by Aileen Fish
Mr. Walters gave the six agents a piece of paper. “These are the names and addresses of the owners. Hopefully, they will be able to help you with this case.”
Immediately, she glanced to Ashton’s name. The address that was written down was here in New York. Apparently, they hadn’t gotten his new address in Staten Island, since she knew he’d recently moved. But, she could certainly get it.
Excitement leapt inside her chest. Because she already knew Ashton, she could get answers from him easily. They’d have this case solved in no time, and then she’d be back in his arms, enjoying their time together once again.
However, she couldn’t let him know she was investigating the train robberies. There was a reason they were titled Secret Agents. They weren’t supposed to tell anyone their purpose, which meant she couldn’t let Ashton know. Not yet, anyway.
Nevertheless, this would be a good excuse for her to return to Staten Island—because Ashton was there.
She had missed the last bit that Walters told the group before excusing himself and leaving. Her father and brother were already turning to the other agents, making assignments. Her father sat on the edge of his chair with his elbows resting on his knees.
“I have a plan,” he stated.
She arched an eyebrow. “Already?”
“Yes.” He removed his brown felt, bowler hat and scratched his head, tossing the light brown thinning hair with streaks of silver to one side.
“Tell us,” Mr. Banks urged.
“I was thinking about having Gordon and Nicole board the train tomorrow.”
She huffed and blurted out quickly before anyone else could say anything, “What’s that going to accomplish?”
When her father gave her that agitated look, she knew she had spoken too soon. Then again, her father should be used to her questions by now. She’d always been a curious girl.
“If you’d wait a few minutes,” he said slowly and in a stern voice, “I shall explain.” He took a deep breath, placing his hat back on his head. “While riding on the train, I would like you and your brother to watch and see what happens with the porters and those who load and unload the railcars. If you get a chance to talk to those who work on the train, ask them about the robberies. Maybe we’ll be able to get some leads that way.”
“Father,” Gordon asked, “what will you be doing?”
“I’m going to pay a visit to those who are working at the Conrail business office and see what’s going on.”
Nicole knew her father always played the part of someone who was assisting the police with the case. That was how he could get more direct answers. Gordon and Nicole always went undercover to sneak around. Not many people knew that they were all related.
She wanted to argue with her father so that she could visit the Conrail offices—both here in New York, and the one in Staten Island—but she didn’t want her father knowing what she’d done with Ashton Lee. Right now, that would not be a good thing to disclose.
Gordon glanced briefly at Nicole before nodding to his father. “We can do that, Father.”
“You won’t have to take a long ride on the train,” her father continued. “Buy a ticket for a short trip so you’ll be there and back in one day.”
“All right, Father,” she said softly, trying her hardest not to frown.
“What would you like us to do?” Mrs. Phelps asked as she motioned her hand to Banks and Cartwright.
While her father dished out more instructions, jumbled thoughts created havoc in Nicole’s head and she wasn’t listening to what the others would be doing. She should tell her father that she’d met Ashton at the ball, yet at the same time, she worried that telling her parent might get her removed from this case. Although, keeping secrets between agents wasn’t a good thing, either. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead, feeling the headache come faster than she wanted.
“Are you ill, Nicole?” her father asked.
She offered a weak smile. “I just have a small headache. It’ll pass before tomorrow, I assure you.”
“Splendid.” He patted her hand once before squeezing it. “I’m certain within two days we’ll have gathered enough information to have at least one suspect. We’ll have this case solved in no time.”
“Yes, we will, Father.” She nodded. Yet deep down inside, she didn’t like that she withheld the truth from the others. If her father ever found out that she held feelings for Ashton, her parent would be disappointed in her.
~*~
The train ride rocked Ashton back and forth on his seat, and his hat slid around on his head so much that he wanted to take the blasted thing off. Today’s ride wasn’t for enjoyment, anyway. He was determined to find out who was robbing from the Conrail Railroad one way or another.
For today’s ride, he decided to disguise himself a little. He added a fake moustache and long sideburns to his face, and he even wore a suit that was pretty old. The elbows and knees were worn thin, but at least the costume made him look more like everyone else on the train.
He’d boarded the train sitting in one car, but with every hour, he moved to the next car. He visited with others passengers as he closely watched the porters. So far, everyone and everything seemed normal. He didn’t expect a robbery to happen this soon after the last one, but he was hoping to see something out of place—at least something that would make him curious enough to dig deeper and get more answers.
The train had already arrived at its destination in Hartford, Connecticut, and had just started its journey back to New York. He moved to another car and found a seat next to a woman with two young children.
“Ma’am,” he said, tipping his hat. “Do you mind if I sit here for a few minutes?”
“That is fine, as long as you don’t mind my children being fussy.” She smiled.
“I don’t mind at all. I love children.”
“Do you have some of your own?” she asked.
“Not yet, but I have siblings who have children,” he fibbed. “I get to see them every few months.”
“How nice for you.”
He took the seat and finally removed his bothersome hat. “Do you live in New York?”
She shook her head. “No, but I have relatives in New York. We will only visit for a week.”
“I hope you enjoy your stay.”
“We will. I have been to New York before, but it was before my children were born. I’m excited to show them the city.”
“I’m sure they will like it.”
A few other people were moving about in the car, and he switched his attention to the man making his way toward the back door. Because this was the last passenger car, the only other railcar left was the mail car. Immediately, Ashton was alert for anything. There was no reason for that man to leave this car using that particular door.
Just before the man reached the door, he turned and sat next to a woman. Both were dressed similar to the way Ashton was, but there was something different that caught his eye. The woman looked familiar, even though he could only see the side of her face right now.
He wanted to leave this seat and move closer, but since he had just sat down, he’d wait a little while before moving again. But he kept his attention on the young couple. Their heads where leaning in close to the other as they whispered.
The woman’s outdated bonnet hid most of her hair and her eyes, so all he could see was her nose and mouth. Strange that he would still think she looked familiar, yet something deep inside of him told him they had met before. Unfortunately, his memory wasn’t finding that exact time or person.
The child sitting on the woman’s lap in front of him dropped his toy. The ball rolled and knocked against Ashton’s boot. He reached down, picked it up, and handed it to the child. Bashful, the boy buried his face against his mother’s shoulder.
“Thank you, sir,” she said.
“You are very welcome.”
He switched his gaze to the other couple at the end of the car once again. They had swapped seats and the fr
ont of the woman was now easier to see. Yet, he still couldn’t figure out where he knew her since her bonnet shadowed her eyes.
The person sitting next to the couple spoke to them, and the woman laughed. The merry sound from her mouth floated through the car, and hit Ashton like a ton of bricks. No…that couldn’t be Nicole.
He narrowed his gaze on her, studying her movements more closely now. The flip of her hand, the tilt of her head, and the curve of her smile gave away the person she was trying to hide underneath those drab, old, and very worn clothes.
What was she doing on the train…and with another man? And why in the blazes was she dressed in that fashion? She had told him at the costume ball that she usually didn’t look so elegant, and even their afternoon down by the bay, she’d said it again. Could she have been telling the truth? Could he be staring at the real Nicole Bastian?
For some reason, he didn’t think so. The woman he had gotten to know in Staten Island was the real Nicole. He felt it deep in his heart. So then what was she doing dressing up like this? And who was the man she was with?
The man sitting beside Nicole laughed and he rested his arm behind her. She didn’t seem bothered at all by the intimate gesture. Not very often did Ashton become a possessive man, but the green monster of jealousy crept over him slowly and twisted something inside his chest as he watched the two interact together. He didn’t like the unknown feeling at all. He wanted answers now.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t say anything yet. He, too, was in disguise, but for a good reason. What could Nicole’s reason be?
The longer he watched her and the other man, the more he realized they were keeping their eyes on others in this railcar, too. Very interesting… Ashton’s curiosity bumped up a notch, yet at the same time, doubt sneaked into his head. Would she be with the people who were robbing his train? Could that be the reason she’d become so enthralled in him the night of the masked ball, and especially the next day? Then again, she hadn’t known who he was.
Or so she’s said.
Now he wondered if she had known his identity the whole time. For certain, something wasn’t right, and he was determined to discover what was going on.
Something bumped against his boot again, and he glanced down. The little boy’s ball had dropped and rolled against him, again. Ashton bent to retrieve it when the newspaper on the seat next to him captured his attention first. Actually, it was the bold large letters reading: General Babcock arrested for Whiskey-ring Fraud that made Ashton pause in picking up the ball.
“What the devil?” he grumbled and grabbed the newspaper instead of the child’s ball. He skimmed over the article plastered on the front page. Apparently, the general was under suspicion of the federal government. He was arrested for conspiracy to defraud the Treasury of the United States.
As Ashton read further, the article stated that the general was amongst a group of distillers and public officials who were defrauding the government of liquor taxes. The proof of this was a journal that had been kept between the public official and the sellers that was found in Babcock’s house. The article went on to say that over three-million dollars in taxes were recovered.
Blowing out a ragged breath between his teeth, Ashton shook his head in disbelief. And to think that Ashton was in the general’s presence a few times during the masked ball. He and Nicole had even seen the man the next day at the park near the bay. Had the man been under suspicion during that time?
Yet it all made sense now. Babcock probably knew he was under suspicion. That could have been why he looked so angered when Ashton noticed him at the park. Yet, the general appeared to aim his anger toward Nicole. She must have felt something because that was the moment when she decided to hurry away from Babcock and his friends and…hide.
Come to think about it, Ashton had witnessed Nicole in the general’s study the night of the ball. She’d appeared to be reading some kind of book. Could this book have been the same journal found in Babcock’s house?
Coincidence or not? For some reason he couldn’t explain, he thought not.
More doubt sneaked inside of him as he slowly lifted his gaze to focus on Nicole and the other man. Strange that she would somehow be involved with Babcock, and now she was on the train, appearing even more suspicious.
One way or another, he needed to get her alone and have a long talk with her…and hope to shout that he believed her story.
Chapter 7
Nicole was certain her father would be disappointed. She and her brother spent most of the day on the train traveling to Hartford, Connecticut, and back. Out of all the people they talked to and watched, they didn’t discover about the robberies. Either nobody knew about the theft, or they just didn’t want to tell her or Gordon. She and her brother were nearly to New York’s station, they would return home to give their father disappointing news.
She’d been on cases that had disappointing days and they never bothered her as much as this one. The only thing she could pinpoint to why she felt this way was because she wanted to be the one traveling to Staten Island and talk to Ashton, not sitting on this train asking strangers questions they didn’t know anything about. Out of everyone on their team, she felt she was more qualified to ask Ashton questions. She would be able to get more answers out of him, more so than the other agents.
The motion from the train began to lull her to sleep, but that was something she couldn’t afford to do while on assignment. If her brother caught her dozing, he’d certainly reprimand her, and rightly so. She glanced at Gordon. He stared at the window, his eyes narrowed at something in the distance and his mouth pulled down into a frown. She knew this look all too well. She’d first seen it five years ago when they’d been on assignment searching for a murder suspect. Gordon had blamed himself for letting the suspect slip through his fingers. He’d been wrong to feel that way, much like today. Her brother was a good agent. He needn’t think himself a failure after finding no lead on the robbery. She felt badly enough for both of them.
Sighing heavily, she adjusted herself on the uncomfortable seat and smoothed out her dress. She’d had this particular yellow dress for many years and used it for the sole purpose of disguising herself as a working-class woman. Even her beige bonnet was a little tattered. At least it worked, and others in this class of people saw her as an equal.
When she lifted her head to glance around the railcar once more, she caught a man looking at her. Quickly, he lowered his attention back to the newspaper in his hands. Curiosity got the better of her, and she continued to watch him closely. Every minute or so, the man would look up at her, only to turn his head as if he hadn’t been caught gawking.
Perhaps today hadn’t been a total failure after all. For some reason, this man was watching her. Strange that she hadn’t noticed before now.
For the next little while, she tried to visit with those around her, but she was in tune to the man on the other side of the car. Her skin prickled with awareness every time he looked her way—which was quite a lot. She didn’t dare say anything to her brother yet, only because she didn’t understand why the man would be spying on her. The few times she’d looked his way and he hadn’t been watching, she tried to study him to see if she knew him. His nose and lips looked familiar, but then at times they didn’t. If only she was closer and could see his eyes, but unfortunately, all the seats were taken.
Although he sat with a woman and her two children, the man didn’t appear to be with them. The children wouldn’t go by him, and he and the woman rarely spoke to each other. In fact—Nicole scratched her nose—she didn’t recall seeing him in this car when the train first left the station. She’d only really noticed him as they were returning. Was he someone who had boarded at Hartford? If so, she was certain she didn’t know this man.
The rhythm of the train gradually slowed. From out the window, the train station grew closer and closer.
“Well, that was a wasted trip,” Gordon grumbled.
She swung her head to look at
him. “I agree.”
“I pray Father and the others had better luck with their endeavors today.”
“Me, too.” She nodded. “Umm…what were the others doing? I remember what Father was going to do, but I don’t recall hearing what Banks, Cartwright, and Phelps were assigned to do.”
Gordon rolled his eyes. “I swear, dear sister, but I think your head has been in the clouds lately. You are forgetting a lot of things lately, and I find you lollygagging quite a bit.”
She huffed. “Lollygag? You think I lollygag?”
“Yes, you do. Sometimes I have to say your name three times before you notice I’m even talking.” He arched an eyebrow. “And, if I’m not mistaken—and I rarely am—you are acting as if you’re smitten.” He grinned. “Are you? Has my sister finally found her a man to occupy her thoughts night and day?”
Nicole couldn’t stop the heat from climbing up her face, even if she really tried to stop it. Her brother had guessed correctly, but she for certain didn’t want to let him know the truth. Gasping loudly, she tapped him on the arm. “That’s utter nonsense! I fear, dear brother, your instincts are getting worse. In fact, I’m now worried about you.”
His mouth stretched wider as humor laced his gaze. “The woman doth protest too much, I think.”
“You are ridiculous.” She shook her head, trying to act as if his words didn’t bother her. The problem was, they bothered her too much because he was right. And he knew it, even though she tried denying it.
“Who is he?” Gordon continued, leaning closer as he lowered his voice. “Have I met him? Do you think Father will approve?”
“Oh, really, Gordon.” She bumped him with her elbow, hoping to move him further away. “You can’t be more wrong.”
“Right—you mean. I can’t be more right.”
Folding her arms, she moved her head away from her brother to scan the railcar once more. The man who’d been watching her earlier, had his stare on her again, but this time his expression appeared harsher. Tense. Why did he look at her with such anger?