“Shit,” Ellen interjected, her voice little above a whisper.
“The appropriateness of that substance to the situation at hand remains to be determined, Mrs. Naile.”
“Somebody has to check the roof of the car. Somebody has to find out why nobody’s answering. That’ll be me,” Jack volunteered.
“Couldn’t these guys have just cut the line for the speaking tube?” Ellen suggested.
“Could have, but not without one of the army guys noticing,” Jack responded.
“Your husband is quite correct, madam. One soldier is posted to ride in the locomotive with the engineer and his fireman. One is posted at the forward door of this car, another at the forward door of the other car.”
“Shouldn’t we try the brake cord?” Ellen suggested.
“If it works and the guys on the roof didn’t get alerted when we tried the speaking tube, it could alert them now.” Jack’s carpetbag was on the floor by the far wall of the car. He continued speaking as he crouched to open it. “Are there any weapons in this car, Mr. Roosevelt, besides those we have personally?”
“There are not, sir.”
Jack took two full-size Colt Single Action Army revolvers from his bag, rolled the butts in his hands and offered them to Roosevelt. “I know that you’re familiar with these, sir. Hammers are over empty chambers, of course. I’ll caution you that the actions are very light, much like the revolver I’m carrying. The trigger pull’s just a little heavier than fourteen ounces. They’re extremely reliable.”
“From your future, sir?”
“Only they cost a great deal more, Mr. Roosevelt.”
Jack took the flashlight from his bag.
“What is that device?”
“A battery-operated hand torch, Mr. Roosevelt.” Jack stood up and took off his suitcoat. The white shirt under his vest was not ideal for what he was about to do. But there was no time for anything else. He loosened his tie and opened his shirt collar. There was no reason to meet death while one was uncomfortable. “Ellen. You stick at Mr. Roosevelt’s side like glue. Got it? I’d suggest that one of you watch each door.”
“I’ll take the door at the front, Mrs. Naile. You stand guard at the rear door of the car,” Roosevelt ordered. As Jack started forward, Roosevelt added, “Good luck, Jack.”
“Thank you, sir.”
As Jack passed Ellen, she leaned up, and he put his arms around her and kissed her lips, then her forehead, and whispered to her, “You look cute wrapped up in that blanket, kiddo.”
“Jack—” Ellen began as he released her.
“I know. Take lots of chances and don’t be careful.”
“You’ve got it.”
Jack reached the rear door of the train car, Teddy Roosevelt a pace behind him. “There’s a box with fifty rounds of ammunition in my suitcase as well, sir. You might want to get it out. Ellen’s gun is also a .45.”
“Luck to you once again,” Roosevelt said, clapping him on the shoulder.
“Thank you. I don’t have to ask—”
“No, you don’t, Jack. They’ll not harm your wife as long as I draw breath.”
Jack nodded, drew his special Colt and put his hand to the door handle, turned it and tucked back. No one stood on the balconylike observation platform on the special car, nor on the rear of the car just ahead.
“Doesn’t look good, I’m afraid,” Roosevelt declared in a stage whisper.
“Amen,” Jack Naile agreed, stepping out into the biting wind of the slipstream, his eyes and the muzzle of his gun turning upward.
But, before the roof, he had to know what had transpired in the support car.
Jack held on to the railing and took the broad step across to the forward car, his gaze still cast upward for any sign of men on the roof. Maybe Ellen had just heard some normal creaking sounds, and maybe there was a perfectly logical reason why no one had answered the speaking tube, why no guard was present between the two train cars. Or maybe the Easter Bunny had just hypnotized the army personnel and Roosevelt’s secretary as well.
Who would do harm to Theodore Roosevelt? Why?
Roosevelt’s political rivals? Jack Naile had never had a great deal of use for the vast majority of Democrats, but planning bodily harm to a Republican vice-presidential candidate wouldn’t be part of the party agenda in 1900. Was it someone who had no interest in Roosevelt at all, Roosevelt only at risk as collateral damage?
Jack stopped conjecturing, noticed his hands were shaking, told himself it was the cold and stepped back from the door as far as he could. If there were men on the special car’s roof,