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Lillian responded coolly “If you have eyes, Mr Detective, you ht notice that Father is very fond of our ‘family friend”’

Hennessy noticed Isaac and Lillian talking “What’s that?”

“I was just saying that I’ve heard it said that Mrs Hennessy was a great beauty”

“Lillian didn’t get that face from my side of the family How much money are you paid to be a detective, Mr Bell?”

“The top end of the going rate”

“Then I have no doubt you understand that as the father of an innocent young woht you those fancy clothes?”

“My grandfather Isaiah Bell”

Osgood Hennessy stared He couldn’t have been more surprised if Bell had reported he had

sprung frorandfather? That makes your father Ebenezer Bell, president of the Ahty, a banker?”

“My father is a banker I am a detective”

“My father neverspikes You’re talking to a shirtsleeve railroader, Bell I started out like he did, spiking rails to ties I’ve carried rades: brakerapher, dispatcher-up the line froeneral office”

“Whatto say,” said Lillian, “is that he rose froold spikes under a parasol”

“Don’tlady” Hennessy yanked another chart down fro It was a blueprint, a fine-lined copy on pale blue paper that depicted in exquisite detail the engineering plans for a cantilevered truss bridge that spanned a deep gorge on two tall piers made of stone and steel

“This is where we’re headed, Mr Bell, the Cascade Canyon Bridge I hauled a top-hand engineer, Franklin Mowery, out of retiree west of the Mississippi, and Mowery’s almost finished To save ti work trains on an abandoned timber track that snakes up from the Nevada desert” He pointed at the e waiting for us Speed, Mr Bell It’s all about speed”

“Do you face a deadline?” asked Bell