Change at Jamaica Station

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Caroline's Run                                                                 November, LIRR, NY

Gerriann is my next call, and she answers on the tenth ring. Not being patient and hating to bother my successful friend, I normally would have just hung up after the third ring, but I'm desperate. I hear fumbling, muffled voices, then a sultry sounding Gerri say, "Hello", in a sexy whisper.

"Gerri, I'm being followed. I'm on the train. I'm running from car to car. I.... have something they want." I breathe heavily, running, only slowing down between cars, the metal on metal rhythm of the tracks sounding loud and dangerous below my feet when I am outside, between the train cars. Finally, I open the next car door and hide in a corner whispering.

"What? Hold on... Stop it! Not you Carrie, wait a minute. Cut it out. Now. Carrie? Did you say you're being followed?" Gerri finally seems to be paying attention. "That 'stuff'? Do you... have more of it?" Gerri asks, with some other noises going on in the background.

"What? Yes, I have found more. I found more, from Jared's room, but who is following me? What should I do?" I try to stay calm.

"Hide in the bathroom and call the cops! There is a bathroom in every other car!" Gerri says.

"I can't. No time! I'm too afraid to be locked in a bathroom!" I'm envisioning myself being stabbed in a train bathroom, or the police arresting me and that man together, as if we are a team. Tabby said they cuffed her as well when she stopped the terrorist. I would never be able to explain the money.

"OK. What train are you on and what car are you in? There is a car number near every door on the upper right side."

"The 10:15 from Valley Stream to Jamaica. About half-way there now, I think. Car 62."

"Go to the last car. Stop it! Sorry Carrie, I'm not alone. Get off at Jamaica and go to the long trunk at the end of the platform I told you about. You can leave your things there, the code is 2222, in case it's locked. Then you should go directly to the police. They should be somewhere around that train station, it's so crowded. Just stay calm and lay low." Gerri says then quickly adds, "I had sensed all along that you've been dealing with something else. Girl, you need to get on the right side of this, but first get yourself safe." Gerri says seriously.

"OK thanks. Will you stay on the phone with me?"

"Of course!" Gerri answers. I take off my baseball hat and bomber jacket as I move from train to train, occasionally dodging behind a seat, and wrap the Hermes bag inside of the jacket.

When the train finally comes to a halt, I'm crouched down in the last seat of the last car. I exit the car and see exactly what Gerri has been talking about; a long white storage trunk in an otherwise empty train system. I quickly duck behind it, and while the platform is still crowded, I reach over and unlock it, dump my coat, with the money inside of it, behind other bags in the trunk. Rather than turn and exit with the other passengers down the escalator, I just keep walking to the very end of the platform where I can see five short steps that lead down to the tracks. I step down and walk quickly across the dozen or so tracks that overlap each other, between sitting trains, toward the farthest platform of the station. The overhang here makes the light dusty and I hope my black long sleeve shirt and slight figure will hide me.

While I am focused on avoiding touching every third rail I am now hopping around with, I can see seven or eight tracks over an employees' emergency only staircase which must lead to the street. I am hopeful until I get there; from the top of the stairs, I can see it has a locked gate at the bottom. I sit on the enclosed staircase and wait, catching my breath, stealing glances out at the station platforms. Finally, I have a chance to put the phone up to my ear. I can hear Gerri arguing with a man, giving orders to a driver, arguing again for someone to get out of the car. I have either interrupted a business meeting, or more likely from the sound of it, one of Gerri's famous rendezvous. I decide it's the later, but Gerri seems to be giving ground to this gentleman, which makes that theory suspicious. No man ever gets the last word with Gerrianne Ingalinari.