The train passed above Donner Lake, frozen and glazed with fresh snow. When they arrived at the depot, Longarm was the only passenger to disembark. The train did take on two freezing passengers, and then waited to load some cargo before pulling out of the depot for Sacramento.
'Good luck to you!' Liam shouted. 'You catch and hang them bloody train-wreckin' bastards!'
'I'll do my best,' Longarm called, watching as Liam went to help another train employee load some heavy wooden crates into the mail car.
The train depot at Donner Pass wasn't much. In the summertime, there was a heavy influx of people seeking the cool relief of the mountains. There were a few log cabins nearby, but most of those were down near the lake. Longarm entered the depot and headed for the ticket cage.
'Good afternoon,' he said. 'I'm looking for Mr. Bruce Pettibone. Is he around?'
'Yep. But you'd better hurry outside because he's about to board that train for Sacramento.'
'He can't do that!'
The ticket man shrugged. 'There are very few men that can tell Mr. Pettibone what to do. But it's a free country and you're welcome to try. You can see him through that window. Short, handsome fella in the red woolen mackinaw.'
Pettibone was a round bundle of energy and motion. Barely five and a half feet tall, he was uncommonly wide- shouldered. Longarm's first impression was of a beer barrel with arms and legs. He was baby-faced, but obviously not young because his hair was shot with silver.
'Mr. Pettibone!' Longarm called, hurrying after the man.
Pettibone turned. 'Yes?'
Longarm fumbled for his badge. 'I'm a federal deputy marshal from Denver and I believe that the Laramie Summit derailment was committed by the same people that also derailed the train at Donner Pass.'
'What makes you think so?'
'It's a long story.'
'I'm sorry, Deputy, but I've got to return to Sacramento.'
The man started to walk past, but Longarm blocked his path. 'I need your help. The people who wrecked your train are the same ones that sent the train I was riding in over the edge of a mountain just east of Laramie Summit.'
'My investigation tells me that is entirely possible. However, I'm working alone on this case.'
'Do you have any suspects?'
'No, not really, but-'
'I've killed four of the men that belong to the same gang that you are hunting.' Longarm looked Pettibone square in the eyes. 'And I have names.'
Pettibone blinked. 'You have names?'
'That's right.'
Pettibone glanced at the men as they finished loading the crates. The train blasted its steam whistle, and he and Longarm could hear the couplings strain as the big drivers that had pulled the train up the mountain began to roll forward.
'Give them to me!'
But Longarm shook his head. 'I'll be damned if I'm going to help you or your railroad if you won't cooperate in this investigation.'
Pettibone's face darkened with anger. The train began to move slowly. 'If you have suspects, I can work from Sacramento while you operate out of Reno. We can use the telegraph and probably be more effective than if we worked together.'
'We work together here or not at all,' Longarm said bluntly. 'And unless your career depends on you getting on board that train, I suggest you miss it and take me out to the wreck. I want to see it and hear everything that you know.'
'Is that right?' Pettibone exclaimed with exasperation. 'Well, when in tarnation would I get to hear the names of your supposed suspects?'
'Right afterward.'
Pettibone was a man torn between exasperation, curiosity, and desire. Very likely he considered that Longarm could not deliver the promised goods or that the names he had were worthless. Very likely he also had someone waiting at the Sacramento depot for him who would be very disappointed if he did not show up.
'Give me just one of your suspects' names!'
Longarm balanced his Winchester across his chest. 'All right,' he agreed, 'let's start at the top of the dung heap. The mastermind who planned and probably financed the derailment of both trains is no less than State Senator George Howard.'
Pettibone gaped with astonishment. He seemed to have trouble finding words. Finally he stammered, 'It's taken me thousands of hours of investigation to reach that same conclusion! How did you-'
'Your Sacramento train is leaving,' Longarm said. 'the question I have is, are you going or are you staying with me until we break this case?'
Pettibone took a deep breath. 'I'm staying,' he decided. 'Let's go back inside where we can talk in my office.'
