Slowly and quietly, Laura walked up behind Felix. When she was less than a yard from him, Felix suddenly spoke. “Laura Black, I was expecting you.”
“How…but…”
Felix spun around in his chair. “Your reflection in that monitor. I’ll admit I was staring a bit.”
Laura cracked a smile. “I take it you have something for me, or you’re just happy I came back.”
“Can’t it be both?” Felix reached over to his printer. “Mabel has a divorce and a few minor tickets and dismissed charges. B is an interesting fellow. His records are…complicated.”
“Complicated?”
“Through traditional channels, his military service has some odd bits. He was drafted, went through camp, went to Korea, then from 1952 to 1954 there are no records until his dishonorable discharge. Then his life becomes like that of a drifter. He finally settled in Sioux Falls in 1990 and after a few years working at the old Kmart on Minnesota Avenue he retired and started receiving a military pension.”
“So, his Korean War record is what, blank?”
“Not blank as far as I can tell. It just seems to be…missing.” Felix put his hand on his chin and stared at the screen. Laura was looking him over while he was lost in thought.
“Any way you could dig deeper?”
“Since we’re talking about something the military doesn’t want me to see, I might have to do some off-the-books digging. Usually the Captain has to approve that. Maybe I can do a few…feelers?” Laura realized that Felix was now looking her up and down.
“Tell you what Felix. Why don’t we take lunch together and you can tell me what you find after a few…feelers.”
“Consider my fingers at your disposal.” Felix was smiling as he watched Laura walk away. He flipped the screen and started getting ready to search for more about B. He also started a new search, for more details about Laura Black.
***
“How slow do you think the train should be going before we jump off?”
Bob looked down. The rocks and grass were a blur as the train kept rolling. “I don’t know. I’m not exactly an expert. Maybe we should have brought B with us, or at least asked him.”
“I think I read somewhere that you should let your body go limp if you’re falling in a situation like this.”
“Really? I heard the falling doesn’t hurt at all.”
Phil looked at Bob, his left eyebrow cocked up in curiosity. “Wow. I never would have guessed that.”
“It’s the landing that hurts like a bitch.”
Phil looked down and shook his head. “How did I let you get me with that old joke?”
“Your mind is on the whole falling and landing I’d guess.” Bob kept watching the grass and rocks. He still couldn’t make them out, even at the train’s reduced speed.
“Bob…I think we have a problem.”
“Yes…yes we do. We’re on the run and trying to figure out how to jump out of a moving train. I’d call that a problem.”
“No, no.” Phil reached over and shook Bob’s shoulder. “Look up instead of at the ground.”
Bob looked up. He saw the rail yard in the distance, and he felt the train starting to veer away from it.
