Chapter 13

"A racehorse is an animal that can take several thousand people for a ride at the same time."
Author Unknown

They didn't linger long on the crowded Chicago streets. Clara and Race were eager to leave, in hopes that they had lost Carlos; Jack's reason was altogether different. Silently, she commended him and the determined set of his jaw. She had only caught certain things from the letter that had lain on his bedside table but it was enough for her to understand the situation.

Although she didn't think him nearly as handsome as Race, she did like Jack. Even though she had barely known him an hour she was confident in Racetrack's trust in him; if he would travel halfway across the country for this friend then Jack was worth it. Funny, how in just a few short days she had come to trust Race. Of course, that was the direct effect of getting to know him; something she didn't think would have happened had they stayed in New York. Race, like any other human being, was complicated and contradictory. He loved gambling, he still gambled, but now, after a terrible accident, he didn't let it control his life.

For awhile after her broken engagement, she'd moped around with an aching heart, a hurt pride but she had grown steadily stronger from that experience. Instead of succumbing to the pressures of society, to get married and live in a faithless marriage for the sake of convenience, she had snubbed her nose at them all and contented herself with the life of a spinster. At least she could make her own decisions then, be independent and not sell herself to a weak man who would squander her family's money.

In the meantime, she had set her sights on the Orphanage in Brooklyn that she sponsored. It had taken up much of her time and consequently, her heart. The ragtag group of forty or so girls had quickly wormed their way passed her defenses and she knew that if they could live through hell and still smile each day, so could she.

She smiled to herself as they neared the Dearborn train station, eager to return home and see her girls. "I'm gonna hit the gentleman's room." Race's voice broke through her thoughts and she smiled at him as he turned and walked away. Just as suddenly as the eagerness came, it began to ebb away as she thought about how she wouldn't be spending so much time with Racetrack anymore. A blossom of sadness spread through her and she was taken aback by how strong it was.

Without really knowing she was doing it, she watched his retreating form until a clearing of throat brought her back to where she stood with Jack. Her cheeks grew red and she shot him a sidelong glance to see if he'd noticed her staring and was relieved to note he was looking politely away. A sudden thought occur to her and she wondered how she should bring it up. "Jack?" She asked, turning her head so she could face him directly.

His brown eyes, not nearly as warm and soft as Race's, met her gaze expectantly. Hesitating only a second, a touch intimidated by the scar that ran down his cheek, she blurted out, "Did I do something to Sophie? That is, why did she seem to…dislike me?"

A chuckle escaped him and took her aback as his eyes slid away from hers to the direction Race went before he replied, "I tawked a lot ta Sophie while I was…drunk ta say the least." He lifted a sardonic eyebrow at her as he turned his eyes back on her, "I think Sophie was a little bit in love with him, from what I told her of him. Guess she didn't expect him to come here with a wife." Jack smiled and it pulled the scar back so that it looked comical.

Clara smiled in reply but it was forced. Her eyes slipped from his and, unbidden, sought Race's in the slightly crowded terminal. Of course, Sophie would be partially in love with the idea of a man who was funny, loyal, and kind. How could any woman pass up such a man? She felt a stab of something akin to satisfaction that she was the woman going home to New York with Race and she wasn't sure where the feeling came from. Possessiveness was not something she was used to, especially when it came to a man who was not hers and it was silly to feel so smug to see another woman's heart a little broken over the disappointment that the man she fancied was married.

Finally, her eyes found his and she was surprised to see he already had his on her as he made a beeline for them. He looked a little disgruntled, as if seeing them smile at each other bothered him, but she couldn't be sure that was the reason. Could Race be as possessive over her as she was over him? She felt a small thrill at the thought.

As he stopped in front of them, Jack asked, "Hey, Race? I was wonderin', how's Medda? Ya see her lately?"

A look crossed Race's face that instantly sent Clara on edge as she wondered who this Medda woman was. "She's doin' good. Retired two years ago, now she helps train the youngah girls and runs the theatah."

Jack smiled as they headed towards the platform to wait for their train bound for Pittsburgh and then back home to New York. "That's good. I'll have ta visit her." He paused to explain to Clara, "Medda was a friend of my father's and use ta be a Vaudeville performer at Irving Hall. Race loved watching her shows." For a moment she thought that was all he would say on the matter before he added, almost to no one in particular, "Race always did like redheads."

Clara felt another blush rise in her cheeks as she shot a sidelong glance to see Race's expression wasn't unlike her own. His eyes met hers for a brief second and a fizzle of electricity seemed to charge the air between them until she dropped her gaze and took a seat on a nearby bench. Race murmured something to Jack before setting her suitcase next to the man and joining her on the bench, "Hey."

"Hi." She replied, rather lamely. She was acutely aware that things between them had been tenuous at best since the very moment they met. When it came to Racetrack Higgins, things never seemed simple.

She watched him run a hand through his inky, black hair, "Look, sweetheaht, I'm sorry."

Surprised, she met his eyes, "For what?"

Equally bewildered, he answered, "For not tellin' ya I thought I'd dealt with Barkers. I undahstand I caused ya ta worry."

"Oh. Oh, Race." She laughed, "I completely forgot about that. Between Carlos and Jack…Thank you. I accept. I…shouldn't have gotten so upset with you. You are always looking out for Scott."

He looked relieved, "Good. I didn't want ya mad at me anymore."

"Can I just ask you something? Why do you think Carlos was on the train?" She glanced around, as if just saying his name would summon him.

Race nodded, his brows furrowing together, "I have an idea but I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps, when I paid Barkers Sunday, he took that and put it towards my debt to him and voided the blood paid by Snipes. Which would mean Scott still owes him."

Her eyes widened, "How can he do that?"

As he opened his mouth to answer, a shrill whistle split through the air and a train pulled up. A Platform Guard called out their train. He stood and held out his hand to help her up. Clara smiled gratefully and slipped her hand in his.

"He's making the rules, sweetheaht." Race finally answered her a little while later as he handed her onto the train.

Clara waited patiently as Race and Jack got on and followed them to an open compartment. They chatted as they got comfortable, Clara and Race on one side as Jack sat facing them. "It's gonna be a cramped ride." Race commented, as the train pulled away from the station.

Jack sighed, his eyes lingering on the city that was fast falling away. Clara studied him, wondering if he was aware of the enormous change that his life was about to take. She almost envied him, her life up until four days ago had been rather dull. Race had been the spark to the flame of the sudden turnaround of her life.

The majority of the day, Jack and Race continued to talk about people they had known, things that had changed and memories they shared of the strike. Clara listened most of the time, enjoying the kinship the two shared and otherwise learning a lot just by the actions of these two. Jack was very much the leader type, quick to think of a strategy and put it to work with varying results. From what she'd heard, he'd gotten in a quarrel with David, Race's boss, and left New York shortly after; a plan he'd played with for quite a few years before finally carrying out. Unfortunately, he hadn't gotten farther than Chicago and had been there ever since.

Race, on the other hand, was more relaxed. He took what he was given and made the best of it. He'd used his ties to David to get his job at the hotel, which earned him a good and respectable living. His loyalty to his friends was commendable and Clara was surprised that he hadn't let the hardships of life completely overwhelm him. She could see where it had worn him down, in the lines on his face and the slight tension of his shoulders, but he wasn't nearly as jaded as Jack seemed to be. Jack was quick to smile at something Race said, but just as quick to let the smile go. His expression was more often brooding compared to the Italians' open, laughing one.

Clara shook her head as she realized she'd been comparing the two men, growing ever more in favor of Race without understanding why she was doing it. She stood up, needing a breather from this obsession with her brother's best friend or so she had to remind herself, "I'm going to go stretch my legs. Excuse me."

"Do you need me ta come with you?" Race asked meaningfully and it took her a moment to comprehend that he was talking about Carlos.

She shook her head, "Oh, no. I'll be fine." Even if Carlos was on the train, he'd never hurt her before.

Race narrowed his eyes, looking uneasy, but he nodded and she stepped out. She supposed he was going to talk to Jack about what was in that letter, or else he'd probably be more concerned for her. Easily, she walked along the main aisle, moving with the train as it rolled along the tracks. At one of the windows, she stopped to peer out at the sunset; admiring the deep pinks and gold's that colored the clouds on the horizon as the landscape slowly fell under the shadow of night.

For a moment, she was breathless with the wonder of it. Just as she thought about going back to the compartment to see if Race wanted to see it, she became aware of a presence behind her.

"Shhh." Came a voice right next to her ear as a hand snaked up and clamped down on her mouth. Frantically, she struggled as he wrapped his arm around her middle and dragged her into the nearest compartment.

Truly,

Joker is Poker with a J~

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