If only his father had known that his actions only made the children hate Ashton more.
Bunching his fists, Ashton gritted his teeth in irritation. If only Nickerson was correct and that money could indeed bring them justice, Ashton wouldn’t be frustrated. Unfortunately, he doubted money would bring them a thief.
“What are you thinking about over there?” Steven asked after several moments of silence.
Ashton snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his business partner. “I’m trying to think of what I can do to help the police.”
Steven rolled his eyes. “There’s nothing we can do until we get a lead.”
“Then perhaps it’s time to get someone else involved that can assist the police.” Ashton wouldn’t say it aloud, but he wondered if he could do some investigating himself. After all, he needed to prove his worth to his new partners. He didn’t want them to think the only reason he had money to buy his seat in the railroad company was because of his inheritance.
“Best of luck finding someone.” Steven opened one of his drawers. “I don’t know anyone who is better qualified than the police.”
That was the kick-in-the-butt push Ashton needed. He tried not to grin. He hoped to make Steven Larson eat his words very soon.
* * * *
The morning passed too slowly for Nicole, and she wanted to scream with frustration. She literally had nothing to do at Emily’s house now. What Nicole really wanted to do was take a walk in town and pass the train station. What were the chances Ashton would be there watching for her?
Last night, Emily and Randall hadn’t let her out of their sight. They left minutes after the unveiling, and Nicole hadn’t gotten another chance to speak to Ashton. She wondered if Randall knew that Nicole had taken a late night stroll with a certain irresistible man. She wouldn’t put it past her nosy cousin-in-law.
But she also knew how much Emily liked to shop, and since she only had a few more days left to spend in Ft. Bridger before returning home to Belle, she needed to do something to urge her cousin to take her into town.
She wandered into the sitting room where Emily was writing letters at the table. The woman looked up at Nicole and arched an eyebrow.
“Is something wrong?” Emily asked.
“Not really. I just thought we could go into town and do some shopping before I have to return home in a couple of days.”
Emily sighed heavily. “Oh, that’s right. Your father is supposed to be home from his trip.”
Nicole nodded. “Yes, but I do want to spend more time with you, and… I know how you love to shop.”
Emily set her writing pen down and pushed away from the table. “Then let’s not waste another moment.”
Excitement bubbled inside Nicole and she tried not to grin too wide. She shouldn’t push her cousin to hurry, either. “Whenever you are ready is fine with me.”
Emily moved away from the table. “I’ll collect my shawl and parasol and meet you downstairs then.”
Nicole practically skipped to her room. She stood in front of her full-length mirror, checking herself one last time. Emily’s maid had styled Nicole’s hair this morning, and thankfully, it was still intact. The maid had done a splendid job pulling back the sides loosely from Nicole’s face and coiling it on the top of her head in curls, leaving the length of Nicole’s hair to hang in ringlets down her neck and over her shoulders.
Although she had felt like Cinderella last night in her lovely gown, the truth was that back home she had plain gowns. Her father didn’t like to go to balls or dinner parties. He was always too busy working as a secret agent for the government. The only time she met new people was when she spent time with Emily.
Today she chose to wear a gown that Emily had given her. The short sleeve, light blue and green floral pattern with a beige underskirt made her wonder what it was like to be as wealthy as her cousin. A matching blue ribbon crisscrossed the bosom of the gown and tied with a bow just above her breasts. She felt very feminine wearing this ensemble, and couldn’t wait to see what Ashton thought of it.
Within a half hour, she and Emily were on their way into town. Emily jabbered on and on about last night, but Nicole’s attention was focused out the carriage window, watching the people stroll up and down the boardwalk. She searched for Ashton, but couldn’t see him. When the vehicle stopped and she and her cousin were helped down, Nicole’s nerves were on edge.
Was Ashton here at all? But more importantly, did he want to see her as much as she wanted to see him?
As she stepped onto the boardwalk beside her cousin, Nicole gripped the parasol tighter. She continued to scan the street. Several men were around, but none of them looked familiar. A few of them greeted Emily, tipping their hats as the women strolled by. Nicole tried to smile at them, and hoped she didn’t appear as uneasy as she felt.
Emily stopped at a shop and stared inside the window. Nicole’s gaze couldn’t look at what the shop was displaying. But with each minute that passed, a sinking feeling weighed heavily in her chest.
Ashton was not here. She would return home to Belle, and never see him again.
FIVE
Belle, Wyoming—one week later
Nicole fidgeted on her chair, watching her father pace the floor as he read the instructions for his newest case. Gordon was also in the room, sitting on a cushioned chair as he tapped his fingers on the armrest.
She had been excited to see her father, and now that he had a new assignment, she’d try once more to convince him that she was ready to be a secret agent’s assistant. Of course, she couldn’t let him know that Gordon had been training her, or her brother would get in trouble.
She was tired of being ignored by her father. She was also fed up with having nothing to do while he and Gordon were out chasing criminals. Father wanted her to find a good man and get married, but none of the men in their small town of Belle had interested her. Only one man’s face popped in her mind, and her heart skipped. If only she had seen Ashton one last time, perhaps things would have worked out between them and they could have married.
Unfortunately, bad luck followed her around like a skunk’s odor…making her just as miserable.
Finally, Father stopped his pacing and he looked at Gordon. “About two months ago, one of Wyoming’s major railroad lines, Conrail Railroad, had some thefts during the time the trains were going from one location to another.”
Her mind screeched to a halt. Conrail? Wasn’t that the railroad that Ashton Lee was with? Unease churned inside her and she gripped her hands tighter, listening to her father more intently.
“What kind of thefts?” Gordon asked.
“Not only government money is being stolen, but gold bars as well. The thefts consist of the monies being transferred from the government to the U.S. Army. Because of this particular situation, President Arthur wants only his best agents on the case, which means he wants both of us to work it.”
Nicole hitched a breath. “That sounds very complicated, Father. I’d think President Arthur would want more agents.”
Her father looked her way. His dark gaze made her shift in her chair.
“I’m certain he has more agents. I just don’t know who they are.”
“Father?” Gordon asked. “What do we know about the railroad?”
“There are three owners of this rail line,” her father continued, “Glynn Nickerson, Steve Larson, and Ashton Lee.”
Her heart fluttered just hearing someone else say his name.
“Did the robberies happen on the same day of the week?” Gordon asked.
Her father shook his head. “Every robbery happened on a different day.”
“Do the police have any suspects yet,” Nicole squeezed a question in before Gordon could ask another one.
Her father scratched his trimmed beard. “Not yet, which is why President Arthur wants us to look into it. This has been going on for too long without suspects.”
“When was the latest robbery?” Gordon asked.
>
“Exactly one week ago.” Her father looked down at his paper again. “On a Thursday, in fact.”
Nicole frowned. That was the day before General Babcock’s masked ball…the day before she met the man of her dreams. Had Ashton and the other owners known about the robberies? Of course they did, but Ashton showed no signs of being distressed. Quite the opposite, in fact.
The more she thought about it, the more she found it odd that all three of the co-owners were enjoying a pleasant evening at the Babcock’s home even though their train was being robbed.
She shook her head, trying to get rid of the doubt sneaking in. Perhaps Ashton wasn’t worried because he thought the police were handling it. Ashton was so kind and considerate. She was sure he had put his trust in the lawmen.
However…was it coincidental that she had become friends with one of the railroad owners? “Father?”
He turned his attention to her.
“I was wondering… Well, it just so happens that I met Mr. Lee at the ball I attended with Emily and her husband last week.” She swallowed hard, trying to gain more courage. “I believe that I could find out more information about the robberies from him, and of course, I wouldn’t have to say anything about my father and brother investigating the robberies.”
Her father folded his arms and cocked his head. “Nicole, you are not going to help. I don’t care if you met Mr. Lee or not. Women should not be involved in such dangerous matters.”
She threw a helpless glance at her brother, silently begging for his help. However, she knew it wouldn’t work. Gordon didn’t have the courage to sway their father, either.
“Uh, Father?” Gordon asked. “Do you think it’ll be all right if I took Nicole with me and rode their train? I’d like to get a feel for what we’re up against.”
Her heartbeat quickened. That was the first time her brother even remotely hinted of having her help him.
Father shrugged. “Fine, take your sister and ride the train, but that’s all.” He aimed his focus directly on her now. “Is that clear?”
“Perfectly clear, sir.” She held her expression straight, trying not to grin victoriously. She’d wait until after he left before she did her happy dance.
* * * *
The train ride rocked Ashton back and forth on his seat, and his hat slid around on his head so much that he wanted to take the blasted thing off. Today’s ride wasn’t for enjoyment. He was determined to find out who was robbing from the railroad one way or another.
For today’s ride, he decided to disguise himself. He added a fake mustache and long sideburns to his face, and he even wore an older-style suit. The elbows and knees were worn thin, but at least the costume made him look more like everyone else on the train.
He’d boarded the train sitting in one car but every hour he moved to the next car. He visited with other passengers as he closely watched the porters. So far, everyone and everything seemed normal. He didn’t expect a robbery to happen this soon after the last one, but he was hoping to see something out of place—at least something that would make him curious enough to dig deeper and get more answers.
The train had already arrived at its destination in Glenwood Springs, and had just started its journey back to Ft. Bridger. He moved to another car and found a seat next to a woman with two young children.
“Ma’am,” he said, tipping his hat. “Do you mind if I sit here for a few minutes?”
“That is fine, as long as you don’t mind my children being fussy.” She smiled.
“I don’t mind at all. I love children.”
“Then you are welcome to sit by us.” She nodded toward the empty seat.
After taking the seat, he removed his bothersome hat and raked his fingers through his hair. He didn’t like looking—and feeling—this messy.
A few other people were moving about in the car, and he switched his attention to the man making his way toward the back door. Because this was the last passenger car, the only other railcar left was the mail car. Immediately, Ashton was alert for anything. There was no reason for that man to leave this car using that particular door.
Just before the man reached the door, he turned and sat next to a woman. Both were dressed similar to the way Ashton was in thin, ragged clothes, but there was something different that caught his eye. The woman looked familiar, even though he could only see the side of her face right now.
He wanted to leave this seat and move closer, but since he had just sat down, he’d wait a little while before moving again. He kept his attention on the young couple. Their heads were leaning in close to the other as they whispered.
The woman’s outdated bonnet hid most of her hair and her eyes, so all he could see was her nose and mouth. Strange that he would still think she looked familiar, yet something deep inside of him told him they had met before. Unfortunately, his memory wasn’t finding that exact time or the person.
The child sitting on the woman’s lap in front of him dropped his toy. The ball rolled and knocked against Ashton’s boot. He reached down, picked it up, and handed it to the child. Bashful, the boy buried his face against his mother’s shoulder.
“Thank you, sir,” she said.
“You are very welcome.”
He switched his gaze to the other couple at the end of the car once again. They had swapped seats and the front of the woman was now easier to see. Yet, he still couldn’t figure out where he knew her since her bonnet shadowed her eyes.
The person sitting next to the couple spoke to them, and the woman laughed. The merry sound from her mouth floated through the car, and hit Ashton like a ton of bricks. No…that couldn’t be Nicole.
He narrowed his gaze on her, studying her movements more closely now. The flip of her hand, the tilt of her head, and the curve of her smile gave away the person she was trying to hide underneath those drab and very old clothes.
What was she doing on the train…and with another man? And why in the blazes was she dressed in that fashion? He had wanted more time to get to know her at the ball, to find out what she was really like without the mask and Cinderella gown. Could this be the real Nicole Bastian?
For some reason, he didn’t think so. Deep in his heart he knew the charming woman he had chatted with and kissed at the masked ball was the real Nicole. So then what was she doing dressing up like this?
The man sitting beside Nicole laughed and he rested his arm behind her. She didn’t seem bothered at all by the intimate gesture. Not very often did Ashton become a possessive man, but the green monster of jealousy crept over him slowly and twisted something inside his chest as he watched the two interact together. He didn’t like the unknown feeling at all. He wanted answers now.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t say anything yet. He, too, was in disguise, but for a good reason. What could Nicole’s reason be?
The longer he watched her and the other man, the more he realized they were keeping their eyes on others in this railcar, too. Very interesting… Ashton’s curiosity bumped up a notch, yet at the same time, doubt crept into his head. Would she be with the people who were robbing his train? Could that be the reason she’d become so enthralled in him the night of the masked ball? After all, she had known who he was.
Something bumped against his boot again, and he glanced down. The little boy’s ball had dropped and rolled against him, again. Ashton bent to retrieve it but the newspaper on the seat next to him captured his attention first. Actually, it was the bold large letters reading: General Babcock arrested for Whiskey-ring Fraud that made Ashton pause in picking up the ball.
“What the devil?” he grumbled and grabbed the newspaper instead of the child’s toy. He skimmed over the article plastered on the front page. Apparently, the general was under suspicion from the federal government. He was arrested for conspiracy to defraud the Treasury of the United States.
As Ashton read further, the article stated that the general was amongst a group of distillers and public officials who were defrauding the governme
nt of liquor taxes. The proof of this was a journal that had been kept between the public official and the sellers that was found in Babcock’s house. The article went on to say that over three-million dollars in taxes was recovered.
Blowing out a ragged breath between his teeth, Ashton shook his head in disbelief. And to think that Ashton was in the general’s presence a few times during the masked ball. Had the man been under suspicion during that time?
And…Ashton had witnessed Nicole in the general’s study the night of the ball. She’d appeared to be reading some kind of book. Could this book have been the same journal found in Babcock’s house?
Coincidence or not? For some reason he couldn’t explain, he thought not.
More doubt filled his head as he slowly lifted his gaze and focused on Nicole and the other man. Strange that she would somehow be involved with Babcock, and now she was on the train, appearing even more suspicious.
One way or another, he needed to get her alone and have a long talk with her…and hope to goodness that he believed her story.
SIX
Nicole was certain her father would be disappointed, which was why she wouldn’t be the one telling him that she and Gordon had spent most of the day on the train traveling across the state and back and came up empty-handed. Either nobody knew about the theft, or they just didn’t want to tell her or Gordon.
What bothered her more was that this would have been the chance to show her father that by helping her brother, they had stumbled across some very important information in regards to the case. But that wouldn’t happen today.
The motion from the train began to lull her to sleep, but that was something she couldn’t afford to do while helping her brother. If Gordon caught her dozing, he’d certainly reprimand her, and rightly so.
She glanced at him. Gordon stared at the window, his eyes narrowed at something in the distance and his mouth pulled down into a frown. She knew this look all too well when he couldn’t find answers.
Too Many Secrets Page 4