The Buchanan Brothers and the Hand of Brass: Steampunk Sleuths, #2

By D.W. Dixon

In a race against time, detective brothers Luke and John Buchanan must unravel a deadly conspiracy threatening to tear their city apart. As steam boilers explode one by one, they face obstacles from all sides: suspicious government agents, a cabal of powerful barons, and a mysterious figure with extraordinary powers. Historic events like the Grand Prix and the launch of the world's first rocket risk being overshadowed by disaster. Can they get to the bottom of the sabotage before Grisham crumbles under the weight of this crisis? Brace yourself for a high-stakes thriller where freedom, lives, and the fate of the city hang in the balance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: D.W. Dixon
• Release date: May 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224246229

Book preview

Making A Bomb

The setting autumn sun shone on the old building. It drew shadows from any part not flush to the surface. With its aged brick walls intact, the old edifice stood tall, defying nature’s attempts to decay it.

Men positioned each brick carefully. They were planting deep roots in the new land and making a home for their families.

Mortar was placed with a trowel, a little thicker than was needed. He used the trowel's handle to tap the bricks into the soft bed. The bubble in the ancient level then declared each to be aligned. Unneeded mortar oozed out and was scraped up to be placed back in the bucket it came from.

They repeated the process thousands of times, and finally, the four walls stood tall and proud. A roof and a second-story floor were added. The families would live upstairs while the shop used the space below.

The men carved a large sign with care and hung it above the broad front door. They stood back to admire their work and shook hands while grinning. Their dream came to life through their hard work and determination. Fresh red and yellow paint glistened in the sun. It declared that McNally and Sons Blacksmithing was now open.

The man hidden in the shadows was unaware of this history. The smithy was simply part of a location that needed to be infiltrated. He waited for his chance as the workers put tools away and moved supplies back to their sheds and shelves.

People added many smaller lean-to sheds in the hundreds of years since its construction. They also added external rooms mounted to the main part of the brick building. The blacksmiths had worked for decades to shoe the horses that carried the city on their strong backs and to mend many broken tools.

When mechanical engines replaced horses, the blacksmiths changed to building new tools to help the nation grow. Shovels, hammers, and saws had the McNally name stamped on them. They were used to build houses, bridges, and wagons across the new nation.

The shadowy man glanced towards the sound of a door opening in the building’s rear. One of the men who lived upstairs moved sand into a nearby shed using a wheelbarrow. Then he went back inside. The man in the shadows scratched at the beard on his cheek before moving swiftly to the wheelbarrow shed.

His feet made small, quiet scraping sounds as he darted across the open space, faster than most men. The wind whistled in his ears as he raced forward, sounding to him like the air rushing past a speeding train.

He made it to the shadow of the shed unseen and crouched. He pressed the bowler hat further down on his brown hair, making sure it stayed in place. A long, dark leather coat finished his wardrobe and lent to his ability to merge with darkness.

He could see his target better now. It was a structure next to the old building. Massive pipes left it and went into the workshop. He rushed to the double doors of the smaller building and slipped inside.

This shed was home to two boilers; long tanks on their sides used to convert water to steam with heat. The force of the steam was used to power different machines in the workshop.

The man hurried, leaping onto the platform on the nearest boiler to reach a particular part of the system. His hands moved deftly, completing his task on that boiler before leaping to the other one and repeating the motions. There was a brief flash of light from his hands, and he was done.

These actions took less than a minute to complete. He leaped down to the floor once more, soft as a feather. He walked to a panel that housed multiple valves and found the one he wanted.

The valve was locked into its position with a padlock to ensure it could not be moved accidentally. If this valve was ever closed and both its safety valves failed to open, the boiler would boil off all its water and become a bomb.

The man grasped the wheel with both hands and heaved with all his might. The thick metal padlock sheared off and the valve spun, shutting off fresh water to the boilers.

Both boilers were rigged to explode. The man looked around once more, nodded to himself, and slipped out the door into the gathering gloom.

Chapter 1 Sabotage

Along stretch of road lay quietly in the midday sun. The long grass in meadows on either side blew gently in the breeze. Birds chirped with a variety of melodies as they prepared to head south for the winter. The sound of insects filled the air. A herd of cows lay in the shade of a tall oak with yellowing leaves. They watched the day pass as they lazily chewed their cud.

Around a bend in the road, the herd watched as a dark blue car swung into sight. It barreled down the straight part of the road, accelerating the whole time. The engine chugged with vigor, and quick puffs of steam ejected behind it.

The car reached the end of the straight section and shot past a dark-haired youth standing beside the road, stopwatch in hand. The driver closed the throttle, applied the brake, and then turned around to head back sedately.

The car slowed to a stop beside the youth standing next to the road. The driver, another youth almost identical to the first, hopped down and removed his goggles and cap while grinning.

How did we do? He asked.

Half a second faster than last time. It looks like the new brakes worked. the other replied.

Yep. I could accelerate for longer because I knew I would stop faster. Do you want a shot?

Luke Buchanan looked over the steam car and considered his brother's question.

I think you should practice with it more. I would love to take it for a spin, but you are the one who will be racing her. He said.

John nodded and put the goggles in a pocket on his leather riding coat. I suppose you are right. It just seems like I am having all the fun while all you get to do is time me.

Both brothers were of medium height with althetic builds. Luke had gray eyes while John's were blue. They were born a year apart but their similar apperance convinced many people that they were twins.

Luke grinned and said, Until we work out the kinks, I don't see it as fun. The road still tries to shake you to death because we haven't figured out the suspension yet.

Both brothers chuckled. They remembered their first drive and how the car had rattled hard. It shook so much that they had to go back and collect the tools that fell out of the car.

Both brothers had been searching for a car for months before finding the Leopold Dynamo at an estate sale. The car was older than they had planned but was a dependable, sturdy vehicle and sold at a reasonable price. The car had needed its old steam engine rebuilt and every joint oiled, along with a myriad of smaller issues. With the help of Adam, their engineering friend, the car was on the road a week after the brothers purchased it.

Since then, John had worked hard to make the car faster and more maneuverable. He wanted to enter the Dynamo into the first annual Grisham Grand Prix that was coming up.

The Grand Prix was open to every vehicle and engine class, allowing inventors to showcase their abilities in a spectacular racing event. People from all over the world were coming to try their hand at the thirty-five-mile course that encompassed the City of Gresham. There would be one large lap over all kinds of terrain in the city and outside in the country.

The race was the dream of Mr. Scott, a Grisham native who had won awards the world over for his racing prowess in other races across the globe. The city sponsored the Grand Prix along with steam car manufacturers across America, several electric motor companies, propane and methane engine companies, and a cabal of English oil companies.

John walked to the front and lifted half of the cowling to look at the engine that was quietly chugging to itself. He adjusted some of the pressure settings and observed the result. He pulled out the slim notebook he always kept in his vest and noted the changes he made.

He climbed back up to his seat and moved the car to the starting line again. He nodded to Luke, who held up one arm while looking at his stopwatch.

Luke's arm came down, and John opened the throttle carefully. The car lurched forward, and the engine chugged more rapidly. Short puffs of steam ejected down and back, leaving a short trail in the Dynamo’s wake.

John held on to the steering wheel with both hands and used his thumbs to rotate the smaller inner wheel that opened the throttle.

As the corner approached, he slowly closed the throttle and began applying the brake. The car swerved around the corner tighter than before. John felt that this was a good sign he could beat his latest record.

He came to the old barn and veered off the road and onto the dirt trail he had made around the structure. As he approached the other side, he rotated the smaller wheel and opened the throttle again. The car responded with a burst of speed, and he headed back toward the turn.

Luke heard the quiet engine chugging before he saw the car swing around the corner and charge toward him. He readied himself to set the time with his stopwatch and clicked the button as John passed the mark on the ground. He wrote down the time while his brother turned around and then walked to where John was sitting with his goggles on his forehead.

That was a whole second faster. Well done. Luke said.

John grinned, Adam will be thrilled to see that his welds held. This old girl still has a lot of life in her.

Luke went around the other side and climbed into the other seat.

We should get back; it's already three o'clock.

John pulled his own watch from its pocket, Golly, it got late fast.

He opened the throttle, and the car headed back toward home.

As they topped a low rise, the gleaming city of Grisham filled their view with the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The massive central structure of Inspiration Station stood at the heart of the city and was surrounded by many smaller towers.

Inspiration Station stood tall with the many mag-lev tracks spiraling out from its curved sides. It served as the transportation hub of the city and housed the Mayor's office.

The aerodrome on top of the station had docking for twelve airships, and was large enough to contain two separate runways for airplanes.

Grisham spread out from Inspiration Station in all directions. The docks were to the East, the industrial center to the South, and most of the homes and businesses to the North. The foothills dominated the west side of the mountains. Numerous small cabins dotted the hills, which were covered with trees. The hills were blanketed in greens, yellows, oranges, and reds as the leaves prepared to fall.

The Brothers' home was an airship called the Celeste. It was moored to the ground about two miles North of the station. She had been constructed by Thomas and Markus Buchanan when they were both young men.

The boys navigated the city streets and pulled up in front of the Ice cream parlor run by Mr. Davies. John set the brake and killed the fire in the boiler to conserve the water in the undersized tank. He meant to replace the tank but hadn't found a suitable one yet.

Luke looked at his watch, We made good time; it looks like we beat Adam here.

John nodded while checking that all of the Dynamo’s systems were shut down properly. He grabbed a parcel from the back seat, and they both entered the parlor.

Good afternoon, boys! Mr. Davies called from behind his counter. He was whisking a bowl of milk vigorously in preparation for his daily production of confections.

Hello, John said, I found that spearmint oil for you.

Mr. Davies stopped whisking, Wonderful! Where did you go? I couldn't find any of it around here.

We were near Roanoke, so I thought I would look there, John said.

Mr. Davies wiped his hands on his apron and accepted the parcel from John. How much do I owe you?

John grinned and said, I wouldn't say no to a root beer float with grape soda added.

Mr. Davies' teeth flashed under his broad mustache, I can see your mind is as cluttered as ever. Very well, I will see what I can do. What can I get you, Luke?

I have a hankering for a banana split, Luke said, If you wouldn't mind.

Intricate without being ostentatious. One root beer float monstrosity and one banana split coming right up! Mr. Davies declared.

They heard a rumble, and Adam's motorcycle growled past the front windows to park behind the Dynamo. The engine cut off, and Adam dismounted.

He stuffed his long leather riding coat, helmet, and goggles into a saddlebag. After grabbing his satchel, he walked into the parlor, whistling with liveliness.

Afternoon, boys, he said and sat on the stool next to John, What are we having?

Mr. Davies handed John his float with a disapproving frown and slid Luke's banana split to him.

Luke thanked Mr. Davies, and John snickered at the performance of the Ice Cream shop’s proprietor.

Adam eyed the treats with approval, Those look great, Mr. Davies, but I would like a hot fudge sundae instead.

Mr. Davies smiled, Straightforward, but sweet. I like it! Coming right up!

Adam opened his bag and pulled out some papers.

I went over the pictures you took of the McNally Steam factory and the pressure relief valves you gave me.

And you found something! John exclaimed.

Adam's grin split his dark face, Indeed, I did. Someone had soldered the pressure valves closed. Also, someone sheared the lock off the water valve and closed it.

"So it was sabotage," Luke said.

Yep, I wrote down everything I found in this report. It's a pretty clear case of tampering. The manufacturer doesn't use solder in their valves. It can only have gotten there on purpose to stop the valve from working.

The primary and secondary valves were both intentionally soldered to prevent them from opening? Luke asked.

"Correct. Solder won't melt at the temperature the boiler was operating at. It was thin enough that the shock from the explosion broke it. When the Mayor’s investigators looked it over, the valves operated like they were supposed to. By then, the solder had been broken.

That is why they concluded that the boilers were incorrectly manufactured."

John said, That means that whoever soldered them shut knew what he was doing. We are looking for a professional saboteur or someone who knows boilers inside and out.

Good work, Adam, Luke said, We suspected the explosion was another setup but needed proof.

Police Chief Buck Hudson had come to the brothers with a problem he couldn't solve. Boilers around the city had begun to fail and explode for no apparent reason. He suspected someone was tampering with them. Mayor Harper insisted that a separate committee be set up to handle the investigation.

The Mayor hand-picked the members of the committee, and they concluded that the failures were all manufacturer errors. The companies were forced to pay for damages caused by the explosions. One company had already closed for good because they could not afford what the Mayor wanted them to pay.

Luke and John had looked into several of the explosions. They seemed to all occur under suspicious circumstances. The brothers investigated the two biggest boiler explosions and took the safety valves to Adam for analysis. Adam had recently joined his father's engineering firm and had access to all the tools they would need to find and document evidence of sabotage properly.

The Chief worried the mayor may use the explosions to his advantage. He felt that the Steam Commission's investigations would lead to setting up a permanent oversight committee. This would govern the actions of the manufacturers. It was Chief Hudson's opinion that this would be too much power in one place.

The boys chatted with each other and Mr. Davies about the upcoming race.

Adam was considering entering a new invention of his own design. He had taken an older car and added two electric motors to the rear wheels. Unlike other electric cars, Adam’s wouldn't need a large battery to keep it going. Instead, he planned on using a steam turbine to run a generator and create electricity. The motors could use the electricity as needed, and he wouldn't have to store the energy. This meant he could use a smaller battery and the car would be lighter. He had tested it, and it worked, but the idea needed to be refined before it was able to race.

Adam’s hot fudge sundae arrived, and he ate a spoonful with relish. Excellent work, as always, he said to Mr. Davies who smiled and returned to whisking.

We replaced the brakes, and that took about two seconds off the initial time. John said.

Adam pointed at john with his spoon, Come over when you have a few hours. We can lower the Dynamo on its axles and make it more stable.

Will the bumps hurt less? Luke grinned.

Adam laughed, A bit less. I have some ideas for making the ride smoother without using the suspension, too.

It will be nice to take corners tighter than now. That should shave off several seconds at least.

They all looked out the window at a slow, methodical thumping sound from the street. A lone Bradley Man trudged past carrying a massive crate. The heavy load weighed down the automaton and made its footfalls heavier, but it didn’t seem to mind the weight.

The testing for the Bradley Men seems to be coming along nicely. John said, Tres said that if all goes well, they should be going on the market in a year or so.

Thorvid Bradley was one of two inventors who were kidnapped by members of the Anderson Corporation. The Corporation needed these inventors to use their inventions to steal communication technology from Grisham's labs. This would give Anderson a monopoly on communications.

Luke and John had rescued the inventors and exposed the corporation in their previous case, The Buchanan Brothers and the Botanical Bandits.

Mr. Bradley’s inventions were mechanical automatons that used a highly specific set of vegetation to serve as rudimentary senses. They could perform basic tasks and their advanced clockwork intelligence allowed them to understand and obey commands.

Mr. Bradley’s assistant, Tres, had begun calling the bipedal automatons Bradley Men and the name stuck.

The Inventor thought the name to be too ostentatious and wanted to call them Autonomous Utility Transportation Assistants or A.U.T.A. for short. He stated that when the machines were sold they would use the acronym and not Tres’ nickname.

Adam watched the bipedal machine as it walked to the street and paused to rotate both directions. He knew that the clockwork in its head was checking the information from the vegetation that festooned its shoulders, wrists, and the interior of the glass dome that served as its head. Once the clockwork determined that it was safe, the automaton walked across the street.

How much weight can they carry now? He asked John.

Mr. Bradley said the ones walking around can carry five hundred pounds. The stationary ones can lift twice that.

It's amazing that the design has come along so fast, Adam said, When you rescued Mr. Bradley they were only good for breaking holes in walls and wrenching heavy items from tables.

John nodded, The construction units that Tres designed helped them to speed up prototyping. The construction units could build iteratively modified automatons in about three hours.

Adam shook his head in amazement, Mr. Bradley and Mr. Larson certainly have made a top-notch machine.

Edmund Larson was the other kidnapped inventor,. He had designed the logic clockwork that guided the Bradley Men. A recluse by nature, he had lived alone and his kidnapping hadn’t been noticed by his neighbors.

We’ll see them in every house in a few years, Luke said. They will be a great help to the people of Grisham.

He ate the last spoonful of his banana split.

Best ice cream in Grisham, He declared and stood up.

John downed the last of his drink and stood as well. Thanks again, Mr. Davies.

The rotund man nodded and gave a flowing bow.

John turned to Adam and said, Good job with the report. We’ll take it to Chief Hudson and see what he thinks our next steps should be.

Adam nodded and gave them a salute as they headed out the door.

Chapter 2 Police Station

Luke and John drove to the central police station of Grisham. The massive metal and brick building had a good view of Inspiration Station and occupied the corner of Lewis and Franklin streets, two of the busiest thoroughfares in the city.

The main ten-story structure had a smaller parking garage built to one side. This held the police vehicles and a landing pad for the fleet of police Interceptors.

The brothers went through the main doors and headed to the Chief’s office on the tenth floor. They found the office, and the secretary had them sit in a couple chairs and wait because the chief was in a meeting. While she typed notes, they chatted with her.

The Chief’s door opened abruptly, and a tall, corpulent man stomped to the coat rack and shoved his arms into the sleeves of a long overcoat. He slammed his hat on his head as Chief Hudson appeared at his door.

The man glared at the Chief and said, I mean it, Buck, No more investigations without my permission. If you cannot follow orders, I will find someone who can! The large man plodded angrily down the hallway to the elevator.

The chief waited until he heard the elevator's bell before waving to the brothers to follow him into his office. He sat in his wooden chair and said, Sorry about having you boys wait. The Mayor Harper wanted a word.

It's not a problem, Chief, Luke said.

What was his deal? John asked, He seemed furious.

There was another boiler explosion last night at a restaurant that destroyed the whole building. Eight people were injured pretty badly. My men dug through the rubble to find any other people, and Mayor Harper thinks that they were trying to investigate the explosion. He didn’t want us to step on his new commission's toes.

If it was sabotage, we know what to look for now, Luke said, and slid Adam’s papers to the chief.

Chief Hudson looked over the report and smiled at the boys. This is perfect, your friend does some fine work. With this, I can show that the explosions were deliberate and not defects.

Any idea who might want to cause all of these explosions? Luke asked.

"No, up until now, no one has seen anybody acting suspicious before an explosion. I won’t ask you to look into the explosions further, The Mayor would likely fire me if I tried again.

For the time being, you are on your own. I will try to use the report your friend put together, but make no promises. We can see it is sabotage, but the Mayor and his committee will not be happy that you investigated behind their backs."

Luke nodded, We understand. We will stay out of it unless something changes.

The Chief leaned back in his chair, Thank you, boys, for all of your help so far.

They stood up, shook the Chief’s hand, and left his office.

On the elevator, they discussed what was happening with the Mayor.

He seemed awfully upset over the Chief doing his job, John mused.

Maybe he is worried that if the explosions are deliberate, then he will have to disband his committee. Luke said.

"What does he gain