Chapter 15: Run!

“Quick—through that hole!” Auburn said, pointing.  Both girls struggled through the brick hole that led into the train station.  Brittany went first, pulling Auburn behind to make it easier.  They collapsed on the dusty tile floor and lay, panting, staring up at the sunlight trickling through cracks in the roof.

It was then that they heard the voices.  Two men were talking, but neither were in sight.  It didn’t take long to figure out that they were in the baggage room.

“—nine millimeter’s a beauty,” one of them was saying.  “It’ll stop anything.”

“The boss said you might need it,” said another voice.  This one Auburn recognized.

“Hardaway!” she gasped.

Brittany turned to her curiously; Auburn motioned for her to be quiet.

“This Purple Porcupine business has him real down,” continued Hardaway.  “Everything the Porcupine’s done has been against him.  He’s lost three of his insurance policies, and his cover’s been sabotaged.  Before long, those kids will wise up to the fact that he can’t manipulate them any more.”

“Who is the Purple Porcupine, then?” came the other voice, which Auburn didn’t recognize.

“Beats me,” said Hardaway.  “The boss doesn’t have any idea, either.  That’s what’s making him mad.  He says he’ll give us ten thousand dollars in cash if we stop the Porcupine.”

The other man whistled.  “That’s a lot of dough.”

“The problem is,” continued Hardaway, “I don’t know anything about him.  None of my contacts do either.  Near as I can tell, he’s working alone.”

“I’ve always wanted to work alone,” said the other voice, “but it’s too much trouble.”

“You’re telling me,” said Hardaway.  “Why do you think I keep working for Richards?  I don’t get him, anyway.  Some of his crimes make sense, but others—like that widow’s house he burned down.  What was the point?  He didn’t have an insurance angle on it or anything like that.”

“Uh, maybe the old lady paid him to burn it down—”

“Very unlikely,” said Hardaway.  “Just so long as it’s those kids carrying out those assignments, and not us.  We’re just here to make sure his kids stay in line, and we keep our alibis in shape by going along with it.  Don’t you just love having a boss that no one suspects?”

“Yeah,” said the other, “and these digs ain’t so bad, either.  No one’d ever assume this station was our headquarters.”

“Just use the crazy old man act to scare off prowlers, and we’ve got nothing to fear,” said Hardaway.  “We lead an easy life, and no one’s…”

Brittany felt a nudge at that moment.  She turned and saw Auburn holding her nose while making a tortured expression.  Instantly, she knew what was going on. Auburn was about to sneeze!

Carefully, the girls darted back the way they’d come.  When they came to the hole, Brittany motioned for Auburn to crawl out first. A good idea, but not good enough, for as Auburn’s hand came off her nose—

Ah-chooooooooooooooooh!

Oh, what a sneeze!  It was the type that would cause an audience of fifty people or more to turn and stare at the offender.  Only four were present in the station, and only two were expecting it, but the two that weren’t…

“What was that?”

“Someone’s listening!”

Auburn wasted no time squirting her way through the hole.  Whirling, she caught Brittany’s hand and yanked her friend through.  “Run!” she yelled.  “Hurry!”

Shouts came from behind, as Hardaway and his friend spotted Brittany’s feet moving through the hole.

The girls took off running, east, towards the business district.  When they came to the edge of the railyard, they ducked behind some bushes, just as their pursuers emerged from the train station.  One raised a gun to fire, but Hardaway cut him off.

“Don’t be an idiot!” he said.  “Do you want everyone in town to hear the shot?”

Auburn and Brittany forced their way through the underbrush until they reached the sidewalk.  “Hurry!” called Brittany.  “They’ll be able to see us any moment!”

“Too soon,” agreed Auburn, looking back.  Hardaway and his pal weren’t visible yet, but if they saw her and talked to Richards, her plan would be jeopardized.  She had to get off the street before the men reached the sidewalk.

Glancing to her right, she saw a store.  Without taking the time to see what it was, she yanked Brittany through the door.

“Act calm!” Auburn whispered to her friend.  “Let’s pretend we’re shopping.”

Brittany nodded, fear outlined on her face.  Trying to control her emotions, she started studying the wall in front of her.  Several racks hung from it, each containing several verses of poetry. Taking one in her hand, she turned it over casually, as if examining it.

“If you don’t mind my saying so,” came a voice from behind them, “you look a little young to be shopping here.”

Auburn and Brittany whirled around, finding themselves face to face with the clerk. For the first time, they got a good look at the store’s merchandise.  Large slabs of marble, granite, or other types of rock stood around the store, each looking solemn and forlorn under the dim light.  Over the counter, a sign spelled out the name of the place: Trout Funeral Home.

Perfect, thought Auburn.  What a cheerful place!

“Uh…we were just browsing,” said Brittany.  “My grandmother’s in the hospital, and the doctor’s weren’t sure…”

“I think I understand,” said the man.  “We have some great grandmother poems, up top to your right.”

“Thank you,” said Brittany.  “I think I just need to browse.”

Nodding, the clerk went back behind the counter.  Brittany grabbed another verse off the rack and whispered to Auburn, “Actually, my grandmother’s in great health.  She still runs marathons.”

“Those guys look like they’re running marathons,” said Auburn.  “There they go!”

Hardaway and his pal tore past the store, wondering just where their quarry had gone.

“Give them about fifteen seconds,” said Auburn.  “Then, let’s step out as if nothing had happened.  I don’t think they saw us.”

“Me neither,” said Brittany.  “Good idea.”

“I’d better wait till later to take you to see Allie,” Auburn whispered, even softer.  “We don’t want them—”

“I understand,” said Brittany.  “I’m off at five.”

Auburn shook her head.  “Can’t go anywhere in the evenings.  Sometime tomorrow, maybe?”

“I could probably slip out around 11,” said Brittany.

“Perfect,” said Auburn.  “Meet you at the gas station.”

The girls stepped out into the street, heading east as if nothing had happened.  Auburn pushed the button to cross 2^nd Street, then sucked in her breath as she saw Hardaway coming from the other direction.  He darted across without waiting for the walk sign, racing straight towards the two girls…

And passing them as if he didn’t care what they were up to.

Both Auburn and Brittany peeked over their shoulders.  “Someone’s in a hurry,” Brittany commented.  “I wonder what he’s looking for.”

Auburn shrugged.  “So does he.”