by Aileen Fish
Sighing, he raked his fingers through his hair. The scowl he’d worn left his expression, but leaving his stare blank and unaffected. “Thank you for believing in my innocence. However, there’s still the fact that your agent friends think I’m guilty.”
“Indeed, they do.”
“So how can I change their mind?”
“I don’t know. Unless…” She nibbled her bottom lip as a ridiculous—impossible thought struck her. What was she thinking? How could she possibly do this investigation on her own without her family? Yet, the only way she could think right now to help Ashton was to work with him. Maybe the two of them together could discover who was really stealing from the railroad.
“Unless, what?” he asked, anxiously.
The thought terrified her, but what other choice did she have? Both her father and brother were hardheaded men, and they would think her weak for believing in Ashton. They had already accused her of being in love with him, which was why she couldn’t think straight. Although that part was true, she hadn’t really believed he was the thief from day one. Usually her instincts were correct. She must trust herself—and Ashton.
She moistened her dry lips with her tongue. “I know the other agents quite well, and unless we have some kind of proof that you didn’t steal from the railroad, I won’t be able to convince them otherwise. However, if you and I work together on this and start our own investigation, perhaps we will discover the true culprit.”
Ashton didn’t say a word for the longest time. His gaze stuck to hers, but she didn’t dare disturb his thinking. She prayed he’d soon forgive her, but she didn’t dare hope. She’d hurt him badly, and she didn’t know how to make up for it.
“So tell me,” he began, “how do you expect to do all of that with an injured arm?”
Slowly, she smiled. “Very slowly, and with careful planning.”
Nodding, he relaxed a bit. “Fine. I suppose it’s something. I don’t want to go to jail if I can help it.”
“No, I don’t suppose you would want to go to jail for a crime you didn’t commit.” She shifted in bed, grimacing from the pain. “So first things first. Let’s get me healed quickly so we can get started.”
“What about your family? Should I send them word that you are injured?”
Oh Heavens…she didn’t want them to worry about her, but then she didn’t want them knowing about how she and Ashton were going to work together. She nodded. “Yes, they need to know, but let me write the note. Thankfully, the bullet wound did not affect my writing hand.”
Patsy bustled into the room with a tray of soup. Ashton helped Nicole sit up, stuffing more pillows behind her. A wave of dizziness washed through her, and she closed her eyes, hoping it would pass quickly. This was normal after losing so much blood. But she had to stay strong.
The housekeeper helped Nicole eat and once she was done, her body grew tired. Still, she fought it. She’d sleep after she wrote the letter.
Ashton had brought her a wooden pen, bottle of ink, and paper. Using the tray as hard surface, she wrote the letter. Ashton stood by her, and she knew he watched what she wrote.
Dearest Father,
Please forgive me for not contacting you sooner, but I have been hurt. I was shot accidentally in the shoulder when Mr. Nickerson mistook me for a thief. I’ve been unconscious for three days with a fever from infection, but I have a wonderful woman taking care of me. I’m staying at Mr. Lee’s residence while I recover. I beg you not to worry about me. He has been very kind and caring, as has his servants. For now, I have no reason to doubt his sincerity. And, while I’m recuperating, I plan on digging deeper for more answers about the train robberies. Please visit when you can. He will welcome you into his home.
Love, Nicole
Over her shoulder, she heard Ashton snort with disgust. “You plan on digging deeper for answers?”
She turned her head and looked up at him as he leaned against the bedpost. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. “What did you want me to say? Remember, he still believes you are a suspect, and he’ll wonder about my assignment.”
“And pray tell, what was your assignment?” His voice rose as he stepped back, leaned against the wall, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Did they assign you to get close to their main suspect, charm him, and make a fool out of him?”
She hated the guilt boring a hole in her stomach right now, but it was the twisting of her heart that was more painful. “Yes…and no.”
“Explain yourself.” He arched an eyebrow.
“I wasn’t given the assignment until I arrived in New York. If you remember correctly, we met at General Babcock’s masked ball, and we both charmed each other and we had gotten close during that time. Two weeks later is when I came here to New York. During a meeting with the other agents and your name was brought up, I made it known that we were acquainted. That’s when it was decided that I would get to know you better to discover if you were the thief or not.” All this arguing—and explaining—was making her tired, but she didn’t dare go to sleep until it was all out in the open.
His frown deepened. “So I’ve been nothing but an assignment to you since meeting up with you here in New York?”
Why did he make it sound so hurtful? “It wasn’t like that, and you know it.”
“No, Nicole, I don’t know it.” He snatched the letter from her and folded it before handing it to her again. “Write your address on the front and I’ll have one of my servants deliver it to your family.”
Tears filled her eyes again, making it hard to read. Naturally, he’d be very upset, but she vowed as soon as she was healed, she would work on healing his heart.
~*~
Ashton didn’t spend much time at home with Nicole during the next week while she recovered. His heart couldn’t take it. But he heard from his servants that her father and brother had visited her. In a way, Ashton wished he could have been there to finally meet them. But then if he had, she would have tried to soften his heart. And right now, he didn’t want it softened.
It had been a while since he’d allowed a woman to crawl into his heart because the last one he let do that shattered it to pieces. Just as Nicole had done. Of course, the situation was different, but the pain was just as disturbing. The betrayal was as real today as it had been when he was in his twenty-second year, looking forward to his nuptials.
After all of these years, he wondered why he hadn’t seen Agatha Carlton’s reluctance. Why hadn’t he noticed how much she thrived on shopping more than being with him? Perhaps he hadn’t wanted to believe she was only after his money—or at the time, his father’s money and power. But it had all happened before the war between the states had started. Back then he had dreams of a happy life with a beautiful woman by his side. Back then he had faith in mankind…and he thought all women told the truth.
He’d been so wrong!
Nicole wasn’t that different from Agatha. Not really. True, Nicole didn’t pretend to like him for his money as Agatha had done, but the Secret Agent just couldn’t tell the truth no matter what. The only time she felt the need to be honest was when she thought she was dying. Even now, he didn’t know what to believe. Had she told him the truth in everything? For some reason, he just couldn’t trust that she was being completely honest with him even now.
Irritated that he couldn’t get Nicole off his mind, he stormed out of his office and marched to the train depot. One thing was for certain—Nicole would try to soften his heart, but he could never trust her again. Although, she was correct in thinking they needed to find the real train thief together. It rather surprised him when she mentioned it to him. Why had she suddenly wanted to work with him instead of her agent friends?
It didn’t take him long to arrive at the depot. He leaned back against the building and watched the gathering crowd, getting ready to board the train. As he thought back to the times the train had been robbed, it was when the government was sending money to help rebuild the south. The money was stolen i
n the general area of Virginia. Perhaps the key to finding out who was taking the money would be to travel to Virginia. Talking to those who worked in Virginia’s depot might give him the answers he searched for.
Of course, if he told this plan to Nicole, she’d want to go with him. As much as he didn’t want her to, she was more experienced at this than he was since she worked as a Secret Agent. Another thought occurred to him…he might need to stage another money delivery and stay on the train himself just to see what happened. One way or another, he was going to get to the bottom of this so his name was removed from the suspects list.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a familiar face. Confusion swept over him as he watched the woman. Hadn’t Steve Larson left to return to Staten Island already? If so, why was the man’s wife still here?
Keeping Marjorie Larson in sight, Ashton moved back behind a large beam to hide himself as he spied. The mousy woman—who’d always been afraid of her own shadow—stood waiting for the train. She didn’t look around much, but when she did, Ashton could tell she was searching for someone in particular. A few times recognition shown on her face and instead of waving or greeting them, she quickly spun around. For some reason, she appeared as if she didn’t want anyone seeing her.
Strange…
A deafening hiss sprang from the steam engine as the brakes ground the large train to a stop. Many people left the train, and just as many began to board. Ashton kept his eyes on Marjorie Larson and nobody else. She had no luggage with her, and she didn’t seem too eager to climb aboard the train. Once again, she searched frantically; even rising on her tiptoes to look past part of the crowd.
Finally, her eyes widened and she waved an arm above her head. Ashton’s attention shifted in the direction she was looking. A man, perhaps in his early to mid-thirties, nodded her way and rushed toward her.
Ashton inhaled sharply. Could Steve’s wife be having an affair with a younger man? Yet, when the stranger finally met face-to-face with Marjorie, neither of them appeared to have lovers’ stars in their eyes.
The man bent his head as Marjorie whispered something in his ear, then the two of them hurried away from the crowd and into a carriage. Ashton followed as much as he dared, but once their conveyance took off, he decided not to follow. If Marjorie was indeed having an affair, Ashton shouldn’t be the one to inform Steve.
Turning away from the depot, Ashton headed back to his office. A thousand questions swam in his head from what he’d witnessed. Unfortunately, Marjorie’s strange meeting with the unknown man would have to wait. Ashton needed to save his own skin and fast!
Time was running out. He could feel it, and the dark cloud of doom was closing in fast around him.
Chapter 15
Nicole gritted her teeth against the pain burning through her shoulder as she continued to stretch her arm over her head, pushing herself to the very limit of restraint. She stood by the window in Ashton’s sitting room, looking out at the beautiful sunny day. Because this wasn’t the first time she’d had a bullet wound, she knew the healing process would take a while. She also knew she couldn’t just sit and wait for it to heal. Time slipped by fast, and she had a case to solve, and hopefully, a man to help prove his innocence.
It had been a week since the shooting, and she had already gained her strength to move around Ashton’s house. She even ventured outside a time or two. Every day she was able to move a little better, but it was her arm that remained stiff and sore. Stretches helped—just not enough.
“Oh, there ya are, Miz Nicole.” Patsy bustled into the sitting room. “I brought ya some tea.” She placed the tray on the table. “I’z glad to see dat yur father stopped by again.”
Nicole smiled and nodded. “Yes, I too, was happy to see my father. He’s a busy man, but I’m glad he still took time out to visit me.” Although both her father and brother have been to see her a few times since her injury, Ashton was never present. Her heart hurt knowing that he had purposely stayed away. He came home very late in the evening and left for work the next day very early in the morning. On those rare occasions that she’d seen him, it was only to say good day. It wasn’t enough for her, and it saddened her that he didn’t want to spend more time with her and assist her in figuring out who the real thief was stealing from the railroad.
Stretching her arm a different way, she held her breath against the pain. She watched Patsy pour the tea. “I thank you for your hospitality,” Nicole told the housekeeper. “It’s been a pleasure getting to know you better.”
The large woman looked up at Nicole and smiled so wide, the servant’s eyes almost disappeared in the folds of her cheeks. “I, too, have n’joyed our talks.” She held out the teacup. “Come now chile, and drink yur tea.”
Nicole relaxed her arm and moved to take the teacup. “Patsy, how long have you worked for Mr. Lee?”
“Oh, I’z worked for Missah Lee’s family for many years—since I was a young woman. I started out workin’ for his father.”
Nicole took a quick sip. “What was it like working for Ashton’s father?”
“He and the Misses were nice folks an all, but Missah Lee is far more gen’rous.”
“Ashton’s parents weren’t generous?”
The smile on the other woman’s face slowly faded. “Times were dif’rent back den. I’z not a slave now, and dat makes things dif’rent.”
“Yes, I’m sure it does.” Nicole took another sip. “What kind of father was he to Ashton?”
“He was strict, yet he also spoiled his young son. De father wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, but when Missah Lee reached his majority, he wanted to follow his own path.”
“Yes, that’s what most men do.” Nicole nodded.
“De father didn’t lak it one bit. But he still pampered him—keepin’ him outta de war an all.”
Nicole creased her brow. “Did Ashton’s father pay for someone else to go to war for him?”
“Yaz’m, he did.” Patsy shrugged. “But den a lot of rich men did dat.”
“Very true.” Nicole took a longer drink this time since the liquid wasn’t as hot. “Did Ashton’s father still own a bank even after the war?”
“Yes’m, he did—up until he died. But Missah Lee didn’t visit his father much. Once in a while, Missah Lee’s mother visits him, but it’s not often e’nuff if ya ask me.”
Nicole moved to the sofa and sat. “Ashton hasn’t talked much about his parents.”
Patsy nodded once. “Ever since Missah Lee’s father bribed de owners of Conrail to get him with the railroad, Missah Lee has been distant toward his family.”
Nicole’s thoughts came to a halt and she almost choked on the swallow of tea she just took. Bribed? Had she heard correctly? “Ashton’s father bribed Mr. Larson and Mr. Nickerson to bring Ashton in as a partner?”
“Waaal…” Patsy drawled as she turned and started tiding up the table, “I’z don’t think it was as much a bribe as it was offerin’ dem x’tra privileges at de bank, if’n ya know what I mean.”
Nicole gasped, not being able to keep the surprise from leaving her throat. “Are you serious? Ashton’s father did that?”
“Yes’m, he did. I’z think dat was what really put distance ‘tween Missah Lee and his father.”
“Well, I should say so.” Irritation flowed through Nicole and she lifted from the sofa. How could the father humiliate his son that way? Yet, the probing question now was why did Ashton allow it to happen? “Tell me, Patsy, what did Ashton think of this?”
She flipped her large hand in the air. “At first he didn’t know. Allz he knew was dat de other partners in the railroad made him an offer. Once the papers were all signed, den he found out.” She released a heavy sigh and frowned. “He was not a happy man. I’z think he was very angry at his father by dat point. But Missah Lee laks bein’ in the railroad, so he just didn’t say anythin’.”
Anger rolled through Nicole as she pieced together the story. The night of Ashton’s dinner par
ty, she received the impression that Ashton was good friends with Nickerson and Larson. At least the other two partners didn’t act as if they were upset as Ashton being with them. However, Larson was a little edgy. Then again, he’d always acted that way. Glynn Nickerson had always acted concerned and worried about Ashton, but in a caring way. She still couldn’t understand why Glynn would shoot her, though. Even if Mrs. Browning suspected Nicole to be a thief, that didn’t give Glynn the right to shoot her.
There was something that bothered her about Glynn that night. What had he been doing in Ashton’s house when Ashton was supposed to be down at the fishing shack waiting for her? Nicole’s gut feeling was that she needed to investigate the other two partners in the railroad, but mainly Nickerson. Although there was no logical reason why, she still believed it must be done.
“Yes, well…” She focused back on the conversation with Patsy, “I’m sure Ashton’s father made a sweet deal to both Nickerson and Larson or else they wouldn’t have taken him in.”
“I’z sure dats what happened.”
Nicole gave her empty teacup back to Patsy, and she waddled out of the room with the tray. This new enlightening information definitely needed to be passed to the other agents. If Glynn and Steve were in anyway upset about Mr. Lee bribing them to make his son a partner, this would give both partners a perfect motivation to want guilt for the train robberies placed on Ashton.
This was the kind of information her father needed to know. Without a second thought, she quickly penned a note to her father and instructed one of Ashton’s servants to deliver it to him. After it had left the house, she paced the floor, wondering what else she could do. Restless, she wrung her hands until she was ready to scream.
Knowing she must do more, she hurried and fetched her bonnet and shawl. The prospect of walking so far to find one of the other agents made her weary. But then she didn’t dare take one of Ashton’s buggies. Leaving his house, she felt strong enough, and she prayed the stroll through town wouldn’t exhaust her in any way.