Secretive in Sacramento

by Marie Higgins

  “I suppose you wouldn’t know the reasons behind my attempted kidnapping.”

  He shook his head, leaning against the door frame as he folded his arms. “No, I haven’t discovered that yet.”

  “Do you think it’s because of my money?”

  Gavin shrugged. “I’m actually leaning more toward the fact that you were left your father’s steel company and that someone doesn’t like it one bit.”

  “Really?” She arched an eyebrow. “Do you think it’s a competitor?”

  “It could be, and I’ve been checking into that, too.”

  She sighed and frowned. “I’d hate to think that was the reason for my kidnapping. I mean, the company is my inheritance. It’s not like I want to give that up.”

  Gavin touched her arm. “Justina, I’ll find this person, I promise. You won’t have to give up your inheritance just because someone out there is envious.”

  His hand stayed on her arm, just above her elbow. Warmth coursed through her, and she wanted to sigh with pleasure. But she couldn’t. Not with him. Never again with him.

  “Miss Bradford,” Mrs. Meyers said cheerfully as she hurried up the hall toward Justina. “The newspaper arrived.”

  Her hopes lifted, wondering if The Lovelorn had answered her letter. She’d been waiting patiently since she mailed them the letter.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Meyers.” Justina quickly snatched the paper off the tray the housekeeper held.

  One side of Gavin’s mouth lifted in a half grin. “Why Miss Bradford, what a surprise it is to see you so happy about getting the newspaper.”

  Justina laughed uncomfortable. “Yes, well... I enjoy reading about the news going on in Sacramento – and other places in the world – especially since I haven’t been allowed to go out of the house lately.”

  Gavin nodded. “That will change soon.” He stepped away from her, turning toward the hall. “I’ll come and check on you later. Enjoy your newspaper.”

  “Thank you. And Gavin, when you come next, please plan on staying long enough to have some tea with me. I’ll have my cook make your favorite cookie.”

  Once again, she bit her tongue for saying the wrong thing. Why had she remembered what cookie he liked?

  His grin broadened, taking over his face. “That would be very nice, Miss Bradford. I look forward to it.”

  As he left, she gritted her teeth. She couldn’t let him think she was having those lovey-dovey feelings for him again. No, her gesture was because of what he was doing to find her kidnapper.

  Mrs. Meyers’ expression was one of surprise and cheer. There was even a twinkle in the older woman’s eyes.

  “Don’t even think of it,” Justina warned, “because you’ll be wrong.” She walked past the housekeeper and moved into the sitting room. She plopped down unlady-like on her favorite chair and opened the newspaper. She flipped through the pages quickly, looking for the full page that belonged to The Lovelorn.

  Justina scanned the letters quickly, searching for hers. Suddenly, the words jumped off the page and she gasped. The writer had written to her!

  Dear Secretive in Sacramento,

  I have experienced some of the same doubts as you but giving up on love isn’t the answer. However, if you loved this man completely, you owe it to yourself to find answers about your past instead of letting them die. But please tread carefully because withholding secrets will only hurt those you love. My advice to you is to search your heart first to see if he is a changed man. If you believe you have changed as well, then confront him. You’ll feel much better once the past has been closed for good.

  Yours Truly: The Lovelorn

  Justina’s heartbeat sped up slightly. She fell against the back of the cushioned chair, holding the newspaper to her bosom. She had somewhat followed The Lovelorn’s advice by talking about the past with Gavin, but could she do the other things suggested? Had Gavin changed? More importantly, had she changed? Could they become friends instead of enemies?

  Since the sitting room was closer to the front door, she heard when someone knocked. She placed the newspaper on the coffee table and hurried toward the door, hoping it was Gavin who had forgotten to tell her something about the case.

  She opened the door... and then grumbled underneath her breath. It was such a disappointment knowing it wasn’t Gavin.

  “Good morning, Oliver.”

  “Good morning, Justina. How are you faring this beautiful day?”

  “I’m well, thank you.”

  He grinned widely. “I have some good news for you.”

  “Good news?”

  “Yes.” He motioned toward the yard. “Would you like to take a stroll with me? I promise not to let you out of my sight, and if anyone tries to attempt anything, I have my pistol.” He patted the pocket of his vest.

  She glanced inside the house, hoping to see Mrs. Meyers, but the older woman wasn’t around. Justina looked back at Oliver. “I suppose, but we should stay by the house so that my servants can keep an eye on me, too.”

  “But of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He offered his elbow.

  She really should take it. After all, she didn’t want him to think she liked him that way, but it would be impolite not to accept his arm as they strolled the grounds. Reluctantly, she hooked her arm around his elbow as she closed the door behind her.

  “I actually have a few things to tell you today that’s good news.”

  “I’m glad to receive such news, especially since I’ve been under such duress as of late.” She forced herself to smile even though she didn’t feel it in her heart.

  They walked off the porch and onto the grass, heading toward the side of the house.

  “First off,” he began, “I had a meeting today with a company from San Francisco, and they have a huge order. This particular company also is involved with other leading distributors around the world. If we make them happy, I’m certain they will tell these other places about us. My hope is that we’ll flourish quickly, and we might be able to build a few more warehouses around the country.”

  She gasped and looked up into his brown eyes. “More warehouses?”

  He nodded. “As long as you agree, of course. After all, you are my boss now.”

  She studied his face to see if he was serious, and thankfully, she didn’t find any sign of sarcasm in his expression. It was difficult to believe that the men who worked at the company would think of her as their boss. Of course, she had to be wary, especially since Gavin thought her attempted kidnapping had something to do with her inheriting the steel company. It relieved her to know that Oliver would support her.

  “You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that.” She smiled, this time it was genuine. “You know I’ll need your help, as well as the others at the warehouse. I can’t do this alone.”

  Oliver lifted her hand off his arm and brought it to his mouth, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. “We are all here for you. We loved your father. He was a kind man who treated us all like family, and we think of you the same way.”

  “Thank you.” It was nice of him to say that, but she wished he hadn’t kissed her. Slowly, she pulled her hand out of his grasp and placed it back on his elbow. “So, you have more good news for me?”

  “I do.” He brought them to a stop on the strip of grass just around the side of the house. “But you may have already heard it.”

  “What is it?”

  “Well, I noticed Mr. Lennox leaving your house not long ago, but I’m assuming he told you.”

  “He told me he had a lead in my case, but that was all.”

  “He didn’t tell you he plans on arresting him?”

  She gasped. “Really? No, he didn’t say that.” She paused as her mind spun with questions. “How do you know about it?”

  “Because I stopped and talked to him as I was coming to see you.”

  “Oh, well... Did he tell you who it was?”

  “Remember the man with the shadowed eye?”

 
; She nodded and leaned closer, eager to hear more.

  “His name is Robert Palmer. He is known for working with many underhanded men. He’s easily paid off and he’ll do almost anything.”

  “Is... he dangerous?” Her heart jumped to her throat, praying that Gavin didn’t get hurt when he tried to arrest the man.

  “Rumors have it that he has stabbed a few men, but I haven’t heard that he’s killed anyone.”

  “Why hasn’t he been caught yet?” Knowing Gavin might get hurt made her more nervous. But then it was his job. He knew the risks. Still, it didn’t make her feel any easier.

  “If a man had that kind of lifestyle, he’d have to be careful with the law, I’m sure.”

  “Yes. You’re right of course, Oliver.”

  He caressed her cheek. “But you don’t have to worry. I’ll make sure you are protected.”

  “What I’m worried about is Mr. Lennox getting hurt.”

  “There, there.” His expression softened. “If you’d like, I’ll go help him capture the man.”

  She hiccupped a laugh, even though she really didn’t mean to do it. “You help? I doubt Gavin will allow that to happen.”

  Oliver’s gaze narrowed and the color of his eyes grew darker. “You’re calling him by his first name?”

  Justina wasn’t exactly thrilled with Oliver’s controlling tone of voice. “Well, considering we have known each other for four years, I think he’s all right with me calling him Gavin.”

  His gaze grew darker. “How exactly did you know him?”

  She grimaced. “Actually, Oliver, that’s none of your business. You’re not my father.”

  He shot her a glare. “I don’t want to be your father. I want to be... your husband.”

  His confession shocked Justina, and she quickly withdrew, preparing to bolt back to the house. He grasped her upper arms tightly, keeping her from leaving.

  “Let me go!” She struggled, but his grip was too tight. “Oliver, you’re hurting me.”

  “I don’t want you leaving yet. You haven’t answered me.”

  “What are you talking about?” She shook her head as anger filled her. “You haven’t asked a question.”

  “Will you marry me?”

  “Absolutely not.” She glanced at his steel grip on her arms. “Look at the way you’re abusing me. Why would I want to marry a man who treats me so roughly?”

  “Fine.” He seethed. “If I can’t have you, nobody will have you.”

  Suddenly, two men jumped out of the nearby bushes. The first man she recognized as the man who tried to take her at the cemetery. The second man, she’d never seen before.

  The first man threw a gunny sack over her head, keeping her from seeing anything around her. Someone wrapped a rope around her, keeping her arms to her sides. Pain suffocated her, and yet she must fight. She couldn’t let these men win.

  She screamed, but then someone’s hand struck her head. Dizziness assailed her and her world quickly turned dark.

  EIGHT

  Gavin hadn’t been able to focus since he left Justina’s house. Watching her play that beautiful song that touched his heart had been his downfall. She’d been so lovely sitting by the window as the sun shone through it and highlighted her glorious brown hair. Heavens, but she looked like an angel at that moment. Now, an hour later, he still hadn’t gotten that image from his mind.

  Another downfall he’d had, was hurrying into town right after leaving her house just to buy the newspaper. He wanted to know why she was so eager to read the paper. After studying the paper for a good twenty minutes, he realized there was only one thing she could have been looking for.

  The Lovelorn’s response to Secretive in Sacramento. He had a feeling that Justina had written the first letter. The writer of the column had posted both the first letter and then the response. Gavin felt deep in his heart that Justina had been waiting for that response.

  His gut twisted with indecision as he pondered The Lovelorn’s response. Could he possibly have those feelings for Justina again after all that had happened between them? The Lovelorn mentioned searching her heart to see if he had changed or if she had changed. Gavin knew he was a changed man, but only because he didn’t trust women so easily any longer. And yet, since their talk, and the several times this week when he’d seen Justina, the ice wall he’d built around his heart was slowly thawing.

  It surprised him how much he looked forward to seeing her pretty face or hearing her sweet voice now. Their talk about the past had somehow healed him. But had it done the same thing to Justina? She had looked at him differently these past few days. And this morning, her eyes were so mesmerizing, he didn’t want to stop gazing into them. She smiled at him differently, too... almost in a flirtatious manner. He liked it. But he shouldn’t like it at all.

  After running a few errands, he swung back by Robert Palmer’s shack, hoping that the man was still passed out cold. But as Gavin dismounted from his horse and crept closer to the window, he noticed movement inside.

  Taking careful steps, he crept closer until he flattened himself against the outer wall. Slowly, he moved his head and peeked inside. Robert took slow steps as he moved from his bed toward the wood stove in the other corner of the shack. The man held a red cloth to the back of his head.

  Something didn’t look right, and Gavin narrowed his gaze, looking closer at the cloth. It was bloody! Even the man’s face looked scratched up and bloody.

  Frowning, confusion filled Gavin. When he’d left from watching the man this morning, he didn’t look this way at all. Robert must have had a visitor while Gavin was with Justina.

  Although he didn’t have any real proof that Robert had attempted to kidnap Justina, Gavin’s gut told him to go inside and ask the man some questions. With him injured, he’d be hurting, and Gavin was sure the man would make confessions he wouldn’t normally make otherwise.

  Hurrying around the shack, Gavin made his way to the front door and knocked. It took a few minutes, but soon the door opened, and Robert squinted toward Gavin through swollen eyes. His face was dirty just as the rest of his body looked, and his dark hair poked up in different spots all over his head.

  “Robert Palmer?”

  “Who wants to know?” the man snapped.

  “I’m with the Drake Detective Agency, and I have some questions for you.”

  The man’s eyes widened, and he stumbled back as if he prepared to run. Gavin quickly stepped inside and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. “You’re not going anywhere until you’ve answered my questions.”

  “Can’t ya tell I’m hurt?”

  Gavin nodded. “It’s quite obvious. Was this beating done recently?”

  “’Bout an hour ago.” He dabbed the bloody cloth to the back of his head again, staining it even more.

  “Well, I’ll make you a bargain. If you answer my questions, I’ll make sure you get to a doctor’s office.”

  “Fine.” The man snarled. “What do ya want to know?”

  “Who paid you to kidnap Miss Bradford?”

  Being a Pinkerton agent for those few years had taught him to read people well. Not many people could lie to him without him knowing.

  “Never heard of her before.”

  Gavin grasped the man by his dirty shirt collar and yanked him forward. “You’re lying. Dare to try again? This time I want the truth before you bleed to death first.”

  Robert groaned and turned his head, but Gavin knew the man wasn’t strong enough to get away. Not in his inebriated condition.

  “I don’t know,” the man whined.

  “You’re lying again,” Gavin warned.

  “No, I mean it. I don’t know his name. He just came to me and offered me a job. He gave me one-hundred-dollars to kidnap Justina Bradford. He told me where she’d be and how to get her.”

  “And let me guess,” Gavin cocked his head, staring at the poor fool, “the man returned an hour ago to collect on the job you didn’t finish.”

  Robert gr
oaned again, closing his eyes. “I promised him I’d get her tonight, but that wasn’t good enough for the uppity man.”

  “Uppity?” Gavin’s mind began fitting pieces together. “The man who paid you was wealthy?”

  “Don’t know,” Robert slurred. “I just know he dresses like he’s the mayor or somethin’.”

  “And he told you where she’d be?”

  “Yup, he even created the commotion on the street so that her driver would slow the coach enough for me to snatch her.”

  “Where did this man want you to take Miss Bradford?”

  “He didn’t tell me,” Robert grumbled. “Alls he wanted me to do was run with her.”

  Gavin didn’t think he was hearing correctly. “Run with her?”

  “The man told me that he’d be the one to rescue her.”

  Immediately, Oliver James’ face popped in Gavin’s thoughts. Both kidnapping attempts, James had been there. The first time, the man had gotten to Justina before Gavin could. The second time, Gavin had beat him to their target.

  “Can you describe the man for me?” Gavin said with a clenched jaw.

  “Tall, almost your height. He’s older than you. Brown hair with sprinkles of gray hairs around his temples.”

  Indeed, the bigger fool was Oliver James.

  Gavin yanked the man’s arm, pulling him out of the shack. Robert stumbled, but kept up.

  “Where are we goin’?”

  “I’m taking you to the doctor’s office, remember?”

  “Don’t be so rough. I’m hurting.”

  Gavin rolled his eyes. “And I don’t care. I need to find that man immediately.”

  “Well, ya won’t find him.”

  Stopping, Gavin swung a glare at the man. “Why?”

  “Cuz once he collected the money he paid me and beat the tar out of me, he said somethin’ about not trustin’ anyone, and doin’ the job himself.”

  Gavin’s heart dropped. Oliver James would be heading to Justina’s house... if he wasn’t there already.

  He released Robert who fell to the ground. Gavin didn’t care. He needed to protect Justina.

  Mounting his horse quickly, he rode as fast as he could toward Justina’s house. He still had no clue why James would want to kidnap her, unless it had something to do with her father’s company – the same company James worked for as the warehouse manager.