“Samuel?”
He did not answer her.
He continued staring at Daniel.
Finally he whispered,
“You look exactly like him.”
Daniel's heart began pounding.
“My father?”
Samuel said nothing.
Daniel leaned forward.
“You knew him?”
The conductor looked down the carriage.
The other passengers were still there, but none seemed to be paying attention.
Samuel lowered his voice.
“Yes.”
“How?”
Samuel took a breath.
“I knew Michael Carter before you were born.”
Daniel's fingers tightened around the envelope.
“Then you know what happened to him.”
Samuel's expression hardened.
“That is a question you should not ask so loudly.”
Daniel looked around.
“I've been looking for you for three days.”
“I know.”
Daniel froze.
“You know?”
Samuel looked toward the woman standing near the front of the carriage.
She was watching them now.
Samuel walked toward Daniel's seat.
The woman followed.
“Samuel,” she said quietly, “we need to keep moving.”
“I know, Elena.”
He looked at Daniel again.
Then he pointed toward the seat across from him.
“Sit properly.”
Daniel frowned.
“I am sitting properly.”
“No. You're sitting like a boy preparing to run.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“I don't know you.”
Samuel leaned closer.
“But I know your father.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Then tell me what happened.”
Samuel's eyes moved toward the window.
Outside, the fields continued to blur past.
For a moment, the old conductor looked tired.
Not physically tired.
Tired in a way that came from carrying something too heavy for too many years.
“You have your father's eyes,” Samuel said.
Daniel looked away.
“Everyone says that.”
“They're wrong.”
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Your eyes aren't what I remember.”
Samuel paused.
“Your courage is.”
Daniel stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Samuel did not answer.
Instead, he turned toward Elena.
“Give me five minutes.”
Elena hesitated.
“Samuel…”
“Five minutes.”
She looked at Daniel.
Then at Samuel.
Finally, she nodded.
“I'll cover the carriage.”
Samuel sat opposite Daniel.
The train continued moving.
For several seconds, neither man spoke.
Then Samuel said,
“Your father was the bravest man I ever knew.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“He wasn't a hero.”
Samuel smiled sadly.
“You don't know what a hero looks like.”
Daniel looked down at the envelope.
“He left us.”
Samuel's smile disappeared.
“Did your mother tell you that?”
“She told me he disappeared.”
“That's not the same thing.”
Daniel slowly looked up.
“What happened?”
Samuel took a deep breath.
“Your father was a railway engineer.”
“I know.”
“He worked on this line.”
“I know.”
“He was investigating something.”
Daniel's brow furrowed.
“What?”
Samuel looked toward the front of the train.
“Something that was never supposed to be discovered.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“What?”
Samuel's voice dropped.
“Money.”
Daniel waited.
“Money was being stolen from the railway.”
“How much?”
“Enough to ruin the company.”
Daniel stared at him.
“And my father found out?”
Samuel nodded.
“He discovered a system.”
“What kind of system?”
“People were creating fake maintenance contracts. Money was being transferred to companies that did not really exist. Then the money was divided between several people.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Why would my father care?”
Samuel gave him a look.
“Because he was an honest man.”
Daniel looked down.
“That sounds like him.”
“He believed rules mattered.”
Samuel paused.
“More importantly, he believed people mattered.”
Daniel touched the envelope.
“Did he write this?”
Samuel stared at it.
“Yes.”
“You recognize it?”
“I recognize the handwriting.”
Daniel opened the envelope.
Inside was a folded piece of paper.
He unfolded it carefully.