Kidnap on the California Comet Read online

  ‘Hey, Hal!’

  Hal saw Mason sitting in a booth in the centre of the carriage with Hadley. He made his way over, glancing at the rude passenger in the long coat, who was exiting the sightseer lounge through the connecting door.

  ‘What you looking at?’ Mason asked, craning his neck.

  ‘Nothing,’ Hal replied. ‘It’s just . . . that person was weird.’

  ‘Weird?’ Hadley asked. ‘Like, how?’

  ‘They pushed passed me without saying excuse me, and they didn’t thank me when I moved.’

  ‘It’s not weird for people to have no manners.’ Hadley laughed. ‘You’ve obviously never been to a casino.’

  ‘No, I haven’t. But that person’s wearing a hat, coat and scarf, indoors . . .’ Hal frowned. ‘It’s warm in here.’

  ‘Oh, you meet all sorts of weird and wonderful people on the California Comet.’ Mason pulled a face. ‘We met you, didn’t we?’

  ‘Ha, ha, very funny.’ Hal grinned.

  ‘Last time we took the Amtrak, we were sat in coach, and I was next to a world-champion hot-dog eater,’ Hadley said, moving up so Hal could sit down beside her. She wrinkled her nose. ‘She smelt really funky.’

  ‘What’s coach?’ Hal asked.

  ‘The cheap seats,’ Mason replied. ‘Through there, in the next carriage. You sleep sitting up, like on a plane.’

  ‘Are you in coach this time?’

  ‘No.’ Hadley did a celebratory shoulder dance. ‘We have have a family bedroom.’

  ‘Reno pays well,’ Mason said, rubbing his hands together.

  Hal looked down at the cards spread across the table. ‘What’re you playing?’

  ‘This is no game,’ Hadley said, sweeping the cards into a pile. ‘This is magic.’ She gave him an intense stare. ‘You are lucky enough to be in the presence of the greatest female illusionist in America.’ She sighed. ‘Or at least I will be one day.’

  ‘You will?’

  ‘Sure. Name a card.’

  ‘Err . . . king of clubs.’

  Hadley shuffled the deck, spreading the cards in a fan, face down, across the table. She paused, closed her eyes, and then flipped one of them face up. It was the king of clubs.

  ‘What!’ cried Hal as Hadley opened her eyes. ‘How did you do that?’

  ‘The cards speak to me,’ Hadley said, her voice mystical. ‘Only great magicians can commune with the cards.’

  Mason laughed at Hal’s astonished expression.

  ‘Great magicians also get thirsty. I’m going to get a drink.’ Hadley shimmied out from her seat, accidentally backing into a wiry man in a grey suit. His briefcase clattered to the ground, landing at Hal’s feet.

  ‘W-w-watch where you’re going!’ the man snapped, and Hal recognized him as the man he’d drawn in the dining car – all neck and no chin, his anxious features gathered together beneath slick grey hair.

  ‘Hey!’ Mason jumped to his feet. ‘Relax, buddy. It was an accident.’

  ‘Your case,’ Hal said, picking it up off the floor. The man’s name was engraved on a silver plate beside the handle. ‘Mr Seymour Hart.’

  ‘Give that b-b-back!’ Seymour Hart yanked the case from Hal.

  ‘I . . .’ Hal was surprised by the man’s anger. ‘I was.’

  Passengers turned their heads and stared.

  Seymour Hart hugged the case to his chest and glared at Hadley, who was inadvertently blocking his path. She stepped aside. Hurrying up the aisle, he picked the furthest seat from them possible, beside the door to coach, and sat down in an armchair facing the the window.

  ‘He’s from Baltimore,’ Mason said.

  ‘How do you know?’ Hal asked.

  ‘I can tell by the accent.’

  ‘Jerk,’ Hadley said, sucking in her cheeks. Hal could see she was shaken by the man’s anger. ‘I’m going downstairs to the cafe. Either of you want a soda?’

  ‘Coke for me,’ Mason said as Hal shook his head.

  ‘I can’t tell if it’s jet lag, or America, or me,’ Hal said, returning to his seat as Hadley disappeared down the staircase in the centre of the. ‘But I feel like something strange is happening on this train.’

  ‘Relax, it’s just some uptight dude with a briefcase,’ Mason said.

  ‘No, it’s not just him. Things are happening around me . . . I can’t explain it.’ Hal sighed. ‘I feel like I should be able to see something, but I don’t know what I’m looking for. It’s like an itch but inside my head. Have you ever felt like that?’

  ‘I had lice once,’ Mason replied.

  Hal laughed. ‘Not that kind of itch.’

  ‘You had this feeling before?’

  ‘Only once, but I didn’t know what it was at the time.’

  ‘And was something strange happening?’

  ‘Yes – a jewel thief was robbing passengers.’

  ‘Holy cow!’ Mason’s eyes bulged. ‘What happened?’

  ‘I solved the case and caught the thief.’

  Mason sat back from the table, staring at Hal. ‘You’re a detective?’

  Hal felt himself blush. ‘When I was in the middle of the case, I felt that weird things – invisible things – were happening around me.’

  ‘And you feel that way now?’ Mason furtively glanced up and down the sightseer lounge.

  Hal nodded. ‘But I don’t know why.’ He leaned forward. ‘At lunch, I sat opposite this boy. He was trying to tell me something. He didn’t want his dad to see. I think he might be in trouble.’

  ‘What kind of trouble?’ Mason’s thick eyebrows met as he frowned. ‘What was he trying to say?’

  ‘He didn’t say anything because he has a head brace – the kind that straps round your face and attaches to your teeth.’

  ‘Poor guy. I had braces. They suck.’

  ‘He didn’t seem to want to talk, but when I started drawing the dining car, he took my sketchbook and pencil and went over some of the lines I’d drawn. Afterwards he did this series of actions, like he was miming a message . . . but I didn’t understand what he meant.’

  Hadley reappeared carrying two cans of soda. She slid one across the table to Mason.

  ‘Listen to this, Hadley. Hal’s a detective, and some kid with huge braces mimed a secret message to him at lunch.’ He pulled the tag and the cola crackled.

  ‘Secret message?’ Hadley sat down, slurping from her can. ‘Show me. I want to see.’

  ‘He did this, then this, and this.’ Hal repeated Ryan’s actions. Ring finger, fingers crossed, and throat cut. ‘And he kept looking nervously at his dad to make sure he didn’t see.’

  ‘Which finger did he tap?’ asked Hadley.

  ‘This one,’ said Hal, pointing. ‘The fourth one. I thought it could mean the number four, or . . . it’s also the ring finger, so . . .’

  Hadley raised her eyebrows. ‘So?’

  ‘Maybe he wanted to ring someone?’

  ‘Draw a ring around someone?’ Mason looked confused.

  ‘No. You know, telephone someone,’ Hal clarified.

  ‘Yeah, we don’t say ring – we say call,’ Hadley said.

  Hal felt crestfallen, realizing he may not have understood Ryan because he was British.

  ‘It must be the number four,’ Mason was saying, as Hal looked up, ‘because he did a plus sign next. Hey, it could be a sum. Maybe it’s a math problem.’

  Hal froze. Gene and Ryan Jackson were walking towards them down the aisle. Gene had a hand on his son’s shoulder, driving him forward. ‘Shhhhhhhh,’ Hal hissed, grabbing Hadley’s deck of cards and hunching forward. Hadley and Mason leaned in.

  ‘What are we doing?’ Mason whispered as Hal dealt the cards.

  ‘Let’s play gin rummy,’ Hal said loudly.

  Mason looked confused until he caught sight of Ryan, in his head brace, approaching. Taking her cards, Hadley sat back, clearly trying to steal a sideways view of the Jacksons.

  When Hal glanced up, Ryan was staring at him – his eyes pleading – as his father pushed him past the table.

  ‘They’re going into coach,’ Mason said under his breath. ‘I see what you mean about the teeth.’

  Hal knew from the look in Ryan’s eyes that something was wrong. ‘What is it that I’m not seeing?’ he hissed.

  ‘Maybe he was threatening you,’ Hadley said. ‘Like, you –’ she pointed at Hal – ‘are for –’ she pointed at her ring finger and then drew her finger across her throat – ‘the chop.’

  ‘But that leaves the plus out.’ Hal shook his head.

  ‘You said he drew something in your book,’ Mason said. ‘Can we see?’

  Hal pulled out his sketchbook, flicking to the drawing of the dining car. ‘Here.’ He pushed it into the middle of the table. ‘You see the heavy lines? They’re Ryan’s. He drew over the edges of tables and walls that I’d already drawn. It makes no sense!’

  ‘Maybe he meant you to see something in the picture,’ said Hadley, pulling the book closer.

  ‘But what?’ Hal huffed out an exasperated breath.

  ‘Hey, that’s uptight briefcase jerk.’ Mason pointed. ‘Look, there’s his case, under the table. I wonder what he keeps in there that’s so precious – diamonds? Forged banknotes?’

  ‘Some of Ryan’s lines are part of his table . . .’ Hal said, thinking out loud. ‘The message could be about him.’

  ‘Maybe briefcase jerk is a murderer!’ Mason drew his finger across his throat.

  Dread, like a cold mist, settled on Hal’s chest. He didn’t know what Ryan was trying to tell him, but something bad was happening on the California Comet.

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE

  Unable to work out Ryan’s message, they played gin rummy to the soundtrack of the sightseer lounge’s rattles and squeaks and the random chatter of passengers. Hadley won every round.

  Mason threw his cards down. ‘How come you keep winning?’ He folded his arms and gave his sister a hard stare. ‘Do you have a deck up your sleeves?’

  ‘Are you calling me a cheat?’

  ‘I’m just saying . . .’

  There was a thud and someone cried out. Hal turned to look.

  The rude passenger in the cap, coat and scarf had tripped over Seymour Hart’s briefcase, which had been sticking out into the aisle. The sunglasses and baseball cap had fallen from the passenger’s head, revealing blonde hair and a familiar face.

  ‘Marianne?’ Hal stood up and then, remembering her earlier behaviour, sat back down.

  ‘I’m s-sorry,’ Seymour Hart said, reaching out to help Marianne.

  ‘Get away from me!’ She scrambled backwards, grabbing her glasses and cap as she got to her feet. She paused when she saw Hal looking at her, and then hurried towards him.

  ‘I need to talk to you,’ she hissed. And, glancing over her shoulder, she added, ‘Not here. In the cafe. Make sure no one follows you.’ She shot a look at Seymour Hart, then disappeared down the stairs.

  Mason and Hadley were looking at Hal with raised eyebrows.

  ‘Friend of yours?’ Hadley asked.

  ‘No,’ Hal replied. ‘I only met her this morning.’

  ‘Hey! You only met us this morning!’ Mason pretended to be offended.

  ‘So, you gonna go down and talk to her?’ Hadley asked.

  Hal remembered the look on Marianne’s face when she’d screamed at him. ‘Will you come with me?’

  Mason nodded. ‘Sure.’

  Downstairs were more booths. Beyond them was a kiosk selling crisps and sweets beside a row of glass-fronted fridges, filled with sandwiches and fizzy drinks. Marianne sat at a table in the corner, furthest from the cafe counter. She’d put the sunglasses and cap back on. Hal walked over, Hadley and Mason following behind.

  ‘Who are they?’ Marianne asked, looking pointedly over her glasses at Hadley and Mason.

  ‘My friends,’ Hal replied.

  ‘I need to talk to you in private.’

  ‘Anything you need to say to me, you can say in front of Mason and Hadley,’ Hal insisted.

  ‘Fine.’ Marianne looked past them nervously.

  Mason slid into the booth opposite her, then Hadley sat down, and Hal, not wanting to sit beside Marianne, perched awkwardly on the end.

  ‘I’m not supposed to be here. If I get caught, I’ll be in trouble,’ Marianne said. ‘I’m not allowed to go anywhere without Woody.’

  ‘Is that why you’re wearing the worst disguise ever?’ Hadley said, raising a sardonic eyebrow.

  ‘Who’s Woody?’ Mason asked.

  ‘He’s my bodyguard,’ Marianne replied haughtily. ‘And if this disguise is bad, why didn’t Hal recognize me?’

  ‘What do you want, Marianne?’ Hal asked flatly.

  Her bottom lip trembled. ‘I want to say, I’m sorry.’

  Hadley looked at Hal.

  ‘What for?’

  ‘For flipping out . . .’ Marianne’s voice wobbled. ‘And hurting you.’ She sniffed. ‘It’s so boring being stuck in my cabin the whole time, and when you came to the Silver Scout, it was fun . . . drawing together . . . I thought we might be friends, and then . . . and then . . . I ruined it.’ She hiccupped, and Hal saw a tear roll down her cheek.

  ‘Wait!’ Mason looked at Hal. ‘You went in the Reza railcar?’ He turned to Marianne. ‘But, then you must be . . .’

  ‘Mason, Hadley – meet Marianne Reza.’

  ‘You’re August Reza’s daughter?’ Hadley’s mouth dropped open. ‘The August Reza . . . of Reza Technologies? The famous billionaire?’

  Marianne nodded. ‘Hi.’

  Mason stared at her, but Marianne ignored him, instead leaning towards Hal. ‘I came to apologize.’ She pulled off the cap and glasses.

  ‘Does Woody know you left your compartment?’

  Marianne shook her head. ‘I left music playing. No one will look.’

  ‘That was gutsy.’ Hadley sounded impressed.

  ‘I had to find you.’ She looked at Hal with wide blue eyes. ‘I really am truly sorry for – for hurting you. Forgive me? Please?’

  ‘OK,’ Hal said, softening at her apology. ‘But, what if your dad looks for you and finds you gone? He’ll be worried.’

  ‘Pfff – he won’t even notice.’ She sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘I get ignored for hours – and anyway, he’s busy preparing for tonight’s big announcement.’

  ‘Why the disguise?’ Mason asked.

  ‘I have a bodyguard for a reason.’ Marianne lowered her voice. ‘People mustn’t recognize me. Did you see that man up there – the one who tripped me with his case? I think he’s following me. He saw me get on the train. He was waiting outside the restroom when I came out of the crew cabins. He followed me through the carriages. Didn’t you see him coming after me?’

  Thinking about it, after Marianne had shoved past him, Hal realized the next person to come down the aisle had been Seymour Hart.

  ‘I hid in coach, and when he didn’t come after me, I thought he’d gone away.’

  ‘Why didn’t you say something?’ Hal asked.

  ‘He called to you –’ she pointed at Mason – ‘and I wasn’t sure you’d want to help me . . . after how horrible I’d been.’

  ‘My name’s Mason Moretti.’ Mason put a hand to his chest. ‘It is an honour to meet you.’

  ‘I shouldn’t have come. Woody always tells me it’s too risky for me to be out alone. It was a mistake.’

  ‘Are you sure that man is after you?’ Hal asked.

  Marianne nodded. ‘He looks like the guy who was arrested for stalking me back in Silicon Valley. Hal, I’m frightened.’

  Hadley nodded. ‘He’s one angry jerk. But why would he follow you?’

  ‘There are plenty of people who want to steal my father’s secrets or get their hands on his money. Sometimes, they try to get to him through me.’ She looked at Hal. ‘Once, a woman came to my school pretending to be a teacher. She was asking all these questions about my father. When I told the principal, it turned out she wasn’t a teacher. She was just pretending to be one. She was a spy who worked for Zircona.’ She sat back. ‘They arrested her. But that’s why we have Woody now. It’s his job to protect me.’ She bit her lip. ‘Except he thinks I’m safe in my cabin.’ She looked at all three of them. ‘And I’m scared that the man upstairs is another Zircona spy.’

  ‘What’s Zircona?’ asked Hal.

  ‘The Zircona Corporation? They’re only, like, the biggest company in the world,’ Mason said, sounding incredulous.

  ‘Third biggest,’ Marianne corrected him. ‘Reza Technologies is the second biggest. Zircona is my father’s rival.’

  ‘The rivalry between Zircona and Reza is famous,’ Hadley said to Hal. ‘There’s always stories about it in the papers.’

  ‘My father is paranoid that someone from Zircona will kidnap me.’

  ‘By the sounds of it, he might be right,’ Mason said.

  ‘Well, at least then maybe he’d notice me,’ Marianne said bitterly.

  ‘I think you should go back to the Silver Scout,’ Hal said. ‘I don’t know anything about Reza Technologies or Zircona, or how big businesses work, but if you are in danger, then we need to get you back to your railcar, where you’re safe.’

  ‘Do you forgive me, Hal?’ Marianne asked hopefully. ‘I couldn’t stand it if you hated me.’

  ‘I don’t hate you,’ Hal replied with a half-smile.

  ‘So, we’re friends again?’

  ‘We’re friends,’ Hal said.

  Marianne leaned over the table and kissed his forehead. ‘Oh thank you,’ she gushed as Hal turned red.

  ‘Next stop is Mount Pleasant,’ Hadley said, studying the timetable on the wall. ‘The train takes on luggage there, so you’ll have plenty of time to get back to the Silver Scout.’

  ‘But if Seymour Hart sees Marianne get off the train, he might try and get to her,’ said Mason, clearly excited by the drama.

  ‘We’ll walk you back to your railcar, Marianne,’ Hal said. ‘Make sure you’re safe.’

  ‘I’ve got a better idea,’ Marianne said.

  Two minutes later, Hadley came out of the restroom wearing Marianne’s cap, scarf and sunglasses. She twirled in the long coat. ‘How do I look?’