody told me I would be meeting a lady here.”

  “I wasn’t aware I’d be meeting anyone at all, much less a detective. Is this a criminal investigation?” Everything was ballooning out of control and Terra hoped her voice didn’t sound like she was panicking.

  “Eventually it will be,” Gardner said. “At least I’m expecting it to be. Somebody did this and I want to find out who it was. Detective Carlisle told me they’d be sending an engineer from New York to help me with the technical aspects of it. I hope I’m not being rude when I say that I wasn’t expecting a woman.”

  “Not at all. Most people wouldn’t.” She smiled at Gardner, who gave her a boyish grin in return before turning to speak to Alvin. They spoke quietly but Terra wouldn’t have heard them anyway. All the sound had disappeared from the room.
>
  Now that he wasn’t paying attention to her, she had a chance to look over Gardner’s face. His light skin went with his red hair, and if she looked very closely she could see a sprinkling of freckles across his nose. The smile he’d given her had disappeared, his expression turning serious as he spoke to the conductor. Still, she couldn’t stop looking at him. He’d been far more polite to her than most would be in this situation but more than that, he was treating her like she was competent. There was no hint of condescension in his voice, and he reminded her of Tommy in that way.

  “What do you think, Miss Rendon?” Gardner had turned to her and Terra snapped out of her daze when she realized it.

  “I’m sorry? Could you repeat that?” Her cheeks were on fire as she spoke. Gardner had treated her like an equal and she was acting like a schoolgirl. His opinion of her would no doubt suffer for it and she halfway expected him and Alvin to exchange a look that said she was just a silly woman.

  “I said that I think if you and I work together we can get this solved,” Gardner said without hesitation. “You handle the technical and I’ll handle the criminal.” Terra was relieved that she hadn’t ruined the whole thing and nodded.

  “Sounds like a good plan,” she said. “Could I get some more information about the case? I have some photos and paperwork here, but I’d like to hear what you have.” Another knock at the door stopped Gardner from replying and she looked up at it.

  “Excuse me,” Tommy said, poking his head in the door. “I’m looking for my little sister.”

  “I’m right here.” With a sigh, Terra picked up her suitcase and turned to Gardner and Alvin. “Would it be all right with you gentlemen if I came back in the morning and we talked about it more?”

  “Of course,” Alvin said. “I’m sure you’re tired after your trip. I come in around 9:00 in the morning, so how about I see you then?”

  “That suits me just fine,” Terra said. “I shall see you in the morning.”