Charles was sitting alone at the far end of the Dining Car, still wearing his blue robe, when I found him.

 

“May I sit?” I asked.

 

“Yes, sir. Please do.” 

 

I slid into the booth across from him, a large plate of eggs and bacon between us. His light hair was uncharacteristically scraggled, and the top few buttons of his shirt had been undone. Dark circles under his eyes told me he was on his last legs.

 

“Enjoying your breakfast?” I asked.

 

“Not really, but I needed a break. Mrs. Stewart has been hounding me to finish my inventory. I have yet to have a chance to really catch my breath, Detective.”

 

“Well, if you have energy, I would like to ask you a few questions, Charles.”

 

“Of course. I’m at your service, sir.” 

 

“Let’s start at the beginning: where were you last night, before we met in the hallway?”

 

“In my room. I am in bed at 9:00 pm every night, as you well know, Detective. Unless I am on duty, it is early to bed and early to rise.”

 

“I remember you had some late nights while we were in Teotehuacan.”

“I did. It was no easy task fending off the drug runners and other riff raff. They knew the dark recesses of the jungle better than I. But not a thing went missing, did it, Detective?”

 

He looked at me with duty and pride stamped across his forehead.

 

“You performed admirably, Charles. In your patrols of the camp, did you ever see anything suspicious activity from the members of the excavation team themselves?”

 

“Well….actually, yes. I would say so, sir.”

 

I leaned forward, the smell of his strong coffee filling my nose, “What did you see?”

 

“Emilia, Detective,” he set down his fork, lost in thought, but continued, “she frequented the artifact tent at night. Two or three in the morning, sometimes. Initially, I prevented her from entering quite a few times, but Robert put a stop to my questioning quite quickly.” 

 

Taking his fork back in his hand, he impaled the last of his eggs, and said, ”Robert was furious; told me that if I knew what was good for me I would give Emilia space when she visited. In fact, he forbade me from being near the artifact tent when she was present.”

 

“And you’re sure she stole nothing the entire month that we were there?”

 

“Not a thing, sir. I’m proud to report that. In the final inventory list I made for Mrs. Stewart, everything had been accounted for.”

 

He had finished his eggs and was now tearing into his bacon like a prehistoric beast. His eyes hadn’t left his food since I sat down.

 

“I see. This is your first private security job?”

 

“Yes.” he said through mouthfuls of meat, “Mr. Stanton saw my resume and hired me on the spot. I’m a capable fighter; many years of combat experience.”

 

“You’ve done well. I understand you’re also responsible for overseeing the loading and unloading of baggage.”

“I am.”

 

“Emilia’s bag was loaded onto the train, I assume.”

 

“It was. I stowed it myself: # 501-4, I believe.”

 

“What’s the tag number mean?”

 

“501 is our train number. 4 is the room number of the passenger.”

 

“I see. And you have no idea where the bag is now?”

 

“Not a clue, sir. I did my rounds just after dinner last night. That’s when I noticed it was absent.”

 

He sat back in the booth, pushing his empty plate away from him.

 

“You didn’t report it?”

 

“Emilia came and went as she pleased–and she regularly visited the Baggage Car,” lowering his voice, he added, “carrying packages more often than not too, Detective. But Robert has made it very clear it is none of my business what she is up to. What am I to report, in that case, sir?”

 

“Nothing, I suppose. What room are you staying in, Charles?” 

 

“Room 6, sir.”, he said, motioning for Gregory to come take another order.

 

“Thank you, Charles.” I said, leaving him to his next meal.