Memphis Sultry Train.

Memphis Sultry Train
Chapter 4
What Woman?

    I woke suddenly to the sound of screaming voices. A woman seemed to be begging for something. I jumped off the couch and quickly pressed my ear against the wall. She wailed loudly “No, please Arthur . . . please.” The wall shook with a bang and then silence. Dead silence. 
    I look around the room not sure what to do. Should I call for help? Was the woman hurt? Anxious with fear I rushed to my small closet and rummaged through my things for the gun I kept hidden. 
    “Damn it!” I cursed as panic sat in. 
    I dug faster and faster as foot steps approched. My head pounded with fear. Droplets of sweat rolled down my temples. Tears welled up in my eyes. What the hell was going on around here? A murder on the train last week, now a woman begging for her life. I began throwing clothes from the closet as fast as I could. I dropped to my knees and grabbed a luggage from the bottom of the wardrobe. I threw it on the couch and quickly open each zipper. I stopped suddenly at the sight of the beautiful, shiny gun. I grabbed it and held it close to my chest. I inched toward the door of the small room not certain if I should go out and find help. 
    I quietly turned the handle on the door slowly cracking it open and peered out. The hall was empty despite the foot steps I had heard. I walked to the door of the room next to mine and laid my ear against it. There was only silence. No voices, no screaming, nothing. I raced to the end of the car and threw open the door as Jasper approached. 
    “Mrs. Scarlet are you feeling well? You look spooked.” Jasper inquired. 
    “No Jasper. No I am not. Come with me please.” 
    “Yes ma’am, I’m right behind you.”
    We walked to the doorway of my room as I explained what I heard and tried to keep my gun concealed. 
    “Jasper I’m afraid. What if the woman is hurt. Or worse what if she’s dead?” 
    “Don’t you worry Mrs. Scarlet. I’ll get to the bottom of this. Now you stay right here and let me find out what’s gong on.”
    I stood quietly as Jasper knocked on the door of the other room, gripping the gun firmly. He knocked twice but no one answered. 
    “Hello,” he called. “Is anyone there?”
    “Are you sure it was this room Mrs. Scarlet?” he asked. 
    “Yes, absolutely sure. Try again.”
    He rapped on the door loudly this time and called out for a reply. Nothing. 
    “I have a room key. I’m going in.” Jasper said. 
    “Be careful. Please be careful.”
    Jasper inserted the key and turned the knob. He pushed the door open and peered inside. 
    “There’s no one here ma’am.”
    “That’s not possible. I heard a woman screaming. I heard . . . yelling and fighting and, and then I came out into the hall. She was hurt.”
    “Are you sure it wasn’t a bad dream you were having? It’s late and you were upset from almost missing the train, and . . .”
    “Jasper! No it wasn’t a dream. I’m not crazy. I know it was real.” 
    I walked into the room and looked around. There was no sign of a tussle. The room was in perfect order. 
    “Jasper look at the passenger list and find out if this room was booked for tonight. Go fast and come back and let me know. I’ll be in my room waiting. Hurry please.”
    “Yes ma’am.”