An Agent for Evelynn

by Marie Higgins

  He glanced over his shoulder toward her. She stood near the window, clutching the drapes. Her eyes were wide and her face pale. As long as she didn’t do anything foolish, nobody would get hurt. According to William, the bank robbers hadn’t shot anyone yet.

  The large, burly man walked to the counter, motioning the bank’s patron away. The robber pointed his pistol at the bank worker.

  “It’s good to see you again, Clive.” The bandit’s eyebrows waggled.

  The man behind the counter scowled. “Forgive me, but I cannot say the same.”

  The burly bandit howled with laughter, which made the other two bank robbers laugh.

  “I’m not being humorous.” The bank clerk’s face reddened. “You have robbed us before. Go find another place.”

  “What did you say?” the leader of the bandits snapped at the clerk, holding his pistol steady as he pointed it at the other man. The laughter in the room had faded quickly.

  Graham held his breath, praying that the clerk’s outburst didn’t get him shot, or killed.

  “Get me the money.” The leader’s voice was deep and demanding. “Before my trigger-finger becomes anxious.”

  “Yes, sir.” The clerk moved away from the counter, and he and the other bank worker started to unlock the safe.

  Graham shifted his focus from one bandit to the next, wondering how he was going to stop them. He glanced over at the other two men in the room. They were middle-aged and overly round, and didn’t appear like they were strong enough to tackle anyone with a pistol.

  Suddenly, from behind Graham, came a loud groan. His chest clenched with pain. That was Evelynn!

  He swung around. She stood in a bent-over position as she clutched the large bulge in her middle that looked like... Slowly, he shook his head. Why did she look like she was pregnant and ready to deliver?

  She lifted her agony-laced face toward him and groaned again, louder. She reached an arm toward him. “I... I’m in labor.”

  One of the bandits cussed. “Are you kidding me, lady?”

  “No.” She took small steps toward the bandits. “My baby is coming. Now! Please, help me.”

  Inwardly, Graham prayed for strength not to yell at her now. What was she thinking?

  She was almost next to the bandit standing closest to her. “Please...” She groaned again.

  The bandit’s eyes were wide when he looked at Graham. “Is she your wife?”

  “Nooooo!” Evelynn groaned. “My husband isn’t here.”

  Evelynn fell against the bandit, grasping at his arm that he used to hold the pistol. She threw a glare at Graham. Suddenly, she didn’t look like a woman in labor, but instead, a woman who silently begged for help. Was this her distraction to try and help him disarm the bank robbers?

  Graham didn’t waste another moment. While the other bandits’ attention was on Evelynn, Graham knew this was his time to act.

  He jumped at the leader of the gang, grasping the pistol as he fell on the other man. The leader struggled, so Graham punched him in the face until the man’s grip loosened and Graham was able to snatch the man’s pistol.

  The third bank robber grumbled angrily, pointing his gun at Graham, but the other two patrons quickly tackled the bandit to the ground. Graham whipped his gaze toward Evelynn. She was standing over the third bank robber who was now on the floor. She had the man’s gun and pointed it toward the bandit.

  Graham looked at the other woman in the bank. “Go fetch the sheriff.”

  She nodded and wobbled out.

  The two bank clerks rushed around the counter, each with some rope.

  “Tie his hands,” Graham instructed, motioning toward the leader. “When you’re done with him, get him tied up.” He pointed toward the one Evelynn stood over.

  She shook her head. “No, tie up the other man, first.” She grinned. “I kicked this one, and well... let’s just say he’s out of commission for a few more minutes.” The bandit groaned in pain as he held his crotch.

  Amazed, Graham’s mind grew blank as he stared at her looking so proud over her accomplishment. The bundle-of-joy she’d had under her dress was the jacket he’d let her wear not too long ago.

  Graham tore his gaze away from the incredible woman and made sure the ropes were tied securely around each man’s hands. As he moved to Evelynn, her victorious grin brightened her pretty face.

  “All right, Miss Tanner,” Graham said with a touch of humor in his voice, “just how did you come up with that idea?”

  Shrugging, she laughed. “Because I was so frightened it made me sick to my stomach, and I wanted to empty it on the floor. The thought came to me that I was no better off than a pregnant woman. And well...” she glanced at the bandit tied up on the floor, “that’s when I realized I could pretend to be the pregnant woman.”

  “I’m proud of you,” Graham said softly.

  Her gaze bounced back to his. The arrogance in her eyes were gone. In its place was a tender expression.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  The bank’s door flew open as the sheriff strode inside. He was tall with wide shoulders, perhaps in his early thirties. He took fast steps toward Graham as his gaze swept the room, ending on the bandit still holding the injured spot between his legs. Two other men hurried in behind the sheriff. Both wore silver stars on their leather vests.

  The tall man with the wide shoulders looked at Graham. “Are you responsible for catching these bank robbers?”

  Graham shook his head. “We all caught them.” He gave Evelynn a wink.

  EVELYNN’S HEART WAS light. She couldn’t stop smiling as she sat next to Graham while he drove the wagon back toward William and Martha’s cabin. The horse she’d purchased followed behind with the reins hooked onto the wagon. It pleased her that she was able to pull off the pregnant woman stunt, but more importantly, it was Graham’s compliments and the way he gazed at her that made her heartbeat skip with excitement.

  Before they left town, the sheriff, manager of the bank, and some townspeople shook Graham’s hand to congratulate him on capturing the bank robbers, but Graham had made these people aware that if it wasn’t for Evelynn’s distraction, they might not have captured the outlaws.

  “I forgot to tell you,” Graham said, breaking the silence between them, “I asked the sheriff where the next train station was.” Graham sighed as he looked her way. “Unfortunately, it’s another day’s ride east of here.”

  She groaned and frowned. “That far?”

  Graham nodded. “Because the towns in Nevada are so far apart, there isn’t a main train station for several miles.”

  “I suppose that makes sense.”

  He reached over and grasped her hand. Warmth spread through her and made her catch a quick breath.

  “Try not to fret. I believe your cousin is trying to find us now.”

  “Then perhaps we should stay by the railroad tracks on our way.”

  “I agree.”

  Evelynn waited for him to remove his hand, but he didn’t. Instead, he slowly rubbed his thumb along her knuckles. Her heartbeat sped faster. He wasn’t wearing his leather gloves as he’d done when they drove into town, and the touch of his skin was a remarkable change.

  A few moments passed in silence. The awkward stillness between them bothered her. Was he going to say something about holding her hand so personally? Or was he expecting her to say something first?

  “I know you’re probably tired of hearing my compliments,” he said, keeping his gaze on the road in front of them, “but I’m still amazed how calm you were during the time the bank was being held up. Most women in your predicament would have swooned. In fact, I worried about that older woman who stood against the wall.”

  “I’ll admit,” she confessed, “that when it first happened, I was quite shaken. But then I realized that you’d lost your pistol when you jumped off the train and that you had no way to protect us. Besides,” she shifted in the seat, facing him a little better, “I had noticed your
gaze darting around the room as if you were assessing the situation.” She shrugged. “I knew I had to help with some kind of distraction.”

  “And you did it so wonderfully,” he chuckled, “as if you were really giving birth.”

  She laughed. “I was trying desperately to act my part. The bank robbers wouldn’t have believed me otherwise.”

  “Well, you had me fooled for a few minutes.” He glanced at her again. “I really wondered what was causing you to be in so much pain... and especially why you had something shoved up your dress to make your middle larger.”

  “About two years ago, there was this woman in my father’s congregation who went into labor during one of his sermons. At first, I thought the devil was in her or something, but it was quite a refreshing break from my father’s normally dry sermon.”

  “Your father is a minister?”

  She arched an eyebrow. “You didn’t know that?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t recall Agent Tanner mentioning it, and you, for certain, don’t talk much about your family.”

  The rejected feeling she’d been trying to hide since her father washed his hands of her returned, brought an ache to her heart. “Yes, well... I’m not with my father any longer. Rick is my guardian.”

  The stroking of his thumb stopped, and when the horse slowed, she lifted her gaze to his. Worry etched across his handsome face.

  “Your father... is dead?”

  The sadness in his eyes tugged at her heart. Emotion clogged her throat. For a moment, she wanted to tell Graham everything and allow him to comfort her. But she quickly decided against it. Pouring out her emotions like that would make her weak, and she couldn’t feel like that around him. She shook her head as tears stung her eyes. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

  “Of course. Forgive me.” He lifted her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

  She couldn’t stop the sigh releasing from her tight throat. Graham was such a nice man, and now that she could see his tender side, she realized how much she admired that about him. In a way, he reminded her of Rick. Or was that trait something that just belonged to a Pinkerton Agent?

  “Enough about me.” She smiled as her heart melted. “I don’t know much about you.”

  He shrugged and turned his focus back to the road, removing his hand from hers as he gripped the reins and urged the horse into a trot again. “I’ve been a wanderer since I was fourteen. Both of my parents died of yellow fever. I went to live with my grandparents, and as you can surmise, they didn’t live that much longer.”

  “Oh, Graham. I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t feel sorry for me, Evie. The trials in my life helped me to become the independent man I am today.”

  “That’s a positive way to look at your trials, I suppose.” If only her father hadn’t been so cruel by dismissing her guiltlessly, perhaps maybe she would think differently, as well. But right now, it was difficult not to feel as though he abandoned her. “How long have you been a Pinkerton Agent?”

  “Three years.”

  “Only three?”

  Frowning, he nodded. “Yes, but I’m rethinking my career choice.”

  “But why?”

  He glanced at her. “It hasn’t given me the adventure I’ve been seeking.”

  “Is that why you’re going to Denver? Are you going to tell them you don’t want to be a detective any longer?”

  He nodded and stared at the road ahead of them. His disheartening frown made her heart clench. “Well, I think you will make a great agent as long as they can find the right assignment for you.”

  He shrugged. “This might sound odd to you, but capturing the bandits at the bank had brought excitement back into my life. If Mr. Gordon cannot promise me that, then I’m going to look elsewhere. Perhaps I could be a Bounty Hunter.”

  Sadness seeped inside of her, removing the victory she’d claimed not too long ago. If Graham wasn’t going to be a Pinkerton Agent, then she might never see him again – especially if Mr. Gordon appoints her to be a detective. Although she couldn’t live her life wondering what Graham was going to do next, she couldn’t see herself as an agent unless he was one.

  “I think you’ll make a wonderful Bounty Hunter,” she muttered tightly as she glanced down at her clasped hands resting on her lap.

  The wagon came to a complete stop. Graham hooked the reins over the seat before he turned toward her, taking hold of her hands. She looked at him in surprise. The tenderness in his eyes made her heart hammer faster.

  “Something is bothering you,” he said. “Because when you told me I’d be a wonderful Bounty Hunter, I could feel that you didn’t mean it. I could also hear it in your voice.”

  Evelynn held her breath. She couldn’t tell him the thoughts filling her mind. It was hard enough for her to believe she felt this way about him, and he would definitely not believe it, either.

  “I... um.” She took a deep breath. “Well, you see, I couldn’t help but think of Broderick just then.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Why? He’s not a Bounty Hunter.”

  “Oh, I know, but...” The thoughts that had briefly visited her head were now gone. The more she gazed into his green eyes, the more she realized she couldn’t look anywhere else. There was nothing else to see that was as mesmerizing. She also enjoyed the way her heart softened, and how relaxed she felt. He was just too gol-darned handsome.

  “But?” His voice lowered as a slow grin stretched his tempting mouth.

  “But... um...” She licked her suddenly dried lips and swallowed hard. “I... don’t know.”

  A humorous expression crossed his face. “You don’t know?”

  “Yes. I don’t know why I thought of Broderick.”

  He chuckled softly as his thumbs stroked her knuckles. “For a minute, I thought you were being sarcastic when you told me I’d make a good Bounty Hunter.”

  “Graham, you will be great at whatever you decide to be. It’s just that...” Her mind argued with her heart, and she still didn’t know if she should voice her thoughts or not. “If you’re not a Pinkerton Agent any longer, I might never see you again. After all, my cousin is an agent, and well... we might see each other from time to time if you stayed with the agency.”

  “Evelynn Tanner? Are you trying to tell me you care about me, and that you want to see me again?”

  Laughing uncomfortably, she tried to pull her hands away from his grasp, but he wouldn’t let go. She gave up trying to remove his touch. She rather liked their hand-holding, anyway. “Well, I suppose I have grown rather fond of you.”

  “I’m very happy to know that.” He winked. “Because I feel the same way about you.”

  Her hopes lifted. “Does that mean you’re not going to quit being a Pinkerton?”

  “I don’t know, Evie.” He turned back in his seat, but kept hold of one of her hands. He picked up the reins and urged the horse forward.

  She remained silent. It pleased her to sit so close to him, and yet she didn’t want to have any kind of lovey-dovey feelings for a man who would leave her life just as quickly as he’d entered.

  NINE

  The slow clip-clop rhythm from the single horse Graham and Evelynn rode upon was starting to relax him. Graham enjoyed the gentle sway of the horse as the sleeping woman sat in front of him with her back pressed against his chest. Although their position was uncomfortable, nothing could move him now. Holding her like this was so very personal, and his heart beat crazily just thinking about them being so close that he could hear her soft sighs.

  As she sat practically on his lap so intimately, he couldn’t stop grinning like a fool. His arms were the only things holding her on top of the horse. He liked that she had so much trust in him to keep her from falling. It had surprised him that she’d be content sitting in front of him while encircled in his arms. After all, their relationship had started out very badly. He’d not had a second thought about jumping off the train to rescue her, but then once his mind had started to work
, he’d thought they’d be arguing constantly.

  Whatever had happened to bring about this change in her, he liked very much. Was it because they pretended to be married while staying with William and Martha? Or was it because Graham and his so-called wife had to share a bed? But he definitely admired her courage and her intelligence for assisting with the capture of the bank robbers.

  Since the death of his parents and grandparents, he’d been very cautious of letting people into his life. He’d protected his heart against loving anyone, because the pain of losing those he’d loved had been too hard to bear. However, Evelynn had somehow crept into his heart, and he worried about what would happen when they finally parted.

  They each lived such different lives. A woman as refined as Evelynn Tanner would never want to live his kind of life. Or would she?

  He arched an eyebrow and glanced down at her. After all, she thought quickly while inside the bank, and was able to distract the bandits. Would a pristine woman have thought of being sneaky enough to fool the bank robbers?

  The sun had gone to bed several hours ago, and from the weight of Graham’s heavy eyelids, he wish he had gone to bed, too. But returning to the train was more important, and he let the full moon guide his way. William had given him a map to help in their search of the next town and train station. Martha had given them a basket-full of food. The Lord had blessed the two wanderers by leading them to William and Martha. Graham prayed they’d be led toward the train station, and to Broderick who’d be searching for his cousin.

  According to the map, they were only a few miles from the next town, which was why Graham continued to push them even though they were both very weary. The sooner they could get there, the closer they’d get to the next train station.

  Evelynn had released another sigh – probably the sixth one since falling asleep on his lap – and shifted in front of him, turning her head to press her cheek against his chest. He smiled and gently stroked her arm. She was so cuddly when she was asleep. If only she’d be this way while awake. Then again, perhaps it was best that she wasn’t this way. He’d have a hard time keeping from kissing her – passionately – which was something that had been on his mind since they were lying on the ground near the creek.