by Laura Beers
“Thank you,” he said, walking into the private car.
Alexina followed behind him and closed the door. “This is nice,” she murmured.
High above the benches were shelves, and he shoved the two bags above him. “I figured this would give us a chance to discuss the case without any prying ears.”
She sat down on the bench. “Here is some money to cover my ticket,” she said, reaching into her reticule and pulling out a few bills.
“Put your money away,” he declared, dropping down onto the bench across from her. “I saved the receipt, and I can submit it for reimbursement.”
With her money still in her hand, she gave him a pointed look. “Pinkerton agents do not enjoy such extravagances as first-class travel. At most, you will be reimbursed for the price of passenger fare.”
“Then so be it.”
“Please take the money,” she insisted, extending the money toward him.
“No.”
“It’s only fair.”
“No.”
She huffed. “I’m not one who enjoys relying on other people’s charity, Mr. Wayne.”
Feeling a need to tease his new wife, he said, “I’m not just any person; I’m your husband.”
“We are not truly married,” she countered. “We’re partners, nothing more.”
He shrugged. “If you’re lucky, I’ll keep you.”
“Keep me!” she protested, her mouth gaping. “I’m not some stray dog.”
“Perhaps you’re right. You are much prettier than a stray dog,” he replied flirtatiously.
“I am going to shoot you, Mr. Wayne,” she announced as she placed her money back into her reticule.
“Isn’t it against Pinkerton bylaws for one agent to shoot another?” he joked.
Alexina pressed her lips together as she stared at him. He could see the anger flash in her eyes.
Rather than be concerned, he leaned back against the bench and yawned loudly. He knew she was bluffing about shooting him.
“Mr. Wayne…” she started.
“Dawson,” he corrected.
Again, she pressed her lips together. “Dawson…”
He cut her off. “That’s better, Alex.”
“Alex? My name is Alexina.”
“True, but since I am playing the role of your brother, it makes sense for me to call you Alex.”
She furrowed her brows together. “That doesn’t make one lick of sense.”
As the train picked up speed, Dawson turned his gaze toward the window. “Fine. You can pick your nickname.”
“Why would I need to pick a nickname? Alexina is simple enough.”
He brought his gaze back to hers. “Trust me. Brothers always give their sisters nicknames.”
“All right. What do you propose?”
He took a moment to consider his response. “I can call you Lex, Lexi, or… babykins.”
Alexina looked at him like he was crazy, and he stifled his laugh.
“Babykins is the term of affection I used for my younger sister,” he explained.
She rolled her eyes. “I will never allow you to call me ‘babykins’,” she admonished. “Besides, how old are you? You might very well be younger than me.”
“How dare you?” he declared with a stern look. “Men do not like to disclose their age.”
Alexina sighed deeply. “I really want to shoot you. Really bad.”
“I’m twenty-nine,” he admitted, chuckling.
“Oh. I am twenty-eight.”
“See, babykins,” he said with a grin. “That wasn’t so hard to admit.”
“Fine. Just call me Alex,” she muttered.
He bobbed his head. “Alex does have a better ring to it. But are you sure, babykins?”
“Have you ever considered not being annoying?” she asked dryly.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he answered, “I suppose I could give it a try.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Do you have the case file?”
“I do.” He stood up, reached for his bag and retrieved the file. He extended it toward her as he sat down.
Alexina opened the file. “If anyone asks, I propose that we have the same father but different mothers.”
“I agree. That would explain why we look nothing like each other,” he mocked.
She lifted her brow. “Do you have a better idea?”
“I suppose not, but my mother will be the love of father’s life. After she died, our father grieved deeply for years until he finally, begrudgingly, married your mother,” Dawson said. “And it was only because he needed someone to take care of me.”
“How can he grieve deeply for years if we’re only a year apart?” she asked, quirking her eyebrow.
“Simple,” he said with a smirk. “You lie about your age. You don’t look a day over twenty-two. Let’s go with that.”
With an exasperated look, she asked, “Anything else you want to add?”
“I don’t think so.”
“I doubt anyone will ask us who our father’s true love was,” she replied in an annoyed tone.
He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s best to be prepared.”
Alexina took a moment to read the paper in her hand. “The two schoolteachers that were taken were in their early twenties. I hope the abductor will consider a woman in her late twenties.”
Leaning forward, Dawson patted her knee. “I told you that you only look twenty-two, my dear.” Seeing the irritation flicker across her face, only increased his desire to tease her.
“Hidden Ditch is a small town,” Alexina said after a long moment. “I plan to befriend some of the ladies in town and see if I can find a lead that way.”
“I’ll approach the sheriff and ask if he has any leads that he’s willing to share with us.”
“Not without me, you aren’t,” she declared.
He frowned. “But you’ll be busy with the ladies. Didn’t you just say that?”
Alexina grew tense. “I’m the lead agent on this case. Besides, we don’t know if the sheriff is crooked yet.”
“I can spot a crooked lawman from a mile off.”
“This isn’t a game,” she drawled. “If the sheriff is crooked, we risk the entire case by revealing that we’re Pinkerton agents. Possibly our lives.”
“Trust me,” he said.
She gave him a stern glare. “Trust has to be earned.”
“Fine,” he conceded. “We’ll meet with the sheriff together, and we can decide whether he’s crooked or not.”
“Thank you.”
He stretched his legs in the cramped quarters. “We both need to compromise if we want this partnership to work.”
“That’s not entirely accurate. My job is to train you as a Pinkerton agent, and my word is the law… at least until this assignment is over,” she declared with a firm look, one that made his blood begin to boil.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Hold on there. I worked as a deputy for eight years, and I am more than qualified to investigate two women’s disappearances.”
“I have no doubt, but you still will require training to become a Pinkerton agent.” Placing the file down next to her, she asked, “Do you even know what the Pinkerton Code is?”
“Pinkerton agents don’t accept bribes, never compromise with criminals, partner with local law enforcement agencies, always turn down reward money, and keep clients apprised on an ongoing basis,” he listed, uncrossing his arms. “We also refuse divorce cases or cases that initiate scandals.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Did you forget anything?”
“Pinkerton agents don’t drink, smoke, or gamble,” he added.
“What is our motto?”
He tsked. “That is an easy one. ‘We never sleep’.
“Very good, Dawson,” she muttered.
“I’m sorry,” he said, leaning closer. “I didn’t catch that.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I suppose you are not a complete halfwit.”
�
��Thank you, darling,” he joked. “That means a lot coming from you.”
A yawn escaped her lips, and she quickly raised her gloved hand to cover it.
His lips twitched in amusement. “I thought Pinkerton agents never sleep.”
“While on assignment, yes,” she answered firmly. “However, I didn’t sleep well last night.” She offered him an apologetic smile.
He noticed the dark circles under her eyes for the first time. “Why don’t you close your eyes and rest. We still have a couple more hours till we hit Hidden Ditch,” he suggested.
“I couldn’t possibly,” she replied adamantly.
Her exhaustion was apparent from her slumped shoulders, and he felt a surge of protectiveness come over him. “It’s all right,” he assured her. “I’ll stand watch.”
“No… I couldn’t…”
He spoke over her in a stern voice. “Alex. It could compromise the entire mission if you don’t get enough rest.”
“You are right,” she murmured. “I wouldn’t want to jeopardize the mission.”
Within moments, he saw Alexina’s head begin to droop as she drifted to sleep. Poor girl, he thought. She must have been exhausted. Rising from his seat, he sat down next to her, and gently guided her head to his shoulder. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head and listened to her deep breathing. He could get used to this whole partnership thing.
4
The train whistle woke Alexina out of a deep sleep. She jerked upright and reached for the pistol in the pocket of her gown.
“You are incredibly agile for just waking up,” Dawson teased from next to her.
Fingering the pistol in her pocket, she turned to face him, demanding, “Why are you sitting next to me?”
“You’ve been sleeping on my shoulder for the past couple of hours,” he informed her, brushing off the shoulder of his gray jacket.
“Oh, thank you,” she murmured.
“It was no problem at all.” He smiled smugly. “I feel it’s my duty as your husband to inform you that you snore.”
“I do not,” she declared. Wait… did she? No one had ever told her that before.
He shrugged one shoulder. “It doesn’t bother me. I find it rather adorable.”
Pulling her hand out of her pocket, Alexina turned her gaze toward the window. The train was slowing down, and she was familiar enough with this train route to know they were approaching the town of Hidden Ditch.
“Since we’re playing the role of brother and sister, we need to learn more about each other,” she said. And quickly, she thought. She hadn’t planned on resting for so long.
“What would you like to know?” he asked curiously.
She twisted her lips as she thought of a few questions. “What is your favorite dessert?”
“My mother’s fudge,” he said without hesitation.
“Favorite food?”
“Chili.”
Her eyes scanned the floral wallpaper. “What is your favorite color?”
“Green.”
She grew serious. “Have you ever been in love?”
He pursed his lips, and she thought for a moment he wouldn’t respond. “Yes.” He paused. “Your turn.”
“I love cheesecake, steak and I don’t have a favorite color.”
“And?” he prodded.
“No,” she replied with a frown. “I have never been in love.”
He eyed her with suspicion. “Never?”
“I’ve never been courted, either.”
“Now I know you are teasing me,” he huffed. “A beautiful woman like yourself must have had hundreds of suitors over the years.”
Flattered by his words, she found herself admitting, “I’ve found that courting has little appeal to me.”
“Why is that?” he pressed gently.
“Two people fall in love and are happy the rest of their lives,” she scoffed. “That sounds like a bunch of fairy tale nonsense to me.”
“My parents did just that,” he pointed out.
She shook her head. “They are the exception, not the rule.”
“I disagree. Couples in love are more common than you realize,” he said, giving her a look of pity.
The train came to a stop, and she jumped up to end this ridiculous conversation. How foolish Dawson was to believe in love and courtship. It was just a farce. She’d witnessed too many unhappy marriages to believe two people could remain blissfully in love for the rest of their days.
Dawson rose and grabbed the two carpetbags. “We’re playing the role of brother and sister, so please let me act like a gentleman around you.”
“All right. I can agree to that.”
“Thank you,” he said, gesturing that she should go first.
As they stepped onto the crude wooden train platform, they were immediately approached by a short, pudgy man with a bald head. He stopped in front of them and lowered his voice. “Mr. and Mrs. Wayne, I presume.”
“You presume correctly,” Dawson stated, coming to stand next to her.
The man bobbed his head in approval. “I’m Mayor Sunders. Thank you for coming so soon.”
Alexina gave him a gracious smile. “It’s our pleasure.”
Mayor Sunders returned her smile, and she couldn’t help but notice that his eyes roamed her face.
“If you don’t mind walking,” he said, “the schoolhouse is just a few yards past the edge of town.”
“We don’t mind walking,” she assured him.
He stepped back and offered his arm to her. “Excellent. This will give us some time to talk.”
After accepting his arm, the mayor led her off the platform toward the main street.
“This is our town,” Mayor Sunders announced proudly as they stepped onto the boardwalk. “Hidden Ditch boasts a post office, blacksmith, general store, barber shop, milliner, hotel, and a livery stable.”
“Are there no saloons?” Dawson asked from behind them.
“Unfortunately, there are two, but they’re next to the sheriff’s office on the opposite side of town,” the mayor revealed. “Most of the crime comes from there, but it’s nearly impossible to close down saloons in a cowtown.”
The storefronts were all in desperate need of repair, but it was a larger town than she’d been imagining. She would even consider calling this town “quaint”.
“This town is up and coming, but only if we can reopen the school,” the mayor shared.
Ignoring the gawking looks from the men leaning against the store walls, Alexina asked, “Why is that?”
“Everyone knows that a town’s true potential is dependent on their schools. Educating one’s children is a top priority.” Mayor Sunders frowned as he noticed the men’s blatant stares. “I apologize for the uncouthness of some of our citizens, Miss Wayne. We have very few women in this town and none as attractive as you.”
“Did the schoolteachers receive a lot of unwanted attention?” Dawson asked.
“Not that I am aware of.”
They stepped off the boardwalk at the edge of town. A one-room building sat about fifty yards away. Mayor Sunders pointed at it.
“That’s the schoolhouse,” he shared. “It was built by the school board a year ago.”
“It’s a decent sized school,” Alexina commented.
“It is,” Mayor Sunders said, his chest puffing out with pride. “Next to the schoolhouse is where the teacher lives. It’s a small cottage also built by the school board.”
As he led them toward the cottage, Mayor Sunders informed them, “Per Mr. Gordon’s instructions, I told the school board that I hired a brother and sister as interim teachers until a new male schoolteacher could be found.” He pulled a key out of his pocket. “They know you as only Mr. Wayne and Miss Wayne.”
Stopping in front of the one-bedroom cottage, the mayor slipped the key into the lock and turned it, then he pushed the door open.
“I also took the liberty of ensuring your shelves were well-stocked.”
; “That was most kind of you,” Alexina acknowledged as her eyes took in the small kitchen and sitting area. She walked toward the rear of the cottage and saw a bedroom barely large enough to contain a bed and a dresser. “This is nice.”
“We wanted our teacher to be as comfortable as possible,” the mayor said, tapping his finger on the round table in the kitchen. “Oh, I almost forgot. The school board has prepared a week full of lesson plans for you. They’re in the schoolhouse.”
Dawson dropped the bags onto the floor. “Thank you. That will save us a considerable amount of time.”
“I understand that you have teaching experience, Mr. Wayne,” Mayor Sunders said.
He nodded. “It’s true. I took the teacher certification exam and taught in my own schoolroom for two years.”
“Good. You’ll be teaching grades one through eight. There are about fifteen students, depending on the day,” the Mayor shared. “The schoolhouse has not been opened since Miss Price disappeared two weeks ago.”
“Will I be required to make a hot meal every morning for the students?” Dawson questioned.
“Yes. But wouldn’t that be Mrs. Wayne’s responsibility?” the mayor inquired with a baffled look on his face.
Alexina clasped her hands in front of her. “Of course, that’s what my husband meant.”
“Is there anything else?” Mayor Sunders asked as he glanced between them.
“Can you tell us anything else about the victims that isn’t in the case file already?” Dawson asked.
The mayor shook his head. “Miss Jolley and Miss Price were both exceptional young women, and they came highly recommended. In the few days they taught, the students loved them, as did the parents.”
“Our notes indicate that Miss Jolley worked for nearly four months before she disappeared, and Miss Price disappeared after only seven days of teaching,” Alexina said.
Mayor Sunders bobbed his head. “That sounds accurate. After Miss Jolley was abducted, we contacted an agency and hired Miss Price as a temporary teacher. We didn’t realize that someone was targeting female teachers, however, or we would never have hired Miss Price.”
“Do you think this person is targeting female teachers or just women in general?” Alexina mused.
The mayor shrugged. “I’m afraid I can’t answer that question. You should speak to the sheriff for more specifics. He’s run a thorough investigation.”
