An Agent for Delaney: Pinkerton Matchmakers, #15

By Sophie Dawson

Delaney Schnell is no stranger to hard work and to taking care of herself. She applied to be one of the first female Pinkerton Agents in the Denver office. While she is thrilled to work a case where her education and talents will be put to use, she's less than thrilled to have to marry her trainer. But Delaney has been through worse, and if this is what it takes, then she will endure.

 

Griff Picard transferred from the Chicago office after the Great Chicago Fire. He isn't thrilled to have a partner - especially one inexperienced and female. When he's told he must marry her or be out of a job, he reluctantly gives in. Delaney and Griff have to learn to work together, but first, they have to learn to live as husband and wife.

 

Can true love be found by two people so different? And will the detectives be able to solve the case before more people die?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barr26 Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Nov 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215386736

Book preview

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Denver, Colorado

November 1871

Griffin Picard stormed up the walk to the house which was the Denver headquarters of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. He’d been forced to move from his native Chicago after the Great Fire that raged through the city October 8 through 10. It had destroyed most of the city, including his apartment and the Agency’s office. Griff had been out of the city on a case and came back to find he had no home or possessions.

There were other agents from Chicago in town or coming soon. Griff didn’t want to be here. He hated the West. Or rather, he hated the primitivity of it. No sewers, no plumbing, or gas lights. Of course, at the moment Chicago had none of those either.

As he’d ridden the train west to Denver, Griff had spent several days in Davenport, Iowa replenishing his meager belongings. All he’d begun his journey with were the clothes on his back and what was in the satchel he traveled with.

Now he bounded up the stairs to the porch, having delivered his trunk and satchel to the carriage house the agents slept in while they were in town. If what he’d been told by the men relaxing there was true, he’d have a few choice words to say to one Mr. Archibald Gordon, head of the Denver office.

The sight that met him when he threw the door open and stomped in made him stop in his tracks. A young woman sat behind a desk, a pen in hand as she studied some papers in front of her. She was pretty, in an understated way. Her hair was twisted up the way women did and reminded him of aged Kentucky whiskey.

She looked up and as she laid the pen in a desk tray, said, Good afternoon. You must be Mr. Picard. Mr. Gordon is waiting for you. Come along. We don’t want to keep him waiting. He has more appointments besides yours.

Standing, she waved her hand, indicating that he should come. Griff found himself doing just that. How she knew it was he who was coming to speak with Mr. Gordon, he didn’t know since he’d not made an appointment. He’d come in on the morning train and gone straight to the carriage house as instructed by his boss back in the Chicago office.

Mr. Gordon has a case all picked out for you. I do believe you’ll enjoy it. Or maybe not since it deals with possible murder or murders. Your partner isn’t to arrive until tomorrow so you can relax for the rest of the day after you speak with Mr. Gordon.

She opened a door behind her desk without knocking. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Miss Marianne Chapman. You go on in and I’ll bring some coffee.

Once Griff stepped through the doorway, she closed it as soon as he moved out of the way. A quick glance around showed the room to have a desk with a man rising from his chair. There was a door off to the side that had what looked like damage from knife blades. There was a plant in the corner by the window with drooping leaves. Two chairs sat in front of the desk with several others out of the way along a wall.

Come in, Mr. Picard. I’m Archie Gordon. So glad you arrived safely. You men from Chicago are arriving in spits and starts. You’re all settled in the carriage house? He reached across the desk offering his hand to be shaken.

Griff did, then took a chair and leaned forward. What’s this I hear of a requirement that I marry some woman who thinks she wants to be a Pinkerton Agent? It’s a cockamamy idea if I ever heard one. Griff opened his mouth to continue but was cut off.

Spare me the complaints and arguments. I’ve heard them all. I’ve not been swayed before, and I won’t be now. Either you marry the young lady or you aren’t going to continue as an agent. Archie raised a hand indicating Griff stop what he might have said. Either accept graciously or get out of my office and stop wasting my time.

Now, Archie, Marianne said as she opened the door and entered with a tray. I know you have a headache but don’t take it out on poor Mr. Picard. He only just arrived in town. Here, let me pour you some coffee. I’ve brought in some of Pearl’s apple pie. Now you just sip this coffee while I serve.

She gave each man their drink and then set plates of the dessert before them. I know you’re surprised and not pleased with Mr. Gordon’s regulation for marriage, but you’ll see the benefit of it once you get to know her and how valuable she is on the case. Besides, you wouldn’t want to ruin a young lady’s reputation by going away with her without the benefit of vows, would you? I thought not. Two napkins were snapped open and handed to each man and she left the office.

Archie gave an aggrieved sigh. As Marianne hinted, we don’t want the reputations of the ladies who become agents to be sullied. In order to mitigate that, the agents marry in name only, work the case, and the marriage can be annulled when it’s over and they are back in Denver.

How many agents have gone through with this farce? The pie was wonderful, and Griff took another bite.

Fifteen, so far. You’ll be sixteen. Archie gave him an annoyed look.

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Delaney Schnell looked over the crowd milling around on the Denver railroad station platform before she stepped down off the train. She was taller than most women, but the added height of the step gave her an even better view. Puffs of breath billowed around the heads of those greeting loved ones as well as the people waiting impatiently for their baggage. A woman was standing next to the building seeming to be searching the mass of bodies shifting before her.

That might be Miss Chapman who had written that she would meet her and take her to the boarding house where Delaney would stay before her required marriage to a total stranger. The thought caused a shudder to run through her. This part of becoming a Pinkerton Agent didn’t appeal to her at all. Only her desire to use the knowledge gained with her degrees and experience volunteer nursing when she was a teen during the war, moved her to apply and accept what lay ahead.

As Delaney stepped down, her stomach twisted into knots. It hadn’t seemed real until then. The enormity of it all nearly made her stumble. She was going to marry a complete stranger, head off to some place where she knew no one, and solve some crime investigation.

You must be Miss Schnell. I’m Marianne Chapman, but call me Marianne. I know we are going to be good friends. At least that’s what has occurred with the other lady Pinkerton agents we’ve hired lately. It was the woman Delaney had seen searching the crowd. I knew when I saw you that you had to be you. Welcome to Denver.

Thank you. It’s good to be here. Please, call me Delaney.

Marianne linked elbows with her and they headed to where the baggage was being unloaded. Point out which are yours. I’ll have them sent to the boarding house. Are there any you want to take with us? We’ll get you settled in your room then go to the office. You’ll meet with Mr. Gordon then Mr. Griffin Picard will join us. She stopped chattering as they arrived next to trunks, crates, etc. being offloaded from the baggage car.

Those two are mine, Delaney said.

Marianne spoke with the porter, arranging for her trunks to be delivered. Delaney carried the carpet bag she’d had with her on the train. A buggy was waiting as they reached the street and soon they were on their way.

Are you hungry? We can stop for a snack if you want. We’ll have lunch at the office.

No, thank you. Delaney couldn’t think of anything else to say. Marianne seemed nice. She’s going to think I’m dimwitted if I don’t contribute more to the conversation. You’ve met Mr. Picard? She didn’t like that her voice shook.

Yes, he arrived yesterday, or maybe it was the day before, I’m not sure. He came to the office yesterday and met with Archie. That’s Mr. Gordon. I will warn you, he’s typical of all the agents who’ve paired with our lady agents. In other words, not very enthusiastic about marrying.

To be honest, I’m not either. Isn’t there a way we can be on a case together without that?

Not according to Archie. We’ve had very good success with the couples. They seem to want to stay married after they return from their cases rather than getting an annulment.

That statement made Delaney turn in her seat and look at Marianne sitting beside her. It hadn’t occurred to her that she and the male agent would stay married. Of course, if she wanted to remain a Pinkerton employee she’d have to marry over and over again if the case she was assigned was somewhere other than in Denver.

If this Mr. Griffin Picard and she got on well, it might be just as well to stay married and simply continue in a platonic relationship solving cases together. On the other hand, he might be an absolutely terrible man to work with and she’d want an annulment as soon as they came back to the city.

At the moment, all she could do was get her room at the boarding house, meet with Mr. Gordon, and wait to meet the man who would be, at least, her temporary husband in name only.

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The man who met Delaney on the porch wasn’t much taller than she, though she was tall. He smiled as she climbed the steps followed by Marianne. They’d waited at the boarding house until her trunks were delivered. She’d opened one to get a gown she hadn’t spent the last few days in. It felt good to clean up, even only with a sponge bath. She now wore a navy-blue outfit that was slightly wrinkled from being in the trunk. Marianne had assured her that Archie wouldn’t mind and there was no time to press it.

Welcome to the Denver office of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Mr. Archibald Gordon took her hand, assisting Delaney up the last step. I’m pleased to meet you. I was impressed by your resume.

He took her cloak and hung it on a coat rack near the door. Several others hung there also, making Delaney wonder who all was in the house which comprised the Denver office.

Come in and meet Pearl. She’s just placing the food on the table, Marianne said from the dining room.

Introductions were made and a thick stew with warm biscuits and pickles was served. As they chatted and ate, Delaney covertly studied Archibald Gordon. He was rather light of build, with reddish hair kept neat by liberal use of pomade. He sported a neatly trimmed beard and mustache.

He didn’t look like the type of man who would make a requirement of marriage to his agents. He wasn’t even married. Then again, as head of the Denver office, he probably didn’t go out investigating on many cases.

Just as Pearl was serving dessert, a rich looking chocolate cake, a single knock came on the front door which opened immediately. A tall man with a full bushy beard and shaggy dark brown hair entered.

Archie stood, looked through the wide archway into the foyer, and called, Griff, come join us for cake. You can meet your bride.

As Pearl hurried to get another plate of dessert and a fork, Delaney watched as Griff came into the room. He was large, with broad shoulders and a muscular physique. His body, as well as something else, seemed to fill the room as he entered. He exuded power and confidence. There was also a bit of irritation surrounding him. He didn’t like the marriage requirement any more than she did.

Within all that, Delaney felt a pull toward him. An unidentifiable something that she’d never felt before. An attraction which was more than only that. This man could and would be someone she’d be safe with. She knew without