An Agent for Marianne: Pinkerton Matchmakers, #38

By Christine Sterling

A beloved secretary, the Pinkerton detective she's been secretly in love with; the event that will force them to confront their feelings for each other.

 

Marianne Chapman has been in love with her broody boss for years. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to return her feelings. Determined to squash her infatuation, she leaves Denver, CO for the Pinkerton home office, convinced time and distance will cure her of her traitorous feelings towards Denver's lead agent.

 

Archibald Gordon doesn't know how to deal with the desire he has for his fiery redheaded assistant. He has always treated their relationship strictly professional, regardless of how she consumes his every thought. When Marianne suddenly leaves to help the Female Detective Bureau, Archie has to admit that he can't survive without her. When Archie's best friend is kidnapped, he asks her to help him solve the case.

 

Will Marianne help Archie solve the one case that is too close for comfort? When a disaster threatens, will Archie be able to overcome his reservations and convince Marianne to give them a chance?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barr26 Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Jan 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223392965

Book preview

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Late September 1871

Pinkerton Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois

Marianne folded the telegram and placed it in her pocket. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and took a deep breath. A miracle had surely occurred.

The youngest of the Chapman siblings, Alice, had been found safe. That didn’t mean she wasn’t unharmed, however. Alice was now recovering at their parent’s home in Great Plains, Nebraska.

There weren’t many details in the telegram, and Marianne didn’t think that many would be forthcoming. Alice was completely tight-lipped about her experience at the hands of a vicious cult-like church in San Francisco.

When Marianne received the initial telegram about Alice being kidnapped, she read the printed tape repeatedly, looking for a hidden meaning between the words Archie had sent. She was relieved when she found out that Archie had assigned agent Angus Hightower to the case. The Pinkerton agent had a way of getting information out of people. Normally it involved using his fists.

Marianne wasn’t a fan of violence, but in this case, she was happy that the fighter was on the trail. Taking another deep breath, she turned her attention to the stack of files on her desk. Taking one of the folders, she started to scan the case reports of recent cases the Pinkertons were involved in.

Things were different in Chicago.

She had recently come to the headquarters office under the guise of helping Allan Pinkerton after he had a stroke. Marianne had the skills to keep the office organized and running under the direction of Allan’s son.

However, it appeared that the younger Mr. Pinkerton was not fond of the Female Detective Bureau and Marianne was concerned what might happen if Allan didn’t recover.

But coming to Chicago was simply a ruse. She could have trained someone to do the job in a matter of a few days. Instead, she was sitting behind a large oak desk, shuffling papers and trying to forget the reason she left Denver in the first place.

It was no use.

She took a deep breath and slid her fingers into her pocket. They wrapped around the small photograph she carried everywhere with her.

She pulled it out looking at the man staring back at her. He didn't have a smile on his face, but his eyes held some sort of expression, a cross between trying to be serious and laughing at having his photograph taken.

She hadn’t seen him laugh in a long time. Mostly he just barked. Marianne ran her fingers over the creases in the paper, trying to smooth them out. Normally she would have kept the picture pressed between the pages of a book, but instead she wanted to keep him as close as possible.

It was a picture her dear friend, Victoria, had given to her right after Victoria had married her agent partner, Mav. Marianne hesitantly took the picture of Victoria’s brother, proclaiming that she shouldn’t take it, but Marianne was secretly thrilled that her friend trusted her with such a valuable personal item.

Archibald Gordon, or Archie for short.

Maybe she should consider pressing it back in the pages of a book. Then she wouldn’t be looking at it, tormenting herself.

Marianne looked up when she heard footsteps approaching her. It was one of the Chicago agents and he looked at her with a big grin on his face. Marianne slid the photo back in her pocket and patted it before smiling back at the young agent.

Connor Boyle was certainly handsome enough and was just around her age; but her heart belonged to another.

Connor, Marianne said, lifting a file from the pile in front of her. I was just about to go through your report.

Good news, Marianne, he said, placing a hip against the desk and leaning down towards her. I have a few days free, so I thought I’d take you around the city if you wanted to see all the delights Chicago has to offer.

Uhm-mmm, Marianne stammered. I don’t know. I really should stay here and see how I can help with the office.

Connor looked around. It looks better than it ever has been. You’ve organized all the files, and caught up on the case reports. He looked back to Marianne and smiled. Is there anything you can’t do?

I can’t make someone fall in love with me, Marianne thought. She quickly dismissed Archie from her mind. Perhaps going out on the town with Connor would be a nice diversion. She realized he was still talking, and she missed what he said. Can you repeat that?

I said, it wouldn’t be just me. There are several of the agents going out for dinner and the theater tonight. He gave Marianne a wink. You know, safety in numbers. Marianne hesitated. Esme and Janet will be going, so you won’t be the only lady there. Esme Carter and Janet Trepal were members of the Pinkerton Female Detective Bureau.

Really, Marianne asked. I thought Esme was leaving for Denver?

She leaves tomorrow, so think of this as us sending her off in style.

Hmmm…., Marianne responded. She liked the young agent who was being sent on assignment to Denver to follow up on a missing persons case involving one of the agency’s detectives.

Connor nodded, giving her a sad face, before bursting out laughing. Really, Miss Chapman. You will be in good company.

Well, if it is a group, how can I resist? Marianne laughed. I’ll be the safest girl in all of Chicago. What time were you thinking?

Connor pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time. How about I come fetch you at six o’clock this evening? Marianne gave a quick nod and picked up the next report on the pile. Connor gave a wave and Marianne could hear his heavy footsteps head out into the foyer.

The sound of murmurs reached her ears, but she couldn’t focus on the words being spoken. Sighing, she put her hand back in her pocket and fingered the worn lithograph.

Marianne shook her head to try to clear the memories. She rolled her shoulders to alleviate some of the tension and started flipping through the papers as she made notes in the margins.

It would do no good to dwell on the past and her broken heart. How did she ever get herself in this predicament?

As she closed the folder to pick up the next one, she wondered if Archie would easily forget about her, as she struggled to forget about him?

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August 1864

Denver, Colorado

Marianne had no intention of staying in Denver alone. She had no intention of returning home either. Therein lay the quandary.

It had been over a week since Michael had been gunned down in a saloon. It was supposed to be an easy four hundred dollars. More than enough to make repairs on the ranch where Marianne lived with her five brothers and two sisters.

Now, it was just four brothers. Michael’s body had surely arrived home and been buried by now. It was that blasted Duke Richards’ fault. If he hadn’t been stealing cattle from the neighboring ranches back home in Great Plains, Michael would still be alive.

The Chapman brothers wouldn’t have split up trying to find the cattle thief. Marianne wouldn’t have been standing outside the saloon waiting for Michael when he tracked down Duke Richards and confronted him.

Marianne would never forget hearing the gunfire from behind the swinging doors for as long as she lived.

In the family, there were five brothers. Twins Owen and Oliver were the oldest followed by Caleb, Michael, and Everett. Then came the sisters. Marianne, Penelope and baby Alice.

As much as she missed her family, she knew that she was called for something bigger. Not that her mother didn’t have a good life as a housewife; it wasn’t for Marianne. She didn’t envision a husband or children in her future.

Husbands were for other girls… like Penelope. Penny was her twin sister. They may look identical, but they were as different as could be. Penny was more scholarly and learning the skills that would lead to marriage. She had suitors lining up; however, they would quickly run away when they saw how protective their brothers were over