Page 61 of Rafe

“Howdy there, little feller,” an old man said to Gus as Jade sat at one of the big wooden tables. “He’s a nice one.”

Rafe recognized him as the old-timer with the prosthetic arm from the train. Although he seemed even more familiar now for some reason. It was a happy coincidence, since he was one of the few people they hadn’t questioned yet. Also, with so much evidence pointing to Tag, getting any more accounts would really be more of a formality at this point.

“Thank you,” Jade laughed. “I’m Jade, this is Gus, and that’s Rafe back there.”

“Bud Wylatt,” the old man said, touching his battered hat.

“Hey, were you on the train with us?” Jade asked him.

“Sure was,” Bud said. “And I hear you two are in a mite of trouble over what happened.”

Rafe took the seat beside Jade.

She might be scared of him, but his need to protect her had not diminished, and his mission to protect the boy would bind him until he could call for a replacement.

“Rafe and I did not hurt that man,” Jade said carefully.

“I believe you,” the old man replied, tugging at his scruffy white beard. “But someone surely did.”

“Exactly,” Jade said. “Did you happen to see anything suspicious that night?”

Bud frowned.

“Can’t say as I did,” he said, after a moment. “Lights went out, and I took it as a sign it was time for a snooze, so I headed back to my compartment.”

“Did you hear anything on the way?” Jade asked.

But he was already shaking his head.

“Sorry, love,” he told her, glancing at Rafe. “I’d best be off.”

He gave Gus one last smile and a gentle chuck of his chin that had the boy giggling.

“Morning,” Tally said as he stepped in.

He was smiling, and he carried a plate that was full enough to convince Rafe the boy was actually feeling better. But his smile disappeared, and his expression went blank as he took in the old man.

Rafe glanced back and saw that Bud had bent to retrieve his plate, but he had stopped to stare at Tally as well. Something golden glinted in a thatch of Bud’s gray chest hair, visible only because he was leaning down.

And Tally’s eyes were fixed on it.

“Wait,” Tally said. “Wait, is that…?”

Rafe watched as Tally pulled something out from under his shirt.

It was a golden disc with a swirling shape missing from it.

Then Bud Wylatt pulled his from around his neck as well, holding it out so that Tally could see the missing section from his pendant was part of Bud’s.

Quick as a thought, Bud moved around the table.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, grabbing Tally’s arm with his prosthetic one. “Alone.”

“Ow,” Tally yelped.

“Sorry, sorry,” the old man said quickly. “I forget this thing is so strong.”

So strong…

---