Back on track, p.24
Back on Track, page 24
“They should have had a buggy ready for me,” she muttered. “My knee will be like a balloon after all that walking.”
“Jade said she wouldn’t be long.” Beau stood in the open door with his back to Ketty but turned as she approached.
“Oh, hello,” he said. “We’re waiting for some assistance.”
“Anything I can do?” Ketty peered past him but all she could see was the distinctive stick on the floor and a set of trousered legs on the couch. The rest of the woman was hidden by the open door.
“No, but thanks. Jade’s getting us an icepack.” He leaned closer. “The knee is playing up.” He spoke in a lowered voice and a tone that suggested he wasn’t sure it was the case.
“Who are you talking to, Beau? Shut the door. The waitress can knock if she ever comes back.”
Beau gave Ketty a rueful look and stepped into the cabin, closing the door behind him.
Ketty felt a little sorry for them both. Neither of them appeared to be having the enjoyable time that she was. She’d only taken several more steps when another door opened and she almost collided with Tien as she rushed out, a pair of shoes clutched to her chest.
“Hello.” Ketty glanced at the door. Tien had just left Ning and Judith’s room. The room she shared with Lacey was the one Ketty had just passed. “Everything all right?”
“Yes.” Tien nodded. “It will be. Lacey has bad blisters on her feet and Ning is lending her shoes for tomorrow.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Has she had some medical attention?” Ketty half turned back.
“Yes.” Tien drew herself up importantly. “She’s been patched up. Some men from her tour group helped her out and Birgit has loaned her some slip-on shoes for tonight.” Tien leaned in closer. “Lacey hasn’t anything else but a pair of flip-flops and some useless platform sandals.”
“I see. That’s kind of both Ning and Birgit, and lucky for Lacey she can fit their shoes.”
“They both have bigger feet but with all the plasters it seems to work.”
“Oh dear, poor Lacey.” Once more Ketty half turned to the door.
“We’re looking after her.” Tien drew herself up importantly again.
“Of course you would be.” Ketty smiled. “Tien, I hope you’re not bothered by our conversation earlier. I would never blame you for my broken wrist. I hope you know that.”
She nodded and her face softened. “I’m sorry I got so silly over it. Ning has set me straight.”
“Good, because you know how much I value you as a friend as well as an employee.”
“Of course, Miss Clift.”
A door opened behind Ketty and a couple left the next cabin on from Lacey’s. They headed off in the direction of the lounge car.
“That’s lucky,” Ketty said. “There’s not much room for passing in the corridor, is there?”
“Goodness, no,” Tien agreed. “I nearly got knocked over by a man earlier. It was just after we got back. Lacey was in our bathroom so I went down to the kitchen to fill up my water bottle. I was nearly back to our room when a man came from behind and tried to squeeze past me, and we collided.” She rubbed her shoulder. “He was carrying a shoe box. It dug into me and he dropped it. The lid was held on by a fat rubber band and we both scrambled to pick it up. Goodness knows what he had in it – it was quite heavy and made of strong cardboard. He snatched it from me and almost ran off along the corridor to the next carriage.”
Ketty recalled her earlier sighting of Mr Visser. He’d been carrying a small box. “What did he look like?”
“His hair was sticking up and he was jumpy, on edge.” Tien leaned in. “I thought perhaps he was a little strange, you know, like someone who takes drugs or something.”
Ketty didn’t know about Mr Visser’s personal habits but Tien’s description fitted him, and Ketty was sure her door had been locked when she’d first got back to the train.
“Did you see which cabin he came from?” she asked.
Tien shook her head. “The passage was empty when I left the kitchen and made my way back and then suddenly he was pushing past from behind me.”
“Could he have come from my cabin?”
Tien gasped. “Why would he be in your cabin?”
“The door was locked when I got back from the tour and then by the time I came back with Matt it was open again.” Ketty didn’t mention the scent that also lingered in her room.
“Goodness, he could have come out of your cabin.” Tien gaped at her. “The box, was it yours? Has he stolen something?”
“No, it’s not my box and anything important is secured in the safe. It might just explain the locked door, that’s all.”
“But why would he be in your room?” Tien gasped. “He could have been through all our rooms. Maybe he had stolen things and put them in the box. I must go and check.”
“I don’t think—” Ketty’s words were lost as Tien squeezed past and into her cabin, gabbling about checking their belongings before the door shut behind her.
Ketty sighed. She really didn’t think Mr Visser a thief but there was certainly something going on. She glanced at her watch. She had no time to follow it up now. She hoped Carlos was ready to go. She had to collect her things and make sure they were on the first bus to the old telegraph station for dinner.
Behind Judith the bathroom door opened. She stepped back quickly from the cabin door, through which she’d easily been able to hear Ketty and Tien’s conversation.
“What’s wrong?” Ning asked.
“I’m not sure but there may have been a man in our cabin.”
“A man!” Ning clutched at her neck and glanced around as if he was about to spring out.
“He’s gone but I heard Tien say he pushed past her in the corridor and Ketty seems to think her door was locked when she came back from the bus so perhaps he was inside then.”
Ning’s hand dropped to her side. “Oh yes. She couldn’t get in. She asked the steward to come and check but the door opened then.”
Judith nodded. She’d heard that conversation through the thin door panelling as well.
Ning snatched up the little bag she kept a small selection of jewellery in. Judith was wearing the few items she’d brought with her so she wasn’t worried about that but she didn’t like the idea of someone snooping in their room.
“It’s all here,” Ning said then reached for her case. “My souvenirs.”
“I don’t think—”
Ning’s case crashed to the floor and she got to her knees and checked inside. “Everything is still here.”
“Of course it would be.” Judith shook her head. Ning had only had the case down a few minutes earlier to get out her spare shoes for Tien to give to Lacey. “We don’t know anyone was in here.”
“Oh, I hope nothing is missing from Tien and Lacey’s cabin, or Ketty’s.” Ning hoisted her case back up. The fabric of her emerald-green and pink floral silk dress swirled and glittered with the motion. “I’ll go and check on the girls.” She glanced back at Judith. “Goodness, you need to change. Ketty has asked us to make sure we get on the bus together to go to the dinner.”
“I’ll have a quick shower now. It won’t take me long.”
“Have you spoken with Ketty yet?” Ning asked. “Apologised?”
Judith shook her head.
“Dinner under the stars will be far less constrictive than being on the train. Perhaps there will be time tonight but you must get ready quickly.”
Ning made a shooing motion then hurried out the door.
Judith sighed and took out the dress shirt she was planning to wear over her black pants for the dinner. It had a collar, buttoned all the way down and finished just above her knee. She’d made it from teal-blue taffeta that had a laser-cut eyelet pattern creating a swirling chevron effect. She’d chosen the fabric and made it herself, knowing how important dressing up for this dinner was to Ketty. It had been a thrill to work on something so special for herself, a rare occurrence, and she’d been so sure Ketty would love it. Judith removed her clothes and stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. Now she had no idea if Ketty would even look twice at her outfit, let alone be prepared to speak with her.
Carlos was still in the bathroom when Ketty re-entered the cabin. She immediately got down on her knees and checked the safe in the bottom of the small wardrobe. He’d put a gold watch in there along with a set of gold cufflinks and she her pearls and a bag containing a bracelet and some rings. She was relieved to see the pearls nestled in the case when she opened it. They’d been her mother’s. She left them out. She’d forgotten to put them on earlier and they’d be perfect with her dress. Next she opened the little case that contained Carlos’s items.
“Oh no.” The cufflinks were still there but not his gold watch. He’d said it had been his father’s. Like her pearls, of sentimental as well as monetary value.
She snatched up the small drawstring bag containing her other jewellery as Carlos stepped out of the bathroom looking very suave in chinos and a long-sleeved shirt. His missing case contained his only evening attire.
He pulled up short when he saw her. “What are you doing down there?”
“I thought your watch was missing but then I remembered you were wearing it today.”
A strange look crossed his face and Ketty felt a little chill. Ever so briefly he’d looked furtive, almost afraid, then he’d smiled.
“It’s in my bag.” He waved in the direction of his hand luggage stowed above them. “It stopped…needs a new battery. I’ve put my other one on.” He tapped the smart watch on his wrist.
Ketty blew out a small sigh and placed the jewellery bag back in the safe. She could tell from its weight everything was still inside it. “Thank goodness.” She shut the small door, locked it and picked up the box containing the pearls. “I’d forgotten to get out my pearls and I wanted to check everything was still there.”
Carlos gave her a wary look. “Why?”
“Do you recall last night? We were in the lounge car. You came back to use the bathroom and you opened the door and there was a man in the cabin and you thought you had the wrong cabin.”
“Oh, yes, I flung open the door and there was poor Mr Visser.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Once you pointed him out to me I’m certain it was Mr Visser.”
“No, I mean are you sure you had the wrong cabin?”
Carlos frowned. “I was jet lagged, in a rush and embarrassed. To be honest, I don’t really recall. I assumed I’d only gone along one carriage and not into the second. Why?”
Ketty told him about the locked door that was no longer locked when she’d come back with Matt and Tien being mowed down by Mr Visser out in the corridor.
“She said he’d come out of nowhere. It was while I was off finding Matt so it’s possible he was in our cabin. This cabin.” She stabbed a finger towards the floor. “And that was the reason the door was locked.”
“Why would he be in here?”
“I don’t know but Tien said he was clutching a small box to his chest.”
Carlos glanced around. “Surely he’s not taken anything?”
“No.” Ketty shook her head. “I checked the safe to be sure. The only valuables we have are in there or on us.”
“I suppose I could have been in the right place when I opened the cabin door but as I said I was in a hurry. I went on to the bathroom at the end of the carriage.” Carlos stroked his neatly trimmed beard. “I didn’t ponder it much at the time but now… when I think about it, I did return through two carriages before I got back to you in the lounge car. Perhaps I had the right cabin after all. It all seems a bit odd.”
“I know but I wonder…”
Carlos tipped his head to one side, studying her intently. “What’s going on in that brilliant brain of yours?”
“Well, Mr Visser was in my cabin when I first boarded in Darwin.”
“How?”
“He’d mistaken the carriage. Matt says it happens sometimes. People have the right cabin but the wrong carriage.”
“So Mr Visser was in here?” Carlos held out his hands.
“Yes. He was a bit put-out, but when Matt explained he moved on to his own cabin quickly enough. Now I wonder if he left something behind. Something he’s been trying to recover.”
“Like a small box?”
Ketty nodded.
“Surely you would have found it when you put your things in here.”
“Not if he stowed it up there.” Ketty pointed at the case storage area. “We haven’t used the spare pillows and I noticed they were disturbed when I returned this afternoon.”
“After the door had appeared to be locked and after Tien ran into Mr Visser in the corridor.”
“Exactly.” Ketty nodded. “Perhaps he’d stowed it up there and forgot it momentarily when he moved on.”
“Why wouldn’t he simply have said he’d left something behind?”
“I’ve no idea.” Ketty smiled at Carlos. “But I intend to find out.”
“Of course you do.”
“Now, will you help me put on these pearls, please?” Ketty lifted the strand from its box and held them around her neck. “The clasp is tricky.”
Carlos did as she asked then she turned back to him. They were close. So close she could easily have brushed a kiss across his cheek but she stepped back and said “Thank you” instead.
“The pearls are perfect,” Carlos said. “You look so glamorous in that…” He frowned. “What colour would you call that?”
Ketty glanced down at the shantung dress she’d made specially for this dinner. “Chocolate truffle.”
His eyebrows raised then he shook his head. “I’m sorry, I look rather underdressed to be your escort.”
“Don’t worry about that. Your case is missing – it can’t be helped.”
“It’s very annoying.”
“And still no word on its location?”
“No.”
“Carlos, if you needed, I could lend you some money…to tide you o—”
“Why would you think I needed money?”
Ketty’s discomfort grew. She didn’t want him to know Judith had mentioned his card not working. “You didn’t have any parcels when you returned from the town.”
“Ah.” He looked down and brushed at his shirt. “I’d thought perhaps a tie might add a little pizzazz to my simple outfit but they were all of the tourist variety. Not really what I was looking for.”
“This might help.” Ketty reached into the bag she’d placed on the couch and took out the small gift she’d wrapped for Carlos. “I’ve got one for everyone at our table but perhaps you’d appreciate yours before we leave.”
He ripped open the paper and smiled. “You’ve been sewing again. I still have the bow tie you made me for Christmas…” he sighed, “in my case at some unknown destination.”
“It would have been the wrong colour anyway.” Ketty reached for the bow tie that she’d made from the same fabric as her dress. “Let me do it up for you.” She smoothed his collar down over the band and he turned back. “I hope you don’t think it presumptuous of me,” she said as she tweaked the bow a little. “But I liked the idea of your bow tie matching my dress.”
He reached for her hand. “I like the idea too.” He studied her closely, his deep brown eyes only a short distance from hers, his lips plump above his beard.
She pulled away and picked up the gift bag, her purse and pashmina. “We’d better go. I’ve got a bit of organising to do when we get there.”
thirty-one
Night Two – Alice Springs
The team from Ketty Clift Couture walked in an orderly group along the platform. Judith had lost all enthusiasm for organising but to her surprise Ning had been the one to step up and make sure they left together to catch the bus. It had been like rounding up the proverbial cats again. Tien and Lacey had taken forever to finish dressing and Birgit had wanted to leave when Rory and Rhys did. To Judith’s surprise, Ning had insisted they travel on the same bus so that they could arrive together and Birgit had agreed.
Heads turned as the group of women moved along the platform. Not everyone had dressed for dinner and certainly not to the level of the style that the women from Ketty Clift Couture had managed. Although Judith wasn’t sure about Birgit’s dress, which was too flashy for Judith’s taste. It was black with vibrant red roses. Birgit had cut the roses from a different fabric and appliquéd them on. The dress itself clung to her rounded curves and showed a generous amount of her bust. At least she was wearing a pair of the flat beaded shoes she was fond of making rather than high heels that wouldn’t have suited the terrain. Luckily she had two pairs of the flats with her and the other had fitted Lacey.
Judith was bringing up the rear of their group. Lacey was walking carefully but she appeared to be doing all right. The sparkling black and silver shoes looked pretty with her dress, so much better than those blasted boots. Perhaps after today they’d be consigned to the bin.
Judith had been surprised by Lacey’s outburst while they’d been waiting for their tour group at Simpsons Gap. She’d been emphatic in her belief that she’d not been the cause of the break-up with Dean. On the morning he’d told Judith he was no longer seeing Lacey, he’d been maudlin and had clammed up about what actually happened. Judith had been outraged on his behalf. It had been easy to add another black mark to Lacey’s copybook and she hadn’t held back on her disparaging remarks about how self-centred she thought Lacey to be. Dean had been in a low state and easily accepting of Judith’s version of Lacey.
Now Judith was feeling a bit sorry about that. She’d been quick to dismiss Lacey from Dean’s life but since they’d been on this trip Judith had seen another side of her. There’d been her calm reassurance of Tien about sharing a cabin when Judith was sure she’d have preferred to bunk with Birgit, she’d leaped to Ning and Tien’s defence the previous day when Judith had been cross, and today at Simpsons Gap she’d waited behind with Judith, although as it had turned out, her own feet were sore so it had probably been self-serving. Nonetheless Judith wondered if there was a side of Lacey she’d kept hidden and that had caused Judith to misjudge her.
