Death on the Homefront by Frances McNamara

Author:Frances McNamara
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction/ Mystery & Detective/ Historical
ISBN: 978-0-9996982-8-0
Publisher: Allium Press of Chicago
Published: 2020-09-28T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

Fred and his racing mechanic both died in the crash. George sent word that he needed to take care of his brother’s body and Mirkin volunteered to find us a way home. He left us in the box with a couple of George’s friends, as the crowd streamed out of the stadium below us. The race was completed, but the award ceremony was shortened, and the crowd seemed to come to its senses with the news that two men had died. Perhaps it was only my imagination, but they seemed satisfied. They got what they’d come for, danger and death. Shutting my eyes, I tried to rid myself of the sight of the crowd. They disappointed me. They took the loss of the young men so much in stride, I hated it. What chance was there for any of us if we held young lives so cheap?

Hearing footsteps behind me, I opened my eyes and turned to see Tommy. He still wore his oil-streaked overall with his goggles pushed up on his cap. His face was filthy. He held the thick gloves in his hands, kneading them, as he stood in front of me.

“Mother, Lizzie, we heard about Fred,” he said. Lenny was hovering behind him.

I was relieved to see my youngest child in one piece. But I couldn’t for the life of me understand why he’d acted as he had. “You went back on the track after the crash. Why did you do that?”

“We had to,” Lenny said over Tommy’s shoulder. “Our backers were watching, and we had to keep racing, or they wouldn’t put up the money for the Vanderbilt.”

“It’s what we’ve been working for all year,” Tommy said, “to get to the Vanderbilt. If we blew it in this race we’d be out.” He saw the look on my face. “You don’t understand. That’s what you do if there’s a crash. If you’re whole, you keep racing. It’s not just us, it’s everyone. Everyone does it.” He took a breath as if to say more, but Lenny grabbed his arm and he swallowed.

My throat was too choked up for me to speak. I blinked back tears.

Lizzie was slumped in her seat. “First Hazel, now Fred,” she moaned.

Lenny stepped up in front of her. “I know. Isn’t it awful? Do you think…” He looked at Tommy who was frowning at him. “You don’t think Fred did it because of Miss Littleton?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Tommy shook his head, but Lenny continued. “It’s just that…it shouldn’t have happened. When we were on the track…it looked like something was wrong. He should’ve been able to pull up. It looked like a problem with the drive shaft.”

“Stop it, Lenny,” Tommy said.

“No, I have to say it. Spofford could have done it himself, you know. He could have done something to make it happen. Maybe he couldn’t go on without her…Miss Littleton. Maybe it was just an accident, but we did wonder, Tommy…you know we did.”

Tommy looked like he wanted to hit his friend, but he contained himself with an effort.

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