Regina wasn’t sure how much she could confide in Gretchen, but she knew the older woman would enjoy the stories of her life of attending dances and balls, years of excellent and difficult boarding schools, and her step-mother’s conniving. Regina could keep the woman intrigued for hours with stories of the line of assorted obnoxious men her step-mother hoped she’d marry.
Regina prayed again for Luke’s safety as she followed Gretchen up to her living quarters questioning her decision to run. Yes, Luke told her to run, and he was her superior on this case, but what if she left him behind to die at Red’s hand? Her heart stuttered at the thought of life without Luke Tucker.
Chapter Seventeen
Just as Regina stepped into the parlor of Gretchen’s living quarters, she heard shots ring out.
“Luke,” she stammered. “I have to get to him.”
Before she could turn, Gretchen caught her arm. “Wait here one minute.”
Regina stood silently as she watched Gretchen disappear into a room off the kitchen and return quickly in a dress and coat. “C’mon,” Gretchen said. “Let’s see if we can help our men. Those shots sounded like they came from the direction of the saloon. My Horace is there, too.”
Regina and Gretchen rushed out of the mercantile and were nearly run down by a horse galloping down the street and out of town. Regina recognized the rider as Bart, the barkeep at the saloon. If Bart was leaving things must be dangerous at the saloon, and Regina had the feeling that Bart was escaping justice and not worried about Red or Magee coming after him.
Another shot rang out, and men pushed each other to get out of the way as they tumbled and jumped from the saloon’s batwing doors. Regina ran faster followed closely behind by Gretchen.
Regina was just about to enter the saloon when Luke walked out toward her. Horace was right behind him, and Gretchen threw herself into her husband’s arms. Luke pulled Regina close.
“It’s over,” Luke explained.
“Did you shoot them?” Regina asked.
“Didn’t have to. Red was drunk and hollering that you found the teacher. Magee kept telling him to shut up. Red pulled his pistol and shot Magee. Before Magee dropped, he managed to get Bart’s shotgun and shot Red. They’re dead. Bart left.”
Regina said, “I saw Bart riding out of town as if the devil was on his tail.”
“No worries, they’ll put out a reward for him. A marshal or bounty hunter will find him eventually,” Luke assured Regina. “Now, show me where we can find Miss Stegler.”
Regina turned to Gretchen and Horace, “Could you see if the doctor is in town and send him here? The missing teacher is in the cellar, and she was injured yesterday and who knows what Red did to her tonight.”
Luke followed Regina down the saloon hall to the cellar door. It stood wide open, and when Regina climbed down the stairs, she saw Maisy sitting in a chair next to Abigail’s cot. “She’s all right,” Maisy explained. “She’s just scared. Red threatened to shoot her.”
“Everything is all right now,” Regina assured. “Magee and Red are both dead. Bart left town.”
Maisy nodded, “The sheriff was here when the shooting started. I saw him go out the back door just before I came down here to check on Abigail. Magee paid him to ignore trouble at the saloon. I wouldn’t be surprised if he left town, too.”
Luke asked Maisy, “Does the telegraph operator live here in town?”
“Yeah, he lives at his office in the back. Just go around back and pound on the door. He’s used to the sheriff and Magee sending telegrams at all hours.”
“Thanks,” Luke answered and turned to Regina. “I need to send a telegram to Archie. He’ll notify local law enforcement in the surrounding area to watch out for the sheriff and Bart. He’ll also telegraph Miss Stegler’s friend that she’s been found and is safe.” He kissed Regina and then ran up the stairs.
Nellie didn’t growl at Luke this time. Maybe she understands, Regina thought.
“He’s a good man,” Maisy said. “I’d hang onto him if I were you.”
“I’ll try,” Regina answered hoping she could do that.
The middle age doctor pounded down the stairs mumbling about why the girls couldn’t get sick on the first floor occasionally. He stopped when he saw Abigail lying on the cot.
“Who’s this? A new girl?”
“No, Red abducted her. She’s a school teacher, and I think her ribs may be broken or at least bruised. I did my best to bind them up, and she has a cut on her head. It doesn’t look infected.”
The elderly doctor glowered at her, “How would you know that?”
“I studied nursing, sir,” Regina responded.
“Good, good,” the doctor mumbled as he checked Abigail. “You and Maisy can come to my office and help care for her tonight. With Magee dead, I doubt the saloon will remain open.”
Abigail was able to walk with a bit of assistance and settled into a bed at Doc’s office. His wife rushed around making tea and soup for Abigail, and she finally drifted off to sleep. Regina told Maisy she could go back to the saloon and help the other girls. They had to be worried about what would happen.
Maisy agreed but added, “I don’t know what will happen to any of us. Working for Magee wasn’t a choice, but it was all we had. Trixie needs that money to send to her aunt. The rest of us need to eat.”
“I promise you I’ll think of something. Please try not to worry. I’ll stop at the saloon tomorrow after I’m sure Abigail is doing well, and we’ll talk about it. There might be a way for you to run the saloon, but I don’t want to see the girls go back to their jobs. All of you deserve a better life and Trixie deserves to be with her daughter.”
Maisy hugged Regina, “Thank you. I hope you will find a way.”
Maisy met Luke at the door as she was leaving, “You were right, Maisy, the sheriff left town, but I notified the Undertaker, and he’s at the saloon now. Most of the men have left, and the few that are there are helping the girls clean. I would suggest you ask the men to leave and then lock up for the night and keep it closed tomorrow. If you have any trouble with them send one of the girls to find me, I’ll be at the hotel after I check on Regina and Miss Stegler.”
Maisy nodded and ran off toward the saloon.
Luke waited for Regina in the parlor of the doctor’s home/office. When she walked out of the exam room, she walked right into Luke’s arms. He wrapped his arms around her, and she felt as if she belonged there forever. After he held her for several moments, he shared what he knew.
“I woke the telegraph operator and sent a telegram to Archie about Miss Stegler, Red, Magee, and the sheriff. I knew he would answer regardless of the hour and he did twenty minutes later. He wants us to remain here and see about the book operation and since the sheriff left, assure that Miss Stegler is placed on the stage headed home once she recovers well enough.”
“I think she’ll be well enough to travel in a day or two. Doc agreed with me that her ribs aren’t broken, and the bruises will heal soon. The cut on her head isn’t infected and healing. Red didn’t hurt her tonight. He threatened to shoot her if she didn’t write faster and she screamed in fear. That’s what we heard. What she needs most is good food and some uninterrupted rest,” Regina explained, and Luke nodded.
Luke took a step back and looked deeply into Regina’s eyes. “We should be able to head back to Denver after Miss Stegler leaves, but tomorrow you and I need to talk.”
“About what?”
“What happens when we get back to Denver,” Luke said before kissing her on the forehead and leaving the Doc’s office.
Regina was confused. Oh, how she loved Luke but just now he kissed her like he would his sister. Were all the passionate kisses for show? Her heart thudded as she tried not to cry. She achieved her goal. The case was solved, and she was a full-fledged Pinkerton agent, but she lost her heart.
Regina walked back to Abigail’s room and laid down on the small cot provided for her and shut her eyes. What wou
ld she do now? After the annulment that Luke obviously wants, she couldn’t stay for the agency. Her heart couldn’t stand seeing Luke around the office, and the thought of going back to Chicago was out of the question. Perhaps with her training and at least this one successful case solved, she could apply for a sheriff’s position in a small town where Luke would never turn up. Maybe a U.S. Marshal position wasn’t out of her grasp now that she had helped solve this case.
Regina fell asleep wondering how she was going to go on with her life while Luke strolled back to the hotel wondering how to tell his partner that he loved her and didn’t want an annulment. Regina’s kisses were warm and inviting, but he knew she was playing her part well.
After the annulment, he’d leave Denver. He could work out of the Chicago office since he knew Regina never wanted to go back there. Their paths might never cross again which is what Luke needed. His heart couldn’t take seeing Regina again and again especially once she found the man who would spend his life loving her. Luke wanted to be that man.
Chapter Eighteen
Regina woke later than she expected. The sun was up, and Abigail was sitting in her bed eating breakfast.
“Good morning,” Abigail said brightly. “It was wonderful to sleep somewhere warm last night and wake up feeling safe. Thank you for doing all you did to rescue me from Red and Magee.”
“As sad as it seems, the reason I found you is because Red hit you. Doc was out of town, and Maisy knew I had some nurses training,” Regina said offering the young woman one of her own smiles.
“I think you would have found me eventually.”
“Maybe, but I’m happy you’re safe now, and Red can’t hurt you. Luke said we’ll arrange to send you back home as soon as you’re able to travel.”
Abigail’s face brightened. “That will be splendid. I wonder if the children miss me. I hope the town accepts me back. You know how people like to gossip.”
“I’m sure everyone will be happy to have you home,” Regina encouraged.
Abigail’s smile faded, and her face paled, “What if they don’t believe I was abducted? If they think I went willingly and was in a saloon, my reputation will be ruined.”
Regina looked at Abigail and explained, “That won’t happen. I will write letters to your sheriff, school board, mayor, whoever you think needs to hear the truth. You can take them with you when you leave.”
“You would do that for me?”
“Of course, I know the truth, and I am a Pinkerton agent. We are known for honesty. It will all work out. If not, send me a telegram in Denver, and I’ll come back personally and explain a few things to the disbelievers,” Regina said and nodded her head once.
Abigail laughed, “I believe you would.”
“Now that it’s settled, I’m going to see if Gretchen is all right. She and her husband own the mercantile, and they were in the middle of the chaos last night. I’ll come back to see what Doc has to say about how well you’re healing in a little while. I also need to talk to Luke.” Regina said before she left Abigail to her breakfast.
Pushing open the mercantile door, Regina was greeted by a familiar face behind the counter. “Trixie, what are you doing here?”
Trixie smiled, “My real name is Theresa. Magee chose Trixie. I hate it. This morning Missus Collier came to the saloon to talk to us. She asked which one of us had the child being cared for by an aunt. When I told her I did, she said she had a job for me at the mercantile, a small room I could sleep in until I found a bigger place, and she’d help me send for my daughter. Beth is six, and I miss her so. I can’t believe that I’m going to see her, and she’ll never leave me again,” Theresa said through the tears streaming down her cheeks.
Horace walked out of the back room and greeted Regina. “Good morning, Gretchen is over at the church. Some sort of meeting about helping the girls from Magee’s.”
“All right, I’ll see her later, but I have a question. When you need things from Cheyenne how do they arrive?”
“If it’s something small, it can come on the stagecoach, but anything big and I ask Old Walter to drive to Cheyenne and pick up the order from the train,” Horace explained.
“Old Walter?”
Horace nodded, “Yeah, he does odd jobs and works mostly over at the livery.”
“Thanks,” Regina said as she hurried out the door headed for the livery. She found Old Walter wasn’t very old, maybe in his forties but his gray hair aged him. He was mucking out stalls when she arrived.
“Excuse me, are you Old Walter?”
“Yes. Ma’am, that’s what they call me. How can I help you?”
“I understand you drive to Cheyenne to collect things for Mister Collier. Are you available to deliver something to Cheyenne for me?” Regina asked.
“I don’t see why not. People don’t usually send things to Cheyenne except the mail, and that goes by the stage. I could make a run to Cheyenne for you. What do you need delivered?’
“A dog.”
“A dog?”
Regina nodded. “The big dog that Red kept at the saloon. She’s attached herself to me, and I can’t leave her behind. They won’t allow her to ride on the stage and she can’t follow us all that way. She’d get lost Her name is Nellie, and she’s sweet.”
Old Walter scrunched his eyebrows and finally nodded, “I don’t see why not.”
They discussed price and Regina didn’t haggle. She’d pay twice the amount to get Nellie to Cheyenne and then onto the train to Denver. Old Walter had a friend who owned a livery near the train station, and Regina said she’d make sure his friend was paid for Nellie’s keep before Old Walter got there. She doubted Old Walter and Nellie would beat the stage to Cheyenne.
Her business done, Regina slowly walked back to the hotel. Luke wanted to talk. This was the end, and she had to brace herself for it.
~ * ~
Luke saw Regina leave the mercantile and hurried across the street. “Good, you’re free. We have to check out the newspaper office. I know that Miss Stegler was abducted to continue writing the books after Red killed the original author, but we need to make sure. If the books aren’t at the newspaper offices, then we have more to investigate.”
Regina nodded and walked alongside Luke but wondered if this was what Luke wanted to talk about. Maybe he was going to wait until the train ride back to Denver. Officially, they were still on a case.
Luke and Regina were correct in their assumption that the newspaper office was used for the book printing business. Regina was shocked at the contents of some of the books. “These make the dime novels I read sound like fairy tales. Now that I’ve read some of these pages, I can’t forget them. It’s a curse at times to have a photographic memory. Is there really a market for this type of book?”
“Sadly, yes,” Luke answered. “Publications of this nature have been around for as long as there was someone to write them or draw the images. Illicit paintings also were loaned back and forth similar to the one above the bar in Magee’s.”
The thought of that painting caused Regina to blush.
Luke continued, “We don’t have to do anything with these books. I’ll telegraph Archie, and he’ll notify the proper authorities. I’m not sure if they’ll be confiscated or sold, but our part of the case is over. Now, I have a question.”
“Yes,” Regina answered.
“All that money the men at the saloon gave you for playing, you can’t keep it you know. It’s against the rules.”
“I’m ahead of you on that one. I have all the money in a can in my room. I’m going to give it to the pastor to help buy their church bell. Every church deserves to have a bell. I might add a little of my own money as a donation. I truly like the people in this town.”
“I do, too. It’s a good place to live, and I think the people will be more careful the next time someone wants to open a saloon.”
Regina suggested, “Maybe Maisy and the other two girls can run it. Gretchen hired Trixie to work at the mercantil
e. She’s going to live there and get her daughter back. Her name is Theresa so don’t call her Trixie when you see her.”
Luke nodded and said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the ladies took over. Might be a better run saloon. Now, I have something else to discuss with you.”
Regina turned and looked at him, “What is it?”
“It’s about the annulment.”
“I see,” Regina said. “We can see Judge Hotchkiss as soon as we return to Denver. He wasn’t sure about the weddings. He’s most likely waiting for us and the other couples.”
Luke took a step closer to Regina and stared at her for a moment. “You want to see the judge when we get back?”
“No, but you asked and I umm I don’t know.”
Luke took another step closer, “Reggie, I’m going to call you Reggie from now on. You are much more Reggie than Regina to me.”
“I am?” Regina questioned.
“You are,” Luke answered stepping closer. “Do you want an annulment?”
“Do you?”
Luke pulled Regina into his arms and said, “No, I want a wife. I want you. I love you, Reggie.”
“I love you, too. I was afraid you’d want an annulment immediately even though you kissed me like you didn’t.”
Luke claimed her lips and kissed her passionately. When he drew back, Regina smiled at him.
“I’m so happy. Do we still have to live at the agency or can the three of us find a house or apartment?”
“Three? There can’t be three. We never. We didn’t,” Luke stammered.
“I’m talking about Nellie. I arranged for Old Walter at the livery to drive her to Cheyenne, and then we can take her home with us to Denver,” Regina explained excitedly.
“The dog?”
“Of course, I knew you were going to ask for an annulment and then I’d have to quit the agency because I couldn’t stand to be around you. I needed Nellie, and I can’t abandon her now just because we’re staying married.”
An Agent for Regina Page 9
