Luke tightened the grip on her arm and said, “I will be there every night to make sure Red doesn’t touch you either.”
“Thank you.”
Luke and Regina hurried into the hotel past the night clerk who stood with his mouth open as soon as he saw Regina. Luke left her at her door and told her to get a good night’s sleep.
She entered her room and lit the lamp. She had to admit she enjoyed playing the piano again even if the music was not her usual or much to her liking. Magee told her the previous player left some music behind that she could play the next night and Regina wondered exactly what she’d have to play.
Regina reached for the pins holding her hair back from her face. She smiled at her image in the mirror knowing her step-mother would have apoplexy if she saw her today. Dressed a bit more conservatively than the soiled doves at Magee’s Saloon, her crimson satin dress showed more of her than was proper, but this was her job. Playing the piano and singing would help her get closer to whoever was responsible for the illicit press and the abduction.
Just as her curls tumbled down her back she heard the two quick taps on her door and the door open. Luke entered and stopped to stare at the beautiful woman who was his wife of convenience. Maybe he could change that situation.
“We need to talk a bit about what the people in the saloon perceive about us,” he said not being able to take his eyes off the silky waves caressing her shoulders and back.
“They think I’m a singer and you’re a gambler. What else is there?” Regina asked taking a step closer to him.
“They believe I want you as my woman and they will expect us to act that way. We need to practice kissing,” he explained.
“Practice kissing,” she asked scowling at him. “What kind of plan is that?”
“The men at the saloon expect us to be together. If I don’t show you affection, one of them might step in and try. We’ve didn’t even share a peck at the wedding. We need to practice so that we’re comfortable kissing each other,” he answered holding out his hand.
Regina took his hand and allowed him to pull her close. He kissed her gently at first, then deepened the kiss. Regina’s arms slid up his chest and around his neck involuntarily, and she kissed him with a passion she couldn’t explain. After several more kisses, he stepped back and whispered, “I think this will do just fine. If we kiss this way at the saloon, no one will doubt we’re together.” He spun on his heel and left the room.
Regina walked to the door and leaned her forehead against the cool wood wishing he’d stayed. On the other side of the door, Luke stood fighting the desire to return to the room and kiss her again. She was his wife after all, but they were on the job. No time for emotions.
Chapter Thirteen
Luke and Regina met for a late breakfast the following morning. Neither mentioned the kissing session although each wished they would have another.
Maybe, Regina thought, he’ll kiss me at the saloon again tonight to show the other men I belong to him.
I could kiss her again tonight, Luke thought. I need to let everyone know they can’t touch her. She’s mine, at least for now, and she might end up shooting someone.
“What do you plan on doing today,” Luke asked Regina just before he shoved a considerable amount of scrambled eggs into his mouth.
“I think I’ll visit Gretchen again. She is a sweet person and loves to gossip. Nothing bad of course, but I’m learning a lot about the people in town from her. It may be useful, and I do enjoy her company.”
“I plan on just exploring the town, visiting the shops, and just talking to people. You never know what information you can pick up from a general conversation,” Luke explained.
Luke gave Regina a quick peck on the cheek before turning to leave the dining room. “Just in case someone is watching,” he said with a wink.
Regina touched her cheek remembering his lips on hers from the night before. She looked forward to more kisses later when they were at the saloon. She cautioned herself again to hold tightly to her heart, but she was losing her grip. She couldn’t fall in love with Luke. When the case ended, their marriage would be annulled, and if she loved him, it would break her heart. No, she wouldn’t’ fall for Luke Tucker.
Regina crossed the road to the mercantile hoping to enjoy a visit with Gretchen. When she opened the mercantile door, she saw Gretchen near the back of the store and waved. Gretchen spun on her heel and disappeared behind the curtain that separated the store from the backroom.
Horace stood behind the counter trying to smile when Regina asked, “Is Gretchen busy? I’d like to visit with her.”
Horace cleared his throat. “Gretchen doesn’t wish to see you?”
“Why?” Confusion and a bit of hurt crossed Regina’s face.
Horace swallowed and shifted on his feet for a moment before answering. “This is a small town, Regina. People talk. It didn’t take long for your employment to become the gossip of the day this morning.”
“But I only sing and play the piano. I need to support myself,” Regina insisted trying not to let her real reason for working at the saloon slip out.
Horace shrugged. “Gretchen doesn’t see the difference, and neither do the women who were here this morning.”
Regina felt tears prick the back of her eyes. She knew she’d encounter many things while working on cases, but she never considered being shunned by someone she believed a new friend or other people in town.
Regina fought back the tears and said, “Tell Gretchen not to worry. I won’t come in again. If I need something, I’ll send Luke if that is agreeable to you.”
Horace just nodded as Regina turned, headed out of the mercantile, and walked back to the hotel. She kept her head held high. After all, she was a Pinkerton agent and not a saloon girl, but if people believed she was a saloon girl, she had to give the appearance that their opinions of her didn’t matter. She needed to act as if she had met this type of condemnation in the past and was used to it. Her manner had to show that, but it was hard. This was the first time. It just hurt coming from Gretchen.
Regina did her best to appear calm as she strolled into the hotel ignoring the clerk and rushing up the stairs. As she closed her room door behind her, the tears fell. She gave in to them for a few minutes before washing her face and talking to herself in the mirror.
“Stiffen your back, Regina,” she said aloud to the mirror. “Agents don’t cry. You will get through this and be a better agent because of it. Next time you face this issue, it will not come as a surprise.” She nodded at herself and lay down on the bed to rest.
She must have drifted off to sleep because the sun was quite low in the sky when she heard Luke’s tap, tap, tap on her door.
When she opened the door, Luke stepped in quickly and looked at her eyes. “Are you all right? I stopped at the mercantile and Horace told me what happened.”
“I wasn’t, but I am now. It came as a shock, but I know now that when taking on a role, I need to expect people to treat me as they see me and not as I am.”
“That is a hard lesson to learn. I should have said something to you about what to expect. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be” Regina responded. “Some lessons have to be learned firsthand.”
Luke tried to smile, but he knew Regina had learned a difficult lesson today. “Let’s get supper and then we can head for the saloon. With luck, maybe one of us will learn something.”
~ * ~
The saloon was crowded when they arrived. Regina slipped upstairs and returned as Reggie a short time later. She began to play the piano to the enjoyment of the crowd of men. Red made sure to saunter over and leer at her while assuring her that he’d watch her back.
Red’s large dog followed him and dropped down next to Regina’s feet and refused to leave when Red called her. “Stupid dog,” he snapped as he went back to his spot at the end of the bar.
Regina finally took a break much to the disappointment of the men humming and singing alon
g to her tunes. Luke took advantage of the break to walk over and speak to her.
“Who’s your friend?” Luke asked when he saw the large cream-colored dog with almond-shaped deep brown soulful eyes sitting next to Regina.
“She’s supposedly Red’s sidekick and helps control the disruptive customers, but ever since I met her, she hasn’t left my side.”
Luke bent over to ruffle the dog’s fur, and she growled at him. He yanked his hand back and looked at Regina. “What’s her problem?”
Regina shrugged. “When Red walked up to assure me that he’d keep me safe, she ran to my side and won’t let anyone close to me. She’s my new protector. She even growled at Red. I don’t blame her. He calls her dog and mistreats her. I renamed her Nellie, and she loves it.”
“She does?” Luke questioned. “How do you know?”
“Watch,” Regina said. She bent closer to Nellie and said, “I love you, Nellie. You’re a pretty girl.”
The dog’s tail wagged wildly.
“I’d get excited, too if you talked to me that way,” Luke grinned.
Regina shot him a look and then patted Nellie again. Luke backed away from his wife and her new companion, found an empty table, ordered a beer, and pulled out a deck of cards. He watched as Regina walked to her stool in front of the piano and sat. The dog never left her side and dropped to the floor at her feet as she began playing. Maybe it was a good idea that the dog attached itself to Regina. If Red was responsible for the abduction of Abigail Stegler, Regina could use a bit of extra protection. He still wasn’t sure whether she was brave or foolish when it came to some of her ideas and actions.
As Regina continued to play, her mind wandered to where Miss Stegler might be since Red seemed to spend all his nights at the saloon and Maisy told her he had a room in back near Magee’s office. Regina had met the girls and been upstairs to the second floor. She doubted that Miss Stegler could be held in an upstairs room since all four of them were used by the girls and customers each night.
She learned that Magee had a home on the outskirts of town and owned a ranch a few miles south of town, but Maisy told her Magee seldom went to the ranch and Red preferred to stay in town. That gave her two obvious choices. The saloon or Magee’s house. As she contemplated both possible locations, she saw Maisy walk down the hall carrying a tray. She disappeared into a doorway, and it appeared as if she took a step down before closing the door behind her. Could there be a cellar under the saloon and why would Maisy be carrying a tray downstairs ?
There could be several logical answers, but the one that pressed into Regina’s mind and wouldn’t leave was that Abigail Stegler was being held against her will in the cellar of the saloon. She wanted to run and tell Luke, but she knew there would be time after she finished which would be soon as the clock behind the bar approached midnight.
When Regina saw the clock finally reach the midnight hour, she stopped playing and closed the piano’s fallboard over the keys. She stood and stretched her arms to the wild applause of the men still sober enough to clap their hands. She bowed, and Luke appeared at her side.
Luke slipped his arm tightly around Regina when Red walked up.
Red scowled and growled at Luke, “Hands off the lady.”
Luke shook his head. “She’s my woman.”
Regina looked straight at Red and added, “He’s my man.”
Luke kissed her, and Regina raced upstairs to change.
Red stated emphatically, “That can always change.”
“Don’t try to change it. You won’t like the outcome,” Luke said casually as he took a seat and waited for Regina to return.
Luke and Regina strolled back to the hotel and Regina shared her suspicions that Miss Stegler might be in the cellar of the saloon. Luke agreed but said he needed to think of how to find a way into the cellar.
Regina agreed and said she’d see if Maisy might offer some information.
Chapter Fourteen
The daytime hours found Regina bored. She slept late because she and Luke arrived back at the hotel late, but she still had several hours to spend alone. Luke made friends with a few of the shopkeepers and always had something to do. Regina only had Gretchen and that friendship was over. She smiled sadly to herself when she remembered telling Luke that she refused to stay behind and do needlework while he solved the case, but it appeared that is what might happen. She dropped back on the bed and laughed when she realized she couldn’t do any needle work or knitting without supplies and she promised not to visit the mercantile again. She doubted Luke would buy her yarn and knitting needles, but he could buy her a book. At least she’d have something to read. There was a Bible on the bedside table and she reached for it and began to read. It always brought her comfort.
~ * ~
The hours passed, and Luke knocked on her door for supper. Regina realized she was hungry and enjoyed their meal before leaving for the saloon.
Regina shared her thoughts with Luke and he agreed it might be possible that the missing teacher was being kept at the saloon. He told Regina to be careful if she snooped around. Red was watching her closely.
After playing songs for two hours Regina thought she could fool Red into thinking she needed a break. It worked.
Regina made her way down the dark, narrow hall toward the back door. She didn’t have a need for the privy as she mumbled to Red before leaving the saloon’s main room, but she needed to know if her suspicions were justified. Two nights in a row she passed the narrow door near the end of the hall and saw a faint light at the bottom of the door. Leaning close, she could hear hushed voices. Female voices, but the girls all worked and lived upstairs. She’d seen Maisy carrying something wrapped in a napkin and a canteen down the hall from the kitchen last night. Was she taking the food for herself or someone hidden? Regina needed to find out.
Just as she reached for the doorknob, she heard four padded feet rushing down the hall toward her. Spinning she knew Nellie was coming, but she prayed Red wasn’t with her. He wasn’t.
“Hello, girl, did you come to protect me?” Regina whispered. “I might as well go outside since you’re here and use that privy in case someone is outside watching. I wish you could talk. I think you have the answers to all my questions.” She patted the big dog and Nellie followed Regina to the privy and stood guard until Regina was ready to return to the saloon.
Regina glanced at the door again but knew she didn’t have time to check the door without causing Red to ask questions. He still claimed she stole his dog even though Nellie followed Reggie and avoided Red whenever possible. Regina smiled at that. Red liked to talk when he drank, and he drank every night. If he gets upset, he’s more likely to say something he’ll regret especially after a few shots of rot gut whiskey.
The saloon wasn’t overly crowded, and Reggie could feel Red’s eyes on her as she took her seat back at the piano. Nellie dropped to her feet as Reggie began to play. The men didn’t care what she played as long as it reminded them of some long, lost love or a better time in their lives. The previous piano player had left behind a few sheets of music and Regina learned to play a few bawdy pieces although she refused to sing along with them. The drunks in the bar usually began to sing on their own.
Luke was playing Poker at a corner table and Regina kept a close eye on who went down the hall to her right. She had an unobstructed view of the back door from where she sat at the piano and never saw anyone open the door to the room that piqued her curiosity until nearly midnight. Her fingers were getting tired and she stood to find a drink of water and stretch her back when she glanced down the hall and saw Maisy come out of the door and immediately cross the hall and disappear up the back stairs. Why would Maisy be in that room? Regina motioned to Red that she needed to go out back and he nodded. Nellie followed close behind and Regina stopped at the door. The light under the door was gone, but Regina was sure she heard quiet crying. Luke may laugh at her woman’s curiosity and intuition, but Regina knew someone was being he
ld behind that door. Was it a punishment for one of the girls or was it Abigail Stegler? She had to find out.
A man begged for one more song and Regina obliged just as another man at Luke’s table stood and yelled, “You’re cheating.”
Regina turned in her seat and saw a man at Luke’s table standing and pointing at the cards on the table. “I saw you pull a card from your sleeve. You’re a cheater.”
There were three men sitting at the table with Luke. Who was the man yelling at? Regina shuddered in fear as the man kept calling for justice from the cheater. Heated words flew back and forth when suddenly the man standing pulled a gun and shot across the table.
Luke and another man fell to the floor. Regina screamed and the man with the gun scooped up some of the money on the table and ran out the door. Red, having had too much to drink as usual, stumbled as he tried to chase the shooter. Regina ran to Luke’s side.
She dropped to her knees at his side staring at the red blooming on the shoulder of his white shirt.
“Luke, wake up. Please don’t leave me,” Regina nearly sobbed.
Luke opened one eye and winked. “It isn’t my blood. The other man fell on me but I’m going to use this as a cover. Watch me.”
Luke moaned and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket pressing it against the blood stain. “Help me up and tell everyone you’re going to take care of me back at the hotel.”
Regina did as he asked and once Luke was sitting in a chair, hand held tightly against his supposed wound, and sipping a whiskey for pain, Regina raced upstairs for her coat. When she returned she told Red and Magee that Luke had a flesh wound and she’d care for it at the hotel. Both seemed agreeable and didn’t suspect anything.
Playing the part well, Regina let her concern for Luke play out on her face. She hurried him back to the hotel without saying a word, barked at the night clerk that she needed hot water immediately, and led Luke to her room.
An Agent for Regina Page 7