Deadly Cover-Up, page 16
Jordan held her breath. That was a huge bluff on Eddy’s part, but after a few moments, she could tell that it had worked. Rich motioned with his arms in a defeated gesture. “Fine. Tammington has an uncle that is an engineer on the Sunset Limited that runs up and down the East Coast. His wife is dying from some rare form of cancer, and he can’t afford her meds because they’re all deemed experimental by the insurance company. Tammington promised to take care of her aunt and all of her medical bills, if her uncle would take that medicine they produced in China while he was driving the train. Apparently, the stuff will give him a seizure because he has some sort of bad medical condition himself, and then the train will crash. Afterward, the law firm can step in and help with the lawsuits and make a few bucks.”
Eddy was perfectly still, but when he spoke, his voice was lethal. “And when is this supposed to happen?”
Rich looked away and swallowed. Then he lifted his arms again and shrugged. “It was supposed to happen in a month or so, but because of the sheriff’s investigation and all of the hassles you’ve been causing them, they’ve moved it up.” He looked Eddy in the eye. “It’s going to happen today.”
Jordan took a step closer to the glass, trying to get an even better view of Rich. Was he lying? She was no expert, but he seemed to be telling the truth. “What do you think?” she asked Ben. “Is he lying?”
* * *
Ben shook his head as he considered the man’s tone and body language. “Doesn’t sound like it to me.”
Frank must have agreed, because Eddy stayed in the room to hammer out the details of the conspiracy and the payment for the murders, but a moment later, Frank was standing beside them in the observation room. He was already on his phone and held up his hand, motioning that he was going to talk to them as soon as he finished the call.
Ben glanced at his watch. It was already past three in the afternoon. He waited impatiently for Frank to finish his call, wondering about the train’s schedule. When did it pass through Jacksonville? Finally, Frank hung up and started to leave the room at the same time. “We have to go. That was the Continental Railways executive office. Apparently, Felix Jefferson is the engineer on the train today, but he has cut off all communication with the depot. They’re trying to reach the conductor and will let me know when they get him, but in the meantime, we have to get to that train depot. The train hasn’t reached Jacksonville yet, but is planning to stop here. The kicker is, we have to be there in twenty minutes if we want to stop him. It’s only a five-minute stop, and Continental doesn’t have anyone at the Jacksonville office that has any real authority to do something about that train.”
Ben and Jordan followed him out and into the patrol car. Frank grabbed the keys and started the engine at the same time that Ben was contacting everyone in law enforcement that might have a chance to get to the train before them. It didn’t look good. Jordan jumped in the backseat, and they were off, just as Ben reached the depot’s security office. Unfortunately, they really weren’t equipped to deal with the situation that Ben was describing, but they did offer to meet them at the depot entrance and escort them to the platform.
While he was driving, Frank’s phone rang. He handed it to Ben to talk so he could focus on operating the vehicle. The lights and sirens were on, but traffic was sluggish and people were hesitant to move out of the way and let the patrol car through. It took a great deal of maneuvering to get through the streets.
“Ben Graham, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.”
“This is the Continental Railways home office. We haven’t been able to get a hold of anyone working on that train. Either there’s a failure in the communication system, or the engineer, Felix Jefferson, is blocking the line. In any case, we have three staff on board—the conductor, the assistant conductor and Mr. Jefferson. Look for them when you board in Jacksonville. Without knowing more, we have to assume the engineer is still in control of that train, but we have no way to talk to him.”
“Got it. Thanks for the update.” He hung up the phone and turned to Frank. “Looks like it’s up to us. The other train staff either can’t or won’t communicate with the home office, and Jefferson has cut himself off from the rest of the world.”
“We have no way of knowing if he’s taken the Mintax yet or not,” Frank said with gritted teeth.
“Actually, we do,” Jordan said from the backseat. “According to what I read this morning from the trials, once a person takes the medicine, the seizures start in about thirty minutes. The fact that Johnson has cut himself off but the train is operating normally means he’s getting ready to act, but probably hasn’t taken the pills yet. Let’s pray he hasn’t, anyway. If he did take them, then the timing suggests he wants to crash at the Jacksonville depot. If he didn’t, then maybe he’s planning to do it after the scheduled stop.”
What she said made sense, but a sickening dread formed a hard ball in Ben’s stomach. If the engineer was planning to wreck the train in Jacksonville, then they were heading straight into a situation that could well be fatal for all of them.
“Stop the car and let Jordan out,” Ben said with a tone of authority.
Frank looked at him as if he were crazy, and Jordan protested loudly from the backseat.
“We might not make it as it is, Ben. I don’t have time to stop.”
A cold sweat suddenly covered Ben’s skin, and he was tempted to grab the wheel and force the issue. He didn’t want Jordan to die. How could he possibly protect her in such a horrible situation?
“I can’t keep her safe, Frankie. We’re trained for this. We always know death is a possibility. But she’s a civilian. We have to let her out.”
“I’m staying!” Jordan exclaimed forcefully.
Ben ignored her and clenched his hands. “Let her out, Frank. Please. I’m begging you.” His friend was silent. He tried once more. “What if it were Bailey?”
Frank shook his head but kept his eyes on the road. “I can’t, Ben. You know it, and I know it. Pulling over could be the difference between us catching that train or not. Every second counts. If we don’t stop Jefferson at the depot, we probably won’t have a way to stop him after he leaves. Hundreds of people could die. We can’t sacrifice the many for one individual. You know that. We have to push on.”
* * *
Jordan was touched by the plea she heard in Ben’s voice, but she really did not want them to stop. If she died today, then so be it. In her mind, there had already been enough death caused by Southeastern, and she didn’t want to be the cause of even one more life being lost because of their depravity. She reached over the seat and squeezed Ben’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Ben.” She softened her voice so she wouldn’t add to the stress that he was obviously already experiencing. “I know you want to keep me safe, and I’m thankful. I really am. But I couldn’t live with myself if we missed the train because Frank stopped on account of me.”
He took her hand and squeezed it hard. She could feel his desperate attempt to protect her from that touch alone. He didn’t respond, so she tried again. “We’re racing against the clock here. Please, let me do this.”
He finally turned, and when he looked at her, she was overcome by the depth of love she saw reflecting back at her. “I need you to stay in the car. Don’t fight me on this, please. At least do this one small thing I’m asking. I can’t do my job if I have to worry about you and where you are.”
The last thing Jordan wanted to do was sit in the car while they raced to stop Felix Jefferson from taking Mintax and crashing the train, but Ben had a very valid point. He was the expert here. This was his wheelhouse, and he needed to have the freedom to do his job without her interference. Part of her still wanted to argue. She was a competent, capable adult that could add, not detract, from the job before them. But she was finally learning that it was okay to let others take the lead. She was a scientist. She would let law enforcement do what law enforcement did best. “Okay, Ben. I promise I’ll stay in the car. But will you do me a favor?”
He nodded.
“Keep your phone on, and call me if you need me. If you get to the engineer, you can describe his condition to me, and I might be able to help him.”
If it were possible, he would have kissed her right then. She could see it in his eyes. Instead, he smiled at her with such tenderness that it made her heart melt. He mouthed, “Thank you,” then turned back around to gain his bearings.
She loved this man. How was she ever going to let him go?
EIGHTEEN
“Sheriff’s Office! Let us through!”
Ben and Frank raced along the train platform, heading toward the train that had momentarily stopped. The area was crowded, and they had to run around people who ignored their warning as they tried to get near enough to board. They had backup from the department on the way that was about fifteen minutes out, but they just didn’t have time to wait for them to arrive. The four on duty security guards that patrolled the station had met them at the depot entrance, as promised, and had quickly led them to the platform. Now they were running behind Ben and Frank and trying to keep up. The deputies saw the train up ahead and finally were able to come alongside it on the platform. Just as they reached the last car, they heard the automated announcement that the doors were about to close. Ben jumped aboard the last car at the doorway near the front, while Frank managed to get aboard at the end of the car. The security guards were unable to keep up and were left behind on the platform. Seconds later, the doors closed, and the train started pulling away from the station.
Ben and Frank quickly made their way to the aisle that separated the rows of seats and started looking for the train’s conductor and assistant conductor. They scanned each seat, looking for anywhere the two might be. They didn’t come across anyone but passengers in the first two cars, but in the third, they found both bathrooms locked.
“Sheriff’s Office,” Ben called as he knocked on the door. Frank did the same on the opposite door, but neither one got a response.
Ben wiggled the door. It was locked tightly. “Anyone in there?” he called again, just to be sure and put his ear against the door. It was faint, but he thought he could just make out the sound of someone groaning. He took a step back, then kicked in the door. It opened and slammed against the wall behind it, giving a loud crash. The assistant conductor sat on the floor, curled into a ball. His hands and feet were secured with zip ties, and he was gagged with a red bandanna tied around his head. His hat was missing, but he still wore the rest of his navy uniform, which was now wrinkled and dusty. His shortly cropped black hair was graying at the temples, and his face looked haggard and tired. His eyes were open, but he moved sluggishly, as if he were drugged.
“I’m Ben Graham with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Let me get you out of those.” He pulled out his knife and sawed through the ties, then went to work on untying the bandanna. As soon as it was loose, the man worked his jaw to get the kinks out and tried to stand. His legs wouldn’t support him, and Ben ended up half carrying him out of the bathroom and into the first seat near the front of the car that happened to be empty. He let him down gently.
“Thanks. The name is Grandy. Jim Grandy. I’m the assistant conductor of this train.”
“How are you feeling?” Ben asked.
“Better now,” the man said, still rubbing his jaw with his hand. “Felix gave us both some coffee, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in there, trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey.” He looked around anxiously. “Have you seen Joe or Felix? I don’t know what happened to them.”
“Is Joe the conductor?”
Grandy nodded. “We were all joking and getting along just fine. I wish I could remember what happened.” He shook his head as if to clear the cobwebs from his memory. Suddenly, he sat up straighter and a look of alarm spread across his face. “Joe!”
“I’m okay,” Joe answered. Ben turned to see Frank helping another man into the seat across from the assistant conductor. He was an older gentleman with a totally gray head of hair and kind blue eyes that seemed alert and intelligent, despite the fact that his body wasn’t working correctly. “Has anyone found Felix yet? Is he okay, too?”
Ben shook his head. “Actually, we think Felix is behind this.” Both trainmen looked surprised, but Ben quickly told them both all that they had learned, including the lack of communication with the home office.
Joe quickly felt his pockets. “Looks like my radio and phone are missing.”
“Mine, too,” the assistant conductor added. “Can we borrow your phone to call the home office?”
“Sure thing,” Frank responded as he handed Grandy his phone.
“Thanks,” Joe answered, nodding at Grandy to encourage him to make the call. “Let’s get them involved as soon as possible and see if we can fix this fiasco. If the home office didn’t even know there was a problem before you called, that’s promising. You see, the engineer has to press this button within seven seconds of when the thing beeps every so often. Even if we lose communication, as long as Felix keeps pushing that button within the time frame, the home office will think everything is okay, even if they can’t talk to him. If he doesn’t push it, the brakes automatically go on and the signaler in charge of the train will give him a call to make sure he’s okay. Felix has two phones, one internal to the train and a second external one that uses a mobile signal to receive calls and text messages. It even works in tunnels, but of course neither of them will work if Felix has shut them off.”
“So since the train seems to be operating normally, that means Felix is still in control, right?” Frank asked.
“That’s right,” Joe answered. “At least for now. From what you’re saying, though, that could change at any moment.”
“So can the brakes stop the train?”
“They slow it down, but you need a driver in the cab to ensure the safety of the passengers.”
Ben leaned forward. “So, worst-case scenario—if we can’t get in the cab and Felix is in the middle of a seizure, what can we do?”
“Well, something like that happened with a different company on a freight train. The engineer stopped responding, and it turns out he had a heart attack. The railway authorities had to bring another train alongside the running train to see if the driver was okay. Thankfully, there were other crew on the train who knew what to do, and the home office was able to talk them through it.”
“Do you know what to do, if we find a worst-case scenario in that cab?”
Joe nodded gravely. “I do.”
Grandy connected with someone at the home office with Frank’s phone and asked for a supervisor.
Joe pushed himself up to a standing position. “While he’s talking to the home office, the rest of us should head toward the motor unit at the front of the train. It sounds like we need to get into that cab as soon as possible to stop Felix from crashing this train. I sure don’t want my southbound line to end up hurting anyone.” He swayed a bit when he tried to take a step and glanced over sheepishly at Frank. “Can you help me, son? Looks like my legs aren’t working too well.”
“Sure thing,” Frank said as he put the man’s arm over his shoulder and helped him move into the aisle.
Ben motioned to the man on the phone. “Keep talking. The rest of us are headed to the cab.” The three of them started making their way to the front of the train, leaving the assistant conductor talking to the home office and describing the problem. Ben grabbed the conductor’s other arm, and between the two officers, they were able to move pretty quickly down the aisle.
Suddenly, the train lurched to the side, knocking them all off balance. “We’d better hurry,” Joe said softly as they righted themselves. “That means the train is going too fast for this part of the track. Felix is probably no longer in control of the train.”
The motor unit was two cars ahead of where they had found the drugged men, and the group rushed as quickly as possible toward the front of the train. Joe was able to press the numbers in the keypad by the door to enter the car, but once they got to the cab’s door, they found that the second lock had been secured from the inside. No matter how many times Joe put in the code, the lock wouldn’t release.
The train’s momentum continued to increase, and they could all tell that the train was now racing way too quickly down the track. They had to get in that cab. Fast. They could tell they only had seconds before the train derailed.
“Felix has locked us out from the inside,” Joe said grimly. “That was a safety feature they installed to make sure that if a terrorist took control of the rest of the train, they wouldn’t be able to get to the engineer.” The train lurched again as the train continued to speed down the track.
“So now what?” Ben asked.
“The good news is these locks aren’t as heavy-duty as the ones they put on airplanes,” Joe answered. “Those can withstand a grenade blast.” He pointed toward Ben’s sidearm. “I doubt these locks can stand up to a bullet or two.”
“Stand back,” Ben ordered.
The conductor nodded, and Frank helped him back up to the rear end of the car so they wouldn’t be hit by a ricochet or piece of flying metal. With three quick shots all in succession, the lock came apart, and the door splintered around it. Ben pulled on the door and saw the engineer lying on the floor. Foaming spittle was dripping from his mouth, but beyond that, he looked unconscious.
Ben rushed to the man’s side, and he heard Frank and Joe enter the cab behind him. Joe went quickly to the controls of the train and started pushing buttons, while Ben felt for a heartbeat. There was none. Felix Jefferson was dead.
