Secretive in Sacramento

by Marie Higgins

  Secretive in Sacramento

  Yours Truly: The Lovelorn Series

  By Marie Higgins

  Copyright © 2020 by Marie Higgins

  Cover Art by V McKevitt

  Edited by Teresa Pearson & Veronica Mesa

  Edition License Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  Secretive in Sacramento (Yours Truly: The Lovelorn)

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  Yours Truly: The Lovelorn Series

  Other published stories by Marie Higgins

  Author’s Bio

  Miss Justina Bradford has had her heart broken too many times to count. When threats of being kidnapped start to happen, she hires a detective agency to help her find the responsible party. The agent assigned to her case is the man who she’d loved so long ago. Confused about her feelings for him now and what had happened in the past, she seeks the advice from The Lovelorn’s popular newspaper article, hoping it will be the answer to her prayers.

  ONE

  Justina Bradford stood at the gravestone of her deceased father and stared blankly at the words etched in stone. Wallace Bradford 1830-1880. Rest in peace.

  It had been six months since she buried him, and she felt the same today as she’d felt back then. Empty. It was now time to come out of mourning and rejoin the world, and the thought made her nervous.

  She expelled a deep breath and pulled her shoulders back. No longer did she feel a prisoner in her own home as she waited the mourning period. Yet, the thought of entering the real world made her stomach churn. Before, she’d been the only daughter of the wealthy owner of a steel company, and now she was the sole owner of the steel company. Men only wanted her for her money, and it didn’t take long before she became distrustful of them. If men were not trustworthy before, she couldn’t wait to see what they had in store for her now.

  Not only was that a big part of her reluctance about coming out of mourning, but she knew several of her father’s so-called friends who didn’t think a woman in her twenty-sixth year could handle owning such a company. She doubted she could, too, but at least she wanted to be able to have the chance to prove herself.

  “Father,” she said softly, staring at the grave, “I will try and make you proud, and I won’t allow anyone to take away my inheritance.”

  Keeping her chin up, she turned and walked away. Her heart was full of hopes and dreams, but her mind argued, telling her that society wouldn’t allow her to run a business. Father hadn’t told her very much about what he did every day, but she’d do all she could to try and learn the business... even if it meant spending more time with Oliver James, one of her father’s good friends and the manager of the Sacramento warehouse.

  A shiver ran through her. Oliver was a handsome man and he’d always been sweet, but there was something about the way he peered at her with a glint in his brown eyes that made her withdraw. Maybe it was because he was unmarried even at the age of forty-five. He was old enough to be her father, for heaven’s sake. Although some women married older men, the idea made Justina sick to her stomach.

  As she moved slowly down the hillside, she glanced at her coach and driver waiting for her on the road. There were other people in the cemetery, saying their final goodbyes. Justina had heard that Mayor Peery had just buried his wife. Her heart wrenched for this poor man, and his three children who were under the age of ten.

  Justina understood their suffering since she’d been nine years of age when her mother passed on, leaving Justina’s upbringing in the hands of her father who, for some strange reason, had never remarried. Growing up with the knowledge that her father sacrificed so much for her upbringing was one of the reasons she had become so close to him.

  “Jacobs?” she called up to her driver when he hadn’t noticed her to help her inside the coach.

  The man sitting on the driver’s seat jerked and swung his head toward her. Seconds later, he jumped down, landing in front of her. His hat fell off his head, and his wild blond hair stood out as if he’d just tumbled out of bed. He wasn’t the man who’d been driving her places for ten years.

  “Where is Jacobs?” she asked. “Who are you?”

  The stranger with the straggly hair snatched onto her wrist and he yanked her forward. She stumbled, falling against him. The filthy man’s stench made her gag. Dirt was on his face and his hands. The middle-aged man gave her a victorious grin, showing a mouth with several missing teeth.

  “I’m the one who has been paid good money to kidnap you.”

  Kidnap? Her heart dropped and he hurried away from her coach, yanking her along with him. She struggled, but he was stronger. Panic filled her, and she knew she must fight harder. She couldn’t let him get away with this.

  Her mind flashed with the image of the others at the graveside service for the mayor’s wife. If she screamed loud enough, would someone hear her and come help?

  She sucked in a breath of air, gathering what she needed to scream as loud as she could. “Help me! Someone, help me!”

  Her kidnapper stopped suddenly, and turned toward her, slapping a smelly hand over her mouth. Using her fingernails, she clawed at his face, trying to get free. He yelped and jerked back, which removed his hand from her mouth. She screamed out again, praying that someone would hear her.

  “Shut up, lady!”

  The man moved his hand to her mouth again, but this time she bit down hard on the pad of his palm. Immediately, she tasted blood and something else that should have never touched her tongue. She gagged.

  He finally released her to cradle his bleeding hand. She didn’t waste any time darting away from him as fast as she could go, holding her gown above her ankles to run faster. Her black bonnet with black thin lace over the face blew off her head, rolling on the ground. She didn’t care to retrieve it. Getting as far away from this fool was more important.

  Up ahead, she saw her coach, but she also noticed two men heading toward her. She prayed they had been with the mayor’s group instead of trying to help the kidnapper.

  The closer Justina came to the men, she recognized one of them. She’d never been happier to see Oliver James than she was now. When he reached Justina, her leg weakened. Just as his arms circled around her, she collapsed.

  “Justina,” Oliver gasped, kneeling beside her, “what’s wrong.”

  “That man... He tried to... kidnap... me,” she answered breathlessly.

  The second man reached her, but she didn’t get a good look at his face, except for his dark hair and clean-shaven jaw.

  “Quickly,” Oliver told the other man, pointing to the man getting away, “go after him. He tried to kidnap her.”

  Justina didn’t hear the man’s reply, but he ran toward her kidnapper. She hoped the filthy criminal wouldn’t be able to hide, especially since he’d been pulling her toward Folsom Lake and the trees in the surrounding area.

  “Justina,” Oliver cupped her face and lifted her chin so she could look at him. “What did that man want?”

  “I don’t know.” Her heartbeat still raced. “He just said he’d been
paid good money to kidnap me.”

  Oliver’s handsome face took on a stern expression, turning his blue eyes dark. “Then I’ll stay at your house until we find out who is doing this.”

  Gasping, Justina pulled back and stared at him as her mind scrambled to understand him. “No, you will not stay with me. I’ll be just fine, I assure you. I have a house full of servants and I’ll make certain they are all on guard.”

  Oliver’s face relaxed as he reached for her again. “But my dear, Justina, you’ll need me—”

  “I don’t need you – or anyone.” She rose to her feet and stepped away from him. “In fact, I’ll drive this coach home myself.” She turned and moved closer to the vehicle before setting her foot on the step that would take her to the driver’s seat.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Justina.” Oliver grasped her elbow, keeping her from climbing up. “I’ll drive you. I’ll tie my horse to the back of the coach and then I’ll take you home.”

  From the corner of her eye, she noticed a small group of people from the mayor’s wife’s funeral coming toward her. The mayor was one of them, but she didn’t want to talk to anyone. She hadn’t been friends with Mayor Peery, even though he’d been one of the many men who were friends with her father.

  “Fine,” she said quickly. “Take me home now.” She climbed inside and closed the door before the others reached the vehicle.

  The mayor’s concerned voice boomed through the air as he talked to Oliver. Tears gathered in Justina’s eyes and she breathed slowly. She couldn’t allow this negative experience to affect her. Starting her new life was necessary, and she didn’t want anything to hold her back.

  Although she tried shutting out the worried voices slowly growing louder, she couldn’t help but overhear a few of them, especially when one had mentioned the name, Drake Detective Agency. Her thoughts stilled... Where had she heard that name before?

  Closing her eyes, she blocked out the voices as her mind recalled when her father had spoken about this agency. He’d hired one of their detectives to help him find the person in his steel company who was stealing money from their coffers. The Drake Detective Agency had found the culprit in one week’s time.

  Perhaps that’s what Justina needed to do. She’d contact the agency tomorrow and hire them to find the person who was trying to kidnap her.

  Sighing, she relaxed against the coach’s wall and rested her head against the side. It sounded as though Oliver was still chatting with some of the people. She rolled her eyes. That man was worse than a roomful of gossiping old biddies sometimes. As much as she wanted to start for home, with Oliver as her driver, she’d have to be patient.

  Her forehead throbbed and she rubbed her temples. Some of the voices outside the coach became recognizable. Mrs. Seton from up the street sounded worried, but Justina knew the woman was two-faced and only liked to look caring in front of the town. Mr. Akin had been one of her father’s friends, but when the man kept bugging her father for money, Wallace Bradford dissolved his friendship.

  Another man’s voice seemed oddly familiar, but she brushed it aside, knowing it couldn’t possibly be the person that had suddenly popped into her mind. That man was long gone, thank goodness.

  There was so much to do now that her father was dead – things that she’d put off because of being in mourning. But now she’d have to face them. Alone. It would be difficult. Father had protected her from so many things as he tried to play the part of both mother and father to her. He’d been there when she and her grade school friends had argued and left her in tears. He’d been there when a man from town began courting her. Thankfully, that hadn’t lasted long. She’d been able to see right through him.

  Her father had also been there with her when the man she thought she had fallen in love with had taken her emotions and crushed them in pieces like fine glass. She’d never cried so hard in her life.

  She’d been betrothed to one of her father’s friends, but her heart belonged to Gavin Lennox. Although she wanted to marry Gavin, she felt obligated to follow her father’s wishes. When her fiancé broke the betrothal agreement, she was relieved but the damage to her heart had already been done.

  Strange, how she’d think of that particular memory of the man who was long gone from her life. Although she thought she’d heard him outside her coach, she hadn’t. Gavin had promised her that he would never set foot back in Sacramento. It had taken her months to feel normal again, and once she had put him from her mind, her life seemed much smoother.

  What she needed to do was keep away from all men like him. She didn’t need a man to be happy. From now on, she’d jump feet first into the steel company business and learn all she could in order to be a successful business woman. Society would have heart-palpitations for certain, but she didn’t care. This was her life and she’d live it the best she could.

  Nothing would stop her!

  TWO

  Gavin Lennox stared blankly at the playing cards in his hands. He didn’t consider this first deal worth playing. He’d give back two of his cards in hopes of receiving two queens from the dealer. Four-of-a-kind would be a hand worth betting high for. However, the odds were not in his favor of getting what he wanted.

  He glanced around at the other four men playing in the game. So far, none of them looked as if they held a winning hand, either. Once a week, Gavin met with the other agents working for Mark Drake’s detective agency. They met in the back room of the office since being at a saloon was too distracting.

  From his hand, Gavin removed a five of clubs and a two of diamonds and slid them face down on the table toward the dealer. “Please replace these for some winning cards,” he muttered.

  Hank, the dealer and a good friend, laughed and slid two fresh cards face down on the table toward Gavin. Hank was more of a gambler than Gavin, but at least he knew when to fold. Hank had always kept going until he won.

  Slowly, Gavin lifted his cards for his eyes only. Excitement jumped inside him. The new cards – a queen and a ten of spades – gave him a full house. However, placing high bets wasn’t a good thing either, since there was still a chance others could beat him. Gavin had to be careful and study the other players carefully.

  Each man placed their chips in the middle of the table and the game began. Gavin studied the players, and only two appeared to have a good hand. Hank was one of the men, and Jethro was the other.

  They went around the table again, upping their bets until finally, Jethro called. He laid down a three-of-a-kind. Hank chuckled and placed his cards face-up on the table showing a flush.

  Chuckling softly, Gavin shook his head and showed the others his full house. Although he won this hand, it didn’t mean he’d win another.

  “Lennox,” Jethro said as he gathered the cards, preparing them for a shuffle. “I heard you were courting the mayor’s sister.” He arched a bushy salt-and-pepper eyebrow. “Will we be hearing wedding bells soon?”

  Gavin rolled his eyes. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

  Hank snorted from across the table. “Wedding bells? For Lennox? Are you addled, Jethro?”

  Feeling self-conscious, Gavin laughed. “You never know, Hank. It might happen one day.”

  “No, my friend, it won’t.” Hank sat back in his chair and linked his fingers across his round belly.

  “Why do you say that, Hank?” Jethro continued to shuffle the cards without looking up. “Gavin is a strapping young man who has a promising future as a detective. I think he could find someone to share his life with.”

  Shaking his head, Hank straightened, rested his elbows on the table, and looked at the older man in the game. “Jethro, you don’t know Lennox like I do. He doesn’t trust women, and so—”

  “Hank,” Gavin stopped him, trying not to laugh. “I’m right here. I believe I can answer for myself.”

  In silence, Hank motioned his hands toward Gavin and then swished them toward Jethro as if he was letting him take over.

  Gavin met Jethro�
�s confused stare. “What Hank is trying to say is that I have reservations about the matrimonial institution.”

  “Eh?” Jethro’s bushy eyebrows pulled together.

  Gavin had forgotten that Jethro wasn’t very well educated, and half of the time he had a difficult time understanding Gavin. “In smaller terms, I don’t believe in true love or marriage.”

  “Hogwash.” Jethro flipped his hand. “Marriage ain’t bad, and having kids to teach and love is a great blessing.”

  Gavin gave the other man a small smile. “I’ll have to take your word for it, because what I’ve seen in my life makes me want to run as fast as I can away from the mere idea of settling down.”

  “You just haven’t found the right woman, yet.”

  “Nor will I ever.” Gavin was ready for this conversation to end. It was time to play cards, so when Jethro started dealing the cards, Gavin was sure the older man would keep quiet.

  “You know, Gavin,” Jethro continued, keeping the rhythm as he dealt the cards, “I’m willing to bet you good money that you’ll find a little honey soon.”

  Gavin clenched his jaw as he studied the cards in his hand. He wasn’t a violent man, but if Jethro didn’t shut up...

  “In fact,” Jethro chuckled as he stroked his graying beard, “we could make it a gentleman’s wager.”

  Hank barked out a laugh. “My money is on Lennox not finding a woman.”

  Inhaling deeply, Gavin tried to calm his rising anger. After silently counting to ten, he lifted his gaze to Jethro. “That wouldn’t be a good thing to do. I’d hate to have you lose.”

  The fourth man in the game, Andrew, finally folded the newspaper he’d been reading and joined the game. He tapped his finger on the newspaper and shook his head.

  “What you should do,” Andrew told Gavin, “is ask advice from The Lovelorn.”

  All the men at the table stopped what they were doing and stared wide-eyed at Andrew. He quickly held up his hand, keeping them from saying anything.