Walking the Edge by Thomas E. Hall

Author:Thomas E. Hall [Hall, Thomas E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

The sun was setting behind the train station when I kissed Marie goodbye. One last hug, then she stepped aboard the passenger car. I walked alongside and watched her through the windows until she took a seat. Then I blew kisses at her until the train pulled away.

My train to Detroit left about fifteen minutes later. I found a seat in a mostly-empty car near the front of the train. Just as I sat down, the locomotive’s whistle blew and the train started moving.

I stared out the window while the train gathered speed. I could hardly believe Marie loved me. How lucky could a fella get? She had everything: kindness, brains, looks, and health.

Then a dark thought hit me: if High Voice found out I was with Marie he’d get to me through her. He knew her name, her family’s name, and where they lived. She’d be in harm’s way.

I let out a sigh. What could I do?

Leave Detroit. The newspapers said business was strong throughout the Midwest. Factories were busy, there were plenty of jobs in Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Fort Wayne, Gary, and Chicago.

But my dream job was in Detroit. I’d been given a chance that comes along maybe once in a lifetime. Lincoln made some of the best luxury cars around, and had the Ford money behind it. Sure, I was just a gofer, but I could work my way up. The future looked good for Lincoln, and it looked good for me. I’d be a fool to walk away from it. But was it worth my life? Marie’s life?

The train was at speed, the clickity-clack of the rails coming fast now. In the fading light, beyond the bare trees and harvested fields, the grey-blue water of Lake Erie glistened in the setting sun.

I wanted the whole kit and caboodle. I wanted to marry Marie, design cars at Lincoln, and live happily ever after. Was it too much to ask? Could I have it all without crossing paths with High Voice again? Detroit was a big place, but I’d seen him three times since the night Kenny was killed. A fourth could be the end of me.

The passenger car shook when an oncoming train passed on the next track. A roar, a blur, then it was gone.

I had to get High Voice off my back. But how? I’d left the note for Rawls saying Schultz was cheating him. It didn’t seem like much, but what else could I do? Go to the police and tell them what I saw that night? Tell them High Voice was using the old Foster Brothers’ factory to smuggle liquor?

I shook my head: bad idea. The police couldn’t be trusted. High Voice was surely paying them off, so if I told the police about High Voice, the police would tell High Voice about me. I wasn’t stupid. I knew how things worked.

How could I get him to leave me alone?

Kill him? I’d never considered killing anyone. I’d killed plenty of animals; it was something we did on the farm.

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