An Agent for Amey

by Laura Beers

  “You’ll find that I can be rather astute,” she teased, brushing past him.

  Lincoln easily caught up to her and matched her stride. “Are you carrying a pistol on your person?” he asked when he noticed she didn’t have her reticule.

  “I’m actually carrying two guns,” she informed him.

  His eyes perused the length of her body as he tried to determine where her second gun was hidden. He knew she kept a derringer in her corset, but he was at a loss as to where her second one could be.

  She glanced over at him and gave him a knowing smile. “If you are wondering where my revolver is, it’s strapped to my right thigh.”

  He quickly adverted his gaze, embarrassed that he’d been caught staring.

  Amey placed her hand on the bannister as they walked down the stairs toward the entry hall. Once they stepped into the dining room, they quickly found a table in the corner, granting them some privacy.

  Lincoln pulled out Amey’s chair and waited till she sat down before pushing it in. Then, he sat down next to her.

  “Mr. Tiner should be here soon,” Amey said, reaching for a cloth napkin on the table. “We’ll know it’s him because he’s going to have a flower in his suit pocket.”

  Lincoln watched as men and women walked into the dining room and sat down. “I’m well aware of that fact. I read the case file, as well,” he remarked, smiling. “Although, I do question what type of man wears a flower in his suit pocket.”

  Amey’s alert eyes remained on the door as she remarked, “A very handsome man.”

  Lincoln turned toward the door and saw Mr. Tiner standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a grey suit and had a red flower in his jacket pocket.

  Amey rose quickly and said, “Allow me to go fetch Mr. Tiner.”

  Lincoln frowned as he watched Amey walk over to Mr. Tiner with a smile on her face. Why did it bother him that his partner found another man attractive? It shouldn’t matter to him. But it did. It bothered him greatly. Perhaps it’s because this man was still their only suspect in the case.

  Yes.

  That had to be it.

  It couldn’t be that he was jealous of Mr. Tiner. That was just preposterous. He had never been jealous of another man before, and he wasn’t about to start now. But he’d never been interested in a woman before. Until now. He must admit that he was interested in learning more about his wife.

  Amey approached the table with Mr. Tiner, and Lincoln rose from his chair.

  She stopped next to him and introduced their client. “Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Tiner.”

  Lincoln extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Tiner. My name is Lincoln Hoyt.”

  After Mr. Tiner shook his hand, he said, “I’d prefer it if you call me Jacob.”

  “Then, you must call me Lincoln.”

  Mr. Tiner pulled out a chair for Amey. “Please have a seat, Miss Amey.”

  “Thank you, Jacob,” she said as she gracefully sat down.

  Lincoln stepped closer to his wife and growled, “It’s actually Mrs. Hoyt. We’re married.”

  Jacob glanced between them. “My apologies. I hadn’t realized.”

  Amey reached for her napkin and placed it on her lap. “It’s rather a recent development,” she said.

  “How recent?” Jacob asked as he sat down across from her.

  “Yesterday,” she answered.

  Jacob had a baffled look on his face. “Shouldn’t you be on your honeymoon?”

  Lincoln moved his chair closer to Amey and sat down. “We’re agents, first and foremost. There will always be time for a honeymoon later.”

  “I see,” Jacob said, picking up a menu. “Should we order first? Then I can fill you in on the details of my case?”

  “Splendid idea,” Amey murmured as she kept her focus on the menu.

  A young woman with brown hair approached the table. She wiped her hands on the white apron tied around her waist before asking, “Have you decided what you would like for breakfast?”

  After they each gave their order, the waitress collected their menus and headed toward the kitchen.

  Jacob grew solemn as his eyes darted around the room. “Thank you for coming so soon.”

  “It’s our pleasure,” Lincoln replied.

  Jacob ran his hand through his dark blond hair. “I need you to find my wife’s killer as quickly as possible.”

  Amey spoke up. “We’ve read your case file, and we know your wife was found strangled in the woods behind your house.”

  “That’s correct.”

  Lincoln interjected, “Just to confirm, she’s been dead for about three weeks now.”

  “Twenty-two days, to be exact,” Jacob replied.

  “Can you tell us anything else?” Amey prodded.

  Jacob had a pained expression. “My wife was heading into town the morning she died, and she didn’t want me to hitch the wagon,” he shared. “She said she wanted to walk since it was such a beautiful day.”

  “Was it normal for your wife to walk to town?” Lincoln questioned.

  He nodded. “It was,” he said. “She would cut through the woods near our home. The town was less than two miles away.”

  “Did she make it into town that day?” Amey asked.

  “Yes,” Jacob answered. “She bought some fabric from the general store.”

  “Can we see the fabric?” Amey pressed.

  Jacob shook his head. “It wasn’t found near her body.”

  Lincoln placed his hand on the back of Amey’s chair. “Did the sheriff ever find it?”

  “He did not,” Jacob replied.

  He exchanged a glance with Amey before asking, “Were there any signs of a struggle where your wife’s body was found?”

  “No, there was not,” Jacob said, lowering his gaze. “When I found her, I first thought she was asleep.” His voice hitched. “Then I saw the bruising around her throat, and I knew something terrible had happened.”

  Amey leaned forward in her seat and gently asked, “Were you and Doris having any marital troubles?”

  Jacob’s eyes snapped back up toward her. “Absolutely not,” he said, his voice rising. “We were happily married.”

  “We just have to ask,” Amey assured him. “We have to rule you out as a suspect first.”

  Jacob’s eyes narrowed. “I hired you. Besides, what fool would hire detectives to investigate his wife’s murder if he was the one who killed her?”

  “Believe it or not, that is not completely unheard of,” she admitted.

  “Fine, but you should know that I have an alibi,” Jacob snapped. “I was with my ten cowhands all morning as we were rounding up cattle. It wasn’t until our midday meal that I suspected something was wrong since Doris wasn’t home yet. I asked for the cowhands to stop what they were doing and search for her.”

  “And you were the one who found her?” Lincoln asked.

  He nodded. “I was.”

  “Was anyone with you?”

  “No, but I shouted for help as soon as I saw she was dead.”

  Amey gave Jacob a reassuring smile. “I know these questions are hard, but we just need to discover all the facts so we can do a thorough investigation.”

  “Do you suspect any of your cowhands could have done it?” Lincoln questioned.

  Jacob shook his head vehemently. “No, I do not. All my cowhands were accounted for, and I trust them wholeheartedly.”

  “Is there anyone in town that would have wanted to hurt Doris?” Amey asked.

  Tears came to Jacob’s eyes. “Everyone in town loved Doris,” he replied. “No one had a reason to hate her, much less hurt her.” He removed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes. “The whole town thinks I murdered her.”

  “And why is that?” Amey pressed.

  Jacob returned his handkerchief to his pocket. “Because who else could have done it?”

  “That’s what we intend to find out,” Lincoln replied firmly.

  “I love…�
� Jacob’s voice trailed off. “I loved my wife with all my heart. I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of our lives together.”

  “I am truly sorry for your loss,” Amey said, compassion filling her voice.

  Jacob met her gaze. “Thank you,” he murmured. “These last few weeks have been exceptionally difficult.”

  “I can only imagine,” she remarked.

  “I feel as if my heart has been ripped out of my chest,” Jacob stated, his voice hitching.

  Amey offered him a weak smile. “I can’t presume to know what you’re feeling, but I lost a brother tragically about two years ago. For the first few weeks, all I could do was just put one foot in front of the other.”

  Jacob’s eyes watched her closely. “How did you go on?”

  “I found a new purpose.”

  “Which was?”

  “Finding his killer,” she stated. “I won’t rest until he’s been brought to justice.”

  Jacob nodded. “I feel the same way.”

  The waitress approached their table with three plates of food. As she placed their food in front of them, she asked, “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Coffee,” Jacob answered.

  “I’ll have the same,” Lincoln added.

  The waitress turned her expectant gaze toward Amey. “What can I get you, miss?”

  “Water, please,” Amey replied.

  “Two coffees and a water,” the waitress repeated. “I’ll be right back.”

  As Lincoln reached for his fork, he said, “Why don’t we eat our food while it’s hot, and then Amey and I will go speak to the sheriff?”

  “Do you believe him?” Lincoln asked as they walked down the uneven boardwalk toward the sheriff’s office.

  “I do,” Amey replied. “I don’t think Jacob is capable of murdering his wife.”

  Lincoln bobbed his head. “I agree. He truly seemed distraught about his wife’s passing.”

  A wistful note came to her voice. “I didn’t think it was possible for a man to love his wife so fiercely.”

  Lincoln glanced over at her with a curious expression on his face. “Why is that?”

  “My parents got along nicely, but it was a marriage of convenience,” she revealed. “My father’s first wife, Eleanor, died during childbirth, leaving him with a newborn. He knew he couldn’t raise a baby on his own, so he married Eleanor’s younger sister.”

  “So, your brother is actually your half-brother?”

  She nodded. “He is, but I have only ever considered him my brother.”

  Lincoln’s alert eyes scanned the main road as he shared, “I never lacked for love in my home. My parents were devoted to one another, and I often saw them kissing.”

  “It must have been nice to know that your parents loved each other,” she murmured.

  “It was.”

  Amey stopped in front of the sheriff’s office and waited for Lincoln to open the door for her. As she stepped inside, she saw a lone desk in the center of the room and an empty jail cell along the back wall.

  “No one’s here,” she remarked.

  Lincoln came to stand next to her. “I suppose we’ll just have to wait for the sheriff.”

  A man’s deep voice came from the doorway behind them. “You won’t have to wait long. I’m Sheriff Manley,” he said, walking into the room with a cup in his hand. “How can I help you?”

  Amey watched as the white-haired sheriff placed his cup on the desk. “We were hoping to have a moment of your time.”

  “Go ahead and talk. I’m listening,” the sheriff replied, glancing between them.

  Lincoln closed the door and turned back to face Sheriff Manley. “We are Pinkerton agents…”

  “Blasted Pinks!” the sheriff exclaimed. “What are you doing in my town?”

  Not appearing perturbed by his outburst, Lincoln continued. “Mr. Tiner hired us to investigate his wife’s death.”

  Sheriff Manley frowned. “He did?”

  “He did,” Lincoln confirmed.

  “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by that piece of news,” Sheriff Manley remarked. “He’s become increasingly frustrated that I haven’t found his wife’s killer.”

  “I’m sure that you’ve been doing your best,” Amey said.

  “I thank you for that.” The sheriff sat down at his desk. “I’ve worked with Pinkerton agents in the past, but I’ve never met a female agent before.”

  Amey squared her shoulders and declared, “That’s a shame. We are usually more proficient than our male counterparts.”

  Sheriff Manley laughed loudly. “I like you.”

  “Allow us to introduce ourselves,” Lincoln said. “My name is Lincoln Hoyt, and this is my partner, Mrs. Hoyt.”

  “You two are married?” the sheriff asked with an uplifted brow.

  “We are,” Lincoln confirmed.

  Sheriff Manley leaned back in his chair. “Married Pinks,” he said with a shake of his head. “Now I’ve seen everything.”

  “As I stated previously,” Lincoln began, coming to stand closer to the desk, “Mr. Tiner hired us to investigate his wife’s death.”

  The sheriff reached for his cup and took a long swallow. After he placed his cup back down, he remarked, “I’m man enough to admit that I need help tracking down Doris’s killer.”

  “Do you have any suspects?” Amey asked.

  “None.”

  “What about leads?” Lincoln questioned.

  Sheriff Manley shook his head. “Don’t have any.”

  Amey grabbed a chair that was against the wall and repositioned it in front of the sheriff’s desk. As she sat down, she asked, “Why don’t you tell us what you do have?”

  Sheriff Manley opened a drawer and pulled out a file. He placed it in front of him and opened it. “I have very little to go on,” he revealed. “Doris’s body was found in the woods near her home, and she’d been strangled.”

  The sheriff picked up a paper and extended it toward Lincoln. “Here are my notes. I interviewed all the cowhands, but no one saw anything. Furthermore, I spoke to Mary Price, who owns the general store. She was the last person to see Doris alive. She told me that Doris had purchased some blue fabric.”

  “Mr. Tiner mentioned that you haven’t located the fabric,” Amey commented.

  “That’s correct,” Sheriff Manley confirmed. “I searched the woods near her body, but I was unable to find it.”

  “Have you considered that Doris may have been killed at another location, and her body was deposited near her home?” Lincoln questioned.

  Sheriff Manley closed the file. “I have, but I’m afraid I haven’t had the time to complete a thorough search of the woods or the surrounding areas.”

  “We can help with that,” Amey remarked.

  “I would be most grateful for that,” Sheriff Manley said. “This town doesn’t have the funds for a deputy, and the majority of my time is dealing with the mishaps from that blasted saloon.”

  “Just so you know, we’ve ruled out Mr. Tiner as a suspect,” Lincoln shared.

  The sheriff bobbed his head in approval. “I have known Jacob his whole life, and I know he’s not capable of killing anyone, much less his wife.”

  “Mr. Tiner mentioned that everyone in town loved Doris,” Amey said. “Would you agree with that?”

  “I would, wholeheartedly,” Sheriff Manley replied. “This is a caring town, and Doris was actively involved in helping those who were less fortunate than herself.”

  “Is there anyone who you’d suspect would want to harm Doris?” Lincoln asked.

  “No,” the sheriff replied.

  Amey shifted in her seat. “Mr. Tiner owns a large cattle ranch. Was anyone jealous of his success?”

  Sheriff Manley frowned. “Jacob has never flaunted his success, and I’ve never heard a disparaging word about him or Doris.”

  “Just to clarify,” Lincoln began, “you have no suspects, no leads, and everyone loved Doris.”

 
“Yes,” the sheriff confirmed.

  “All right,” Amey said, rising. “We better get to work.”

  Lincoln extended the paper back to Sheriff Manley. “I’ve read your notes, and I found nothing that arouses suspicion.”

  The sheriff rose from his desk. “May I ask what your cover is?”

  “We’re on our honeymoon,” Lincoln said, smiling.

  Sheriff Manley smiled. “We don’t get too many honeymooners in Longworth.” His smile dimmed. “I do hope that you can wrap this case up quickly… for Jacob’s sake.”

  “Why do you say that?” Amey asked.

  “The whole town believes that Jacob killed his wife,” the sheriff said. “I’ve seen the stares and the glares when he comes into town.”

  “That’s awful,” Amey murmured.

  “It truly is,” Sheriff Manley stated. “Fortunately, his cowhands have stood by him during this tough time.”

  Lincoln placed his hand on the door handle. “That is good,” he said. “We’ll let you know what we find.”

  “See that you do,” Sheriff Manley replied. “Remember that Pinks are not above the law in my town.”

  After they departed the sheriff’s office, Lincoln turned toward her and asked, “What do you make of that?”

  “I think we need to start searching those woods for any clues.”

  “Those were my thoughts exactly.”

  Amey glanced over at him. “First, let me go to the hotel and change.”

  “Into your trousers?” he asked knowingly.

  She grinned. “You’re beginning to know me so well.”

  6

  A short time later, they were racing their horses toward Mr. Tiner’s cattle ranch, hoping he’d be able to show them where Doris’s body was found.

  In the distance, a white house with a wrap-around porch came into view, and they slowed their horses’ gaits. As they began to walk their horses side by side up the road, Lincoln stole a glance at Amey, who appeared completely comfortable as she rode astride.

  He didn’t know what to think about her wearing trousers and having a gun belt strapped to her hips. He’d never partnered with a woman before, but he found himself intrigued by Amey. After all, his wife was full of surprises. He generally hated surprises, but not when it came to her.