by Lynn Donovan

An Agent for Jocelyn
The Pinkerton Matchmaker Series

Book 64
Lynn Donovan
An Agent for Jocelyn
Table of Contents
Copyright
Appreciation
Dedication
Lynn Donovan’s Newsletter and free gift
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
Note to Reader
About the Author
Newsletter & Thank You Gift
Please post a review
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
The book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. All rights are reserved with the exceptions of quotes used in reviews. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage system without express written permission from the author.
The Pinkerton Matchmaker
©2020 Lynn Donovan
Cover Design by Virginia McKevitt
Editing by Cyndi Rule
Beta Reader: Amy Petrowich
Appreciation
Thank you to everybody in my life who has contributed in one way or another to the writing of this book. My husband, my children, my children-in-law, and my grandchildren. You all are my unconditional fans. My BETA reader and grammar guru who make me look gooder than I am. [Bad grammar intended.] My fellow author friends who chat with me daily to exchange ideas, encourage, maintain sanity, and keep me from being a total recluse/hermit.
Mostly I thank God for the talent he has given me. I hope to hear you say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” when I cross the Jordan and run into your arms—Many, many years from now. :).
Dedication
To Jocelyn Schilling Logan
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As a reward, I will send you a free book called “Stories for the Porch.” A collection of short stories written by me just for you and will be published NO WHERE else.

Introduction
Jocelyn King wants justice, but no one will listen. Turning to the Pinkerton Agency for help, she has one condition— she must be part of the team that investigates the diamond hoax her father has uncovered. But there’s more to her story than she reveals to Archie Gordon.
Agent Owen Latimer came to be a Pinkerton Operative through some… unorthodox skills that he’d rather not everyone knew about. But having been an accomplished expert in his field, he knows when someone is hiding lies among the truths. And Miss Jocelyn is doing just that. Intrigued by her story and intense desire for justice, Owen agrees to take her on as his partner even though office rules dictate he has to marry her for the duration of the investigation.
Will this hoax turnout to be more than he can bear? Can these two overcome their distrust in one another and solve this case? If opposites attract, will love thrive among their differences? Is Owen the right agent for Jocelyn?
CHAPTER ONE
“Marianne!” Archie Gordon bellowed from behind his closed office door.
Frazzled or angry, Jocelyn King couldn’t tell which, Mrs. Gordon eventually opened his door, drying her hands on a dish towel. “You summoned, M’lord?”
“Oh. Sorry. I did it again, didn’t I?”
“Yes, Archie, M’love, you certainly did. Now, what do you need?”
“Have we heard from Latimer?”
She lifted her eyes to the ceiling in thought. “Yes… two days ago. He’s still in South Dakota.”
“Ah.” Archie turned a gracious smile toward Jocelyn who waited patiently in the guest chair. Then turned back to his wife. “And do we expect him back soon?”
She sighed. “I believe we do, in a week or two.”
“Aye.” Without a thank you, he turned back to Jocelyn. “It looks as though we will need to wait two weeks to get the right man for this job, Miss King.”
“Two weeks!” She nearly stood. “I can’t wait two weeks, isn’t there anybody else?”
Archie turned questioning eyes to where Marianne had stood, but the door was closed and she no longer stood there. “Um, well. No. Owen Latimer has the expertise to best handle a case of fraud. He’s a… uh, bit of an expert in the matter.”
Jocelyn stared at Mr. Gordon. What was he not telling her about this Agent Latimer? “You mean to say he once was a… swindler?”
Archie leapt to his feet. “Weeel, our agents come to us with extraordinary skills. How they obtained them… is really their business. I can assure you, they do not become a Pinkerton unless they pass the muster. Not to worry, Miss King. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I can trust all of my agents… with my life.” He nodded and gestured for her to stand.
She did, but reluctantly.
“Let’s reconvene in two weeks, Miss King.” He put his hand behind her shoulder to usher her toward the door. But she held fast, and he had to soundly push her to make her move.
“I cannot wait two weeks, Mr. Gordon. The men conducting this heinous hoax are already moving ahead with their solicitations for more investors. Good men are being swindled! A third meeting in San Francisco is planned in a week! Those two are going to abscond with hundreds of thousands of dollars and the investors will have no recourse.” She swallowed and lifted her chin. “They all are being tricked with false facts, Sir. And we MUST stop them.
Archie cocked his head back on his shoulders. “We? Aye, why haven’t you shared your knowledge of the fraudulence to these investors?”
“I tried! It’s a bit of a story. Suffice to say no one will listen to me! And my father— well, my father cannot address the issue. It’s now or never, Mr. Gordon! Please, agree to take my case today, and I’ll tell you the whole story.”
Archie sighed. A whistle sound expelled through his nose. Jocelyn would not let him push her any further toward the door. “You know, Miss King, there is a saying in business, ‘Caveat emptor’. It means, ‘Buyer beware.’ If these investors are foolhardy enough to believe in, uh, an investment scheme, then their loss is their loss.”
“But, Mr. Gordon.” She shrugged his hand from her shoulder like an unwanted insect. “Do not pretend to teach me Latin. I am fully aware of such catch phrases. But these investors are— ever since the discovery of gold in 1848 and silver in 1859 in the western mountains, there has been a contagion known as the Next Big Thing. I admit, even my father and I were caught up in the excitement when we—”
She pursed her lips. “It only took us a few hours to realize our mistake. But others have not been so lucky to see what we saw or have the knowledge that we have to know… what was wrong.”
Gordon gazed into her eyes. His jaw muscles bulged under his carrot-red beard.
“Weeel, then yew and yewr fader need to tell the investors dat.” Gordon’s Scottish brogue suddenly dominated his speech. Jocelyn stared at his ruddy cheeks. Had she angered him?
She didn’t know if it was Arnold’s or Slack’s men who stopped her father’s wagon and killed the team before she and he could report their findings. Or Henry Janin who was blinded by the idea of becoming so rich, so easily. Or Charles Tiffany, the well-known jeweler from New York, who had sloppily claimed to have valued the gems at so much more than they truly were worth. He could have arranged for her father’s murder to save his precious reputation as a fine jeweler.
Or it could have been any number of men who were discovering they had invested in a fraud and didn’t want the truth to come out before they could sell their stock at the jacked up rate and walk away unscathed.
She couldn’t prove who those road-side bandits had been, but she had absolute faith that the Pinkerton Agency could uncover all the evil things that lead to her father’s murder.
There was one solid decision she had made on her way to Denver. But she would not make that demand until she knew for sure Mr. Gordon had accepted her case. So far, he was putting her off with excuses that he only had one agent who could work the investigation. This Owen Latimer was several hundred miles away on a case and would not be available for two weeks.
She could not wait that long! The investors were bound to fall for Arnold’s lies and invest their money, while Arnold and Slack would disappear with as much as a million dollars, scot free, not to mention their possible responsibility for her father’s murder.
It was not fair! And she was determined to see that they did not get away with any of it.
“Mr. Gordon. I need the help of this agency! If you are not willing to help me, I’ll go to the Chicago office and ask Allan Pinkerton, himself. And when he asks me why I came all the way to Illinois to get help with a matter in Colorado, I’ll tell him you refused to listen to me. And that you—”
“Now, hold on there, Lassie. I never said I wasn’t listening!” The ruddy hue in his cheeks deepened to almost purple. “I said… if you are bringing me a case of fraud, my best agent for this case in out of town and will be back in two week—”
“And I told you! That’s too long!” She matched his tone and volume.
The door swung open. Marianne rushed in with exasperation exuding from her raised eyebrows. “Archie!”
Her eyes darted from him to Jocelyn. Marianne sighed and lowered her voice. “Let’s all have a nice cuppa tea and… calm down.” She turned back to someone behind her, waving her hand to hurry them along. A pale woman scurried in with a tray of tea and biscuits. She sat it on the corner of Gordon’s desk and dashed out. While Gordon puffed out his cheeks.
Marianne poured tea as she spoke soothingly. “Now, what is so worthy of you yelling at our client, Mr. Gordon?”
“I-she-we! Aw!” He waved both hands at the two of them and walked to his chair to collapse in it, defeated. Slightly rocking against the springs, he stared at the blotter on top of his desk.
Jocelyn took Marianne’s cue and stood silent while Mr. Gordon thought things through.
At last, he lifted his head. “Would you be so kind, as to send Agent Owen Latimer a wire asking him to come home right away, and let his fellow agents conclude the case out there in South Dakota?”
Marianne nodded. “Yes, Archie. I’ll take care of it right away.”
“Gude.” His eyes turned to Jocelyn. “Is two days gude enough for ya, Miss King?”
She smiled. “Yes. I believe two days will work out well.” She returned to her chair. “There’s… just one more thing, Mister Gordon.”
He rolled his eyes with a sigh. “And what would dat be?”
She swallowed. “I insist on being part of the team.”
“What?” Gordon pressed back in his chair. “You want to become an agent, Miss King?” A queer smile curled on his lips.
“Yes. I know the facts for this investigation. I have a lot of the evidence already gathered. It’s my word they do not listen to. With your agent… a man, we can make them understand.”
Gordon stood, still bearing that odd smile. She couldn’t determine what that meant. “Of course, Miss King.”
He again walked her to the door. “Come back in two days and I’ll introduce yew to yewr partner. The two of yew can get acquainted and leave on da next day’s train to San Francisco.”
“Alright.” She eyed him. Something was up, but she didn’t know what it was. She shook his hand at the front door to the mansion and walked down the stone path toward the waiting taxi carriage. What was she missing? He looked too pleased with himself. She turned back to gaze at the closed door. What had she just gotten herself into?

Two days later…
Laughter roared from behind Archie Gordon’s office door as Jocelyn received Marianne’s gracious welcome into the Pinkerton mansion.
“May I get you some tea, Miss King.” Marianne’s attention was also divided between the rowdy camaraderie and properly greeting her guest.
Jocelyn methodically removed her gloves to delay for a moment to listen. “Is Agent Owen Latimer in there with Mister Gordon?”
“Yes.” Marianne’s lips thinned. “I’m afraid he is.”
“Well, then, they must be waiting for me.” Jocelyn charged toward the office and shoved the door open. Speaking loudly to be heard over the bedlam of laughter. “Mr. Gordon!”
The two men fell silent. She bowed her head slightly toward the man facing Gordon. “Mister Latimer, I presume.”
Staring at her with their jovial mouths still agape. Jocelyn rushed in with her hand extended to Latimer. “I’m Jocelyn King. I understand you and I are to be partners on this Diamond Hoax investigation.”
Glaring silence. Then Latimer seemed to snap out of his shock. “Yes. Archie was just telling me about this case you have brought to us.”
“I see.” She remained standing. “And what part of two swindlers cheating good men out of so much money did the two of you find so amusing?”
“Well, I-we” Latimer turned to Gordon.
“Have a seat, Lassie.” Gordon found his tongue at last. “Let’s have a chat.”
“Yes. Let’s.” Jocelyn eased down into the second chair facing Gordon. “It seems I owe you an apology. I was told this meeting would begin at two. It seems I was mistaken.” Her face remained hard. She hated being overlooked or discounted. It seemed Gordon and Latimer had done both. “Now. Am I correct in assuming with Agent Latimer here, you have accepted this case… and my condition?”
“Well, yes. Of course.” Gordon struggled. “You certainly have presented an intriguing possibility and justice probably is in order. But I—”
Jocelyn leapt to her feet. “Mr. Gordon, if you are about to tell me a woman does not belong in the role of a detective, let me inform you that I have worked side-by-side with my father in the very unorthodox study of geology for ten years. Since I was a young girl. I know what I’m—”
“Sit down, Lassie!” Gordon pumped flat hands gesturing for her to calm herself. “Let me call for some tea and we will discuss your… terms.”
He side-stepped to the door and opened it. Marianne stood there, tray in hand. “Oh. Archie, I was just bringing tea.”
“Of course you were. Thank you, my dear.” He squinted at his wife and sat back in his chair. “Now, let’s all just calm down and determine what we have and what we can do about it.”
Marianne stayed to pour and pass out a cookie on each saucer. Jocelyn reached into her carpet bag to pull out a folder, much like Gordon’s dossier. “I have here documentation to substantiate our findings of fraud.” She folded her hands over the file in her lap.
Gordon extended his hand, anticipating receiving the evidence from her. B
ut she didn’t readily hand it to him. Staring at her knees, she swallowed. She could not cry! She would not cry! This was too important, and crying would only weaken her testament that as a woman, she deserved the same respect and trust in her ability to assist in resolving this heinous crime. She lifted her eyes to meet Gordon’s. “I want your word.”
He gawked at her, confused. “On what?”
“You will trust me, believe my findings, and make me a member of…” she glanced at Latimer and back to Gordon. “…this investigation team to solve this… crime.”
Gordon’s face scrunched together like a squeezed lemon. He breathed through his nose and that distinctive whistle followed. “We don’t even know the facts, yet. Miss King.”
She lifted her chin. “And you never will, unless I have your word.” Her eyes dropped to her lap and then rose to meet Gordon. “Unless Allan Pinkerton opts to share it with you.”
Gordon turned to Latimer. Jocelyn watched the exchange. Latimer didn’t so much nod his approval, but tipped his head back, signaling a gesture of agreement. Gordon then turned back to Jocelyn. “Aye, Miss King. Yew have my word. Yew will become a Pinkerton Agent and be assigned to this case, whatever it maybe.”
“Good.” She wriggled to the edge of her seat. “I’ll start at the beginning.”
CHAPTER TWO
“My parents came out west in 1863 with a wagon train to join the California Geological Survey. I was sixteen at the time and an unofficial member of the team.”
“Do I detect a pattern here Archie?” Latimer crossed his ankle over his knee.
“Aye, uh.” Archie leaned on his desk, steepling his index fingers. “If we could jump ahead to the fraud there, Lassie.”
Jocelyn sighed. “I asked you to trust me, Mr. Gordon. This part is important too. You will see soon enough.”