An Agent for Evelynn: Pinkerton Matchmakers, #13

By Marie Higgins

Evelynn Tanner, the local preacher's daughter, has made one too many mistakes. Apparently, marching into a brothel to confront her unfaithful beau is considered unacceptable behavior for an unwed young lady, and her father has turned her out of his home! Evelynn must now find a means to support herself. Her cousin, Broderick Tanner, is a Pinkerton Agent, and she manages to convince him that she'd make an excellent addition to the agency's female ranks. After all, Broderick's wife, Cecily, is a Pinkerton as well.

On the train ride to Denver, Evelynn meets Graham Morgan, another agent–and an irritating one at that. In the midst of an argument, she falls off the back of the train, and Graham selflessly jumps off to save her. Evelynn quickly finds herself falling for this charming protector, but will he be true to her? Or is he really just another dishonest snake like the last man she'd loved? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barr26 Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Nov 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223507321

Book preview

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Forgive me Lord, for I’m about to sin. And kill someone… Well, maybe I’ll only injure him and his new friend.

Being the daughter of the town’s minister taught her to include the Lord in all her dealings. However, she doubted the Lord was listening to her now.

Evelynn Tanner stood on the steps of the wrap-around porch in front of Lavina Divine’s brothel, glaring at the wicked place as she silently cursed its very existence. Embarrassed and heartbroken, she wasn’t sure which emotion had guided her here, but she was ready to tear someone apart limb from limb.

Nobody treats Evelynn Tanner this poorly and gets away with it.

Taking a breath for courage, she fisted her hands by her sides and marched up the steps. The welcome sign hung on the front door, so she yanked it off the nail and flung the sign to the ground. She didn’t knock – only because she was certain this establishment welcomed any man who wandered by – and she stormed inside. For being mid-morning, the curtains were still drawn over the windows, and only a few lamps were on in the sitting room.

She stopped in the middle of the floor, listening for voices. The heavy scent of perfume hung thick in the air, and she waved her hand in front of her face, trying to breathe the fresh air, instead.

Now that she was here, she wondered what she’d say. She prayed the women were at least dressed modestly.

She rolled her eyes. Of course, they weren’t! This was a brothel. So hopefully, they wore dressing gowns.

Footsteps coming down the hallway made Evelynn focus and prepare herself for a situation that could only be compared to hell, since this was Satan’s own work and she stood in the middle of Satan’s lair. She squared her shoulders and waited.

A woman wearing a dressing gown – thankfully – and holding a steaming coffee cup, stepped into the room. The woman’s hair was disheveled as though she’d just climbed out of bed. The dark makeup around her eyes and lips had been smeared. The harlot was definitely older than Evelynn’s twenty-two years by maybe ten years or so. The woman saw Evelynn and her eyes widened.

Evelynn lifted her chin stubbornly. I’m here to collect my good-for-nothing beau, Robert Franklin. She folded her arms and glared. And I’m not leaving until he is standing in front of me, along with the harlot he’s with.

Uh, well, miss… I don’t know, the other woman stammered.

You’d better know and mighty fast, or I’ll start searching through the rooms myself. Evelynn arched an eyebrow. And believe me, you won’t like the way I will search.

The harlot grumbled and rushed out of the room. The coffee splashed over the rim of the cup in the other woman’s haste.

With her arms folded, Evelynn drummed her fingers on her arm. They’d better hurry. She was not a patient woman, and she definitely wasn’t comfortable standing in a place like this.

Thank Heavens Pa didn’t know her whereabouts or he might be tempted to wash her sins away with holy water. Pa was just one of the many preachers in the sinful city of San Francisco. She’d been raised calling the city sinful, but the older she became, the more she realized that the sin came from people making bad mistakes, not the city itself. She rather liked the city.

Hurried footsteps padded on the floor, and Evelynn looked in the direction where the harlot had left. She was returning, but with another woman. This woman was older and better dressed, wearing a velvety red gown with a plunging neckline. The woman’s hair was styled in a loose bun. A pleasant expression graced her face as she walked up to Evelynn.

Good morning, miss, the woman said politely. I heard you are here to find your beau.

Yes, I am. Evelynn nodded sharply. And I’m not leaving until I can talk to him.

The older woman gave Evelynn a sympathetic smile. You are a young lady, but I’m certain you know what kind of establishment this is.

I do.

Then you’ll realize how your request is quite impossible at the moment. We keep our customers’ visits a secret.

I’m sure you do, however, I know Robert Franklin is here, so if you don’t get him out of bed and standing in front of me within the next few minutes, I’ll take on the task myself.

The older woman took a step closer to Evelynn. You must also realize that our customers don’t normally use their real names.

Are you saying that you don’t know if Robert Franklin is here or not?

No, my dear. She shook her head. As I mentioned, they usually give us a fake name.

Fake names, Evelynn muttered, shaking her head. Of course. There has to be another reason to lie about their sinful habits.

May I suggest, the other woman touched Evelynn’s shoulder and slowly turned her toward the front door, that you go home and wait for your beau and confront him without so many people around who could overhear?

Gasping, Evelynn pushed the woman’s hand off her shoulder. And what? Save him from embarrassment? Oh, no! He embarrassed me, and it’s high time I pay him back for his selfish treatment.

Miss, please don’t make a scene.

Nobody, but nobody tells Evelynn what to do… except for Pa, of course, but certainly not a woman of ill repute. Robert Franklin, she yelled at the top of her voice. You have two minutes to get your sorry butt down here before I embarrass you even further.

Both harlots hitched surprised breaths and ran to her. The younger woman tried to cover Evelynn’s mouth, and the older woman tried pushing Evelynn toward the door. But she was not budging. She slapped the woman’s hands away from her mouth.

"Robert Franklin… get down here now!" she said again as loud as she could.

No more! The older woman’s scowl brought out every line in her face, making her appear ten years older. I must insist you leave the premises.

You can insist until your face turns blue, but I’m not moving until Robert comes down.

Madam harlot huffed and glanced at the younger woman. Go get him down here.

With a nod, the woman darted up the stairs, taking two at a time.

Evelynn grinned cockily. I’m assuming Robert didn’t lie about his name, after all.

The madam glared as her lips thinned, but she didn’t say anything.

It didn’t take more than five minutes before Evelynn heard hurried footsteps again, and one pair of them was heavier than the other. She braced herself for when she saw Robert with clothes he wouldn’t have had time to button up, and hair he wouldn’t have had time to comb. It would hurt to see his appearance so unkempt, but she’d been building an ice-wall around her heart ever since Mrs. Chapman told her about seeing Robert riding his horse up the hill toward the brothel last evening.

The embarrassment that Evelynn had felt nearly suffocated her, but it wasn’t anything like the agony of her breaking heart. She’d thought Robert loved her. After all, he’d just said those very words to her two days before Mrs. Chapman had opened her big, gossiping mouth.

When Evelynn received her first glimpse of Robert – just as she’d pictured him with his shirt unbuttoned and not tucked into his trousers, and his hair messy – disgust rose in her throat, and it was all she could do not to empty her stomach all over him.

She clenched her teeth as he neared her. Mixed emotions played on his face; first anger, then embarrassment, and then sorrow. Now that he had come downstairs, she didn’t know what to say. She fought the urge to cry, and wished the urge to punch him in the face was stronger. Her breathing increased by the second, as did her hatred for him.

Evelynn, he said softly, still trying to get himself dressed. I realize what you must be thinking—

No, she quickly stopped him. You don’t have the slightest idea what I’m thinking. How could you when all you think about is yourself and you don’t have room in your tiny mind for anyone else?

He shook his head. But I still love—

Don’t finish that! She glared and fisted her hands. "It’s clear to me what you love. She turned and faced the madam. As for you, she took a deep breath, gaining more courage, I don’t understand why Mayor Stephens hasn’t closed your business down yet, but rest assured, I’ll push him until he does."

The younger harlot gasped and touched the madam’s arm. What is she talking about, Lavina? Her voice was high and panicked.

Evelynn arched an eyebrow as she peered at the older woman. You haven’t told your girls about the mayor’s plan to close all of the brothels in San Francisco? She snickered and glanced at the younger woman. Oh, you poor thing. You’ll be out of commission very soon.

Lavina shook her head. Pearl, don’t listen to this lady. She’s obviously speaking out of turn.

Evelynn snorted. Out of turn? Not at all. My pa has attended the mayor’s council meetings, and the mayor assures the town that he’ll shut you – and others like you – down. She met Robert’s hardened gaze. "As for your pathetic hide, not only will you have to find another naïve woman to court, you’ll have to find another hobby that will keep you occupied on the weekends."

What is she talking about? Pearl’s voice rose even higher. "Lavina, why didn’t you tell me… tell