To Know Her by Name (29 page)

“McKay,” she asked suddenly, “is there more than one Mr. Stuart in town?”

“I don't think so.” He glanced at Charlie. Both men shook their heads. “No, I'm sure not.”

“Who is he?” she wanted to know.

“A local banker. His bank is pretty small, but it's been established for years.”

“Is he involved?” Carlyle wanted to know.

Pup only nodded her head yes, unaware of the way McKay's heart clenched for Brita and her mother.

“What about Paine Whitter?”

“He's here.”

This was the first that McKay had heard of Nick's right-hand man in the head office. No wonder Pup had been pulled off her vacation.

“So is Jubal,” she went on.

“You saw him?” McKay asked, since he'd been looking for her brother as well.

Pup's eyes dropped. “He was the one who threw me into the alley tonight.”

If McKay could have done it, he would have taken her away right then and there. He'd have told Nick and Carlyle and anyone else who needed to hear that she was through. Any pain he'd experienced in this occupation was nothing compared to the way it felt seeing her hurt over her own job.

“Get some rest,” Carlyle suggested. “We'll leave for Denver on the first morning train.”

“All right.” Pup stood.

“You're welcome to come to my house tonight,” McKay told Carlyle.

“All right, McKay. Thank you.”

McKay turned to Pup.

“Carlyle and I will be here to take you to the station in the morning. Wait until we come.”

She nodded and looked into his eyes.
I want you to put your arms around me, McKay. I want you to hold me and tell me everything is going to be fine, but you can't do that.
She couldn't say any of this, so she had to content herself with the tenderness she saw in his eyes. A moment later she turned and went to a door off the living room.

Carlyle had a few more words with Charlie, and then he and McKay left for the night. There was some hilarity as they shared McKay's horse: The livery was long closed. In the morning they would use a wagon. For the most part the two were silent, Carlyle with thoughts that Hackett, Phipps, and the crooked treasury man were almost under wraps, and McKay with thoughts of the woman he loved and the pain he saw in her eyes. For completely different reasons, both men knew it would be a long night.

24

Pup scrutinized herself in the mirror and decided that the wig was on straight. It would have been easier to go as a man, but the suit of clothing she'd worn home from Denver last time was still in Boulder. Something told her that Carlyle would not want to travel with Morton Barnes.

Charlie had already given her a filling breakfast, so she now picked up her satchel and moved to the living room to await McKay's arrival. Her heart thundered at the thought of seeing him again, however briefly. From this point, it was anyone's guess when they would meet again. Charlie heard Pup come into the room and appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.

“Are you all set?” he inquired.

“I think so. I took the clothes and wig just in case Nick has plans.”

Charlie nodded. “I don't think I would have any use for them anyway.”

“Thank you for everything, Charlie,” she said sincerely. He had turned into a real friend. “I couldn't have pulled any of this off without you.”

“You're welcome,” he said warmly, his look unlike any Pup had seen before.

She stood still, feeling slightly awkward. She knew she was something of a fascination to this man, but not until this moment had she thought his interest might go beyond work. His eyes, or rather the way they watched her, now told a different story.

Charlie knew well what he was doing. He'd seen the look that passed between McKay and his house guest the night before, but he wasn't going to assume, not where this woman was concerned.

“Do you think you'll ever be in Longmont again?”

“I don't know,” Pup answered honestly. “I hope I'll be here to see McKay or his folks again.”

Charlie nodded. It was what he had expected, but he had to try. Indeed, his estimation of her went up for her open honesty.

“I'll say it outright to you, Callie,” Charlie went on. “If McKay doesn't see what he has in you, I hope you'll move on to someone who would really appreciate you for the woman you are.”

There was no mistaking his meaning; he had all but proposed. “Thank you for that compliment, Charlie. Coming from you it means quite a lot.”

He was embarrassed. “Tell Nick I said hello.”

“I'll do that.”

It was a relief to both of them when a knock sounded on the door. Charlie went to answer it and, not surprisingly, found it was McKay.

“Are you set?” he asked Pup after he'd come in and greeted Charlie.

“Yes. Thank you, Charlie,” she said, turning to her host and holding out her hand.

Charlie shook it, and Pup moved away from him and out the door. McKay thanked him as well, and then Carlyle came in to have a few words with the Longmont contact. McKay walked Pup to the wagon and spoke only after he'd put her satchel in the back.

“Did you notice anything about Charlie's attitude toward you?”

“Yes,” Pup said simply.

McKay stared at her for a moment; she stared back, not volunteering anything.

“Did he say anything?” McKay finally asked.

“Yes, he did. You'll have to ask me about it sometime.”

“Why not now?”

But Pup ignored him and began to climb onto the wagon seat. McKay assisted her and then looked up at her. She was busy arranging her skirt and didn't look at him. He had so much he wanted to say. A glance over his shoulder told him it would all have to wait; Carlyle was coming toward them.

“Did you want to handle the team, Carlyle?” McKay asked out of respect.

“No, you go ahead. I'll sit here on the rear seat.”

He settled himself with little ceremony and no talking. McKay had them at the train station in less than ten minutes. Carlyle took his bag and moved away from the younger couple in order to purchase tickets. McKay picked up Pup's bag and walked to the side of the stage office. Pup stopped in front of him. Hoping they would be left alone until the train came in, McKay looked down into her eyes.

“Take care of yourself, McKay,” she surprised him by saying. “And tell your folks goodbye.”

“I'll do that,” he replied automatically. “I'm sorry I didn't know it was you last night in the alley.”

“It's all right.”

McKay's mind came to a painful halt. He couldn't say what he wanted to say in this short time. And what exactly did he want to share with her? He wasn't even certain, but opted for honesty.

“I have things I want to say to you.”

“I know you do.”

McKay couldn't go on. She never stopped surprising him; he now said as much.

Upon hearing this, Pup's mouth stretched into a slow, tender smile.

“I'll miss you, McKay,” was her only comment.

“You make it sound like we'll never see each other again.”

She gave a small shrug. “I don't know about never, but it could be awhile.”

McKay didn't want that, but what did Pup want?

“How do you feel about that?”

“I just told you: I'll miss you.”

This time it was McKay's turn to smile. She was always the same—not flowery in speech and not a waster of words.

“I'll miss you, too,” he told her sincerely.

His last sentence was followed by a far-off whistle. The train would be in the station in just a few minutes. Pup's head moved as if she would turn away, but McKay caught her jaw. He didn't kiss her, but only held her head still for a moment longer so he could look into her eyes. It was then that he saw it again: the softening, the tenderness that he'd seen for a moment the night before. For now it was enough. Knowing her as he did, he knew that now was not the time to distract her with words of love. He reluctantly dropped his hand, his fingers sliding along the soft skin of her jaw. Picking up her bag in one hand, he took her arm in the other.

He walked her over to where Carlyle had been waiting, his eyes telling his boss that he was thankful for his sensitivity. Seconds later the train pulled in amid much noise and steam. Carlyle and McKay shook hands, and then McKay gave Pup a hug. She returned it warmly, all the while forcing her mind from personal things, namely how wonderful McKay Harrington was and how delightful it felt to be held in his arms. This was not the time to speculate on what her relationship with McKay might hold. She had to get to Denver; she had a job to finish.

Denver

“His uncle?” Nick questioned her again.

Pup nodded from her chair in the study, feeling the eyes of both men on her. She could only guess how difficult it must have been for Nick to learn of Paine's betrayal, and now this.

“That's what he said. I don't know who the one voice belonged to, but Mr. Stuart was questioning Paine, and Paine said Duncan Phipps was his uncle.”

“Could he have been putting one over on this banker named Stuart?”

“I don't think so. It was as if he was hesitant even to admit it, and then his voice grew angry. He said for a time he'd been appreciated but no more; he said now he was going to go with someone who would take care of him.”

Nick sat down heavily on the sofa, his hand going to the back of his neck. “It was never my intent to leave Paine out, but I've cracked down on security everywhere, not just with him. I never dreamed he was taking it personally.”

“When I checked him out, Nick,” Carlyle now spoke from the other chair, “I was surprised to learn that he lives a very solitary life. When I saw him coming and going from the Phipps mansion on several occasions, I naturally grew suspicious. Even at that, I never imagined the two to be related.”

For a moment the room was silent. The three sat still with only the monotonous sound of the large clock on the wall breaking that quiet.

“I would love to get someone into that house,” Nick said rather quietly.

“I can get in,” Pup stated simply.

“How?”

“The maid's uniform and blonde wig.”

“You're forgetting about Jubal,” Nick reminded her gently. “He's bound to be coming and going out of that house.”

“He didn't recognize me in Longmont.”

“You won't be wearing a beard this time.”

She patiently shook her head. “It's as I've always told you, Nick—people see what they want to see. He won't be looking for his sister. He may notice me, but he won't know who I am.”

“And you're all right with this?”

“I've done a lot of thinking,” she admitted quietly. “I wouldn't relish being in on his arrest, but neither will I continue to pretend that everything is fine.”

Nick stared at her. A moment later she stood.

“If that's all, Nick, I'm going to go visit with Camille.”

“Yes, that's all for now. I'll let you know if I need you to go out.”

“All right. Otherwise I'm going to head for home on Monday.”

She left the room, and the men, still comfortably seated in Nick's study, looked at each other.

“She and McKay seem to be getting closer all the time,” Carlyle said quietly.

Nick's scowl was fierce. “He'd better not try to take her from me.”

“I believe his intentions are honorable.” Carlyle couldn't stop himself from standing up for his best agent.

“Honorable or not. I like things just the way they are.” Nick's voice had become a bit threatening, his eyes on the cold hearth.

Carlyle wisely let the matter drop.