Page 38 of With a Vengeance

Seamus lifts the tablecloth as far as Judd’s shoulders, keeping his face blessedly covered. He then quickly shoves his hands inside all of Judd’s pockets, retrieving only a single item—a pocket watch.

“That’s all there is,” Seamus says, holding out the watch. After everyone gets a look, he returns it to the appropriate pocket and pulls the tablecloth back over Judd’s body.

Anna stands, frustrated and disappointed in equal measure. Knowing Judd was responsible for his own death, Anna thinks grimly, would have made things easier for her. Now she’s forced to once again face the fact that someone else in this car is a murderer.

And that they might strike again if given the chance.

She has no proof of that, of course. Just a sticky, uneasy hunch, mostly based on Dante’s earlier warning.It’s only a matter of time before these people start to turn on each other.If someone did turn on Judd, nothing is stopping them from doing the same to the others.

And to her and Seamus.

“It’s late,” she announces. “In light of what happened to Mr. Dodge, I think it’s wise if we all retreat to our rooms and remain there until we reach Chicago.”

“What about me?” Reggie says, looking truly worried that he’ll be forced to sleep in the lounge with a corpse present.

“There’s an empty room in the next car,” Anna says. “You can stay there.”

“Can I fetch my overnight bag from coach?”

“Of course. When you return, Seamus will take you to your room.”

Reggie hurries out of the lounge, perhaps never planning to return. And maybe, Anna thinks, that’s for the best. He’s likely better off spending the rest of the trip locked in a lavatory in coach than casting his lot with the likes of them.

“Since you’re so convinced this is our last night of freedom,” Sal says, “maybe we don’t want to spend it locked in our rooms.”

“I don’t give a damn about what you want,” Anna says. “But if I were you, I’d enjoy the space and privacy while you still can. From what I hear, prison cells can get awfully cramped—and crowded.”

“Well, I’m not going anywhere just yet,” Lapsford says, his bluster returning in full force. “Not until the two of you have been searched.”

“Yeah,” Herb adds. “You searched us. We should be allowed to do the same to you.”

Seated next to him, Edith brings a fluttering hand to her neck and says, “It’s only fair.”

“As you can see, I have no pockets in which to hide anything,” Anna says.

“How do we know you’re not hiding something under your dress?” Lapsford says.

Anna gives him an icy stare. “I’m not going to strip naked in front of you, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”

“No, but someone should at least pat you down.”

That, Anna thinks, is better than being forced to strip naked. She nods for Seamus to do it. Although two people in the car have previously used their hands to roam the most intimate parts of her body, he’s the only one she trusts.

“Not him,” Lapsford says. “One of us needs to do it.”

He takes a step toward Anna, who stops him with an outstretched hand.

“If you lay even a finger on me,” she warns, “I guarantee you’ll walk away with a broken hand.”

“And I’ll break the other,” Seamus says, resuming his place at Anna’s side.

Anna can’t stand the thought of anyone else touching her. Especially Edith, who might feel the urge to reciprocate what Anna had done to her. And the very idea of Lapsford or Herb doing it makes her nauseous.

That leaves Dante, who happens to be the other man in the car whose hands she’s felt on her body. And from the smug grin spreading across his face, it’s clear he remembers it as well as Anna does.

“I’m game if you are,” he says, reading her thoughts. “It’ll be just like old times.”

Anna hates the idea, but she also doesn’t have much of a choice.Just as she’s about to agree to it, another option presents itself, in the form of Reggie Davis returning with a compact suitcase.

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