The Billings Man (Magnetic Railway, #3) / Magnetic Railway (ePub)

Henry Sarti, field engineer for Ram Magna, is perplexed by some unusual damage he finds on the magna lines south of Bridger, Montana, and he calls his old friend, Captain Bruce McDill of the RAM Magna Police Service to help him investigate. Together with two experienced Indian scouts, they camp near the magna line and in the middle of the night are witness to the crash of an unusual rail car. As the driver of that car escapes from the wreck and flees, one of Bruce's faithful wolf dogs pursues him, and before Bruce can call him back, the dog is shot, and the fugitive escapes.

A massive investigation commences, and the search for the mysterious driver leads to an abandoned bakery, where Bruce and Henry are kidnapped by henchman in the employ of the eccentric genius responsible for the wreck, who is a native of nearby Billings, Montana. The railway men are uncertain why they have been snatched,and they are taken north by secret train, where they manage to escape their captors.

Henry is sent back to the main RAM campus in Denver, where he will be safe, and Bruce is sent to Joplin, Missouri to hide out until the Magna Police Service and the FIB can find the Billings Man. Bruce is reluctant to leave his partner Britta, and fears that waiting in Missouri for the kidnapper to be captured will be tedious, but he finds himself teamed up with twin brothers who are officers of the Magna force, and together they set out to capture fugitives wanted by the local authorities.

As Bruce and the twins go about their business, they are unaware that agents of the Billings Man are looking for Bruce, and he is discovered when his picture is published in the media as he and his fellow officers are rescuing a person trapped in a collapsed building. When Bruce finally returns to Billings, he is again snatched as is Henry, who has gone back to work inspecting rail lines for damage. A chase ensues, and leads to the port of Duluth, where the Billings Man and his supporters manage to set off in a waiting ship to implement a plan to recover precious metals from a Great lakes Shipwreck. Bruce and Henry are finally informed that they have been taken so that they may be trustworthy and reliable witnesses to the events that are about to take place. They both settle in to take part in the adventure, knowing that Captain Britta Bayer and the Magna Police are not far behind them.The mission is accomplished, but the Billings Man is loath to accept imprisonment for his deeds, and takes a final step towards ensuring that his name will live in infamy.