CHAPTER THREE

A short time later, at some stop William didn't recognize, the stationmaster boarded the train and asked for William to come with him. Annoyed at being taken off his journey, he hoped the news was important or useful. As he deboarded, he took care to note that another man also got up abruptly and stood on the platform behind them, lingering as though unsure what he needed to do. Undoubtedly one of Falcone's henchmen sent to follow him.

No doubt there had been another one as well, following Harry.

Ushering him into the building as the train left without them, the stationmaster closed the door to his office where another man sat watching Harry.

Julia's telegrams to all the stations had produced immediate responses, finding Harry unharmed. Thank God!

Harry said nothing, just stared at him angrily.

"Did you think I wouldn't come looking for you? Or that I wouldn't help you?" William said, answering the boy's unasked question.

Glancing out at the window, William noticed the man he had deboarded with was now talking to another man on the platform, both gesturing wildly. "This is official police business, so I must ask for your discretion and assistance. Has the man on the left asked to place a call or send a telegram since you apprehended this boy?" William asked the stationmaster.

Responding that he would check with his clerk, the stationmaster slipped out as William turned his attention back to the boy. His son.

"Harry, I give you my word that if your mother is alive, I will find her, and I will save her. But I can't fully focus on the matter if I must worry about you as well, do you understand me?" William scolded.

"I'm not a baby! I've been looking after her for a long time - something you weren't around to do!" Harry snapped back.

"You are an intelligent lad, and we have much to discuss, but for your mother's sake, let me handle this alone...I will find out what happened to her," William pleaded.

"That man on the left has been following me," the boy replied, fear flashing across his face.

"I know. The one on the right followed me here," William replied. "I'll take care of this, I promise," William spoke as he knelt to his level. "I know I haven't been around, but now that I know you're here, I very much want to be a part of your life. But I need to handle this first, all right? Your mom trusted me, Harry; that's why she brought you here. That's why she told you to find me."

"All right," he uttered softly, looking down.

Just then, the stationmaster re-entered and handed him a copy of a message sent before his arrival. Just as William thought, the message read: Package off train. Here with it.

"Has a reply been sent back?" William asked.

"Not yet, I checked the book myself," the stationmaster replied.

"Excellent. I'd like to fake a message that requests that both of these men return to Toronto, and then I'd like to send a message myself. The fewer people that know, the better," William asked.

William dragged Harry along to the telegraph office, lest he tried to escape again, or the men outside grew bold. He quickly scribbled out a message for the clerk to type up, asking the men to return to Toronto and await new instructions at Don Station. He wrote a second telegram to alert the constabulary to be there waiting for the men in plainclothes, ready to apprehend or trail them. Next, he composed a message to Freddie Pink, asking her to meet him at this station as soon as possible. The last message was for the Inspector, asking him to stay with Julia until he returned, or arrange protection, as she was no longer safe either. He tried to ignore the part of his mind that was pleased that she wouldn't be able to act rashly and leave him before they had a chance to talk.

If she wants to leave me, she can do so on her own accord, after all this is over, and not because she mistakenly thinks it will make me happy.

Looking at Harry, William rubbed the bridge between his eyes, trying to stave off a headache. As soon as Freddie Pink arrived, he'd send Harry off with her, as he trusted her to get the boy into hiding and keep him safe until this mess was over.

Taking out an old pair of trousers he grabbed from the train station's lost and found, he used scissors to cut the pant legs so they would be an appropriate length for an 8-year-old boy, stapling the hems shut and then stuffing them with discarded paper. Harry's coat and hat, he also stuffed with paper. He found shoes and a cap that worked too. As soon as Freddie arrived, he'd board the train to Montreal himself, carrying what he hoped people would assume was a sleeping Harry, while the real version was spirited away after his departure.

Though it was late, Julia had pulled out a couple of trunks of things she would want on her journey and items that held sentimental value. Anything else she could buy on her journey or when she reached her destination - a detail she hadn't quite worked out yet. She'd never been to Japan or China, and the idea of visiting such places was holding a great appeal to her when she heard a knock. Glancing at the time, she debated whether to answer the door when she heard the lock turn and a door open.

"Dr. Ogden?" a thick Yorkshire burr asked from the other room.

"Tom?" she replied, wiping the tears from her eyes as she rose. How am I going to explain this?

"Julia, is everything all right?" he asked as she walked into the room.

"I've been better, but I'm alive and physically unharmed," she shrugged.

"I let myself in... I was concerned something may have happened to you when you didn't pick up the telephone or immediately answer the door...sorry to barge in. Murdoch asked me to watch over you...said you weren't safe."

"Sent you over to make sure I didn't go anywhere," Julia muttered as she walked over to the drink cart and poured two stiff ones.

"Probably that too, but I suspect the Black Hand is onto us. Message was brief, but he said he was followed. Besides, looks like he was right to be concerned about you running off," he snorted, accepting the drink, looking around. "I know you're upset, Julia. You've received a helluva blow the last couple of days, but don't you think you should give both of you some time to handle this surprise?"

"I'm not angry. It's just that Anna is likely alive, and William should devote his time to his child... and I'm just allowing him to have the family he's always wanted... the one that I can't give him," Julia squeezed her eyes shut to hold back tears.

"Are you sure that's an opportunity he wants? Seems to me that if he'd wanted that more than anything, he could've run off with Anna when he had the chance. Instead, he stayed... to be closer to you even though you were married at the time. Remember? Doesn't sound like a man who wants you to leave... probably why he asked me to come over to make sure you didn't kite off," he laughed.

Sighing, Julia dropped into the chair and took a big sip of her drink. "He's such an ass," she muttered.

"Damned insufferable at times," Tom replied.

"That he is," she agreed.

"Helluva man, though. There's not a damned thing I wouldn't do for him."

Julia was startled. That was what she knew William would say about her, what she always told herself she felt about William.

William commandeered a compartment when he reboarded the train with the make-shift mannequin in his arms. It was a perfect ruse for getting Falcone's men to believe he and Harry were together and Montreal-bound. So far, the plan was working because the Black Hand operatives were going back to Toronto with that false information. Better yet, the men were not following Freddie Pink and Harry, who were on their way to Windsor, with Harry temporarily hidden in a steamer trunk.

William was not naïve enough to think those two operatives were the only ones following him. When the men got arrested back in Toronto, Falcone would believe for sure that he and Harry went on to Montreal. It was enough to sow some chaos, give him enough time to try and reach Anna in Montreal. The last contact he made was by telephone to Terence Meyers in Ottawa, calling in a favour by asking him to send men to the Montreal address and investigate if Anna was there. William planned to get off in Kingston, change his identity and appearance, then decide if he needed to go straight on to Montreal or go back to Toronto after he heard back from Meyers' men.

The problem was, even if he found Anna - managed to keep her and Harry alive and secrete them away somehow - that was not going to end it…