An Agent For Cecily (The Pinkerton Matchmaker Book 8)

by Marie Higgins

  He frowned and gave her a sharp nod. “Indeed, we were. Forgive me. Should I call you Ruth from here on out? I’d hate to slip up and refer to you as Miss, especially in front of other people.”

  They stepped outside onto the boardwalk. Side-by-side they walked toward her hotel.

  “Actually, I’d rather you call me Cecily.”

  He gave her a quizzical stare. “Why should I do that?”

  “Because Ruth is my first name. While I was growing up, my parents always called me by my middle name, Cecily.”

  “Ah, yes. You have a point there. I shall call you Cecily.”

  She smiled. “And shall I call you Broderick?”

  “My friends call me Rick.”

  “I hope by the time my training is finished, that we will be good friends.”

  “Yes, I hope so, too.”

  Silence passed between them for a few more minutes. Cecily’s mind scrambled to think of something to say. Trying to talk to a man she didn’t know well was harder than she thought.

  “So, Rick? Do you know why that food-fight was started immediately after the ceremony?”

  A slight grin pulled on his handsome face. “Yeah, Agent Bronco started it when he became a little over-eager with his new bride.”

  She sucked in a breath as her cheeks burned.

  Mr. Tanner held up a hand. “It was actually an accident. Bronco knocked over the food table. Of course, he then threw some cake on Agent Luke, and well…” He shrugged. “That’s all it takes to start a food-fight.”

  “Bronco?”

  “His name is Bronson, but his nickname is Bronco.”

  “Oh.”

  Silence filled the space between them, once again. Did she always have to start the conversation? “Will we be staying here in Denver?”

  Mr. Tanner shook his head. “Actually, our assignment is in San Francisco, California.”

  She gasped as excitement shot through her body. She grabbed hold of his arm, stopping him. “We’re going to California?”

  One corner of his mouth lifted higher than the other when he grinned. “Yes.”

  “I’ve always wanted to go there.” Her voice was higher than it should be, but she didn’t care.

  A brief look of confusion crossed his expression, before it disappeared. “Then I’m happy you’re not disappointed in the location.”

  “Not in the least.” Her heartbeat tripped with elation, and she chuckled. “You’ll have to forgive me for acting like an over-eager child.”

  “I understand why you’re so happy.”

  “Have you been there before?” she wondered.

  “Yes. Many times.”

  “Then you’ll have to show me everything.”

  His chest shook with a silent laugh. “I will. In fact, I’ll make it part of your training.”

  “Thank you.”

  She stared into his amazing gray eyes which currently held a hint of a sparkle. Of course, this was the first time she’d seen him smile, so maybe it only happened during special moments. A different rhythm took over the beat of her heart. He was really a very handsome man. Perhaps it wasn’t a good thing to have him looking at her this way.

  Cecily released his arm and proceeded toward her hotel. “Will we be leaving today?”

  “In a few hours, yes. I hope that’s all right?”

  “Yes, of course. I’m already packed, so it really doesn’t matter when we leave, I suppose.”

  As they entered the hotel, he stopped in the lobby. His gaze scanned the few occupants sitting at tables and sipping tea. She hesitated, wondering what made him pause. When his gaze met hers, he sighed and smiled, although it wasn’t full.

  “So, um…” He shuffled his feet.

  Cecily bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. What was wrong with this man? He appeared as nervous as a cat being chased by a dog in a china closet. Perhaps it was up to her to do the teaching this time.

  She closed the space between them and rested her palm on his chest as she peered into his confused stare. “My darling husband,” she made her voice seductive on purpose, “there’s no need to be shy. We’re married now.”

  His cheeks grew red, which she found adorable. It was hard not to laugh at his shocked expression. But in an instant, he took a deep breath as he removed her hand from his chest and brought it up to his mouth. He brushed his lips across her knuckles, softly.

  Suddenly, her throat turned dry. The warmth flowing through her alerted her to feelings she’d never experienced before. But it was his gentle expression – and his incredibly dreamy eyes – that held her hypnotized.

  “Would it be proper to carry you up the stairs to our room now, my lovely bride?”

  She gulped, even though it was difficult because of her parched throat. Why was his voice so deep?

  “I, uh…” She swallowed hard again, reminding herself to keep in character. After all, they were married. “Yes, dear husband. I think carrying me up the stairs is very proper.”

  His expression relaxed and he grinned. It actually looked genuine this time.

  “Whatever my wife wishes, she shall receive.”

  In one swoop of his arms, he lifted her, pressing her against his chest as he hooked an arm under her legs. It unbalanced her slightly, and she wrapped her arms around his strong neck. Once she was settled in his arms, a giggle escaped her. It was hard to believe she was this close to a man. She hoped she sounded just like any newly married woman right now.

  Cecily couldn’t take her eyes off his face as he headed for the stairs. Her arms loosened, but she didn’t dare remove them from around his neck. Besides that, she had to keep in character. “Oh, Mr. Tanner. You’re so romantic.”

  His lips twisted as though he was trying not to laugh. Nothing was said between them as he carried her up the stairs. She peeked over his shoulder to see if the people in the lobby were watching, and sure enough, they were all smiling widely and chuckling as their gazes followed Rick.

  Once he reached the top of the stairs, he stopped. “Which room?”

  “Twelve.”

  She expected him to release her, but he surprised her again by carrying her to the room. She reached in her wrist-purse and pulled out the key, thinking he was going to set her down now. But instead, he took the key from her, opened the door, and carried her inside.

  Once the door clicked closed, he released her legs and they slipped to the floor. She pulled away, but the imprint of his hands – and his body against hers – still affected her.

  She released an uncomfortable chuckle. “I really didn’t think you would carry me all the way to the room.”

  Folding his arms, his gaze traveled slowly over her as he nodded. “You have impressed me, Cecily.”

  She hitched a small breath. “I… did? Why?”

  “Because you knew what you had to do as Mrs. Tanner, and you made those people downstairs believe that you were a married woman.”

  His compliment warmed her cheeks. “Thank you. That’s exactly why I said what I did. I could tell you were distressed, and so I tried to make us look like we were newly wed.”

  “Well, I’m happy to say, you passed the first test. I’m relieved that’s not something I had to teach you.”

  She removed her bonnet as she moved to her bed and sat on the edge. “Pretending comes easily to me since I’ve been doing it most of my life.”

  After the words were out, she bit her tongue. Why had she said that? And why was it so easy to talk around him? She really needed to tread carefully from now on.

  Cecily didn’t dare look at him, so she kept her attention on her bonnet as she played with the lace around the edging. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him moving closer to her.

  “Why did you have to pretend?”

  She quickly thought up a story to tell him. “My mother died when I was young, and my father was drunk most of my youth.” She raised her gaze. Concern etched on his handsome face. “While he treated me like a servant, I pretended I was so
meone else… someone with two parents who loved me. I pretended every day that I had a different life.”

  So perhaps she didn’t have to lie very much that time.

  “I’m sure that was difficult for you.”

  She shook her head. “No. What was difficult was studying the behavior of my father and his friends. I watched them closely for signs of when they’d act up. After a few years, I was prepared for most situations, and I was able to handle most everything that was thrown my way.”

  His gaze narrowed on her. “Had your father acted this way before or after he was a sheriff?”

  Her mind turned blank. What was he talking about now? And yet, he must know something about Ruth Livingston that she didn’t know. Apparently, Ruth’s father was a man of the law, too.

  She cleared her throat. “Before. He was sheriff for only a few years.”

  “How did he die?”

  Cecily’s mind scrambled for another answer. “Shot… by an outlaw.”

  Rick frowned and nodded. “So was my brother.”

  She tightened her fingers around the ties of the bonnet. She loathed her family and what they represented even more now. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  Sighing, he turned and walked to the window, peeking out of the opened curtains. “Where are you from?”

  She was about to confess that she was from Tennessee, but then remembered that Ruth Livingston wasn’t from there. “Nevada.”

  Rick leaned against the window, looking at her through a narrowed gaze. “Tell me, Cecily, what made you want to become a Pinkerton Agent.”

  Thankfully, she’d already had this lie figured out before meeting him. “I’d heard that Mr. Pinkerton was looking for more female agents, and I realized this was the very thing I needed to start a new life.”

  “I’m certain your interesting skill will be a great help.”

  Interesting skill? He did know something about Ruth. Too bad she didn’t know more. “Yes, I hope so.”

  “I promise to train you the best way I know how.”

  She smiled. “Thank you.”

  He sighed heavily and glanced around her small room. “Did Archie pay for this? All of the other female agents are staying at the dormitory.”

  “No. I had the money and paid for the room before I had my interview with Mr. Gordon. Marianne had invited me to stay there, but this room was already paid for.”

  “It’s nice.” He met her stare again. “So, what should we do for the next hour? I think if those people downstairs saw me leaving the room, they’d wonder why, especially since we’ve only been here a few minutes.”

  She chuckled as her face flamed with embarrassment. She wasn’t naïve. After all, she had a father and two brothers who brought women home all the time, and they were not very private about their activities. Just as she’d told Rick, she was just a servant to her family. That’s all they needed her for.

  “Well, um…” She twisted her hands in her lap. “You could tell me about our assignment in San Francisco.”

  “Of course.” He took a deep breath. “Apparently, the newly appointed mayor of San Francisco is missing.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Apparently? You don’t know for sure?”

  “Not really.” Rick stood and slowly paced the length of the room. “You see, some people in the town have reported him missing, but his family thinks differently. They assure the sheriff they have been in contact with Mr. Stephens.”

  “But… why would they say that if he was missing?”

  Rick grinned, more out of one side of his mouth. “That, Mrs. Tanner, is the very thing we’re going to find out.”

  His face brightened, making him even better looking. Rats! She really didn’t want him looking this good. He was her trainer – her partner in the Pinkerton Agency, and that was all.

  It was too bad, too. He looked like he’d really know how to treat a woman. It was unfortunate that she couldn’t keep those ideas from entering her mind.

  FOUR

  Rick couldn’t get comfortable on the train, no matter how hard he tried. Reading the newspaper became old after looking over it three times. Thankfully, Cecily appeared to be quite engaged in watching the scenery pass by out of the window.

  From time to time when she saw something spectacular, her face would brighten and she’d get his attention by pointing out the window, and she’d have some kind of adorable comment. He hated to admit, but watching her became entertaining. He enjoyed seeing her excitement, like a child at Christmas time.

  He especially looked forward to what she had to say. She was a hard person to analyze, which made him that much more curious about her. Sometimes he thought she was lying to him, but then she’d say something that would make him question his doubt.

  Rick watched for those moments when her eyes would sparkle. They were such a pretty blue… and he still felt as though he’d met her before. But the more he studied her pretty face, the more his thoughts drifted in a different direction. A direction they shouldn’t go at all.

  So far in their journey, she pretended to act the part of his adoring wife. At times, it was laughable, but he refrained. He’d never met a married couple who acted like they were so much in love that nothing else in the world mattered. At times, Cecily pretended to be this way around him. She played a good character… good enough, in fact, that he wondered what that would be like to actually have someone love him that much.

  Was there a woman out there who knew how to respect her husband and love him unconditionally? Was there a man who always thought of his wife first, and wouldn’t let any other woman turn his head?

  Rick was certain that most couples loved each other when they were first married, but over the years, love wasn’t the most important thing in a relationship. If he knew he could find a woman who would not only be a good wife, but a friend to him until they were old and gray, he’d marry her in a minute. But women like that were only a dream to him. A dream he’d rather not think about because it would never come true.

  He shifted in his seat again and glanced at the other passengers in their railcar. Being tall, he could see above a lot of heads. Several people were sleeping. Some women sat in groups and chatted. One lone man sat in the last seat of the car, glaring at anyone who looked his way…

  Familiarity pricked Rick’s conscience. Mark Weller – the gunfighter he’d been tracking back in Kansas and lost his trail. Could it really be him?

  Rick narrowed his gaze on the man with the beady, alert eyes. The man wore a constant scowl, and waited for anything that would set off his temper and give him a reason to shoot and kill. When Rick had been tracking the gunfighter, he’d learned the man had killed twenty people already. Mostly men. Mark Weller didn’t kill for money; he killed for sport. Apparently, he enjoyed the fame of being the fastest gunfighter in Kansas.

  Mark scratched his bushy beard that covered the lower half of his round face, and glanced up from whatever he’d been looking at in his lap. Just like most gunfighters, they needed to constantly be aware of their surroundings.

  Rick quickly lifted up the newspaper to block Mark from seeing him. The man was probably aware that a Pinkerton Agent was searching for him, but Rick couldn’t be sure if the gunfighter knew Rick’s identity or not.

  His mind searched for ideas on how to capture the outlaw. But they were on a train full of people. Rick didn’t want innocent people getting hurt, and if he tried to arrest the gunfighter now, Mark wouldn’t care about how many people he shot in order to get away.

  As long as Mark Weller was on the train, Rick had a chance of catching him.

  The outlaw would certainly have his gun handy. Rick’s pocket pistol was safely in his jacket, but that gun only held one shot before it had to be reloaded. He considered himself a good shot, but not when he was up against a gunslinger. Rick’s weapon of choice was a new revolver from Smith and Wesson, but that was packed away in his trunk.

  A movement beside him, and the scent of flowers, reminded him tha
t his new wife was here. He snapped his head toward her. Wearing a serious expression, she’d scooted down in her seat and leaned closer to him.

  “What is going on?” she said in a low voice.

  He shook his head. “What do you mean?”

  “You’re wearing your agent expression again. And your fingers are clutching the newspaper so hard they’re turning white. And,” she pointed to the newspaper, “it’s upside down.”

  Groaning, he lowered the paper. What was wrong with him? Since marrying her, everything he did was off. Had her presence thrown a kink in his life already?

  “Don’t look now,” he whispered, “but in the back of the railcar, there is a man with a bushy black beard. He’s the gunfighter who has been slipping from my fingers for almost a year now.”

  She blinked. “Oh, dear. What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. Yet.”

  She nodded. “Let me think on it, too.”

  He scowled. What did Cecily have to think about? She wasn’t a fully trained agent. She wouldn’t know how to capture a suspect.

  Slowly, she stood, acting like she was stretching. He wanted to yank her back down to her seat, but that would cause too much attention. As she pretended to stretch her arms and neck, she looked toward the back of the railcar. Suddenly, her eyes widened and her face turned white. She sat, and her body stiffened.

  He wanted to scold her, but he went with his second reaction and touched her arm. Cecily’s gaze met his.

  “That’s Mark Weller,” she whispered.

  Confusion filled Rick’s head. “How do you know him?”

  Her throat constricted as if she took a hard swallow. “I read the newspaper a lot. I’ve seen wanted posters.”

  What was she talking about? He shook his head. “But you lived in Nevada. Why would wanted posters be there?”

  She arched an eyebrow. “Have you forgotten what my father had done for a few years?”

  “I suppose you’re correct.” He frowned. “Weller keeps hiding from me. Just when I think I have him, he disappears.”

  “Does he know you’re after him?”