An Agent for Annie Read online

  Katheryn approached the desk. “Excuse me, young man.” She leaned over and spoke quietly so Mrs. Toffler could not hear. “Is this the Golden Lion Hotel?”

  The beak-nosed gentleman smiled kindly. “No ma’am. This—”

  “Oh. I see. Oh dear… well… are you quite sure?”

  He drew his head back on his shoulders. “Yes ma’am, very sure.”

  She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbed at her nose. “Alright. Thank you.”

  The man wrinkled his brow. “You’re… welcome, ma’am.”

  She turned from the desk, with the handkerchief still at her nose, and intentionally bumped into Mrs. Toffler. “Oh.” She sniffled. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Are you alright?” Mrs. Toffler lowered her letter to address the older woman.

  Katheryn suppressed a grin behind her handkerchief. “Yes. Well… no. I was expecting word from my son. But there doesn’t seem to be any.” She feigned a tearful gasp. “I’m not sure what I’ll do without his help.”

  “Well.” Mrs. Toffler took Katheryn’s arm and pulled her farther from the concierge’s desk. “What is it you need help with?”

  “I, oh, I couldn’t impose.” Katheryn glanced around the hotel lobby. Mr. Brautigan had left the hotel. So had Bronco.

  Mrs. Toffler smiled sweetly. “I’m sure you are no imposition. My husband has left for the day… to attend to business, I’m quite stuck here alone, myself. Please let me help you.”

  “Oh, it’s silly, really. I just—” Katheryn gazed into Mrs. Toffler’s eyes. Her act was working and Mrs. Toffler seemed quite hooked. “I was hoping to see Las Vegas while we were here. My son, too, has business. It’s why we are here. I’m a foolish old woman and insisted he bring me. I’ve never been away from my home in Nebraska, you see. And since my husband… died.” She choked on her word. “I just can’t stand being alone.”

  She paused to dab her eyes, then her nose. “My son promised he’d leave word at the desk as to when I could join him for a leisurely stroll through the casinos, and I heard there’s an exciting carnival, P. T. Barnum Menagerie… or something like that.” She lowered her eyes. “Oh, but you have better things to do than to escort an old woman around the flashy, sin-filled town such as this.” She chortled with feigned embarrassment.

  “Nonsense.” Mrs. Toffler clung to Katheryn’s hand. “It would be my pleasure. Besides, like you, I am alone, abandoned by business affairs that have been deemed more important than I.” Sadness washed over her eyes. “I think a day of exploring what Las Vegas has to offer would be a lovely idea.” Her smile looked forced. Katheryn almost felt sorry for her.

  “Oh, you are such a dear child! Your parents must be so pleased with you.”

  "My parents are dead, I only have" —she lifted the letter— "my brother."

  Mrs. Toffler’s eyes dropped. She swallowed hard, then lifted sad eyes to meet Katheryn’s. “I’m Mrs. Dominic Brautigan, but please call me Liza.”

  Katheryn squeezed Liza’s hand. “Liza. And I’m Mrs… um—“ She hadn’t thought of an undercover name. A thrill wriggled through her insides. “Mrs. Raymond, but you can call me… Kate.”

  “Kate. It’s so nice to meet you.”

  Liza shook her hand in such a wimpish way, that Katheryn couldn’t help but to look down at their hands. She took a more solid hold and shook it proper. “The pleasure is all mine. Where shall we go first?”

  Liza smiled. “Let’s just step outside and see what is to our…” She looked at her right and then her left. “… Our right.”

  Katheryn chuckled. “Yes. To our right.”

  

  Bronco trailed Brautigan to a nearly empty saloon. Even in Las Vegas, business didn’t pick up until noon. He observed the man negotiate with a girl and ascend the stairs. Disgust roiled in Bronco’s gut. He had better things to do than wait for his target to come back down, so he slid away to find the local coroner.

  Next, he’d find Bruno and report what he’d arranged with the official.

  Back on Brautigan’s trail, Bronco noted the politician’s many business meetings. The man seemed to be posturing himself with highly successful businessmen as well as sketchy ones. Ensuring himself favorable votes in the next election, Bronco assumed.

  Wait until they find out he murdered his wife. “How favorable will your voters be then, Mr. Politician?” Bronco muttered under his breath. A young street urchin ran across the street, catching Bronco’s attention. He ran to the door of the casino where Brautigan was meeting with yet another “client.” tiptoeing to see over the bat wing doors, the boy called out, “I gots a message for Mr. Dominic Brautigan!”

  A barrel chested man opened one door and spoke to the boy. He nodded and placed a hand on the boy’s neck, escorting him in. Bronco watched. The two ascended a curved staircase and passed through the same door Bronco had trailed his target to. Moments later Brautigan rushed out. He seemed very anxious. Bronco smiled. Seems word was out that the coroner had been tasked with an investigation.

  The casino owner bid Brautigan goodbye and shook his hand, then watched as he rushed down the stairs and out the front doors. He said something to the barrel-chested man, who nodded and gave the boy a coin, then walked with him to the entrance. Bronco waited a few ticks of the clock before he pushed away from the roulette wheel and followed his target.

  The man waved down a taxi, but before he could climb inside, he spotted his wife, or to be more correct, Mrs. Toffler and Mrs. Hinkley. Bronco mentally snapped his fingers. He needed to check Records for a marriage certificate for those two. Leaning against a street post to watch and listen to the exchange. Brautigan seemed very agitated.

  Mrs. Toffler seemed to be oblivious to Brautigan’s agitation. “Darling, this is Kate Raymond, my friend. It seems we were both abandoned—”

  “Wonderful, wonderful, uh, Liza, I need to speak with you.” He looked around nervously.

  Bronco smiled. Good thinking, Mrs. Hinkley, not using your real name. He kept his head down. His keen hearing tuned to Brautigan’s words.

  Brautigan pulled Mrs. Toffler away from Mrs. Hinkley. “They’re exhuming her body!” he hissed.

  “What? Who? Alice’s? Why?” Alarm widened Mrs. Toffler’s eyes.

  Brautigan scanned the walkway and the street. “How would I know?” Anger burned in his eyes. “Don’t trust anyone.” He glanced past Liza toward Mrs. Hinkley, who seemed self-conscious but concerned.

  Good act. Bronco commended her mentally.

  “But, darling. Kate is my friend! Besides, she’s just a lonely old woman, what harm could she cause me… er, us?”

  Brautigan eyed Mrs. Hinkley. He faked a smile and a nod. “None, I’m sure. But someone has alerted the police, or at least raised questions about Alice’s… demise. I’ve got to handle this. Promise me you will not speak to anyone… about anything… especially my dead wife.”

  Mrs. Toffler looked hurt by his words. “Darling, I would never—”

  “Fine. See to it you don’t!” He scurried away from her, leaving her and Mrs. Hinkley staring after his swiftly retreating form. They exchanged a chuckle and continued down the boardwalk. Bronco caught Mrs. Hinkley’s gaze. He tipped his head ever so slightly. She blinked her eyes slowly, purposefully.

  Man, she was good for never having been trained by Gordon or any other Pinkerton, until last night. Bronco pushed off the post and continued trailing Brautigan. If it weren’t for the fact that Bronco missed his wife more than he thought he would, and his target was probably a murderer and a bigamist, this assignment was becoming a lot of fun.

  Now to see who Brautigan contacts next. Bronco visualized himself tossing a silver dollar in the air. “Heads he’ll seek the coroner to make a deal, tails he bribes a doctor to falsify the report.” Either way, Bronco needed to use his Pinkerton credentials one more time to ensure a neutral second doctor was present when Mrs. Brautigan’s remains were disinterred and arrange for an inquest of his own.

 
Bronco rubbed his hands together, but first he’d go to the telegraph office and send an encrypted message to Archie.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Bruno arranged for supper in his and Annie Kate’s hotel suite with Bronco and Mrs. Hinkley. Each gave their report for the day’s activities. Annie Kate, as Mysterious Melinda, had not seen Mrs. Toffler yet. While she had washed off her disguise’s face makeup, the olive stain remained on her skin giving her an odd… glowy look.

  Mrs. Hinkley inhaled, nearly quivering with excitement. “No. But she has promised me we will go to the Barnum exhibition tomorrow. We went there this afternoon, and I was sooo disappointed.” She feigned such despair. “We had just missed the Mysterious Melinda.” She giggled. ”I was quite convincing that I just could not live another day without finding out what Mysterious Melinda had to tell me about my future.”

  The four laughed.

  “Good.” Annie Kate touched her grandmother’s hand with so much admiration. “You’re doing so good, Grandma Hinkley.”

  Bruno smiled. Then winced. It reopened the cut on his bottom lip. He dabbed it with his napkin. An audience member had made contact, but had not earned the twenty-five dollar prize. “You really are, Mrs. Hinkley. I had my doubts, but Annie Kate was right, you’ve really got potential as a Pinkerton Agent.”

  She waved off his compliment with a hand and a blush in her cheeks. “Ohhh!”

  Bronco flipped his knife in the air and caught the handle. “Well, I set several traps and caught a few mice.”

  All eyes focused on his. “Tell us.” Bruno set down his utensils and crossed his arms over his chest giving his undivided attention to Bronco.

  Bronco grinned. “As you know…” He flipped his knife. “Mrs. Hinkley and I found our targets. She instantly went to work on hers and I went to work tracking mine. Our good politician started his morning with a visit to the whore-house.” Bronco paused for effect, flipped his knife, then continued. “I figured he’d be… a while, so I made better use of my time. I found the undertaker’s office, showed him my badge and ordered the late Mrs. Brautigan’s remains to be exhumed.”

  Annie Kate gasped. Mrs. Hinkley screwed up her face in disgust. “You can do that?”

  “Well.” Bronco looked as though he had forgotten women were in the room and was now ashamed that he had spoken with such crass frankness. He glared at Bruno.

  Bruno nodded, his eyes darted between the women. “That was an excellent idea. If the examiner can find poison in her system, then we have Brautigan for murder.” He pondered his own words. “But knowing how crafty Mr. Brautigan has been, do you think he’ll bri—“

  “Already thought of that, boss.” Bronco leaned back in his chair and tucked his knife in his pant leg. “I also spoke to a doc that I happen to know is not in Brautigan’s back pocket.”

  “How’d—“

  Bronco held up his hand to stop Bruno. “I just do, let’s leave it at that. Anyway I made it official Pinkerton business and arranged a fee for his services. When Mrs. Brautigan’s body is disinterred, he will make a separate, but discreet, inquest of his own and will report directly to me. And, as Mrs. Hinkley can attest, my target received word of the inquiry into his wife’s demise and was, shall we say, disturbed by the news.”

  Mrs. Hinkley nodded confirmation. “Yes, he told Liza to be very careful who she spoke to.” She chuckled. “I guess a lonely old woman from Nebraska did not merit such caution. Liza defended me as her friend and after he looked me over, he must have agreed, because he didn’t forbid her to stay in my company and left in a hurry.”

  “Yes. Our Mrs. Hinkley has done an impressive job today.” Bronco smiled at her with respect in his eyes.

  Another wave of crimson filled her cheeks.

  “Oh!” Bronco snapped forward. “And I checked with the records department. It seems our Mr. Brautigan and Mrs. Toffler have filed a marriage license, but it’s no good… right?”

  “Right.” Bruno shoved his plate away. “So, we have them on bigamy. All we need now is a confession.” He turned to Annie Kate. She raised her eyebrows.

  “Liza and Kate Raymond have plans to visit the Temple of Mysteries tomorrow morning.” Mrs. Hinkley finished her last bite and wiped her mouth.

  Bruno sighed. “Great. We’re all set for tomorrow, then.”

  

  “Who wishes to disturb the spirits for hidden secrets about the futcha?” Annie Kate spoke in a deep, warbled voice as Mysterious Melinda. She stood just behind the opening to her inner room, veiled by dark, sheer fabric that covered the entrance.

  Liza had hesitated to enter the Temple of Mysteries, but Katheryn persuaded her to come in with her. She had giggled like a school girl. “Oh, Liza, what could it hurt? It’s just for fun anyway.”

  Liza had shaken her head. “I’ll just wait for you. You go in to the woman and see what she has to say.”

  “Oh, please come in. I’ll pay your ten dollars for you. Please come with me.” Katheryn bit her lip. She was supposed to convince Liza to go in to Mysterious Melinda. How else could Annie Kate trick the woman into confessing to her misdeeds?

  “I-I suppose.” Liza had reluctantly agreed but insisted she didn’t want to speak to the mysterious woman. Katheryn agreed not to make her go any farther than the waiting area, praying Annie Kate would draw her in somehow.

  “I do!” Katheryn stood at Annie Kate’s convincing beckoning. “I want to know my future.”

  Annie Kate turned her head, holding up a finger, as if she were hearing something and needed everyone to be silent. “No. It’s not you who the spirits are calling. There is a great disturbance in the spirit world.” Annie Kate curled a finger, summoning Liza into the chambers. “Come inside, my child.”

  “Oh. Liza.” Katheryn gently touched Mrs. Toffler’s shoulder. “The spirits want to speak to you!”

  “But… I-I don’t wish to speak to them.” Liza trembled.

  Annie Kate backed away from the door. “You have a troubled soul. But! It is your soul, and if you wish to leave the spirits to torture it, that is no concern of mine.” She backed further from the opening.

  “Please!” Katheryn grasped Liza’s hand. “Don’t leave your soul to be tortured. Whatever it is, go speak to her. Find out what you can do. I’ll be here… praying for you.”

  Liza’s eyes widened. Tears pooled, spilling down her cheeks. She gasped a sob. “I can’t.”

  “Be brave, Liza. Let Melinda reveal what troubles your soul.”

  Liza released Katheryn’s hand. Lifting her chin, as if to muster her courage, she rose to her full height. “Alright.”

  She shuffled toward the entrance where Melinda had summoned her. Glancing back at Katheryn who held up praying hands to assure her she’d be praying, Liza pushed through the sheer fabrics.

  Katheryn sat down with a smile. She’d done it. Now it was up to Annie Kate to get a confession out of her.

  

  Annie, as Mysterious Melinda, had sat behind the small table hoping Mrs. Toffler would be lured into the inner chamber. Slowly, purposefully, she laid a Tarot card from a stack in her left hand. As Mrs. Toffler stepped through the opening, Annie lifted her eyes, peering past the sheer veil’s triangle point that covered her nose. “You married young.” Her fake Egyptian accent obscured every word she uttered.

  Mrs. Toffler stopped. “Yes.”

  Annie turned over another card. “Your husband… was away for long periods of time.”

  “…Yes.” Mrs. Toffler hesitantly continued approaching the Sybil.

  Annie tilted her head as if listening to something. “He wears… a uniform. Blue and gold— Army!”

  Mrs. Toffler fumbled to sit down across from the soothsayer. “Yes.”

  Annie turned over another card, examined it, and turned it sideways, laying it over the card that had supposedly given her information about Captain Toffler. “Another man took his place… No! Another man sought your heart, but his heart was not free.”

  “Yes.
” Mrs. Toffler wrapped her arms around her waist.

  “The spirits are very angry. Why?”

  Mrs. Toffler swallowed hard. “I-I don’t know.”

  Annie Kate looked up at Mrs. Toffler, fixing steely eyes upon her. “Yes— you do. You must tell me! The spirits are willing to accept an apology from you. They tell me it was not your fault, but you must admit—” Annie Kate trembled as if someone were shaking her. “Please! Tell them… Tell them!”

  “Alright! It’s true!” Mrs. Toffler sobbed. “He wasn’t free. But-but his wife died, and now we are free to marry!”

  Annie Kate widened her eyes and stared blankly toward Mrs. Toffler. “THE TRUTH!”

  “She died from the poison!” Mrs. Toffler slumped over and cried into her hands. “He poisoned her.”

  Anne Kate leaned back as if listening and spoke slowly, “But— you are not… free. And your brother is in terrible danger—” She stood and pointed a crooked finger at Mrs. Toffler. “From you!”

  “No!” Mrs. Toffler gasped and shied back, holding her arm in front of her eyes as if Mysterious Melinda were about to strike her. “Dominic encouraged me to remove anybody who stood in our way… of happiness. I tried, but I couldn’t. Ronnie got sick, but he didn’t die. I—” She sobbed in her hands. “I don’t want to hurt my brother. I love him!”

  “Your husband has a broken heart. This man, this new man, HE LIES! He is not your true love. Your future is… very much pain. This man will not love you… very soon. He will put you where he put… Alice! He will seek another’s heart, much younger than you!” Annie Kate projected her voice, with a shaky tone. “It is your husband, the Army Captain, who loves you… until his dying day. He will forgive… if only you will go back… home.”

  “But.” Mrs. Toffler sobbed. “I don’t even know where he is.”

  Annie Kate widened her eyes. “He is looking for you… even now.”

  Mrs. Toffler slumped over her lap, sobbing into her hands. “How can you know this?”

  Annie Kate curled her lips into a smile. “Because the spirits tell me. They know your past, your present, and your futchaaaaa!”