Elizabeth and Anna nearly got run down in the melee, but they finally managed to find a safe spot against the wall, while the last of the travelers made their escape. By then Jake had buttoned up his suit jacket to conceal the bloody shirt and fled to the men’s retiring room.

“Come on,” Elizabeth said when the crowd had thinned enough. “The Old Man said he’d have a motor waiting for us.”

They crossed the main floor as quickly as they could with Elizabeth hindered by the heavy bag, and took the exit that led to the carriageway. The Old Man did indeed have a motorcar waiting. He wasn’t driving it himself, of course, but he was lounging in the back because this was probably the most fun he’d have all day.

He allowed the driver to get out and open the door for them, but Elizabeth heaved the heavy carpetbag into the backseat without his help.

“How much do you think is in it?” the Old Man asked with way too much interest.

“You know what they say,” Elizabeth replied with a smile, “the first count is always the best.” She turned to Anna, who had climbed in behind her. “That’s an old saying. It means the total gets smaller each time it passes through a con man’s hands.”

“Where’s Jake?” the Old Man asked.

“Probably washing his face. We should wait for him. I don’t want to take a chance that any of them see him on the street.”

“Yes,” Anna said gleefully. “I imagine they’re going to be a little leery of going back into the station for a while.”

“Did you have any trouble?” the Old Man asked.

“Not a bit. It was lucky Jake had kept the carpetbag from Waterson’s hotel room. When everybody started screaming it was a simple matter of making the switch. Waterson didn’t see a thing.”

“Even I didn’t see a thing,” Anna marveled. “I was too busy looking at the ghost.”

“I’m glad to know we haven’t completely corrupted you, Miss Vanderslice,” the Old Man said with his charming smile.

The driver had climbed back into the front seat, and now the other door opened and Jake slid in beside him. “Did you get it, Lizzie?” he asked over his shoulder.

“We certainly did,” Elizabeth said.

“And I have the list of people to give it back to,” Anna said.

“I hope I’m at the top of that list,” Jake said as the motorcar pulled away from the curb.

—

I can’t believe you did this without telling me,” Gideon said that evening. Everyone involved in the con had gathered at their house to celebrate and trade stories and, most of all, to find out how much money was in the carpetbag. Mother Bates was having a wonderful time playing hostess.