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"I've heard rumors, you can't be a Captain of a boat this size and not." Wade chuckled. "I am sorry about your men though."
"Are you now? I have to tell you we suspicion everyone that isn't accountable."
"Yes…well, perhaps, but I was here, aboard my ship, how can I be under suspicion." Wade asked with a slight chuckle. "Ask my passengers if you don't believe me. My wife just delivered a baby boy, I suppose you hadn't heard." Wade added just as flippantly.
"That is curious, isn't it?" The Colonel frowned. "Well, I suppose congratulations are in order then. Maybe we should spend our time looking elsewhere. Have you considered that the culprit might have caught this boat to escape?"
"No, have you?" Wade narrowed his gaze as the Colonel cupped his hand over the match at his pipe.
He drew on the pipe for a minute, his expression bland. "We're keeping our eyes and ears open. That's for sure. Since your boat regularly moves down the Mississippi, it would be a perfect ruse, don't you think."
"Perhaps, but your logic could sure drive my guests away. Do you have any suspects yet?" Wade asked curiously as he stood motionless before him.
"Not as yet, no, but one of our own said the ones that were killed were chasing someone. And curiously they were killed with a knife, rather than a gun, so as not to alert anyone at the time."
"A thief maybe?"
"Perhaps, we're still looking into it." The Colonel twitched his mustache and studied Wade carefully as he spoke. "But at this stage of the war, I don't see thievery is a wise idea, do you?"
"Depends on what they are stealing of course." Wade answered, and walked off, concluding the conversation.
The Colonel stared after him for a long while.
Wade had grown tired of the cat and mouse game that the Confederates seemed to delight in. This wasn't his first trip and Wade did hope it might be his last.
The tension was tight, but Wade knew the key to it all was being as calm as he could. General Martin had taught him that. The key was not appearing guilty at any time, even to the point of being caught. Which was hard to do, Wade was sure.
Wade reflected on General Martin many times and had tried to learn as much as he could from the man. He'd been a genius at not giving away his hand. Not one passenger ever suspected General Martin of being a Yankee officer.
That evening the Colonel dined just a few tables away from Wade and he alerted both Beth and Jacob of his presence.
The baby was a welcome distraction as half the passengers stopped to see him.
"What a lovely baby," one lady, a new passenger came up to their table. Beth was a bit startled by her at first as she'd never seen the woman before. She felt defensive of her child too. As though the woman meant him harm. She had the greatest urge to grab him up on her shoulder, but Wade had taught her to be calm.
Beth tried to be pleasant and smiled, but she sensed something amiss with the lady and as soon as she left she glanced at Wade.
Later that evening she mentioned it to him. "I don't know why, but that woman that came to our table bothered me. She was a total stranger and coming up to our table like that, was quite unexpected."
Wade nodded woodenly, "I felt it too, honey. Of course I couldn't say anything, but from now on, when you get that feeling, keep on yo
ur toes and watch what you say."
"I will, of course."
"It just didn't seem natural. Did it?"
"Not at all. I mean she didn't know us, or did she?"
"Yeah, I got that impression too. Funny, but the Colonel was almost accusing me of something today and I told him flat out I was here when you were having the baby. That shut him up fast. I wonder if she is trying to get information out of you. We must watch everything we say and do these days."
"I agree." Beth nodded. "They aren't very subtle are they?" Beth frowned thinking about it.
"No, and that's to our advantage." Wade chuckled. Then suddenly Wade twisted his head and opened his mouth as though going to say something, then stared at Beth. "We must warn Jacob, that the young women that seem to flock around him, could be trying to get information from him."
Beth's mouth fell open. "I never thought of that, but you are so right. He said he'd probably stop by before he went to bed, we could warn him then."
"Good. There is all kinds of trickery going on. Two soldiers were killed and they are looking everywhere for the culprit, even so far as suspicioning our guests on the boat."
