With the remnants of a plan forming, he felt slightly better—nearly certain that Robert would take Eleisha off the train in Salem.
He just had to get there first, and he had to know the layout before he arrived.
“Mary Jordane,” he called.
She materialized on the passenger seat beside him, looking around in some confusion at the inside of the car.
“Where have you . . . ?” she asked. “Did you mess up?”
He bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from snarling at her.
“I think Jasper’s all set,” she said. “He’s on the train with the other three.”
“What?”
He’d forgotten about Jasper. At this point, Philip, Wade, and Rose were not his main concern—as Rose appeared to be nearly helpless, Philip didn’t know anything of the laws, and Wade was a mortal.
But Robert was dangerous. He had to die.
“Look down at this map,” Julian said, ignoring the fact that she’d spoken. “Go ahead to the Salem train station and find the nearest car rental lot. Then examine all possible routes to the lot from the station’s main or back doors and return to me.”
“What, you’re going to try the same thing again? They don’t exactly strike me as stupid.”
He didn’t answer her, but he did agree. If Eleisha and Robert were looking for him in the shadows of doorways or alleys, he’d have to try something else.
Wade could see Philip hanging halfway out the cabin door up ahead, and his stomach lurched.
Their train was slowly starting to move.
“Where is she?” Philip demanded. “We have to go now! Where do we go?”
Wade struggled for what to say and then just blurted out, “She’s already on the other train, and it pulled out a few minutes ago. I think Julian attacked them in the yard and they had to run.”
He waited for the words to sink in, and then Philip did exactly as he expected—pushed him aside and ran down the hall.
Wade could not stop him physically, but he fired out telepathically.
Stop! Eleisha’s gone, and you can’t leave Rose.
Philip stumbled and halted, turning around, his face a mask of hate. Wade knew it wasn’t aimed at him, but he didn’t move any closer.
“How?” Philip spat. “How do you know any of this? Did you see it? If you did, why didn’t you bring her back?”
“I didn’t see anything!” The accusation made him angry. Could Philip ever give one thought to what somebody else might be feeling? “She shot me a few warnings . . . like she was screaming in my head. She told us to stay here, that Julian was in the yard, that she was on the other train, and we should all meet at the church. That’s all I know, Philip, and you have to keep it together!”
The rage on Philip’s face only increased. He strode back, shoved Wade inside the cabin, and started giving orders.
“Get up, Rose,” he barked, which sounded strange in his French accent. He fastened the machete’s sheath onto his belt and put on his coat, buttoning it. “Wade, is your gun loaded?”
“What are you doing?” Wade asked in alarm, standing in front of the door. Rose looked frightened already, but she was on her feet.
“We’re going to jump,” Philip answered flatly. “We’ll steal the first car we find, and I’ll get us to the Portland train station.”
“Jump? What if he’s still in the yard?”
“He’s after Robert!” Philip shouted. “He wants Robert’s head, and Eleisha will try to stop him! We have to get to the Portland station before the train arrives. Julian will find a way to get there, and we have to be there first.” His voice was calmer now, and he looked at Rose. “Can you jump?”
The train was just beginning to pick up speed.
Rose wavered, but then said, “Yes, I can jump. It’s my fault we took this train in the first place, and I don’t want Eleisha and Robert left alone either.”
Philip’s anger melted into relief, he held out one hand. “Good. Come.”
She came to him.
He led her forward, but then he stopped before the doorway, looking Wade in the face. “I am going to drive very fast,” he said in short, clipped words. “If a policeman tries to stops us, we cannot be caught up in a chase, so I will pull over and kill him as he reaches our window. I am telling you this so that you know.”
Wade swallowed and didn’t know how to answer. Philip certainly wasn’t asking permission.