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Print ISBN 978-1-62836-626-6

eBook Editions:

Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-63409-060-5

Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-63409-061-2

All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

Cover design: Müllerhaus Publishing Arts, Inc., www.Mullerhaus.net

Published by Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.shilohrunpress.com.

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

Dedication

For all the good men in my life, George, Darin Keith, Daniel, Warren, Danny, and Brian

Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD IS IN THIS PLACE; AND I KNEW IT NOT.
GENESIS 28:16

Chapter 1

Former Texas Ranger Tom Colton reined in his horse and stared at the sign hanging from the roof of the two-story brick structure: MISS LILLIAN’S PARLOR HOUSE AND FINE BOOTS. In the faint glow of a full moon the building stood tall, solid, and proper as an old church. Only the red light shimmering in a downstairs window suggested otherwise.

He fingered the letter in his vest pocket. Addressed to his brother Dave and signed simply “Rose,” the letter had brought him to this very address searching for answers.

The red light gave him pause. Perhaps coming here had been a mistake, but he’d traveled too far to turn back now. He hesitated for several moments before dismounting. Securing his horse to the hitching post, he stomped up the wooden steps to the porch. For once, God, let me be wrong about my brother.

The door opened to his knock, and a stout-figured woman peered at him from a painted face. Designed for a woman half her size, the bright blue gown and exaggerated bustle did her no favors, nor did hair piled on top of her head like frothy red frosting.

Her appearance quelled any doubt as to the nature of the establishment, and his spirits dropped yet another notch. Dave, oh, Dave …

“Are you going to stand there all night, cowboy? Or are you going to tell me what you want?” Her lilting Southern drawl seemed at odds with her sharp-eyed gaze.

He pulled off his wide-brim hat. “Sorry to bother you, ma’am. Name’s Tom, Tom Colton. I came to see Rose.”

The woman’s gaze traveled the length of his six-foot frame like a worried mother scrutinizing a daughter’s suitor. The gun belt sagging from his waist made her hesitate. She then glanced at his gelding tied out front next to one other.

Apparently his horse, Thunder, gave him a good recommendation because the woman stepped aside to let him in.

He wasn’t especially pleased to meet her, but he gave a polite nod and glanced around the entry. Many were the times he’d stepped into a house of ill repute on official business back in his Ranger days. Even so, he’d never seen anything like this. Men’s boots, women’s boots, and boots that no rational person should ever have occasion to wear were arranged on every possible surface, from shelves to tables and even the floor. What’s more, they were all for sale.

“You want to see Rose, eh?” The proprietor closed and locked the door, her taffeta skirt rustling like autumn leaves. “That’ll be five dollars, but you’ll have to wait.”

He held his hat in his hand and shifted from one foot to the other. “I only want to talk to her.”

He hoped she was simply stating the rules of the house and not making a guess based on appearances. He’d left the Texas Rangers three years ago but still thought like one, and some even said, talked like one—a blessing and curse on both accounts.

“That’s a lot of money.” He rubbed his chin. Whoever said talk was cheap hadn’t met Miss Lillian.

The woman showed no curiosity as to his business with Rose. If anything, she seemed more interested in his scuffed boots.

Slapping his hat on his head, he pulled his money clip from his vest pocket and peeled away a single bill. “She knew my brother. His name was Dave Colton.”

The madam stuffed the banknote into the shiny cloth purse at her waist. If the number of bulges was an indication, the woman had enough greenbacks in her purse to burn a wet barn.

“Sorry, but we don’t make allowances for family members. Everyone pays the same.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I’m not asking for favors. I just want to ask her about my brother.”

She tilted her head, and suspicion bled through her face paint. “Are you sure you’re not a lawman?”

“I also insist that my girls protect our guests’ privacy. You won’t get much information out of Rose.” She sniffed. “Or anyone else for that matter.”

“See that you do.” She lowered her gaze to his feet. “Got yourself some good-sized ant mashers there. Looks like you could use some new leather.”

He followed her gaze downward. His dusty boots sure did look out of place on the red floral carpet. “I’m rather partial to the boots I’m wearing, ma’am.”

She smiled. “So aren’t you at least a little curious as to how your foot would feel in one of these?” She picked a brown leather boot off a nearby counter and thrust it into his hands. “It’s amazing what a man with a hammer and a mouthful of wood pegs can do,” she said. “Had the Southern army worn boots like that, they might have won the war.”

“Now there’s a thought.” He turned the boot over. It had a wide square toe and well-angled heel. He found no fault with the construction; his objection was with the effeminate red rose hand-tooled on the crown. Folks back home in Texas didn’t cotton to people walking around duded out like a fancy barbed-wire drummer.

He handed the boot back to her. “If I ever have occasion to go to war, I’ll be sure to stop here first.”

She set the boot upright on a shelf before leading him through the high-ceiling entryway to the parlor. A log burned in the fireplace, and orange flames lazily climbed the chimney. An upright piano commanded one corner of the room, and a hand-printed sign on the instrument read SINGING LESSONS, ONE FIFTY. He couldn’t imagine anyone coming here for singing lessons, but then he wouldn’t have thought to come here for footwear, either.

In the opposite corner stood a barber chair and a tray of shaving cream and brushes. A sign listed the cost of a shave and haircut. He pulled his hat down a notch to hide his collar-length hair. He didn’t want Miss Lillian coming at him with scissors or razor.

He backed away from the barber chair and almost knocked a crystal ball off a small table in a darkened alcove. Not only was the room heavily furnished with upholstered hassocks, brocaded settees, and all manner of fuss and feathers, it was also booby-trapped.

Miss Lillian watched him set the glass sphere on its wooden stand. “Would you like me to read your fortune while you’re waiting? I’ll only charge you half price.”

He drew his hand away. The woman was a regular jack-of-all-trades. “If it’s all the same to you, ma’am, I prefer not to know what the future holds. I like to be surprised.”

“Very well.” She pointed to a red settee. With a sweep of her gown, she stooped to pick up a black-and-white cat curled on a red upholstered hammock. Stroking the cat as she carried him in her arms, she paused beneath the archway and stared over one bare shoulder. “Be careful, Mr. Colton. I see danger ahead for you.”

He sat and a sickly sweet whiff of perfume rose from the faded upholstery. At least Miss Lillian didn’t charge him to sit—so far as he knew.

The clock on the marble mantel struck nine. It was a weeknight, which probably accounted for the quiet. He balanced his forearms on his knees and rubbed his hands together. Anxious to finish his business with Rose and return to his hotel room, he waited with growing impatience.

The crystal ball seemed to stare at him like a large, unblinking eye. Good thing he didn’t believe in fortune-telling. Didn’t worry much about danger, either.

Jennifer Layne, working undercover as Amy Gardner, glanced frantically at the row of closed doors and darted through the nearest one. She was in luck; the room was empty. Hands clutched to her chest to still her pounding heart, she pressed her back against the door, or at least as much as her bustle allowed. God, what did I get myself into this time?

Squeezing her eyes shut, she waited, praying that the person in the hall wasn’t a john. The sound of a floorboard signaled someone outside the door. She held her breath until the footsteps faded away. Her shoulders slumped, and her breath escaped in a single gasp of relief. That was close. Too close.

She strained her ears. A man’s laughter sounded from one of the other rooms, but otherwise all was quiet. For now.

She moved away from the door. Catching sight of herself in the gilded framed mirror, her mouth dropped open. Frowning, she stuck out her tongue. It was her, all right, but with all that face paint it was hard to tell.

Turning, she viewed herself from all angles. Ugh! She looked worse than she’d thought. Her bustle forced the skirt almost horizontal from the waist. Sideways, she looked like the front part of a horse, but it was the top of her dress that caused the most alarm. Covering her exposed neckline with crossed hands, she glanced about the room for a shawl, a cape, a newspaper—anything with which to cover herself. Except for a brass bed, upholstered chair, desk, and more mirrors than a carnival, the room offered no help for modesty. She resisted the urge to pull a sheet off the bed and wrap herself in it.

As a Pinkerton operative, she’d worked undercover as a Southern belle, a heartbroken widow, a jilted schoolteacher, and even a secretary (though with terrible typing skills). But never before had she worked in a bordello or had to wear face paint. Her only hope was that she would get what she came for without having to defend her virtue.

She’d arrived at the brothel that afternoon, hoping to convince the proprietress that she was Rose’s long-lost cousin. She never had a chance to share her well-rehearsed story. Thinking she was seeking work as a “fancy lady,” Miss Lillian took one look at her plain skirt and prudish white shirtwaist and dragged her into the house.

Quick to see the advantage of approaching the woman named Rose as a colleague, Jennifer-slash-Amy decided to play along, indeed, considered it fortunate to have fallen into what at the time seemed like the perfect disguise.

She would conduct her business and leave posthaste; at least that was the plan. Not once did she consider what such a pretext would entail until Miss Lillian ordered two women in corsets and bloomers to “make her look decent.”

Decent, indeed! Her boss, Mr. Pinkerton, should see her now. On second thought, no he shouldn’t! She prayed that no man would.

Wringing her hands, she paced the floor. The horrid corset felt like steel around her middle, and she could hardly manage an honest breath. Think, think. She was almost certain the room directly across from this one was Rose’s. She would simply knock on the door. With a little luck, Rose would be alone and, if all went as planned, tell what she knew.

She could do this, had to do it. After botching her last assignment, she couldn’t afford another failure. The Pinkerton National Detective Agency wouldn’t stand for it. Mr. William Pinkerton, head of the western division, had been very clear on that account.

This time she would get it right if it killed her. After months of investigation, the trail to one of the most notorious criminals in the West led to this establishment. Guilty of fraud, theft, and murder, the Gunnysack Bandit had a hefty price on his head. He also had a gift for evading every lawman, bounty hunter, and detective on his trail.

We’ll see how good you are at dodging a female detective, Mr. Gunny. The thought made her smile. For once her gender worked for and not against her. The room was proof that a female operative could go where angels—and male counterparts—feared to tread.

She lifted a foot onto a trunk and gathered up miles of taffeta fabric to check the derringer holstered to her thigh. The voluptuous skirt would prevent anything resembling a fast draw, but unless she bumped into a persistent male, her chances of needing a weapon were low. Probably. Hopefully.

Certainly, the woman named Rose had no reason to pose a threat. Unless, of course, she was in cahoots with the bandit.

Amy tightened the buckle of her holster attached to a silk-stockinged thigh just as the door flew open. Much to her horror, she found herself face-to-face with a tall, square-jawed man in a wide-brim hat. If his height wasn’t bad enough, the determined look on his face was worse. This was a man who wasn’t about to take no for an answer.

Chapter 2

Tom Colton caught a glance of a shapely leg before the woman named Rose dropped her voluminous skirts. Rounded green eyes met his and her red-rouged lips formed a perfect O followed by an audible gasp.

He closed the door behind him. “I apologize for startling you.” He should have knocked, but Miss Lillian told him that Rose was expecting him and to just walk in.

Rose crossed her arms in front, an act that surprised him. How odd that a woman in her profession would worry about bare shoulders. Her attempt at modesty—if that’s what it was—couldn’t have been more misplaced. No amount of cover could hide her appeal or the intriguing way her gown molded against her slim feminine form.

The scarlet gown would look garish on most women, but it gave Rose’s complexion a pearly pink glow. Honey-blond hair cascaded down her back in a riot of ringlets and long dark lashes ringed the eyes staring back at him.

His brother had made more bad choices than could be found on a ruffled shirt, but he knew how to pick his women, that’s for certain and sure, at least appearance-wise.

Rose’s mouth closed but the dismay in her eyes remained. It didn’t seem possible, but the lady looked downright … what? Scared? Terrified?

He was tall and he was strong and many were the outlaws who had once feared him, but never had he known a woman to feel threatened by his presence. Perhaps she saw a family resemblance. She certainly looked like she saw a ghost. Except the only things he and Dave had in common were the same parents and similar height.

Not so much as a shadow of recognition flickered across her painted face at mention of his name, but her crossed arms stayed stubbornly in place. Maybe clients were expected to follow a certain protocol.

Having no knowledge of the etiquette that such an establishment required, he clarified.

Considering the amorous tone of her letter to Dave, her lack of emotion struck him as odd. When the silence continued to stretch between them, he looked around. The only chair in the room was piled high with enough feminine under-riggings to make the most jaded man blush. That left only one place to sit.

He frowned. She looked like she was having trouble breathing. Hand out, he stepped forward, but she backed away quicker than chain lightning. “Are you all right, ma’am?”

She gave a slow nod as if she couldn’t make up her mind whether she was or wasn’t. “It’s just that I’m not working tonight, Mr. Colton.” She looked like she was trying to put up a brave front. “If … if you would kindly leave …?”

Not working? His gaze traveled down her shiny taffeta gown before he zeroed in on her red-rouged lips. She could have fooled him. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, ma’am.”

Her eyes narrowed, and he detected a spark of combat in their sea-green depths. “And why is that?”

“But you’re the one I came to see.” The madam had assured him that Rose agreed to talk, if that’s what he wanted, so why was she making it so difficult? What kind of game was she playing?

She glanced past him to the closed door as if measuring its distance. “I want you to leave.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “Now!”

“Not till you tell me what you know about the Gunnysack Bandit.” Surprise crossed her face at mention of the outlaw, followed by a look of curiosity. Ah, now they were getting somewhere.

An out-and-out lie if he’d ever heard one. Frustration built up inside, and he punched a fist into his palm to relieve it.

She shrank clear back to the mirrored wall. Much to his dismay, he realized how his thoughtless action could be misinterpreted. He began again, this time in a gentler tone.

She studied him much as a cat studied a mouse. “You didn’t alarm me, Mr. Colton. Now if you would be so kind as to let yourself out—”

He pulled off his Stetson and raked his fingers through his hair. Things weren’t going as he hoped, but he’d come too far to give up. “I’m sorry. I can’t do that.” He replaced his hat and hung his thumbs from his holster. “Not till you tell me what you know.”

The stubbornness on her face matched the hands placed firmly on the deep valley of her neckline. “I know nothing.”

She looked genuinely confused, or maybe that was an act, too. “I’m sorry about your brother, but—”

“Sorry? That’s all you can say?” Anger erupted in him like a blown cork. His brother loved this woman, and she was as cold and heartless as a fish. “I’m not leaving, lady. Not till I get what I paid for.”

Fury darkened her face. “I’m warning you, Mr. Colton. If you don’t leave, you’ll be sorry!”

Was that a threat? He stared at her, but she turned slightly sideways, and, keeping one hand firmly on her chest, she dropped the other hand to her side. Had it not been for the mirror on the wall behind her, he wouldn’t have given her strange behavior another thought. But the reflection showed her bunching up the fabric of her skirt. A nervous habit?

He pretended not to notice—until the hem of her skirt raised high enough to reveal his second glimpse of her leg. Suddenly he had trouble recalling his purpose for being there.

He drew his gaze away from the mirror and cleared his throat. One moment she wanted him to leave. Now she was apparently trying to seduce him.

In no mood for such tactics, he decided to show her he meant business. “I’m not leaving until I get what I came for and paid for,” he said, his voice gruff. “Now, either we do this civilly or not. Your choice.” When she failed to respond he added, “Let me know when you’re ready.”

For a moment neither spoke, but the lady’s skirt kept inching upward. “I’m ready,” she replied.

The hem of her skirt fell to the floor, and suddenly he was on the serious side of a double-barrel derringer. Blast it all!

Berating himself for not suspecting she was armed, he drew in his breath. “You better put that toy away before someone gets hurt.”

The corners of her mouth tipped upward in a half smile. “Make no mistake, Mr. Colton. I know how to use this gun, and I seldom miss.”

It was amazing what a little iron in hand could do to one’s self-confidence. All that remained of the reserved, modest woman he found when he walked in the room was the hand still strategically placed on her bodice.

There were perhaps a dozen ways to disarm someone with a gun. If Rose were a man, he wouldn’t hesitate to use full force. Disarming a woman was a bit trickier because he didn’t want to cause unnecessary harm or discomfort.

Still, he was in no mood to let the woman get the best of him—not when he’d traveled this far and had so much at stake. His mind made up, he stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. Her hand left her chest and caught him on the jaw so hard that his head snapped back.

For such a small package, she packed a good wallop. Still, she was no match for him. Okay, maybe a little.

Clenching her arm tight, he grabbed the barrel of the gun with his other hand. With a flick of his wrist, her derringer fell to the carpet. That alone might take the wind out of most people’s sails, but not hers.

She dived for the gun, but he grabbed her around the waist and spun her in his arms. Fighting like a wildcat, she pounded on his chest with her fists.

“Hey! Stop that,” he commanded. Never did he see a woman so fired up. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

A high-pitched scream filled the room. Rose stilled in his arms, and that was when he realized the scream hadn’t come from her.

He released her, and in a flash, she scooped up her derringer and darted to the door. Together they ran into the hall where a couple of scantily clad women peered into a room. Nearby, a thin bald man hopped around, trying to put on his trousers. One woman slumped against a wall, sobbing.

Next to her, a comatose Miss Lillian sprawled on the floor like a marlin on a ship’s deck. Two women were trying to revive her with smelling salts.

Tom stared at her. Rose? Did he hear right? He pushed past the female residents and into the room on the other side of the hall. A woman in a blue gown lay on the floor. He didn’t have to look twice to know she was past saving.

If this was Rose, then who in the name of Sam Hill was the green-eyed beauty with the iron-like fist?

Ignoring the chaos around her, Amy dropped to her knees in full detective mode and studied Rose’s body. One thing she’d learned from experience was to pay close attention at crime scenes. Even the most minor details could turn out to be significant in solving a case.

It was clear by the blood in her hair that Rose had been hit over the head. The bloodied candlestick holder on the floor next to the body was apparently the murder weapon.

Earlier, Amy had guessed Rose’s age at thirty. Now she realized the woman was much younger, perhaps in her early twenties. How did such a pretty young woman end up in a place like this? How, for that matter, did any of them end up here?

She pushed the thought away and scanned the room from one end to the other. It was a mess. Clothes were strewn all over the floor, and a lamp lay on its side, kerosene dripping onto the carpet. Rose must have put up quite a fight during the last moments of her life.

Amy gave Rose’s hands a cursory glance. Other than the wound on her head, no other marks were evident.

Mr. Colton hunkered down on the opposite side of the corpse, his face grim. “Now look what you’ve done.” His low voice was meant for her ears only, along with the accusation in his eyes.

He frowned in cold fury. “You must have known I mistook you for someone else. Now, thanks to you, she’s dead.”

Holding her gun by her side, she glared at him. “You have your nerve blaming me!”

He leaned over Rose’s body, his nose practically in Amy’s face. “What do you know about the Gunnysack Bandit?”

She seethed inwardly. The man was probably a bounty hunter or private detective interested in the reward. Amateur sleuths were the bane of professional detectives and always got in the way of an investigation.

“I told you I know nothing,” she retorted. “What did you want to talk to Rose about?”

“Any time I’m accused of someone’s death, it’s my business,” she sputtered.

Miss Lillian was on her feet, but just barely. It took three women to keep her from falling. Even with their help, she leaned back at a ninety degree angle with only the heels of her shoes on the floor. “Would someone please fetch ole Tin Star?” she said in a weak voice.

Amy shot her accuser a fiery glance. “I’m sure Mr. Colton would be happy to fetch the marshal for us.” The sooner she got rid of him, the sooner she could concentrate on the crime scene. She also wanted to query the others while their memories were still fresh. Given the appearance of the room, someone must have heard something.

A muscle tightened at Colton’s jaw, but he rose. “I’ll be back.” He made it sound like a threat, but before she could respond, he stomped from the room.

Chapter 3

The following morning, Amy slipped quietly down the hall and stopped in front of Rose’s room. She tried the brass knob but the door held firm. Having gotten little sleep, she stifled a yawn and tried to decide her next move.

Stolen money from Gunnysack’s last holdup had been deposited into Rose’s account. Was Rose in cahoots with the bandit or merely an innocent bystander? How Rose fit into the grand scheme of things might never be known, and that sure did put a damper on Amy’s investigation. The worst thing that could happen to a detective was for a suspect or witness to turn up dead.

Despite Amy’s attempts to examine the crime scene the night before without arousing suspicion, she’d made little headway. The woman named Coral grew suspicious and, after chasing everyone out of Rose’s room, stood guard waiting for the marshal.

The name of the guest seen in the hallway was Mr. Pepper, and his only interest had been making his escape. He was more interested in preserving his reputation than in helping solve a crime.

By the time Colton returned to the parlor house with the marshal and doctor in tow, Amy had still not uncovered any useful information. Marshal Flood immediately took over, forcing her to play the part of one of Miss Lillian’s good-time girls. She answered the marshal’s questions and looked appropriately saddened by Rose’s demise. Ignoring Mr. Colton’s icy glares was the hard part. The man had his nerve, blaming her for Rose’s death.

In due order, the body was removed from the premises, and the marshal, doctor, and Colton departed. Since no one could sleep, Miss Lillian ordered one of her girls to make pots of hot tea.

While the women sat forlornly in the parlor, Amy managed to sneak in a few questions, but the answers were worthless at best. No one heard anything, saw anything, suspected anything.

The person who interested her most was Colton. Was he a bounty hunter? The Gunnysack Bandit was wanted dead or alive. With a ten-thousand-dollar bounty, every criminal chaser in the country was on his trail.

Still, Colton didn’t seem to fit the part. The bounty hunters she’d had occasion to meet were rough and tough and often uncouth. Always in transit, they seldom worried about hygiene or appearances, and most sported long, shaggy beards and mustaches—none of which applied to Mr. Colton. Not only was he clean shaven, he looked and smelled like he’d just made friendly with a bathhouse.

So what is your business, Mr. Colton? What did you want with Rose? And what do you know about the Gunnysack Bandit? Somehow she had to find out. Recalling their angry exchange, it wasn’t something she relished, but so far Colton was her best bet for information.

Pushing her thoughts aside, she stooped to examine the doorknob. She had never had any luck picking locks, but she could try. Just as she pulled a hairpin from the back of her head, an ear-piercing scream sent chills down her spine.

Reaching in the false pocket of her skirt, she pulled out her gun and darted down the hall. In her haste, she practically stumbled down the stairs. Oh, God, please, not another body.

The scream grew louder as her slippers hit the ground floor. Mr. Beavers, the cat, streaked past her as she dashed into the parlor.

She practically fell over the back of an upholstered settee in her haste. Miss Lillian looked up from the piano, curved fingers poised above the ivory keys. Next to her a tall man with a pencil-thin mustache sent a gargling shrill note into the stratosphere before falling silent.

Miss Lillian was the first to speak. “Good heavens, child. What are you doing with that gun?” She looked tired today, and even the thick coat of paint failed to hide her pallor. Amy wasn’t the only one who got little or no sleep last night.

Amy hid the weapon behind the folds of her skirt. “I thought I heard a scream.”

“A scream?” Miss Lillian’s eyes widened. “I didn’t hear a scream. Did you, Mr. Studebaker?”

“No ma’am,” he said. Considering the high-pitched volume he’d managed moments earlier, his speaking voice sounded surprisingly normal.

Studebaker stared down his long, thin nose at Amy, as if resenting the intrusion and straightened his bow tie. With his patent leather hair and carefully waxed mustache, he bore a striking resemblance to an embezzler she had recently helped put behind bars.

“My mistake,” she said, backing up. No sooner had she left the room than a piano chord sounded, followed by what could only be described as a blaring foghorn.

The music abruptly stopped. “Stand up straight and breathe!” Miss Lillian ordered. “Okay, again, one, two, three …”

Amy slipped her weapon through her false pocket and into the holster at her thigh. After the unfortunate incident with Mr. Colton the night before, she’d ripped open a seam in her skirt so she could more easily retrieve her weapon. She was still miffed for allowing the man to wrestle the gun from her hand. Something like that would never happen again. Not if she had anything to do about it.

But Mr. Colton wasn’t the only reason she was riled. A murder had been committed beneath this very roof, and no one saw anything suspicious. The room was in terrible disarray, yet no one heard a thing. Either someone was lying or …

Somehow she had to get into Rose’s room. Where did Miss Lillian keep the keys?

The volume of Mr. Studebaker’s voice increased, and Amy clapped her hands over her ears and looked up. Prisms of the crystal chandelier rattled like a bunch of old bones. A man caught in a bear trap couldn’t sound worse.

That morning over breakfast, Miss Lillian had announced that no “guests” would be allowed for three days out of respect for Rose. Too bad the woman’s regard for the deceased didn’t extend to singing lessons.

Fortunately, the man either ran out of breath or passed out, and blessed silence followed. With a sigh, Amy studied the door leading to Miss Lillian’s office. Maybe the key to Rose’s room was in there.

Amy whirled about. One of the girls—Coral—stood next to the staircase, motioning to her.

“I want to show you something,” she said, her voice hushed. She was a tall, slender woman with a broad nose and full lips. As was the fashion for dark-skinned women, her black hair had been straightened with a hot metal comb and piled on top of her head.

Motioning with her hand, Coral led the way through the dining room and into the kitchen. A cookstove filled one wall and a tall icebox and baker’s cabinet another.

Amy slapped the barrel of the gun away. “You mustn’t point a gun like that!”

Coral pushed her lips out like a petulant child. “You can’t kill anyone with an unloaded weapon.”

“Tell that to the man who was shot by one.” The nonmusical assault began again in the next room, and Amy had to raise her voice to be heard. “Where did you get that?” It was obvious the woman didn’t know beans about handling a firearm.

Amy’s eyebrows shot up. Guns and baked goods? And she thought a parlor house selling boots was odd. “What do you plan to do with it?”

Coral looked about to burst into tears. “After what happened to Rose …” She pulled a white linen handkerchief out of a leg-of-mutton sleeve and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “A girl’s got to protect herself.” She tossed her head. “I noticed you had a gun.”

Amy couldn’t blame Coral for being scared, and she softened her voice. “You’d do better with one like mine.” She pulled out her derringer.

“Trust me, it gets the job done, and it’s easy to hide.” She slipped the weapon back in place. “I suggest you go back to Harry’s baked gun store and exchange it for one you can handle.”

“I do, but if you insist upon carrying a gun, you must learn to use it properly.”

Amy hesitated. She had been sent to Kansas to do a job and didn’t have time to give shooting lessons. Already she was behind in writing her report to headquarters. The principal wouldn’t be happy that the Gunnysack Bandit investigation had come to a halt because of a funeral, but it wasn’t her fault, and all might not be lost.

Amy didn’t know how long she would be in town. Now that Rose was dead, there was no advantage in being a female detective. Mr. Pinkerton might decide to use her elsewhere and replace her with a male operative.

Coral looked so upset Amy couldn’t bring herself to say no. “All right. I’ll teach you.”

Amy waited a beat before asking, “How long have you … uh … lived here, Coral?”

Coral tucked her handkerchief back into her sleeve and regarded Amy with soulful brown eyes. “Three years, two months, and twenty-one days.”

Amy considered her answer. How could people do that? Be so precise? “And Rose?”

Mr. Studebaker had started singing again, and Coral cupped her ear. “What did you say?”

Amy lifted her voice to be heard above the racket coming from the parlor and the dishes rattling in the cabinet. “HOW LONG HAD ROSE WORKED HERE?”

Coral shrugged. “Longer than me.” She sighed. “Too bad she didn’t leave as she planned.”

“Shh.” Coral glanced at the doorway, and it was then that Amy realized the music had stopped. “I don’t think she wanted anyone to know.”

“She never said.” Coral shrugged. “I guess she just didn’t want to work here anymore.”

Amy couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to work here. “Do you know of anyone who wanted to harm her?”

The exchange had a sobering effect. For a moment, she and Coral were lost in thought. Mercifully, no sounds came from the parlor.

Amy was the first to break the silence. “Last night … Rose’s room was a terrible mess. But you told the marshal you didn’t hear anything.”

“My room’s at the end of the hall. But … some of our guests tend to get noisy on occasion. Even if I’d heard something, I wouldn’t have thought much about it.”

“I see.” She had been in the room directly across from Rose’s and hadn’t heard a thing, not until the screams. But then again, she’d been occupied at the time. Had Mr. Colton not commanded all her attention, might she have been able to save Rose? It was hard to know and depressing to consider.

Amy tried to look apologetic. “I didn’t mean to be nosy. I only met Rose the one time, and she struck me as a very nice person.”

Not wanting to sound overly interested in Rose, Amy changed the subject. “If you don’t mind my asking … Have you thought about finding another line of work? Something safer?” Something more in keeping with God’s commandments.

Coral laughed, but her painted face held no mirth. “It looks like you’re in the same boat as me, honey. If a white girl like you can’t find respectable work, how do you expect a darky like me to find it?”

Chapter 4

Long after the others had retired to their rooms that night, Amy fought with the dormer window in the attic. Gritting her teeth, she pushed up on the window frame with the heels of her hands, and at last it grumbled open. The sound made her stop to listen.

The walls groaned and the eaves sighed, but she heard no voices or footsteps. Confident that she and the mice scampering behind the attic walls were the only ones awake, she stuck her head outside.

Cool night air nipped at her cheeks like a playful puppy. A full moon illuminated the worrisome pitch of the porch roof slanting away from the window. She turned her head to study the distance between the window and the large gnarly oak tree at the side of the house.

No more than eight feet away, the tree appeared sturdy enough for her purposes. In her youth she could outrun, outclimb, and outride her brothers. It wasn’t for nothing that she earned the name tomboy. Normally she would welcome the challenge of climbing down the tree’s twisted limbs.

But there was nothing normal about her current situation. Not the fancy, bright-colored gowns she was forced to wear with their flyaway sleeves and Grand Canyon necklines. And certainly not Miss Lillian who, since Rose’s death, kept the outer doors locked night and day so no one could enter the house or leave without her knowledge.

The window offered the only way to circumvent Miss Lillian’s guard. Upon arriving in town, she’d checked into the Grande Hotel and Bath House, and her clothes were still there. She’d searched for the skirt and shirtwaist worn the day she arrived at the parlor house but was told that any clothes deemed unsuitable by Miss Lillian’s standards were relegated to the ragman.

Amy had free use of the garments in her room, but some dresses started too late and others hardly started at all. Retrieving something more practical, not to mention more modest to wear, took top priority.

To allow free movement she was dressed in only a white silk camisole and petticoat, under which she wore silk drawers. She dropped her bundle of clothes outside the window to be donned once she reached the ground.

She was willing to do a lot of crazy things, but climbing down a tree in a long skirt and saddlebag bustle was not one of them. The bundle also held her report to headquarters. The post office was closed, of course, but she hoped to find an outside box in which to deposit mail.

She glanced at the ground below. It had been many years since she’d last climbed a tree, and though she’d done her share of chasing outlaws, most had been on flat land. But she could do it. Had to do it. She desperately needed something decent to wear.

Lord, just don’t let me break my neck. There were many honorable things worth dying for, but modesty wasn’t one of them.

Careful preparation and planning were essential parts of undercover work, but since arriving in Goodman she’d been working on the fly, and that’s how mistakes happened. But tonight she was ready for anything. More than ready.

With a bracing breath, she raised a leg over the windowsill, careful not to dislodge the gun holstered to her thigh. Ever so carefully, she stepped onto the shingled porch roof and worked her other leg free. Stars winked overhead as if daring her to proceed.

Palms flat against the rough brick wall, she shuffled slowly sideways to the edge of the roof, forcing the bundle along the roofline with her foot as she moved. Somewhere in the distance a dog barked, but otherwise all was quiet.

Reaching the edge, she pushed the bundle of clothes over and watched it fall to the ground. Lifting her arms, she grabbed hold of the nearest tree branch. Torso twisting, she wrapped her other hand around the limb as well. It seemed sturdy enough. She didn’t look forward to climbing back up after completing her errands in town, but she’d face that problem later.

She swung her body forward and her feet landed on a lower limb. The bough dipped and creaked beneath her weight but held. So far, so good.

Straddling the lower bough, she released the limb overhead and scooted toward the trunk where stronger limbs grew. The tree smelled old and dusty, and somewhere in the upper crown came the flutter of wings. She adjusted the holster at her thigh.

A soft thump sounded from somewhere below. Stilling, she scanned the moon-dappled ground but saw nothing. Thinking it a rabbit or maybe even a fox, she worked her way down the gnarled branches. Leaves rustled and twigs snapped.

Her petticoat snagged. Grimacing, she tugged gently before giving it a hard yank. The fabric pulled free with a ripping sound, exposing the leg of her bloomer drawers. She hated ruining perfectly good clothes, however useless, but it couldn’t be helped.

Hugging a limb, she scanned the ground below and smiled. She’d managed the hardest part; the rest she could do blindfolded. Not bad for a twenty-seven-year-old woman.

Holding on tight, she worked her body free until she dangled from both arms. The rough bark cut into the palms of her hands as she scrambled for a foothold.

One slipper fell off, followed by a muffled yelp from below. She held her breath. Someone stood beneath the tree—a dark figure—a man! Why was he sneaking around at night? Whoever he was, he could be dangerous. Could even be Rose’s killer …

Since she was hanging from both arms, it was impossible to reach for her weapon. A fine pickle! Before she could decide on a course of action, a cracking sound like gunfire rent the air. The branch snapped in two, and she dropped like a stone.

Hitting the ground with a jolt, she found herself entangled in legs and arms—not all of them hers. Ready to fight tooth and nail, she lifted her head. Much to her horror, the intruder was flat on the ground with her on top and he was—

With his head lifted, his nose practically met hers, and his eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “We meet again.”

They gazed at each other for a full moment before she regained her senses. Gasping, she pulled free from his arms and scrambled to her feet. A pain shot through her shoulder as she glared down at him.

Sitting up, he reached for his hat and slapped it on his head before standing. “I have to say, ma’am, the feeling is mutual.” His gaze shifted momentarily to the holstered gun showing beneath her torn petticoat. “Sorry to catch you at an inopportune moment.”

Face blazing, she folded her arms across the front of her thin camisole. Considering that she had just extracted herself from a compromising position, her effort at modesty was futile at best. She worked her fingers against her sore shoulder and tried to calm her racing heart.

He tipped his hat back with a finger to the brim and hung his thumbs from his belt. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

Maintaining as much dignity as possible under the circumstances, she glared at him. “I have every right to be here.” Thank God she had resisted the urge to scrub the annoying makeup off her face. It made it easier to play her part.

“Can’t argue with you there, ma’am. I just hope that the next time you decide to go out on a limb, you issue a warning. Being attacked by a lady’s shoe is one thing. But when it comes with the whole kit and caboodle, that’s something else.” He stooped to retrieve her slipper and handed it to her. His fingers brushing against hers made her quickly pull away.

“I thought I was being attacked by a wildcat,” he added. “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you.”

Balancing on one foot, she slipped the shoe on the other. “It’s late. I didn’t think anyone was around.”

His forehead creased. “I was under the impression you ladies kept late hours.” He glanced at the dark windows. “My mistake.”

“We’re closed in memory of Rose.” As much as she wanted to question him about the Gunnysack Bandit, she wasn’t about to do it in her undergarments. “So if you would kindly leave—”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the tree trunk. He looked like he was enjoying himself at her expense.

“Not till you tell me what you were doing in that tree.” His gaze flickered down the length of her. “Undressed.”

“A gentleman wouldn’t notice,” she said primly. She glanced around. Fiddlesticks! Where was that bundle of clothes?

He laughed. “Only if he was dead.” His eyebrows rose to half-mast. “So let me guess. You were on the way to meet a client. I didn’t know you ladies made house calls.”

He thought for a moment. “Actually, it’s fortunate that you … uh … dropped by. Perhaps you could answer a few questions.”

“It’s not a good time, and even if it was, I have nothing to say to you.” Anxious to escape, she tried to sidestep him, but he blocked her way.

She considered whether to tell him her assumed surname but decided against it. “Amy’s fine.” William Pinkerton assigned her the moniker. It was better than the name he gave her last time—Charley. The rumor was that he liked to name his undercover agents after his pets. She just hoped that Amy wasn’t a reptile.

“Amy,” he said as if testing it out. “I apologize for the other night.” The amusement had left his eyes and his face was now serious. “I honestly thought you were Rose. I had no right to blame you for what happened. I’m afraid we got off to a bad start.”

His apology surprised her, and she studied his face. He sounded sincere, but that could be an act. Thinking him a “guest” the first time they met, she’d hardly noticed what a fine-looking man he was, though the golden moonlight didn’t do him justice. His rugged, square face was anchored by an intriguing cleft in his chin. Though his eyes looked dark now, she seemed to remember they were the color of a deep blue sea.

Nevertheless, one of Miss Lillian’s girls had told her not to judge a man’s character by his looks. “Handsome men often have the worst reputation,” she’d said. Amy wouldn’t know; most of the criminals she’d helped track down had faces that only a mother could love.

She studied him. Maybe the night wasn’t a complete loss. If she played her cards right, he might reveal something useful. Of course, she’d feel a whole lot better if she wasn’t standing in a torn petticoat and thin camisole, but it would be foolish to let an opportunity like this slip by. Having decided to put prudence before modesty, she nonetheless moved out of the moonlight and into the shadows.

He hesitated as if trying to decide how little or how much to say. “I have my reasons.”

And she intended to find out exactly what those reasons were. “It has something to do with your brother. You said his name was Dave, right? How did Rose know him?”

Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Miss Lillian came shooting around the corner. She wore a dressing gown tied at the waist, and her hair fell down her back in a single braid.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4