Page 5 of Beauty and the Baker
Duncan laughed harder, his white teeth gleaming behind the dirt on his face. “You can wait if you want to be picked up by one of the coppers waiting for the train.”
“No thank you,” Charlie responded. He looked at Sam who was watching him thoughtfully.
“You runnin’ from the po-leece?” Sam asked.
Charlie shook his head. “I just heard they were corrupt. Why invite trouble?”
“Good,” Sam said. “Gather your stuff, we hop in five minutes.”
Sam stood and slid open the train door. The wind was blowing his hair as he popped his head out of the train car. He looked both directions. “Duncan, you go first. I need you to help young Charlie here.”
“I can go by myself,” Charlie insisted. “I’m not a child.”
Sam scratched his chin. “Never said you were. I just figured with your back as bad as it is, you might need something soft to land on.”
“My back?”
“I see the way you are carrying yourself. You got burns on the back of your neck, so I figure the rest must be the same. No shame, son, asking for help.”
Charlie nodded. Duncan went to the door. The train started slowing down as it approached the curve into the station.
“I want you to jump right after me. Try to land on me if at all possible.”
Charlie didn’t look convinced. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Duncan barked a laugh. “You won’t. Just watch where you are falling.” Before he could respond, Duncan disappeared out the door and Charlie was flying through the air after him.
Sam must have pushed him!
Charlie landed with a thud on top of Duncan. He heard the man grunt, and roll over, dropping Charlie on the ground next to him.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Depends on who you ask,” Charlie replied.
Duncan hopped to his feet, stretching his tall frame upwards. He leaned a hand down and lifted Charlie to his feet. They could see Sam a few yards down, along with several others of the men that were sleeping in the car.
“Does everyone get off here?” Charlie asked.
Duncan nodded. “Yes. They bring dogs around to run off squatters. Once they do that, most of the men will hop back on and ride to the next destination.”
“Do all freight yards do that?”
“Not all,” Duncan replied. “New York does. There’s one in Ohio. One in St. Louis and I think one in Kansas City. They all have dogs. The rest just do a walking inspection.”
“How do you not get caught?”
“Stay in the shadows, son,” Sam said, catching up to them. “Where you headed next, Duncan?”
“West.” Duncan picked up his pack and flung it over his shoulder. “I’ll leave on the early morning train.”
Sam shook Duncan’s hand and Charlie did the same before following Sam down the tracks towards the city. It didn’t take long to arrive at the outskirts of east side.
“I’m this way,” Sam said. “Where are you going?”
“I’m headed over here,” Charlie said, pointing to a tallish building in the distance.
“You got family there waiting for you?”
