“Your wife is lovely, Mr. Zimmerman, her name is Dorian. Her love for you is deep. You have twin sons, my age. I see a lovely young woman, holding a newborn baby. She is holding in her arms a baby boy, named Frank after his grandfather.”
Frank stares at her in amazement and then his laugh booms out startling Dalton and Cassie. “Who put you up to this? One of the crew?”
Cassie shakes her head, “The baby Frank, has a birthmark, like all the men in your family. On his…” she starts to say, but Frank leaps up from his chair.
“Well, I am sorry, but I needed you to believe me,” Cassie says sipping her tea and blushing.
Dalton laughs, “Please Mr. Zimmerman, sit and hear us out. We needed you to believe in Cassie’s gift.”
“Mr. Zimmerman, I'm sorry if I upset you, but I…” she starts to speak, but he quickly sits grasping her hand.
“We have never spoken of our family birthmark,” he whispers “for obvious reasons. Please, if your gift is real, tell me, Mrs. Rivers, how long will my wife have?” his desperation hits her, and Cassie looks deeper.
“The sickness is… Typhoid, but she will live to see your grandson grow to be a man. You must follow the directions the doctor gave you, Mr. Zimmerman.” He drops his head to the table and struggles not to weep.
“Thank you. Call me Frank.”
Dalton pats the older man’s shoulders and offers Cassie a tissue. She blows her nose and waits for him to sit back composing himself.
“She made me go back to work, said I was driving her to distraction.” He wipes his brow with a shaky handkerchief.
“You were. She is resting and enjoying your grandson. You will find her in much better strength when you return.” Cassie looks at Dalton, and he sits heavily beside her.
“Frank, you have to stop the train from leaving the station at Promontory. Cassie is gifted. She had a vision of this train derailing.”
“Indians, are working on the tracks, pulling at them and I saw the train derail, Frank. I am not an alarmist. I don't get paid for this, nor do I share my gift with just anyone. In fact, I was taught to hide it, but I fear the death of all of those on board this train.”
Frank looks startled by this admission. The porter brings in the second part of lunch, and they sit to discuss what can be done. He waits until the waiter leaves and sighs. “I can talk to the engineer, but I am not sure they will listen. What do I tell them, Mrs. Rivers? No offense, but a psychic told me the train will be attacked by Indians won't cut it. In fact, the art of witchcraft is punishable by death in most states.”
“I am not a witch, just a concerned citizen. Dalton?” she whispers. He takes her hand and replies.
“With all due respect, sir, that is up to you. We are simply messengers. I am taking my wife and traveling on by horseback. Your job is the safety of those on this train.” Dalton pulls her up and heads to the door.
“Wait! Cassie, thank you for everything. I can promise you that I will do my very best to convince them to at least check out the track ahead.”
“Not good enough, Frank. Promise me that you will not stay on this train. If you want to see your wife again, you will heed my warning.”
“I promise. I think I will take early retirement. It will be good for my family to have me around full time.” Frank watches them go with a sick feeling in his stomach.
Three hours later they pull into Promontory station, and Dalton kisses Cassie hard on the mouth. “I will be back as soon as I can. Don’t leave the cabin.”
“I won't. I promise, now go,” she urges him.
Cassie straps on her corset with her cash sewn into it and then pulls on a sweater. Layers will be important on the trail. Next, come her jeans. They look like a skirt from the front with full coverage to her ankles. Her cowgirl boots are well worn from years of use on her family ranch. She quickly pulls her hair back and ties it with a small piece of cord and finally she straps on her gun belt and sits at the table to load her pistols.
Dalton heads into the station. It is a large building, and people are bustling off the train. He looks around and gets directions for the town livery. After purchasing three horses, he makes arrangements for their bags to be taken by stagecoach to Wyoming. He moves on to the telegraph office and sends two messages. One to Mr. Wells informing him of the change of plans and another to his brothers. Time to get some help.
Next, he moves on to the general store and buys supplies for camping and extra ammunition. They will have to head into the mountains, and he knows getting to the mountains is going to be the hard part. If he were alone, he would ride hard and fast, but with Cassie, at his side, things will be more difficult. He can only pray they make it to the cover of the mountains. Time to get Cassie off the train.
Dalton ties up the horses just outside of town and returns to the train as the sky turns orange with the glory of the sunset. When he sees the train being loaded with coal and water, he is frustrated. “Damn!”
“I agree,” Frank says, stepping up from behind. “I couldn't convince them, Dalton. I won't be going any further. I was told that the Railroad had all the passengers sign waivers stating that they knew this could be dangerous. Our trains are robbed and sabotaged daily,
