“I did, too,” Julia said and winked.
Epilogue
Two weeks later:
West hurried up the stairs of the attractive three-bedroom house he and Julia purchased on the edge of Denver’s residential neighborhood. Pushing through the front door, he called, “Julia, are you home?”
“In the kitchen,” came Julia’s response.
West walked into the room, holding a yellow slip of paper. “This arrived today from the New Mexico prosecutor. The trial is over.”
“That was quick, “Julia said.
“Not really,” West explained. “Kate confessed, the church didn’t want to press charges for the theft of the gold box, Father Dominic didn’t want to press charges, and the doctor agreed that the priest in New Mexico died as a result of a fall. I think the prosecutor and judge took into account that Kate didn’t mean to kill the priest. I believe your letter to the prosecutor explaining that you thought Kate had an emotional problem rather than a criminal one helped them come to a conclusion.”
West handed the telegram to Julia, and she read it. Shaking her head slowly, Julia said, “I’m not sure which is worse, being sent to prison or being sent to an asylum for an indeterminate amount of time, but I do hope they help her there. She was worried they would hang her.”
“In some towns, they may not have believed that she didn’t intentionally kill the priest, and she could have been hanged. Maybe she’ll get the help she needs at that asylum,” West said.
“I believe they allow patients to write letters, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she sent you a letter. You seem to be her one hold on sanity.”
Julia said, “If the agency and her doctors allow it, I’ll write to her. I can offer her encouragement, hope, and prayer. She will need all three to recover.”
“Yes, she will, and I know you won’t forget her. Neither will Meg, I don’t think. We’ve been back for a week and a half, and she already sent you one exceptionally long letter.”
Julia smiled, “She’s just grateful I came to the bordello. Part of that letter was from her mother. They have accepted Meg home without question. Meg says it feels as if she never left. I think she will be happy from now on knowing what can happen when you try to run off on your own.”
“Isn’t that what you did?” West asked. “You ran to Denver.”
“I didn’t run. I took a train,” Julia laughed. “Seriously, I was older and wiser than Meg, and I wasn’t running off with some shady conman. By the way, there’s a newspaper on the table. I think you’ll be interested in the front-page article.”
West picked up the paper and read the article.
“Hopefully, this will stop men trying to acquire the chest for the bounty. The bishop is quoted as saying the chest has been placed in a secret church chamber back east but doesn’t mention where.”
Julia said, “Wherever it is, I’m sure it’s secure. Hiding it in a small church out west didn’t keep it safe. A larger church will have much better security.”
“True,” West agreed. “Oh, I saw Archie at the office. He says we have three more days to enjoy our honeymoon before he sends us out on an assignment.”
“You mean assignments, don’t you? We don’t have to go on assignments together any longer.”
West picked Julia up and spun her before he set her back down and kissed her. “I told Archie I needed to be close to you at all times and to try and find us assignments we can work together.”
Julia took a step back and glared at West. “You didn’t? Archie is going to think you think I can’t work on my own.”
“No, he won’t, and he doesn’t. He told me I was overly protective and that you were a fine agent. I think he was pleased with how you managed to get the true story of Kate’s plan for that chest. She never would have told me.”
“It’s only because she hates men and thought I’d help her escape.”
“Whatever it was, it worked well, and Archie was pleased.”
Julia winked at West, “Then that’s settled. I can work on my own from now on.”
“If we’re lucky, you’ll soon be with child and can’t work at all,” West insisted.
“Is that so? Haven’t you ever heard of hiring a nanny? I didn’t become an agent to quit and raise children,” Julia retorted.
“What? We’re not having a lot of children. I planned on a half-dozen. Isn’t that why we bought a house with three bedrooms?”
Julia laughed as she set the supper plates on the table. “I thought your sister’s children drove you to distraction.”
“Ours will be different,” West insisted.
Julia answered, “We’ll have as many as the good Lord gives us, and yes, I plan to raise them unless you want to stay home with the children while I work.”
West laughed out loud. “That will never happen, my dear. Women and children belong at home.”
“Times are changing, dear husband. Times are changing.”
The End
Thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoy the Pinkerton Matchmaker series as much as the other authors and I enjoy writing them. If you have a free moment, please leave a review. It helps authors more than you know. Thanks, and God bless.
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An Agent for Julia Page 8