Did Audra need someone guarding her?
She shook off the idea. She wouldn’t give in to fear. Instead, she’d stay close to others, especially Robert. That and a good night’s sleep were what she needed.
But if Mark had his way, she wouldn’t sleep for another twelve hours. It didn’t matter. She had to rest. Collect her thoughts. Even if for a minute. She lay down on the twisted sheets and pulled the thin blanket over her. She’d close her eyes—just for a minute.
A tap pulled her from her doze. Audra opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. All was quiet. No side-to-side motion or clack of the train wheels against the tracks. The train must still rest next to the station or wherever it had halted. The sun still shone so she knew she couldn’t have slept long. As she yawned, she knew it hadn’t been long enough.
The knock was insistent this time. “Audra.”
Mark.
She sat up and stretched. Her neck and upper back muscles bunched painfully. “Yes?”
“We need you in the lounge car.”
“Five minutes.”
“Why does everybody need five minutes? We don’t have time.”
“Good-bye, Mark.”
She heard his huff as he walked away. Guess he’d won in his insistence to proceed tonight. He might be crazy. Did he really expect the performers to ignore what had happened to Lana? What a cold-hearted man.
Approaching the mirror, Audra grabbed a tube of lipstick and touched up her makeup. Then she tried to brush the wrinkles from her skirt. There was little she could do without time and an iron. She slipped on her pumps and left her berth. The policeman no longer stood outside Lana’s berth. In fact, she didn’t see any officers as she walked to the lounge car.
Gloomy faces greeted her when she entered the lounge car.
“The police have finally released us so we can finish the last little patch of track to Norfolk. From there we’ll hop in a fleet of taxis and make our way to the theatre. We’ll have two hours until the show if all goes well.” Mark clapped his hands as if that made it so. “The show’s at Loews State Theatre.”
“A movie theatre?” Danny Lester’s lip curled.
“Why not on one of the military bases around here?” Charlie Lester crossed his arms.
“Don’t worry. The locals call the theatre ‘Dixie’s Million Dollar Dandy.’” Mark turned to Danny, pinning him with a glare. “And don’t forget we’re here to sell war bonds, not entertain the troops.”
“Can’t we at least sneak close to them?” Constance twisted a strand of hair around her finger.
Frank frowned at her. “Ah, you just wanna sneak a kiss.”
“Maybe.” She winked and blew the red-faced man a kiss.
The train jerked into motion and a few of the performers cheered. Audra reached for the wall to steady herself and, with the next jolt, fell against Dexter Snow. The wiry man pushed her upright and stepped to the side.
“Excuse me.” Audra studied him, rubbing her side. Dexter hadn’t said two words to anyone that she’d heard since he’d hopped on the train. Even now, he simply stared at her, a cold look in his eyes. She refused to be cowed by the rude man.
Conversation took off among the performers, reaching a dull roar as they talked in clusters. Mark slapped a table and whistled. The sharp sound brought a quick halt to the discussions.
“Enough. You have ten minutes to gather whatever you’ll need for tonight. Dexter, I need to see you pronto. Audra, you too.”
The dark-haired man gestured in front of him. “After you.”
His deep voice wasn’t what she’d expected from such a thin man. He looked like he hadn’t eaten a bite in days. And his clothes looked disheveled, like he hadn’t had the opportunity to have them properly cleaned or ironed.
Victoria stopped on her way out. “Ride with me to the theatre?”
“Of course.” Audra imagined she’d need the time with a friendly face. And anything would be better than riding in a cramped car with the Lester twins or philandering men with wandering hands.
“Audra.” Mark sounded exasperated as he waited for her.
“See you in Norfolk then.” Victoria squeezed her hand then slipped from the car.
Audra approached the two men, waiting for Mark to tell her what he needed.
“We need to get Dexter incorporated. Any thoughts?”
Audra mentally ran down the schedule. “Well, he certainly won’t be effective filling in for Lana in a love scene with Quincy or Royce.” She must be tired to have said that out loud.
“A tad scandalous.”
Audra blushed. “Of course. But I think Annabelle could fill in on Lana’s bit for one of those. Then Dexter... I’m sorry, what do you do again?”
“Cut women in half.”
The color rushed from her cheeks at his words. “In light of what’s happened today, I find that repulsive.”
Mark placed a hand on her arm. “Calm down, Audra. Dexter’s a magician, not a murderer.”
Dexter stiffened at the word. “I beg your pardon?”
“Look, it’s been a long day already—and we’re all on edge.” Mark looked from Audra to Dexter. “Dexter, maybe you should watch the show tonight, and we’ll figure out where to add you in at the next stop. In fact, it might be best to use you when we go to the different military stops or in the pre-show entertainment. We’ll have to work it out.”
Audra nodded. “That could work. None of us is prepared to think hard now.”
“Then maybe I should hop right off this caravan.”
Mark glanced at the pile of papers in front of him, dismissing the man. “If you wish...”
With a harrumph, Dexter turned on his heel and stalked toward the men’s cars.
“Is he always so...”
“Pompous? Yes. Mr. Snow there believes he’s God’s gift to this caravan. Frankly, I wish he hadn’t joined us. A magician? What on earth are we supposed to do with one of them? On top of everything else?” Sweat poured from Mark’s forehead, and he fidgeted with the top button of his button-down. “Good night, as if I didn’t have enough egos.”
Audra hurried to the small serving station and picked up a glass and pitcher of water and brought them to him. “Would you like a drink?”
“Indigestion. Get it something terrible and this job does not help one iota.” Mark accepted the glass of water and gulped it down without pause. He rubbed his stomach then sat. “Get on the first taxi headed to the theatre. I’ll need you on the ground to check the layout. It’s supposed to be a classy place, but we’ll see for sure when we arrive. And make sure Dalia’s ready to run. She’ll have her work cut out for her when we get there.” Mark looked up from the stack. “Why are you still standing there? We don’t have time to lollygag, doll.”
Audra hurried from him and knocked on each door as she passed. “We should arrive in five minutes. Pull your things together.”
Mumbles and incoherent phrases were all she heard as she hurried to the next car. She rapped on a few more doors then slowed as she reached Dalia’s room. Guilt washed over her. She should have made an effort to visit her earlier in the day. Especially before she laid down to rest. Poor Dalia. It had been uncaring to leave her alone while the others gathered in one place. Had the police even talked to Dalia? Audra knocked then paused.
“Dalia?”
The muffled sound of wails reached her.
Audra twisted the knob and hurried in. Dalia was sprawled at the foot of her bed, her large frame crumpled on the floor. Horror flashed through Audra at the sight, until Dalia looked up at her. Nothing seemed amiss with her other than the grief lining her face in twin rivers of tears.
“I’m sorry.” Dalia began to struggle to her feet but couldn’t get them underneath her.
“Are you all right?” Audra hurried to support her and help her to her feet.
“No. I can’t rightly say I am. Such a well of grief in me at everything I didn’t say or do for that poor lost lamb who died today.”
“Lana?”
“You haven’t seen any other bodies lying around, has you?” Dalia’s face contorted into a mask of horror.
“No, ma am.”
“Well, then, that’s a good thing.”
“But why are you so upset?”
“Because that girl never got things right with God. Leastways not before last night. I can only pray she did in the end.” Dalia wiped her eyes with a hankie and then tucked it in a pocket. “What do you need, Miss Audra?”
“Mark wanted to see if you needed any help before tonight’s show.”
“Shore he did. He’s never offered to help me. Not a single day of his life.” She settled on her bed, rocking from side to side. “I’ll be ready. I always am.”
“I’ll let him know.”
“You do that. And pray nothing else goes wrong with this caravan.”