An Agent for Meghan

by Ginny Sterling

  “That didn’t look like strolling much, now did it, Tommy?”

  “I’ve never called that strolling… but I could start,” another voice snickered in the darkness.

  “Are you men out for a walk this lovely evening?” Jack asked sarcastically, seeing in the shadows the men pull their guns from the holsters in the darkness.

  “What d'you say, boy?”

  “Boy? Now that’s rich,” Jack laughed merrily. “I’ve not been called a boy for quite some time, or at least not since I could prove differently. Now, how about you show me what you are up to out here in the dark… or should I guess?”

  Neither said a thing nor moved.

  This had been a stupid idea for them to investigate in the darkness. They should have tried to catch whoever it was red-handed and go from there. Being in the dark, alone, would only result in someone getting injured or worse. Instead of letting things go, his next words caused the best-laid plans to backfire.

  “I’ll be leaving now and taking my wife back to get some rest. You boys have a good night doing whatever it is you are up to,” Jack said firmly, stepping towards Fallon.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Excuse me?” Fallon blurted out.

  “You can tell me who, and what, you two are doing here or neither of you are leaving.”

  This wasn’t going to go well and he was having the devil’s luck this evening. He’d hoped to talk with Fallon, praying that maybe there would be something between them or they’d catch the men red-handed. It was obvious nothing was going his way this evening as he saw the gun leveled towards him.

  “We are Pinkerton Agents,” Fallon blurted out nervously.

  Jack slapped himself and dragged a hand down his face in frustration as he knew what was coming next. They were going to have to finish this here and now. Agents were either beloved or hated desperately – and considering they were armed already; he would vote for the latter. They’d have to fight their way out of this mess and hopefully do so without injury.

  “Unspoken rule partner… you never admit that to the bad guys,” Jack bit out before launching himself at the closest man. His fists flew in the darkness, making contact. The eerie pop of flesh hitting flesh was deafening and he winced as they landed a few blows on him in return. Thankfully, Fallon stood off to the side, unmoving. He couldn’t watch his back and keep an eye out for her as well.

  One of the men pushed a muzzle into his waist and Jack managed to shove it to the side as gunfire exploded. Jack cursed viciously.

  That was too close!

  “Jack!” Fallon screamed fearfully – and from nearby!

  “Fallon! Get back!”

  “Fallon? That’s a pretty name,” the gravelly voice leered disgustingly. To Jack’s absolute horror, she rushed forward in the darkness and felt a tearing, burning, pain in his leg. The metallic smell of blood on the night air was nauseating along with the awareness of what just happened. Laughter rang out and he heard her voice whisper his name as he lay there, his leg unable to hold him.

  “Jack?”

  She’d actually stabbed him… with his own knife.

  “I should’ve kept my stupid knife.”

  He’d gotten his knife back as soon as Fallon had been rescued. She was a hazard with the thing and it was better off in his hands. She was better off unarmed.

  Her fiancé, Rourke O’Mara had appeared on the scene and they’d rushed out after her. Seeing the two of them together made him realize that was what he wanted someday. Someone to look at him like he hung the moon instead of something that was scraped off your boots.

  Annulling their marriage once the case was done, was the easiest thing Jack had ever done… and he felt so good about it. Jack had walked Fallon down the aisle to Rourke. He’d lost a wife and partner but gained two life-long friends in the process. Jack loved Fallon, but as a good friend or a little sister. He wouldn’t trade the time he spent with her developing that friendship for anything.

  Now… Jack was putting himself out there again, taking on another partner.

  He’d been assigned to investigate a bandit here in Texas that was kidnapping women and running them north. Another bust had been made recently and they were using Park Harrington’s Interstate Transportation to do the trafficking. He’d been watching Harrington for a while now and knew the man was an undercover Agent as well. This case would take a woman to use as bait, meaning that he would be paired up with another agent.

  Funny thing was that his agent on the way was the very woman that Park Harrington had been engaged to already. This was yet another woman who was slipping through his fingers… perhaps he was cursed?

  If he wasn’t going to be taking on Bernadette as a partner, he would just insist that Archie saddle him with someone else – and he’d like to have a say in the qualifications this time around!

  Jack wanted a partner that could put up a front and learn to keep her mouth shut. Not sneaky or conniving, but clever and ingenious. Someone that looked overly innocent, pretty, and eye-catching so that way Espinoza took the bait… but not someone Jack would be all starry-eyed with either.

  He’d seen how Rourke melted every time Fallon was in the room. Even Park looked practically thrilled to his toes to be marrying Bernadette in the near future for their assignment. Yeah, having a partner would be good but he would need to keep his wits around him… and protect his heart once again. Getting kicked to the side, twice now, was starting to hurt his confidence.

  Archie – send another woman.

  Need someone fetching, yet clever, for the project.

  The quicker, the better! I’m on the move.

  Jack

  Jack – Meghan will be there Friday with circuit pastor.

  Jack had three days to watch the activities and map out the plan. Whoever this Meghan was, she needed to be up to the task. If she wasn’t, what was he going to do with her? It wasn’t in him to abandon her to be captured or killed. No, he could never do that to a woman… his mother taught him better than that! He had scruples; he just stretched them slightly at times to suit his needs.

  Maybe he’d drop in at the O’Mara’s while he was here?

  Talking with them always seemed to make him feel more lighthearted and apprehensive. Fallon had a way of looking at things that was upbeat and hopeful while Roarke just liked to spar verbally and still felt threatened that Jack had married Fallon first.

  Dallas

  “So yer ta be getting a new bride, eh?” Rourke said with a wide grin that rankled Jack. Fallon’s husband looked downright pleased that he was going to be married soon to another agent. “About time too, eh?”

  “I’m actually quite glad you are getting another partner,” Fallon chimed in softly, pouring the coffee in the small cups on the table. Their house was not much to look at from her stories when they were married as agents. She’d confessed to him about growing up penniless in the hills of Pennsylvania, working in a town that centered around a large coal mine.

  This life she had now was a vast improvement and so different. They lived not far from the center of the bustling town that was growing by leaps and bounds. Neither of them were Pinkertons any longer, Rourke having quit the Chicago office unexpectedly to reclaim his fiancée in Colorado, and Fallon not having the stomach for it. She’d wanted adventure, got it, and preferred a more sedate life making a home for the two of them.

  “Maybe you can keep this one longer, Jackie-boy?”

  “We’ll have to see how she holds up,” Jack admitted honestly, glancing up at Fallon. “No offense.”

  “None taken,” she shrugged. “I don’t think I have what it takes deep down inside to be stealthy or elusive. I’ve a bit more bluster than what you needed for that job.”

  “Are ye’ admitting a temper, my wren?”

  “I’ll say no such thing,” she said stuffily, before smiling at Rourke. “But perhaps a wee bit of a flare up now and then.”

  “Like a blast o’ dynamite?”

&nb
sp; “Something like that,” she grinned. Jack laughed merrily, knowing firsthand what her anger was like. The dark-haired woman had a high boiling point but when it was reached, it was like unleashing a fury he’d never seen before and could be a bit intimidating.

  “So, tell us about Meghan or your next case? Anything you want to talk about or share? Do you know anything of her or what she looks like?”

  “You know I can’t share much.”

  “I do, but I also know that still waters run deep, my friend. Your expression is a bit concerning. You’ll be fine and I’m sure whoever it is will suit you well.”

  “We didn’t.”

  “Actually, we did complement each other well and if I hadn’t already had my heart stolen, we might have had a chance, Jack,” Fallon said softly, causing Rourke to glance at his wife sharply.

  “We never had a chance and you know it,” Jack corrected quickly, seeing the other man’s glare turn towards him. Fallon had a temper but it was nothing compared to Rourke’s. The man had a brutal right hook that he had no intention of ever revisiting again.

  “There’s no fire between us, unlike you two.”

  Jack watched enviously as the couple tenderly laced their fingers together and shared an intimate look between them. Feeling out of place, he cleared his throat and looked away, tugging at his collar.

  “Meghan is supposed to be arriving via train late this afternoon with a circuit pastor that Archie sent. I’m guessing it’s going to be the same one that married us for our mission. Official, kept quiet, and out of the papers,” he reminded them.

  “Would you like us to stand in as your witnesses?” Fallon asked, beaming at the idea. “You gave me away when I married Rourke; it seems only fitting that I give away someone I consider family.”

  “I’d like that very much, but this is only a formality and we both know it.”

  “Jack, give her a chance,” Rourke said quietly, speaking up. His dark eyes met Jack’s and he saw something he couldn’t put his finger on. Sorrow for the man? Regret? Hope? “I found out that Fallon was the only female Pinkerton that didn’t stay with her partner. The rest of the agents all remained married and while I’m not happy for your loss, I’m grateful that things worked out the way they did or I might have lost my Wren to you forever.”

  Jack didn’t say anything, he just nodded quietly. It was something that had bothered him for quite some time, making him feel like a reject or outcast. What was wrong with him that he was the only agent that had been cast aside so easily? The night he’d left Fallon to reunite with Rourke, her words still haunted him to this day.

  “You smile a lot for a person, but it never reaches your eyes. You need someone that can do that for you—not some amazon woman that will fight by your side.”

  Fallon saw straight into Jack’s soul with those dark eyes and knew that their bond of friendship went deeper than they both realized. He realized how badly lonely he actually was when they’d kissed a while ago. Jack had been utterly miserable at finding out there was no attraction between them. He had actually grown to like the feisty woman he’d been saddled with. What kind of woman was Meghan going to be? He hoped she wasn’t the “super sweet, overly friendly, with a bubbly personality” type that Fallon claimed he needed in his life.

  No. He needed someone a bit colder so it would be easier to walk away if he had to. He believed in having a bond with your partner, your wife, and if it wasn’t there this time around? He would never take another mission from Archie again.

  It hurt too much to keep trying.

  Chapter 3

  Meghan checked her appearance quickly in the mirror and tried to keep her hysteria from bubbling over. Nothing was going as planned! Bernie had taken one of their old ‘plays’ from their days of make believe and written Park Harrington, effectively ending their engagement and hopping on the next train from Boston.

  The two of them had arranged that Bernie would go first, then write once she was settled in, sending for Meghan. She was supposed to wait for word, but impatience got the better of her. Listening to all the frantic woe-be-gone wailings from her mother and the ranting from her father, she knew they would never approve of their choices and would closely watch the rest of them with a sharp eye. It was now or never!

  Meghan hopped the next train towards Denver.

  Growing up, she’d always felt alone but truly hadn’t been until now. The last few days had been quite a lesson in independence as she had no one to lean on or turn to. Even the pastor that accompanied her for modesty’s sake seemed to be utterly clueless in their travel plans.

  Her sister and she had pledged to stay together, but somehow that had fallen apart. Meghan had discovered that Bernie had been immediately put on assignment in Texas, quickly asking Mr. Gordon for an assignment in the same region.

  The uncanny smile that he’d given her had put her on edge but she was to be married to an experienced agent who would serve as her teacher and protector on the job. Apparently this mysterious Jack Gaines had made quite a name for himself as both Archibald Gordon and Marianne had assured her he would be a terrific partner for this important mission – a mission Jack would brief her on once they were married.

  “Come, come. Gather your things, Miss Chambers,” the pastor urged, causing Meghan to turn slowly. It was time to put on that air of confidence that had gotten her bravely through the last week’s worth of travel from Boston to Denver, then to Dallas. Here was her stopping point and the next phase of her life was beginning. She would reunite with Bernadette as soon as she was able.

  Standing tall, she made her way to disembark proudly. Her gown was immaculate in its finery. Her favorite ostrich hat was pinned at a jaunty angle, allowing her curls to cascade over her shoulder boldly. She wanted to make a spectacular impression on her new partner and look the part of a knowledgeable and capable sleuth… because isn’t that what Pinkertons do?

  Stepping down slowly, she adjusted her bag dangling from her wrist and turned to fluff her gown; the small train of fabric lay beautifully on the roughhewn boardwalk that was sprawled in front of the large brick station.

  The sky, free of clouds, was glaringly bright. A gust of wind caught her hat, causing the pin to pull painfully as it tried to escape away. Meghan pinched the edge of the hat between her fingertips and glanced at the crowd before them, uncertain of what Jack looked like.

  “Do you see our Mr. Gaines,” she whispered to the pastor who disembarked behind her. He stepped to her side and pointed at the crowd before waving happily.

  “Mr. Gaines! Mr. Gaines! We’ve arrived!”

  Meghan felt such dread in the pit of her stomach as she heard shocked laughter erupt from the man that was to be her partner. The handsome man standing there looked utterly dumbfounded as he glanced at the couple standing near him. He kept looking at Meghan and then laughing once again, making her feel ashamed at even considering taking on the position of a Pinkerton Agent – and she would have none of it.

  Stepping forward, she walked directly up to him only to see the panicked look in his eyes before he started snickering again. He was more breathtaking even close up and frankly, she was more insulted.

  His eyes were dancing as he wiped away tears of mirth. His smile was wide, revealing straight even teeth that hadn’t been discolored from tobacco or chew. She barely came to his shoulders but couldn’t care less. Everyone could be brought low with the right weapon, and hers just happened to be her wits.

  “There must be some mistake,” Meghan said evenly with a polite voice, “I’ve come to work with a skilled agent, not some simpleton. Could you point me in the direction of a Mr. Jack Gaines?”

  “Excuse me?” he asked, sobering up from his fit of the giggles. He looked stunned and a little dismayed that he’d just been insulted. His face reddened as he glanced over his shoulder at the couple beside them. The man with black hair was trying hard not to laugh while the woman smiled broadly.

  “Miss Chambers, that is Mr. Gaines,” t
he pastor said nervously.

  Meghan looked him up and down, putting on her brightest smile that she knew didn’t reach her eyes.

  “Isn’t that sweet? It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Gaines. Now, if you’ll point me to the direction of the ticket window? This will not do. I’ll be heading back to Denver,” Meghan said brightly, nodding, sending her ostrich feathers bobbing into her line of vision.

  “No,” Jack breathed in shock. He watched as the glorious woman disembarked from the train like royalty. She glided along beside the pastor that had once married he and Fallon long ago, before their marriage had been annulled. Jack took one look at the pampered princess fluffing her dress primly, looking like she just stepped from a fancy dressmaker’s window.

  This was Meghan?

  He’d said he needed pretty and clever… not stunning and dainty!

  She was dressed in white, with lacy little gloves that had never seen a day’s hard work. How was she going to fit in with the locals? He was being saddled with the exact opposite of what was needed to go undercover, and couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him in sheer disbelief.

  Bright blue eyes met his and he felt another bubble of hysteria burst forth from his lips. She was not going to be cut out for this! It was obvious she was a hoity-toity-rich-girl. There was no way he was going to marry her… or was he?

  As she walked over to him, he felt something in his body respond as his heart began to beat faster. His palms felt clammy and his gut clenched. She was utterly lovely in a way he’d never dreamed of. He glanced at Fallon and Rourke nervously before looking back at Meghan. Their broad smiles did nothing to lessen the panic filling him.

  She was too… too… perfect?

  Those rosy lips that looked positively delectable suddenly parted and her voice had this effervescent lilting quality to it that made his brain turn to mush… until he heard what she was saying.