Chapter Nine
Raven awakened an hour before dawn to a morning of pouring rain. Thanks to Steele, she’d slept like a baby, and the memory of their time together made her smile, but the weather would further impact what would undoubtedly be a long day. Before bed, she’d packed what she’d be needing for the trip and was certain Steele had done the same. Detective Welch would probably arrive early in hopes of catching them off guard so she could exercise her authority by making them rush around to meet her departure timeline, but Raven had no intention of giving her that satisfaction. She desperately wished she could put off the trip. Knowing she had no choice, she left her bed, took care of her needs, and got dressed.
Steele was already at the table when she entered for breakfast, as were her mother and Harrison. Steele, giving no indication of how scandalous they’d been last night, nodded agreeting and she returned the same. Seeing her mother and Harrison made her smile inwardly as she remembered the shout she’d heard last evening, but she only offered them a simple good morning. She fixed herself a small plate of bacon and grits, added a cup of coffee, and took her seat.
Her mother asked, “How’d you sleep?”
“I slept well for once. How about you?”
Her mother shot Harrison a quick glance and smiled. “Slept well, too.”
Raven raised her coffee cup, sipped, and let her amused eyes say to Steele what words could not. His responding gaze showed he understood.
The two couples spent the time discussing Charleston. Hazel talked about her plans for the job and the disguise she’d settled on. They’d just finished the meal when the door pull sounded.
“That’s probably Welch,” Hazel said. “I checked the schedule yesterday and the train is scheduled to depart at nine.”
Raven looked up at the clock on the wall. It was now a bit past six-thirty. “I’ll get the door.”
It was Welch. Her olive-colored travel attire and matching hat showed signs of the rain still pouring down. “Good morning,” Raven said.
“The train leaves at nine. I hope you’re ready to depart.”
“We’re just finishing breakfast. If you haven’t eaten, there’s food left.”
“Is that supposed to be funny?”
Raven feigned confusion. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I should have you arrested for whatever you put in my food yesterday.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play innocent with me. You know good and well you or someone in your family laced my food with a purgative.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. None of us saw you yesterday or knew where you were staying. How could we have put something in your food? Have you made an enemy here in the city that might be responsible?”
Raven saw the wheels turning in the detective’s head as she considered the question. She wondered if the LeVeq family came to the Pinkerton’s mind.
“No,” Welch lied.
“That’s very curious, I must say, but the Moreaux had nothing to do with it. I hope you’re feeling better today.” The lingering effects of the purgative could be seen in her slightly sallow complexion and the dark circles under her eyes. But as Raven said to Steele, at least it had been a purgative and not poison. The detective could be lying in a pine box instead. “Mr. Steele and I are ready to leave. Just let me retrieve my carpetbag from my room.”
“Do it quickly.”
Veiling her reaction to the harshly spoken demand, Raven left Welch standing by the door.
Upon returning, she shared a farewell hug with her mother and Harrison. They’d see each other in Charleston, but no one shared that fact with Welch. After Steele finished his goodbyes, he and Raven, soon to be Lovey and Evan Miller, followed the detective out to the hack waiting in the rain.
At the train station, Raven wondered if she and Steele would be allowed to sit with the White passengers. With the rollback of progress tied to the demise of Reconstruction, some railroad companies were practicing segregation, and forcing members of the race to ride in the gambling cars and, in extreme cases, with the cattle and other livestock. To her relief, the conductor honored their tickets, so they settled into seats in a row behind the still sour-faced Welch.
The rain was falling even harder and Raven could barely make out the scenery through her window. As a result, the train’s pace could be bested by someone walking. She prayed they wouldn’t be delayed by washed-out tracks, a common hazard of travel during bad weather. Beside her, Steele fished around in his small travel case. “I have a few books,” he said to her. “Would you like one to help pass the time?”
She shook her head. “No, you go ahead.”
“Are you certain? I’ve a copy ofAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”
She forced a smile. “No, but thank you for offering.”