bullets or flopping down to lie prone on floorboards, sidewalks, and streets. The images kept coming, a steady litany of proof that Celestin Hardy was someone few dared to cross.
A red mist condensed around the man, surrounding him and protecting him. Emma felt a boundary form between them, further freezing her and Eddie where they stood. And still Celestin Hardy continued to march forward until his gun was pressed against Otis’ chest.
Behind Otis, the Conroys had moved back by the ladder leading up to the airship. They cowered together like a flock of lost lambs. The mother looked ready to faint and the father kept eyeing the ladder. The kid had different ideas, though. He tried to muscle his way out of his father’s grip, like he wanted to run off or find help. Or—
Emma didn’t get a chance to think about what else the Conroy kid wanted to do. A gunshot split the cold air of dawn, just as the sun crept up high enough to cast a band of yellow-silver across the Vigilance and the other ships tethered to the deck.
Otis fell away from the end of Hardy’s revolver and landed flat on his back. A dark stain spread out from the hole in his chest. Eddie swayed on his feet and Emma rushed to support him. The Conroy dame screamed her fool head off while the husband did his best to keep her hush. The kid went rigid, no longer held fast by his father. He just stood there, staring at Celestin Hardy like he would any man he’d met on the street.
The station master pocketed the revolver and turned to face Emma. He smiled and extended his arms to suggest Emma and Eddie lead the way to the station house. His face was a mask of calm now, and the haze of murder had vanished. Despite what he’d just done, Emma no longer felt the same sense of terror or violence coming from him, as if he’d snapped his fingers and cast a spell to make it all go away.
Emma looked back down the deck at Otis’ still form. For a moment she let herself feel nothing, but it didn’t last. She turned to the station master, pleading with her eyes that he let them go.
“I might could be troublin’ to you, sure enough,” he said to Emma. “But any man alive know you ain’t familiar with dat dead man and his history in New Orleans.” He turned and walked toward the station house, motioning with a hand for them to follow.
Emma let the man’s words settle like a heavy coat around her. She knew Hardy wouldn’t waste a second if she and her group caused him trouble. He’d just start blasting away because that was how Celestin Hardy solved problems. Emma was familiar with the idea, having solved at least one of her own problems the same way.
And look where it got you.
She held Eddie around the waist and together they made slow progress in Hardy’s wake. Emma didn’t look back to see if the Conroys were following. The mother had gone quiet, and Emma took comfort in that. But only a bit.
“Why’d you kill him?” Emma asked Hardy as they walked up to meet him at the station house door.
“He like to have business here once upon a time. Man been wanted many a year for things he did when last he lived in New Orleans. He takin’ a certain somebody’s property and claimin’ it for his own.” Hardy paused and smiled at them. “All you need knowin’ is Celestin Hardy be workin’ for this certain somebody, and moi ? I would be remiss to be lettin’ dat sonofabitch walk away from what he been havin’ comin’.”
Hardy flung a dismissive hand at the air, leaving his arm outstretched so that his finger wound up aimed back at Otis’ body like the muzzle of a gun. “Not sayin’ he could walk too good, mind,” he said, chuckling as he drew his arm back to his side. “I might could ask you why da man been given a once over and then once more again. Where you comin’ from?”
“Chicago City,” Emma said before she knew the words were on her tongue.
“You travelin’ long with this one?” Hardy said to Eddie, ignoring Emma
A red mist condensed around the man, surrounding him and protecting him. Emma felt a boundary form between them, further freezing her and Eddie where they stood. And still Celestin Hardy continued to march forward until his gun was pressed against Otis’ chest.
Behind Otis, the Conroys had moved back by the ladder leading up to the airship. They cowered together like a flock of lost lambs. The mother looked ready to faint and the father kept eyeing the ladder. The kid had different ideas, though. He tried to muscle his way out of his father’s grip, like he wanted to run off or find help. Or—
Emma didn’t get a chance to think about what else the Conroy kid wanted to do. A gunshot split the cold air of dawn, just as the sun crept up high enough to cast a band of yellow-silver across the Vigilance and the other ships tethered to the deck.
Otis fell away from the end of Hardy’s revolver and landed flat on his back. A dark stain spread out from the hole in his chest. Eddie swayed on his feet and Emma rushed to support him. The Conroy dame screamed her fool head off while the husband did his best to keep her hush. The kid went rigid, no longer held fast by his father. He just stood there, staring at Celestin Hardy like he would any man he’d met on the street.
The station master pocketed the revolver and turned to face Emma. He smiled and extended his arms to suggest Emma and Eddie lead the way to the station house. His face was a mask of calm now, and the haze of murder had vanished. Despite what he’d just done, Emma no longer felt the same sense of terror or violence coming from him, as if he’d snapped his fingers and cast a spell to make it all go away.
Emma looked back down the deck at Otis’ still form. For a moment she let herself feel nothing, but it didn’t last. She turned to the station master, pleading with her eyes that he let them go.
“I might could be troublin’ to you, sure enough,” he said to Emma. “But any man alive know you ain’t familiar with dat dead man and his history in New Orleans.” He turned and walked toward the station house, motioning with a hand for them to follow.
Emma let the man’s words settle like a heavy coat around her. She knew Hardy wouldn’t waste a second if she and her group caused him trouble. He’d just start blasting away because that was how Celestin Hardy solved problems. Emma was familiar with the idea, having solved at least one of her own problems the same way.
And look where it got you.
She held Eddie around the waist and together they made slow progress in Hardy’s wake. Emma didn’t look back to see if the Conroys were following. The mother had gone quiet, and Emma took comfort in that. But only a bit.
“Why’d you kill him?” Emma asked Hardy as they walked up to meet him at the station house door.
“He like to have business here once upon a time. Man been wanted many a year for things he did when last he lived in New Orleans. He takin’ a certain somebody’s property and claimin’ it for his own.” Hardy paused and smiled at them. “All you need knowin’ is Celestin Hardy be workin’ for this certain somebody, and moi ? I would be remiss to be lettin’ dat sonofabitch walk away from what he been havin’ comin’.”
Hardy flung a dismissive hand at the air, leaving his arm outstretched so that his finger wound up aimed back at Otis’ body like the muzzle of a gun. “Not sayin’ he could walk too good, mind,” he said, chuckling as he drew his arm back to his side. “I might could ask you why da man been given a once over and then once more again. Where you comin’ from?”
“Chicago City,” Emma said before she knew the words were on her tongue.
“You travelin’ long with this one?” Hardy said to Eddie, ignoring Emma