An Agent for Hope

by Marie Higgins

  The journey down the hallway toward her room seemed to take longer than necessary, like walking through a tunnel. Anticipation flowed through him as his palms grew moist. One window on this floor was still open, letting the small breeze inside, but that didn’t cool his ardor in the least.

  Finally, they stood in front of her room. She withdrew the key from the pocket of her coat and slid it in the keyhole. The sound of the lock opening brought a sudden emptiness to his heart. Inevitably, he would have to say goodbye to her. If only he knew of a way to convince her to give him another try, perhaps his chest wouldn’t ache as much.

  She pushed the door open before turning toward Jesse. Dimmed lighting came from the lamp near her bed. Because of the few lamps in the hallway, he could see her face better than he could while they were riding into town not too long ago. Her hair still flowed over her shoulders and down her back, and he liked her this way. Her pretty brown eyes gazed at him with such deep appreciation that made him want to take her in his arms and kiss her passionately. However, scaring her away – and especially, upsetting her – wasn’t a good idea. He must let her be in control of this situation.

  “Jesse, I know I didn’t seem very grateful when I first saw you in the grove of trees, but I am glad you were there to help me. I don’t know if I would have been able to capture Frank Hinchee by myself.”

  He shrugged. “I’ve always thought two was a better number than one.”

  Her smile widened. “I suppose it is.”

  “And I actually enjoy working with you.” Her gaze narrowed in doubt, so he quickly continued as he caressed her cheek. “Even though we argue.”

  “Why do you argue with me?” She tilted her head.

  He chuckled. “Because I like seeing the heat dance in your eyes.”

  “Heat?”

  “Yes, and your eyes even brighten more, which I find lovely.”

  She snorted softly. “You are one odd man if you like the way my eyes heat up.”

  “Then consider me odd, I don’t care.”

  She took his fingers away from her face but continued to hold his hand. She even squeezed it gently.

  “I suppose your oddity makes you an interesting man.”

  He laughed. “Well thank you... I think.” With her hand still in his, he lifted it to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “And I happen to think you are a very interesting woman.”

  Color brightened her cheeks, and she slowly pulled her hand away. “Well... I think I’ll retire for the night.”

  He nodded. “You have had a busy night. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

  “I am.”

  Jesse stayed still, waiting for her to make the next move, but she stood in place and gazed into his eyes. His heartbeat jumped inside his chest and it became difficult to swallow. Even though she didn’t stand in the best lighting, he could still read her expression pretty well. Confusion filled her gaze as her stare locked with his. There was also a spark of interest in her eyes, and he prayed that she finally realized she still wanted to be his wife.

  When her shoulders sagged and she exhaled slowly, he knew the moment had past and he would leave tonight without a kiss.

  “Sleep well, sweet Hope, and—”

  In a flash, the flapping wings of a bird became loud and the brisk air knocked against him as the fowl flew by them so close. Hope released a startled yelp and jumped against him, grasping his vest. Immediately, his arms wrapped around her shoulders as he protected her. After all, wanting to keep her safe was always his first response.

  “Blasted bird,” Jesse muttered as the confused winged-animal flew around them as if searching for a way out. Finally, the bird found the window it had come through, and exited just as fast.

  He sighed and rubbed his palms on Hope’s back. “There, you’re safe now.”

  Glancing down into her eyes, he noticed her expression was different from before. The confusion had somehow disappeared, and in its place was... desire. He blinked, not certain if he could see very well because she couldn’t possibly be looking at him in that way.

  Yet, it didn’t matter. He couldn’t tear himself away from her intense gaze, as her palms continued to rest on his chest, and he wondered if she could feel his heart beating out of control. His insides were like molten lava, and the longer he stared at her, the weaker his knees – and resolve – became. Her lips were so inviting, and if he couldn’t kiss her soon, he’d go mad with longing.

  Before his mind could clear and think of something intelligent to say, Hope lifted her face toward his cheek. Knowing where she was headed, he made sure he diverted the target and turned his face. Her lips touched his, and excitement shot through him.

  She gasped, but he moved his hands to her head, holding her in place. He wondered if she’d struggle, but she seemed to be as stiff as a board. At least she wasn’t moving away, and this only encouraged him to go on.

  Keeping his lips gentle, he brushed them against hers, threading his fingers through her silky hair as he cradled her head in his hands. It only took a few moments before her body relaxed. Slowly, her mouth moved with his.

  His foggy mind tried to tell him this was all a dream, but the heat strumming through his body let him know he’d never had a more wonderful first kiss. He’d kissed many women over the years, but this one made him forget about those others.

  Jesse kept the kiss simple but hoped she would adjust quickly so that he could let loose the passion building inside of him. As her body leaned against his, he knew the moment was very close.

  Down the hallway, the floor squeaked. Hope jumped right out of his arms and stepped into her room. Her wide eyes told him that something had spooked her, but this time she wasn’t going to him for protection.

  “Hope—”

  “It’s late, Jesse. Goodnight.”

  The door closed before he could say another word. Although his hopes of sharing a passionate kiss had plummeted, at least she’d kissed him back. That was a start, and definitely, something he never thought would happen.

  Now he prayed that God would give him another chance, and especially, that her heart would soften toward him.

  HOPE STARED UP AT THE ceiling from her bed, just as she’d been doing since she’d climbed into her nightdress and lay on the hotel’s mattress. She didn’t know how long she’d been staring, but when the sun began its rise in the horizon, she realized she hadn’t slept one wink.

  What have I done?

  She could now admit that the kidnapping and having guns pointed at her, jarred her senses a little harder than she thought would happen, and it had left her dumbfounded. She had been ashamed of herself for allowing hers and Jesse’s argument last night to distract her from her purpose in the grove of trees. It was her fault that Frank had kidnapped them. And what made it worse was that Jesse hadn’t rubbed it in her face. If roles were reversed, would she have been so kind?

  The night had gotten worse when she had to ride with him as they returned to town. Being that close to him played havoc with her emotions, which made her jabber like a Magpie. And speaking of birds... she blamed that unknown fowl for causing her to jump against Jesse. That blasted bird was the reason she had touched Jesse’s muscular chest and was held in his strong arms. The way he’d looked at her had unnerved her to the point of taking away her ability to think – and speak. When his gaze had dropped to her mouth, she’d lost her mind. That was the only explanation for her to kiss him.

  Thankfully, the noise in the hallway had jerked her back to reality, and her memory had pictured her dearly departed fiancé. She remembered how much she’d loved Jonathan, only to have him snatched out of her life forever. The pain had been more than she could bear, and she never wanted to feel that way again, which meant she never wanted a man to claim her heart.

  Hope dragged herself out of bed and proceeded to get ready for the day, even if she hadn’t slept and her mind wasn’t focused. Splashing water on her face helped a little to wake her up, and once she
was dressed and had her hair wound in a bun, she was ready – well, as ready as she was ever going to be, anyway.

  She slowly made her way downstairs to the main dining area where the hotel staff served breakfast. Maybe with a little food in her belly, she’d be able to think of what she needed to do next. Not only did she need to write up the paperwork for her case – which she disliked – she should probably figure out what to say when she saw Jesse next.

  As she waited to be served at a table, her mind replayed the kiss in slow motion, and especially the wild hammering of her heart. The brief kiss had left her breathless. She still couldn’t breathe well just thinking about it. Her body had been consumed by heat, and yet, she hadn’t wanted to move out of his arms.

  “Pardon me, Mrs. Slade?”

  Hope snapped her gaze up toward the hotel maid standing on the other side of the table. The blonde girl appeared younger than Hope by a few years. “Yes.”

  “I have a message for you from Mr. Slade.”

  Hope arched her eyebrow. “You do?”

  “Yes. He would like you to meet him at Hansen’s Saw Mill after you are finished with your breakfast.”

  Hansen’s Saw Mill? Hope tried to awaken her mind enough to reason why Jesse would want to meet her there. Were they given a new case already? If that was the case, then Jesse must have thought their kiss meant more than it had, which would have led him to requesting another case from Archie.

  She gave the other woman a nod. “Thank you for passing on the message.”

  It was only minutes later when her breakfast came, and although she was still confused about Jesse’s message, she found herself eating quickly, eager to see Jesse again. Silently, she argued that she was in a hurry to find out about their new case, not to see Jesse. However, her mind conjured up images of him looking so handsome in his dark blue suitcoat and trousers. His cobalt eyes always sparkled more when he wore this color. She’d thought he was very handsome from the very first day they met, and his smile could charm a rattlesnake...

  Stop it! Hope shook her head and tried to push out those thoughts. Thinking of him that way wasn’t good at all. He was her partner in the agency only, and now they were just friends. Nothing more would come of it.

  With a full tummy, she pushed away from the table and proceeded out of the hotel. The blue sky was a pleasant welcome since yesterday the clouds were playing hide-and-go-seek with the sun. In fact, the warmer weather let her know she didn’t need her cloak today.

  As she headed toward the end of town where the saw mill was located, she nodded and smiled to a few people she recognized since moving to Colorado Springs. Hope had been here a month now, and she enjoyed the peaceful town. It was much better than Denver, in her opinion.

  She reached the saw mill, but as she neared the entrance, eeriness crawled over her skin. Something wasn’t right. For one, the water wheel to the side of the building wasn’t turning, which meant the machines inside wouldn’t be working. And of course, because there was no sound coming from inside, that confirmed her first suspicion. Shouldn’t she at least hear mens’ voices as they prepared to work?

  Cautiously, she opened the door and peered inside. “Jesse?”

  She waited for an answer, but it didn’t come. Her gut twisted. Had something happened to Jesse? That had to be the only explanation.

  Slowly, she bent and retrieved the knife she hid inside her fancy women’s boot that went so well with her dark blue skirt and matching Spencer jacket. If this was a trap of some kind, and danger was nearby, she would be prepared.

  Hope took calculated steps further into the saw mill. Several long tables with odd contraptions hooked to them filled the room. Pullies and wheels were hooked to the tables, along with some saw blades. Sawdust littered the floor and scuffed her boots. There were too many places in this building where people could hide.

  Gritting her teeth, she tightened her fingers around the handle of her knife. If Jesse was somehow teasing with her, she’d make sure he never had that chance again.

  “Jesse?” she said louder.

  “No, Mrs. Slade. Jesse is not here, yet.”

  Gasping, she swung toward the very familiar voice. The man who was supposed to be in a jail cell stood not far from her, pointing a gun toward her heart.

  “Frank Hinchee?” she said in a tight voice. “What... why...” She shook her head in disbelief.

  He chuckled. “Why am I not in jail, you wonder?”

  She nodded.

  “Let’s just say I have many friends.”

  She swallowed hard, trying to moisten her very dry throat. “What are you planning now? I doubt you can rob this place like you can a train.”

  His body shook with a silent laugh. “I’m tired of trying to convince you that I’m innocent.”

  “So, why am I here?”

  In one quick movement, he knocked the knife from her hand and grabbed her wrists. He quickly holstered his gun and jerked her toward one of the saws.

  “Mrs. Slade, I think that you and this here saw are going to become really close very soon.”

  SIX

  Jesse moseyed toward the jail, eager to see the train robber and turn in a report to the sheriff about what had happened last night. His mind stalled momentarily. What had happened besides the earth moving? Once he had kissed Hope, nothing else mattered.

  He practically skipped up the wooden porch and entered the jail... then stopped dead in his tracks. The place was empty, including the two jail cells that were supposed to have had the train robber and his wife. Both doors to the cells were wide open, with the key still in one of the locks.

  Jesse’s stomach clenched as anger shot through him. What was going on here? And where was the sheriff?

  Growling, Jesse swung around and ran out of the building. He kept his legs moving quickly as he headed for the hotel. He needed to tell Hope that their case wasn’t solved yet. She probably wouldn’t be happy, and although it upset Jesse to think Frank had escaped jail – which Jesse had previously suspected would happen – he looked forward to working with Hope again.

  The hotel’s lobby was crowded, so he moved into the dining area. His gaze jumped from one table to the next, but Hope wasn’t in here, either. As a kitchen server walked by, he grasped her arm, stopping her.

  “Forgive me,” Jesse began as he released the woman’s arm, “but I’m looking for Mrs. Slade.”

  “Mrs. Slade went to meet her husband at Hansen’s Saw Mill.”

  Jesse narrowed his gaze on the woman. “Did she tell you that?”

  The blonde woman shook her head. “No, but her husband gave me the message to pass along to her.”

  Her husband? “I’m confused, because I’m Mr. Slade, and I didn’t give you any message to pass along.”

  The young woman gasped and her face lost color. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I thought—”

  “What did this man look like?” Jesse demanded.

  “He was a little shorter than you, and not as cleaned up as you, either. He had red hair, and...”

  Jesse swung around and darted out of the hotel as if the devil was nipping at his boots. Panic tightened around his heart. Hope was in trouble, and right now, that was all he cared about. He’d figure out how Frank escaped later.

  As he ran as fast as his feet could carry him, he realized that he shouldn’t have left his horse in the stable this morning. Then again, he thought today would be a leisurely day of paperwork and getting to know his wife a little better.

  Nearing the saw mill, he noticed the water wheel turning and heard the buzzing of the saw from inside. His first thought was that men were working, and yet, as he rushed by the stable, it was empty of horses and no horses or wagons were out in front, either.

  He withdrew his gun and dashed inside. He quickly scanned the perimeter, searching for Frank, but the redheaded man wasn’t here.

  Then he saw her. Tied and gagged, she lay struggling on one of the benches as the tablemat slowly pulled her toward a saw.

/>   Jesse said a quick prayer to the Lord for help, and rushed toward his wife. His foot kicked something across the floor. He glanced down and noticed her knife. He snatched it before hurrying to her.

  When she finally noticed him, her teary eyes widened, and she whimpered. Since Jesse had no idea how to turn off the saw, his only hope was to get her off the table. Using her knife, he cut away the ropes holding her to the table. Mere seconds before the saw could touch her head, Jesse yanked her off the table and into his arms.

  Emotion clogged his throat as he cut away the ropes around her wrists and then he removed her gag. She trembled uncontrollably as she leaned against him.

  “Oh, Jesse!” Hope swung her arms around his shoulders as she buried her face against his chest. “I didn’t think... you’d come.”

  Trying to calm his fiercely beating heart, he slowly rubbed his hands up and down her back. “Of course, I’d come, my sweet. Are you all right?”

  “I am now.”

  He pressed his lips against her forehead, silently thanking God for assisting in her rescue. “What happened?” he asked in a cracked voice.

  She inhaled slowly before lifting her head. “Frank... escaped, and he lured me here.”

  “But why would he?” Jesse shook his head. It didn’t make sense to why the outlaw would bring Jesse here, unless...

  He grabbed for his gun again and keeping Hope in his arms, he searched the mill once again, but slower this time. “Did you see him leave?”

  “No. I was too worried about how to get off the table while being tied up.”

  Jesse clenched his jaw and said loudly, “Frank, you haven’t won, and I’ll personally see to it that you never win.”

  The outlaw didn’t respond, but Jesse doubted he was still in the mill. Frank probably stayed just long enough to realize he wouldn’t kill Hope before leaving. Jesse vowed he wouldn’t rest until that man was put behind bars – for good, this time. Saving Hope’s life, as well as his own, was what Jesse needed to focus on right now.