LUCID

The Gumbo Files

By

Curtis Long

I

The ticket office in the railroad station at Port Royal wasn’t meant for privacy.

Its low windows commanded a full view of the train platform. Danny Gumbo pretended to study his newspaper until train time, but his eyes were on the girl who paced up and down outside the waiting room.

She was agitated about something, but that alone wouldn’t have aroused Gumbo’s interest. He was young, single and susceptible. The girl was definitely attractive and neatly dressed, although Gumbo imagined she must be cold because of the lightweight tailored suit she was wearing. Another pair of eyes also watched her —those of a portly, bald-headed man with a ruddy complexion and little eyes.

Gumbo and the portly man both had purchased tickets, but so far the girl had not.

The train to Rumford rolled in, twenty minutes late, but Gumbo didn’t care much about that.

He had plenty of time and the Maine air was pleasant.

Gumbo picked up his bag, followed the portly man aboard the train and seated himself. The girl just stood there, apparently trying to make up her mind whether or not to get aboard. As he waited for the train to pull out, Gumbo thought of his mission. When old man Dan Lockhart yowled…