Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen

It wasn't until the Antrick train left Penn Station that Tracy breathed a sigh of relief.Before that, at any moment, she felt that a strong hand would grab her shoulders, and a voice would say to her, "You are under arrest." She carefully observed the passengers on the bus, and there was no suspicious sign.But she still couldn't let go.She comforted herself again and again: no one could find out that the jewelry was stolen so quickly, and even if she found out, she would not be able to prove that she did it.Conrad Morgan was waiting for her in St. Louis with twenty-five thousand dollars.

Twenty-five thousand dollars, she can spend it as she likes!It takes a whole year at the bank to make that much money.I'm going on a trip to Europe, Tracy thought.To Paris, no, not to Paris, where Charles and I had planned to honeymoon.I'm going to London, where I'll never be in jail again.For some reason, the experience made Tracy feel like a different person.She seemed to have been reborn. She closed the door of the box, took out the suede bag, and opened it.A string of bright colors trickled down to her hands: three large diamond rings, an emerald brooch, a sapphire bracelet, three pairs of earrings, and two necklaces—one of rubies, one of pearls.

The jewelry must be worth over a million dollars, Tracy thought.The train was running through the countryside, and she leaned back in her chair, thinking about the scene of last night.Rent a car...drive to Sea Cliff...quiet night...turn off the alarm and walk in the door...open the safe...the alarm is triggered suddenly, the police come, they never imagined that this man with beauty cream, The woman in the nightgown was the thief they were after. Now in the box of the St. Louis-bound coach, Tracy could smile to herself.Outwitting the cops was fun, and she was thrilled to take risks.She felt that she was bold and alert, and that she was invincible.She was so excited.

Someone knocked on the door of her box.Tracy hurriedly put the jewelry back in the suede bag, and stashed the bag in the suitcase.She took out the train ticket, opened the door of the box, and asked the conductor to check the ticket. Two men in gray uniforms stood in the aisle of the carriage.One looked to be in his early twenties, the other was ten years older than him.The young man was handsome, with an athletic build, a strong jaw, a neat moustache, and horn-rimmed glasses with alert blue eyes behind them.The older man was a heavyset man with thick black hair and stern brown eyes. "What's the matter?" Tracy asked.

"It's something, miss." said the elder.He pulls out a credential holder, opens it to show his credential: "I'm FBI Agent Dennis Trevor. This is Agent Thomas Bowles." Tracy suddenly felt her throat go dry.She smiled with forced composure, "I—I don't understand, what's the matter?" "Something has happened, miss," said the young agent.He speaks with a soft southern accent. "Minutes ago, this train crossed the state line and entered New Jersey. You are breaking federal law by carrying stolen goods across the state line." Tracy felt dizzy, and a red cloud rose before her eyes, obscuring everything.

The older man, Dennis Trevor, said, "Would you please open the box?" It was not a request, but an order. Her only recourse was to frighten them back. "No. You guys are so brave, you dare to break into my box casually!" The more she said, the more angry she became. "Is this how you go about your mission—running around and harassing innocent citizens? I'm going to call the conductor." "We've already spoken to the conductor," Trevor said. Her bluffing tactics didn't work. "Do you—do you have a search warrant?" The young agents said politely, "We don't need a search warrant, Miss Whitney. Now we're intercepting you in the middle of your crime." They even knew her name.She fell into a trap and couldn't escape.It's over.

Trevor went over to open the box.It is useless to block him.Tracy watched as he reached into the suitcase and pulled out the suede jewelry pouch.He opened the bag, glanced at his companion, and nodded again.Tracy slumped on the seat, and suddenly her body became too limp to stand up. Trevor took out a list from his pocket, counted the jewelry in the suede bag according to the list, and put the jewelry bag in his pocket after counting. "It's not short, Tom (Tom is Thomas' nickname)." "You—how would you know?" Tracy asked desperately. "We have no right to disclose the details of the investigation," Trevor replied. "You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent until your lawyer is called. What you say now may be used as evidence in court. Got it?"

Her voice was low, almost a whisper: "Understood." Tom Bowers said: "I'm sorry. I mean, I know what you've been through, and I'm really sorry." "Come," said the elder, "you're not here to be a guest." "I know, but..." The older man held out a pair of handcuffs to Tracy. "Please hold out your hand." Tracy's heart twisted.She recalled being handcuffed in public at the New Orleans airport. "Must—must I wear this?" "Yes, miss." The young agent said, "I want to speak to you, can I, Dennis?"

Dennis Trevor shrugged. "Ok." The two retreated into the hallway.Tracy sat helplessly.She could hear scraps of what the two men were saying. "I said Dennis, there is no need to put handcuffs on her, and she can't escape..." "When will you learn to be more sophisticated? After you catch up with me after spending years in the bureau..." "Come on, show some mercy, she's embarrassing enough..." "It's nothing. Compared to her..." She couldn't hear and didn't want to hear what was going on next. At once they came back to the box again.The elders seemed unhappy. "Okay," he said, "you won't be handcuffed. We'll take you out of the car at the next stop. We'll be radioing the station car. Don't leave this compartment, understand?"

Tracy nodded.She was too sad to speak. The younger one—Tom Bowers—shrugged her shoulders sympathetically, as if to say, "I can't help you with anything else." No one can help.it is too late now.She has been caught on the spot with stolen goods.The police must have spotted her and reported it to the FBI. Two agents were talking to the conductor in the aisle of the carriage.Bowers pointed to Tracy and said something to the conductor, but Tracy didn't hear him.The conductor nodded.Bowers closed the box door in what Tracy saw as a prison door. The scenery of the countryside kept flashing in the car window, but Tracy ignored it.

She sat there, numb with fright.The noise in her ears drowned out the sound of the train.She could never be saved again.She was a convicted felon.They will give her the most severe sentence.This time, no warden's daughter asked her to go into the water for rescue, and there was no more hope.All that awaits her is the miserable, long time behind bars.And big Bertha.How did they catch her?The only person who knew about the diamond theft was Conrad Morgan, and he had no reason to ask her to hand over the diamonds to the FBI agents.Perhaps one of the employees in his store heard about the plan to steal the jewelry and reported it to the police.Whatever the cause, the result was the same—she was caught.The next step is to send her to prison.First the pre-trial, then the trial, then... Tracy squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to think about it any further.She felt tears roll down her cheeks. The train began to slow down.Tracy gasped, feeling short of breath.At any moment two FBI agents would come in and escort her out of the car.We can already see station.After a few seconds, the car stopped.time to go.Tracy closed the box, put on her coat, and sat down.She stared at the box door, waiting for someone to open it. After several minutes, the two men did not appear.what are they doingShe remembered what they said just now: "I will take you off at the next stop. We will send a car to the bureau by radio. Don't leave this compartment." She heard the conductor say: "Everyone, please get on the train..." Tracy was terrified.Maybe they were waiting for her on the platform.That must be the case.If she had stayed on the train, they would have accused her of attempting to escape, which would have been a bigger crime.Tracy picked up the suitcase, opened the box door, and ran down the aisle. The conductor came over. "Would you like to get off here, miss?" he asked. "You have to hurry up, I'll help you with your luggage. You shouldn't be carrying heavy things right now." Tracy's eyes widened. "I now?" "Don't be embarrassed. Your two brothers told me that you are pregnant, so let me take care of you." "My brother..." "They're nice and they care about you." She felt that the world was spinning and the world was in chaos. The conductor lifted the box to the door of the car and helped Tracy get off.The train moved. "Do you know where my brother is?" Tracy asked. "I don't know, miss. They hurried into a taxi when the train arrived." With a million dollars worth of stolen jewelry. Tracy walked toward the airport.She thought that was the only possibility.If those two got into a taxi, it means they don't have their own transportation, because they must want to get out of the city as soon as possible.She sat in the taxi, thinking angrily of how they had tricked her, and how she had been fooled so easily made her feel ashamed and annoyed.Ah, they are really good, both of them are very capable, and the acting is so realistic that people have to believe it.She thought with shame, why didn't she see through this old trick of "one sings the red face and the other sings the bad face"? I said Dennis, there is no need to put handcuffs on her, and she can't escape... When will you learn to be more sophisticated?After you have caught up with me after spending years in the bureau... FBI?Maybe they were both gangsters on the loose.Hmph, those jewels have to be brought back. She is also a person who has gone through hardships and cannot be defeated by those two liars.She must get to the airport in time. Tracy leaned forward and said to the driver, "Go faster, please." They were in the line of passengers getting ready to board, and Tracy didn't recognize them at first. The younger man, who called himself Thomas Bowers, no longer wore glasses.His eyes had changed from blue to gray and his beard was gone.Another, Dennis Trevor, who had thick black hair, was now bald.But Tracy recognized it anyway—they didn't have time to change. They were almost at the gate when Tracy walked past. "You forgot one thing," Tracy said. They turned around, startled.The young man frowned. "What are you doing here? The FBI car is at the station to pick you up." He lost his southern accent. "Then let's go back and find the FBI car, shall we?" Tracy said. "No, we have another case," Trevor explained. "We have to get on this plane." "Give me back the jewelry first," Tracy said. "I'm afraid not," said Thomas Bowers. "That's all evidence. I'll send you a receipt." "I don't want a receipt, I want jewelry." "Sorry," Trevor said, "we have to keep the jewelry." They reached the boarding gate.Trevor handed the ticket to the flight attendant.Tracy looked around anxiously and saw an airport police officer standing nearby. "Police! Mr. Police!" The two men looked at each other in horror. "What are you doing?" Trevor whispered reproachfully. "Do you want him to arrest us all?" The police are coming this way. "What's the matter, miss?" "Nothing," Tracy said cheerfully. "These two kind gentlemen have found my precious jewellery, and they want to return it to me. I was going to file a report with the FBI." The two men looked at each other in horror. "They advised me to ask you to escort me to a taxi." "Of course, it's an honor." Tracy turned to the two men. "Give me the jewelry. I'm not afraid now. The kind police officer will take care of me." "No, really," objected Tom Bowers, "better let us..." "Oh no, just do what I say," Tracy said, "I know you can't miss this flight." The two men glanced at the policeman and at each other, not knowing what to do.There was nothing they could do.Reluctantly Tom Bowers produced a suede jewelry pouch from his bosom. "That's right!" Tracy said.She took the jewelry bag from him, opened it and looked inside. "Thank goodness it's all there." Tom Bowers had one final struggle. "Let us save it for you first, and then..." "That's unnecessary," Tracy said happily.She opened her purse, put the jewelry pouch in it, took out two five-dollar bills, and handed one to each of the two men. "This is a little bit of my heart, thank you for helping me." All the other passengers got on the plane through the boarding gate.The flight attendant said, "The plane is about to take off. It's time for you two to board too." "Thank you again," Tracy said with a smile.She broke up with them, accompanied by the police. "It's not easy to meet good people these days!"