Sadie's Secret: 3 (The Secret Lives of Will Tucker) (32 page)

Indeed, her skills with a revolver and her ability to blend in with society types had made her just the candidate the agency had been seeking for a troublesome case. On Sadie’s part, she decided to accept the position, but only as a lark and just until the one case was solved.

What began as a lark became something much bigger. Much more. She found she was good—very good—at performing the duties of a
Pinkerton agent. While she had been adept in her studies of the history of art and slightly less talented at the actual execution of art pieces, her abilities as an operative for the agency were stellar.

Upon the successful conclusion of the case, Mr. Pinkerton offered her a raise and a promotion to field agent. While a few of the men groused, none who worked with her ever complained.

In fact, the only persons who thought her ill prepared for the duties she was required to perform were the ones who loved her the most: her family. And that was her own fault, Sadie mused as she hung her skirt and shirtwaist on the peg and slipped the nightgown over her head.

As she had told Jefferson, it was much simpler for her parents and brothers to remain ignorant of the fact rather than suffer their worries and concerns. Or at least it had been simpler until the boys began arriving unannounced and in hopes of shadowing her to keep her safe.

Snatching up her valise from its hiding place under the window seat, Sadie climbed into bed and spread the facts of the Astor case out in front of her. Every document that mentioned Sergio Valletta went into a separate stack that she gathered up and began to read.

Though she had gone over every line of these pages, she had not looked at the facts in light of the new evidence Jefferson had provided. Somewhere in all of this were the clues that would explain why art and antiquities dealer Sergio Valletta had cried wolf when a wooden mummy case had gone missing from his Royal Street shop four months ago.

The robbery had indeed made the papers, both in New Orleans and across the country, but police had found nothing to substantiate the crime. But then a crime is difficult to commit when the victim refuses to allow the police to study the scene for clues.

Sadie leaned back against the pillows and smiled. New Orleans police might not have been allowed in, but she would be. The only question was which of several plans to choose.

Twenty-Four

J
efferson arrived at the breakfast table to find five curious Callum males awaiting his arrival along with the pretty Pinkerton agent. Two paled immediately as he found his place between Sadie and Ethan. He offered his soon-to-be-wife a smile she promptly ignored.

“There’s the man of the hour,” Ethan said as he clapped a hand on Jefferson’s shoulder. “I trust you slept well and are ready to walk the property with me as promised.”

“Walk the property?” Aaron echoed. “Whose idea was this?”

“Mine,” Ethan responded. “And if you recall, my vote has just as much value as yours around here.”

Aaron offered an inelegant snort at the statement and said nothing further. Meanwhile, the two Jefferson had learned were Brent and Cade sat in stony silence. Though they were likely plotting a conversation with him later, apparently the pair was in no hurry to admit they had made his acquaintance on a prior occasion.

Only the other brother, a lanky fellow named Donovan, seemed oblivious to the tension swirling over platters of pancakes, bacon, and buttermilk biscuits that served as a dividing line on the table. And yet he kept what Jefferson decided was the closest watch of all on him.

Though the Callum males varied in coloring between the swarthy tones and inky hair of Mrs. Callum and the fair complexion and fair hair of Seamus, they all had one characteristic in common. They were protective of their baby sister. He would have to be careful how he navigated the treacherous waters of his pretend courtship with Sadie. One false move,
and any or all of the men at this table would make short work of pounding him to a pulp.

“How exactly do you know this man, Sadie?” Aaron asked.

“He and Sadie met on a train traveling to New Orleans,” Ethan offered. “Jefferson was heading to Mobile to visit his grandmother, and Sadie was on her way back here. It was love at first sight.”

Sadie appeared ready to protest and then must have thought better of it. Instead, she shook her head and gave all of her attention to the spoon that swirled sugar into her tea.

“And yet our Sadie hasn’t mentioned a thing about him,” Aaron said. “Nor has she answered my question.”

“There is no need to repeat what Ethan has just told you,” she said, her voice as cool and calm as if she were discussing the weather or the latest hat she’d purchased.

Aaron, however, appeared ready to jump from his seat and demand Jefferson leave immediately. “Then perhaps you can tell us why a woman in love thought it just fine to take a stroll after supper with Gabriel Trahan?”

“The supper that our mother arranged?” Ethan turned to Donovan. “Remember how I warned her that Mama was up to matchmaking?”

Donovan’s nod was barely perceptible. Still, he continued to stare at Jefferson, his expression bland but with a look in his eyes that Jefferson recognized as quietly lethal.

Sadie stood, her palms on the table as she addressed the now-quiet Callums. “Since every last one of you was watching us, did any of you see anything that appeared to suggest a romance between Gabriel and me?”

None of them responded, although Jefferson detected the slightest bit of humor on Ethan’s face.

“That’s right,” she said. “There was none. Nor do I claim any such feelings for this man.”

“Sadie darling,” Jefferson hurried to say. “Truly it is fine that you stop pretending. The truth is out now.”

“The truth?” Her laugh held no humor. “Isn’t that just perfect? I could stand here and tell you the truth all day, but no one will believe me.”

“I believe you,” Ethan said.

“You don’t,” Sadie protested, “else you wouldn’t be repeating what Mr.
Tucker has told you. Now, if anyone else wishes to discuss my personal life, I would ask that you wait until I have left the room. I am tired of hearing what Sadie needs to do and who Sadie ought to be seen with. Do any of you realize I am a grown woman who has long ago earned the right to—”

Applause from the doorway interrupted her rant. She turned toward the noise, as did Jefferson. Seamus’s broad grin sent Sadie quietly back into her chair.

“That was a nice speech, Sarah Louise,” Seamus said as he took his place at the head of the table. “What think you, Mr. Tucker, of our girl’s opinionated ways?”

“I applaud her ability to tame her brothers, and I expect she will be performing the same feat on me once we are…”

Something sharp jabbed him mid-thigh. Jefferson looked down to see Sadie’s fork poised to poke him again.

“Something wrong there, Tucker?” Seamus asked as he tied an embroidered napkin around his neck and gestured to the platter of biscuits just out of reach. “Please pass those my way, Cade. Now, Ethan, you may continue your plea for the mechanized equipment you think we need to purchase.”

“We need no such thing,” Aaron said. “There’s nothing wrong with the way we have been processing sugarcane for the past fifteen years.”

“And yet there is always a need to consider new and better ways, son, if they exist. The floor is yours, Ethan. Make your case while I enjoy my breakfast, and then, Aaron, I will hear your thoughts once I’ve considered Ethan’s proposal.”

Tensions diffused, Jefferson returned his attention to the plate in front of him, though his gaze covertly studied Sadie’s father. He leaned toward Sadie, who had yet to remove her fork from close proximity to his thigh.

“While they are speaking of proposals, should I add my own?”

“No!”

Ethan stopped talking to look past Jefferson at Sadie. “Do you have an opinion on mechanization too?”

Her smile was weak, wavering, but the tines of the fork pressed hard against his leg. “Actually, I was speaking to Jefferson…that is, Mr. Tucker. Do go back to your speech, Ethan. As Daddy would say, it is nice.”

She winked and Ethan did the same before returning to his discussion. Jefferson smiled at Sadie and then once again moved close enough for her to hear his whisper.

“Poke me again with that fork, and I’ll drop down on one knee right here and propose marriage to you in front of your father and brothers.”

Sadie’s gaze collided with his. “You wouldn’t dare.”

He barely blinked. “Try me.”

A moment passed and then she returned the fork to the table. Dabbing the napkin against her mouth, Sadie dropped it beside her plate and stood. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s time I went on with my day.”

Ethan and her father barely noticed her, although the other four brothers looked up sharply. Jefferson took note of their expressions and found they all appeared concerned.

“Something wrong, Sadie?” Donovan asked. “You never miss a chance to have biscuits and honey. I brought in that honeycomb just yesterday, so it’s fresh and tasty.”

“I’m sure it is, but I’m not hungry. Perhaps later.”

And then she hurried from the room, leaving Jefferson with a decision to make. “I’ll just go and see to her,” he said before following after her.

He caught up with her on the stairs and reached out to grasp her wrist. “Want me to go and get a biscuit and wrap it in paper? I can bring it up to your room. Or I’ll get two and we can split it like we split that roast beef sandwich last night.”

He meant it as a joke. As something to lighten the mood. However, her expression of horror told him the teasing had backfired.

Slowly he glanced over his shoulder to see that Brent and Cade Callum were watching their exchange with great interest. “Hello, boys,” Jefferson said. “May I have a word with you?”

“That’s funny,” Cade said. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

Jefferson glanced back at Sadie. Did she hope her brothers would give him what for? Her expression told him yes.

He turned to take the stairs two at a time and then pressed past the Callum brothers. “This way, gentlemen,” he said as he stepped out the front doors into the morning sunshine and then waited for them to follow.

Pasting on a look meant to indicate he found the situation irritating
at best, Jefferson turned to face the second and third sons of Seamus Callum. Though his fists were ready, he prayed his words would strike the first blow.

Cade came at him first, his posture threatening action. Brent stepped between them and regarded Jefferson calmly. “Start talking, Tucker.”

Fear was what they sought, but the idea he might be worried about these two doing him harm was laughable. Instead, he stood his ground, his shoulders square and his backbone firmly in place.

“I heard you were cozy with Mama and Daddy at supper last night,” Cade said. “But do they know about Baton Rouge?”

“Baton Rouge?” He lifted a brow and tried not to laugh. “The way I recall things, you two were in danger of ending up in jail until I decided to show you some leniency and let you leave town quietly.” His gaze landed squarely on Brent. “Does your father know about that?”

“He has a point,” Brent said to Cade.

“But he was there in the place Mama said…” He closed his mouth and shook his head. “He was where Sadie was supposed to be.”

Interesting. So Sadie’s mother was somehow apprised of her location. The quiet and doting Mrs. Callum certainly had another side to her, one he hoped he would not run afoul of.