An Agent for Evelynn

by Marie Higgins

  Sometimes he wondered if she felt the same way, but then other times, he reminded himself not to get involved. Kissing her would certainly create havoc with his emotions, and since he had no idea what his future held with the Pinkertons, he wasn’t about to lead Evelynn to believe there might be a relationship between them.

  In the near distance, the light from a campfire caught his attention. Although they were still considered to be traveling in the desert, there were still a few clusters of trees spotted from time to time. He brought his horse to a stop and studied the low-burning fire. Unease washed over him, and he suddenly became alert to danger. Not many people would have a camp outside of town.

  Unless they were outlaws.

  Immediately, his Pinkerton detective training kicked in. He needed to sneak over and see if they were indeed outlaws, and if they were... Inwardly, he groaned. How could he arrest them without a pistol? And he couldn’t willingly put a civilian in danger.

  He gently shook Evelynn. Blinking, she slowly came awake and looked around. When her gaze met his, she smiled. His heart melted and he wanted to kiss her right now. But no, this was definitely not the time for that.

  “Sweetheart,” he said softly as he cupped her face, “we may have stumbled across a situation that needs to be taken care of.”

  Her smile disappeared, and her eyes widened. Before she could say anything, he nodded toward the campfire. “Look over there.”

  She swung her head in that direction.

  “I have a bad feeling that they are outlaws,” he told her.

  She gasped and snapped her attention back to him. “Then we need to leave.”

  He shook his head. “No. A good Pinkerton Agent wouldn’t do that, and I’m still an agent.”

  Slowly, she nodded. “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking that I’ll need to keep my eye on them while you ride into town and fetch the sheriff.”

  Her body stiffened. “Are you insane?”

  Her voice lifted, so he quickly placed a hand over her mouth. “Shh...”

  She took his hand away from her mouth, but continued to hold his fingers.

  “Graham, I can’t ride all the way back—”

  “You won’t have to. According to William’s map, we are approximately two miles east of the next town.”

  She relaxed slightly. “But Graham, you don’t have a gun.”

  “Then I suppose I need to keep low and not get caught watching them,” he teased.

  She frowned. “This isn’t a joking matter. There’s no way I can ride off to find the sheriff.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you need me to help you.”

  Just the knowledge of her caring for his welfare, tugged at his heart. Sweet emotion filled him as he stared into her eyes. It was rather nice to have a woman worried about him.

  “But sweetheart,” he said softer this time, taking her face in both of his hands, “at least if you leave to fetch the sheriff, the outlaws will be caught. If you stay with me, the only issue that will solve is us getting caught – together – and possibly taken prisoner.”

  “At least we could keep each other company while we’re being held prisoner.”

  His heart melted again. How could it not with all of the things she was saying as she worried about him? This time as he studied her mouth, the urge to kiss her was much stronger than before and he was growing weak from restraint.

  “Evelynn,” he whispered with a smile, “there’s no one else I’d rather have as my prisoner partner, but justice really needs to be brought to these outlaws.” He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “Are you afraid to ride into town by yourself?”

  Confusion passed over her expression as her gaze dropped to his neck, but then seconds later, she straightened and looked him in the eyes again.

  “No. I’m not afraid. I can do this. I won’t let you down.”

  “Of course, you won’t. And just like what happened at the bank, you’ll save the day and the outlaws will go to jail.”

  “You really think I can do it?”

  He smiled. “Evelynn, if I know one thing about you, it’s that you can do anything you put your mind to, and you do it well.”

  Her expression changed again and became more relaxed. Tenderness softened her pretty features and her gaze dropped to his mouth. His heartbeat quickened. He knew exactly what she was thinking now, and he was happy that her thoughts were in accordance with his. This was the time to kiss her, and he knew she wouldn’t argue.

  Keeping his gaze locked on her mouth, he slowly moved forward, removing the distance between them. She was holding her breath, only because it wasn’t coming out in quick gushes like his was doing. But when his lips touched hers, she sighed heavily and melted against him as her hands rested on his chest.

  He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her up against him as his mouth claimed hers. Her response was more enthusiastic than he’d planned, and excitement shot inside his chest, filling him with warmth.

  The horse shifted, and Graham tried to keep the animal under control with just using his legs. He didn’t want anything to ruin this moment, and yet, this position they were in really wasn’t very comfortable. But he was determined to keep the kiss going as long as she wanted.

  Pleasure ran through him as he came to know the shape of her mouth and the softness of her lips. Her hands moved on his chest, rubbing small circles of gratification not only on his body, but in his mind.

  Suddenly, a gunshot pierced the silence. Instinctively, he tightened his arms around her as he yanked her away from the direction of the sound. Her breaths were faster now, and he hoped it was from their kiss and not the fear he assumed was running through her.

  Laughter from around the campfire lifted through the air. Graham glanced at Evie in his arms, her eyes now wide with fright.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “Yes. Are you?”

  He nodded and kissed her forehead. “Yes, but unfortunately, we will have to continue our kiss at another time. These outlaws need to be taken care of.”

  “Are you sure they’re outlaws?” she whispered.

  He shrugged one shoulder. “There’s only one way to find out.” He glanced toward the campfire. “I need to get closer.”

  He gently pushed her away from him until she was sitting upright, before he dismounted. She reached her arms toward him, so he helped her down, too. Keeping her in his arms longer than necessary, he gazed into her lovely face. Her lips were still swollen from their passionate kiss.

  “Stay very quiet,” he told her, “and follow me.”

  He found a tree close by and tied the horse before taking Evie’s hand and leading her slowly toward the campfire. They moved from one tree to the next, doing their best to take careful steps. The snapping of a twig would announce them just as quickly as sneezing.

  When they were far enough away to see the five men around the fire, Graham kept him and Evie behind the large tree as he peeked around the side. He listened intently. At first, it seemed like all the men wanted to do was laugh and drink out of whiskey bottles.

  He held in a grin. He’d just found his weapon. If he could get one of those bottles and break it enough to use the sharp edges to cut someone. Unfortunately, he also knew not everything worked out the way he had planned.

  Finally, the men started talking, and Graham listened closer. So far, they said nothing of importance except for talking about a woman in town inappropriately. He really hoped Evie wasn’t hearing this.

  She tapped his arm. “What are they saying?” she whispered.

  “Nothing of importance, yet.”

  “Are they outlaws?”

  “I... don’t know. But my gut tells me they are.”

  He listened closer, and he heard their names Levi, Jonah, Hank, Martin, and Butch. These were popular names out here in the west, and so Graham still didn’t know for certain if they were outlaws or not. They were definitely part of a gang. He’d bet his
career on it.

  And then he heard a name – Farrington. Graham’s blood turned to ice. Levi and Butch Farrington were brothers. Rumors had them and some of their cousins riding around the territories robbing stagecoaches, trains, and leaving dead people along the trails.

  He faced Evie and took her in his arms. Just as before, she rested her hands on his chest and looked up at him, searching his eyes closely.

  “Sweetheart, they are the Farrington gang.”

  “Are they dangerous?”

  “Very.”

  Her forehead creased with worry. “Graham, I don’t think you should stay here. Come with me into town to find the sheriff.”

  “I’ll be all right,” he whispered and lowered his head to brush his lips across hers. The unknown emotion in his chest grew the more caring she showed toward him. He could get used to this feeling, and he could definitely become accustomed to her as long as she never left his arms.

  She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him hard and urgent. But he knew she was acting out on the worries rushing through her mind right now. He stopped the kiss and smiled as he gazed into her eyes.

  “Ride into town,” he pointed in the direction, “and get the sheriff and have him bring three more men with rifles. Tell the sheriff I have the Farrington gang.”

  Tears filled her eyes and she nodded. “Promise me you won’t get hurt.”

  “Sweetheart, all I’m going to do is spy on them.”

  She narrowed her gaze. “That wasn’t exactly a promise.”

  He chuckled softly. “I promise not to get hurt.” He urged her toward the horse. “Now go and ride east.”

  Nodding, she backed away, keeping her stare on him. She looked as though she was going to say something, but then she quickly turned and hurried toward the horse. He carefully stepped away from the tree as he watched her, making sure she was able to get on the horse and ride away without any difficulties.

  Once she was on the horse, she kept the animal quiet as she snuck away from the thicket of trees and toward the direction Graham had indicated.

  Sighing, he stepped back toward the large tree, but he stepped on a rock, and his foot slipped on the ground. As he quickly righted himself, his foot landed on a fallen tree limb and it snapped in half.

  Holding his breath, he listened carefully to the talk that had been going on around the campfire. But now... everything was silent.

  Inwardly, he groaned. They had heard him!

  TEN

  Evelynn’s heartbeat hammered faster than the horse’s hooves as she raced toward town. Once she’d been far enough away from Graham, she urged the horse into a faster speed. Her mind spun with situations that Graham could get himself in with being that close to the outlaws, and she said a silent prayer that he was kept safe.

  The full moon helped light her way, but she still didn’t see anything that looked like a town was close by. Had Graham read the map wrong? Or maybe it was the map itself that was wrong.

  Tears burned her eyes, but she kept pushing the horse in the direction Graham told her to go. She had no idea how long she’d been riding, but it seemed too long. She wanted to find someone to help them.

  Using the sleeve of her dress, she wiped the moisture out of her eyes and pushed the horse faster... and prayed harder. The tightness in her chest made it difficult to breathe, which of course, made her panic escalate that much more.

  And why hadn’t her own cousin found her yet? He was supposed to be one of Pinkerton’s best agents. Shouldn’t Rick have been here by now? It could be him saving Graham, instead of her riding like a madwoman toward a town she’d never been to before.

  Lord, please help me!

  She wiped the tears out of her eyes again, and this time, outlines of several buildings slowly came into view. She cried out with relief and silently sent a quick prayer of gratitude for the Lord’s help.

  She had no idea what time it was, but it appeared that most of the buildings were closed up for the night. She slowed her horse, studying each building and each house, praying to find the sheriff’s office, but so far, nothing even resembled that.

  As she passed a smaller building, a small light in the window caught her gaze, and she quickly pulled the horse to a stop. A wooden sign above the door read: Doctor Healy.

  She dashed up the stairs and to the door. She rapped hard on the door. Footsteps creaked on the floor from inside, growing closer. Seconds later, the door opened. A middle-aged man wearing spectacles, held a lantern. She squinted from the sudden brightness.

  “Please, I beg you,” she said in a rush, “I need your help. I’m not from here, and I don’t know where the sheriff’s office is. My hus... I mean, a Pinkerton Agent needs your help. Do you know where I can find the sheriff?”

  The man’s gaze swept over her, and she grew impatient as he assessed her dirty clothes and her unkempt hair. “Please, doctor.” She grasped his forearm. “A Pinkerton Agent has found the Farrington Gang, and he needs assistance immediately.”

  The doctor’s eyes widened. “The Farrington Gang, you say?”

  “Yes.” She pointed toward the west. “They are camped not too far from town. Two, maybe three miles. I can take you there, but we must hurry.”

  The doctor moved away from the door, motioning for her to enter. She stepped inside and realized this wasn’t the doctor’s office, but the sheriff’s office. At the far side of the room stood two barred cells.

  She gasped. “Are you the sheriff?”

  “And the doctor.” He set the lantern on a small table that resembled a desk. “This is a small town, so I do both.”

  He shrugged into his overcoat before grasping two rifles and two pistols. “Doctor Healy... um, Sheriff, can you round up a few more men? There are five outlaws and they all have weapons. Graham Morgan is the only Pinkerton Agent, and he doesn’t have his pistol.”

  The sheriff’s forehead creased. “No weapon?”

  She flipped her hand in the air. “Long story, I’ll try to tell you while we ride.”

  He handed her one of the rifles. “Can you shoot?”

  After her father had turned to ministry, he hadn’t believed in any sort of violence. He’d not allowed her to learn, either. She sighed, irritably. How was she going to become a Pinkerton Agent if she couldn’t even shoot?

  “No,” she said softly. “I don’t know how to use a gun.”

  The man shrugged and pushed the rifle toward her. “Point the end of the gun toward the bad guy. Keep your aim steady and pull the trigger.” He nodded sharply. “There. Now you know how.”

  She hiccupped a laugh. Was this man serious?

  Hesitantly, she took the rifle from him. He finished rushing around the room, grabbing things and stuffing them in his pockets.

  “Um, sir? You didn’t answer my question. Should we find more men to help us?”

  “Yes. I’d planned on doing that. However, I want you to ride back toward their campfire and find the Pinkerton Agent, and if you can, give him the rifle.” He paused as he stared at the pistol still in his hand. He shoved that toward Evelynn. “There, now each of you will have a weapon.”

  “Uh... thank you.”

  “Go.” He swished his hands toward her. “And pray that the Pinkerton Agent hasn’t done anything foolish.”

  As she rushed out of the door, her mind returned to Graham. Foolish? Graham wouldn’t do anything foolish at all. He was a thinker. She’d noticed that about him in the few days she’d known him. He never acted irrationally. He was patient and calculated the situation before doing anything.

  Then again, he had jumped off the train to rescue her. That was acting out of character for him. She could only hope he stayed hidden as he’d promised.

  Once she was able to fit the rifle on the saddle, she jumped on the back of the horse and took off. Would she remember where they were? Well, she just needed to follow her path, and hope she remembered the landscape along the way.

  Saying another prayer for guidance, she
urged the horse back into a run. For some reason, it didn’t seem to take as long this time, and soon she spotted the campfire ahead in the distance. She slowed her horse until reaching the spot where Graham had first tied up the animal. As she dismounted, she reached for the rifle, but through the night air, she heard a man shouting.

  She held her breath and listened harder. It was several men shouting... followed by loud groans.

  She grabbed the rifle and pistol and ran toward the sound, not caring that her footsteps weren’t light this time. Nobody would be able to hear her over their angry voices, anyway.

  When she reached the large tree that Graham had used to hide behind, she stopped. He wasn’t there. She didn’t need to ask where he was. Now she knew what the men were shouting about – and what man was groaning in pain.

  Her hands shook as she peeked around the tree toward the campfire. She couldn’t see Graham, but the other men were standing around something on the ground, and they were all looking downward.

  “I don’t believe you,” one man shouted and kicked the object lying on the ground, which was followed by Graham’s moan.

  She clenched her teeth and tightened her grip on the rifle.

  “Please,” Graham’s voice painfully pleaded, “you must believe me. I was thrown from the train, and I was just following the tracks to find the station. When I saw your fire, I came over in hopes that you would share some food with me.”

  “Yeah, well... you thought wrong,” another man yelled.

  “You don’t believe him, do you?” Another man’s voice came out high-pitched as he slugged the man standing next to him. “If he fell off the train, he’d be dirtier, and his face and hands would be all scratched up.”

  “Levi is right,” another man said. “And I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m tired of playing his game. I say we slit his throat right now.”

  As the gang’s shouts of acclamation filled the air, despair washed over Evelynn.

  Squeezing her eyes closed, she leaned her forehead against the tree. Tears stung her eyes as hopelessness grew inside of her. The outlaws would not believe Graham, and they were correct. Graham didn’t look as ragged as he had when they’d first fell off the train. The outlaws were criminals, but that didn’t mean they were stupid. In fact, most criminals were very intelligent, especially those who could hide from the law.