An Agent for Penelope Page 5

  “Yo’an don’t like coffee?” Penny shook her head. “I know your sister prefers tea.”

  “That comes from my mother. She didn’t drink coffee. I can’t recall her ever having a cup.”

  “I’m pretty sure that Marianne has some tea in the kitchen if you would like a cup.”

  “No, I’m fine. I probably shouldn’t be drinking this as late as it is. It will keep me awake and I won’t fall asleep until late. I’m very ugly when I wake up in the morning.”

  Penny saw his eyes soften as he looked at her. “I can’t imagine that at all.”

  Penny shifted under his gaze. “You said you wanted to discuss the case tonight?”

  Angus nodded. “But I thought I’d get to know you first. You mentioned you have brothers.”

  “I did?” Penny couldn’t recall.

  “Yes. You said that your brothers had gone to San Francisco to see if they could find Alice.”

  “Oh, that’s right!”

  “How many brothers?”

  “Five.”

  Angus raised his eyebrow. “Five brothers. Any other sisters?”

  “No. Just the three of us. Alice is the baby of the family.”

  “Why do you think she ran away with this man?”

  “I don’t know. I thought Silas Benson was trying to court me, but now I wonder if it was a way to get to her all along. Alice never left me alone with him. I’m thinking it wasn’t for my benefit now.”

  “Maybe his intentions were true. That he wanted to marry her.”

  Penny put her hand on Angus’ forearm. She squeezed her fingers slightly and she could feel the muscles bunch beneath the fabric. “Have you ever had a feeling about someone. Something that you couldn’t put your finger on, but you knew there was something off just the same?”

  She could see Angus swallow. He nodded. “Like a feeling in your gut.”

  “Exactly,” Penny said. She released his arm. “I have this feeling that he isn’t what he says he is.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “I don’t know. I figure if someone is that charismatic, then they are probably hiding something.” She picked up the napkin and used it to dry her palms.

  “Has this feeling, your intuition ever steered you wrong?”

  Penny shook her head. “Never.”

  “Then I believe you. Do you have a recent picture of Alice or this Silas character?”

  “I brought one of Alice. She looks like Marianne and I, but she has blonde hair and blue eyes.”

  “I bet she is beautiful as well.”

  “Well yes, but headstrong. She is the most stubborn of all the Chapman siblings.”

  “Get me the picture and then you can tell me everything else you know about the man she disappeared with.”

  Penny fetched the lithograph of the three sisters and returned, handing it to Angus. He gave a low whistle. “All of you are quite beautiful.”

  Normally a compliment like that would set Penelope off, but hearing Angus say it filled her with happiness. “Thank you. As you can see,” she said, pointing to Alice in the front, “Alice has lighter hair.”

  Angus put the picture aside. “You mentioned that she left a note. Did you happen to bring it?”

  “No. Marmee kept it.”

  “Do you recall what it said?”

  Penny took a deep breath. “Just that she was running off to marry Silas and help him with his ministry.” She looked back at Angus. “You know that he said San Francisco was filled with the most wretched of society. He had a calling. That he and a man called… Oh, what is his name?” Penny bit her fingernail again. “Price something...” She closed her eyes trying to recall what Silas said to her in the garden. “That this man had started The Church of the Highest Truth, and Silas was needed to help build the congregation.” She opened her eyes and looked at Angus. He was staring at her thoughtfully. She wished she could read his mind.

  “I’m glad you remembered that. I can make some discreet inquiries while I’m in San Francisco.”

  “Weren’t you supposed to leave today?”

  “I was. But something came up, so I’ll leave tomorrow.”

  “I don’t understand why I can’t go with you.”

  “Penelope…”

  “I know I can help. I won’t get in your way. I promise.”

  “It isn’t that simple.”

  “Can’t you just make me an agent? Even if it is temporary.”

  “No, I can’t. If you were to become part of the Female Detective Bureau, there are certain things you’d have to complete before you could get your badge.”

  “Such as?”

  “You’ll need to be trained, with a field agent. And only then if you pass that agent’s muster, could you get your badge. But it isn’t all that easy. The work is hard.”

  “I’m not afraid of hard work.”

  “I’m sure you’re not. You are just like your sister.”

  “I’m nothing like Marianne. We simply look alike.” Penny slammed her palm down on the table. “Well, if you won’t help me, I’ll train with another agent. Maybe he will take me to San Francisco to find Alice.”

  She could see Angus biting the inside of his cheek. Her brother, Everett, did that when he didn’t want to say something he might regret.

  “You’ll not be working with anyone else. In fact, you won’t be working with anyone. You should probably go to bed now, Miss Chapman. I should as well. I’m leaving early in the morning.”

  “I still don’t understand.”

  Angus pulled his hand down his face. “If you were to go in the field with an agent, you would be required to marry them before they could train you.”

  Penny slumped in her chair. “Marry?” She felt the color rush from her face. How could she be an agent and find her baby sister if she had to marry the agent she was working with? “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of.”

  Angus shrugged. “Rules are rules.”

  “Well then I’ll just have to see what I can do on my own.”

  “Don’t do it, Miss Chapman.” Penny tilted her head and looked at him. “Whatever you are thinking of doing, just don’t do it.”

  Penny gave him a smile. “Why I’m not thinking of anything, Mr. Hightower.” She stood and grabbed the lithograph of her and her sisters.

  “May I keep that?” Angus asked. “It will help when I’m making inquiries.”

  Penny nodded and handed him back the lithograph. “Good luck, Mr. Hightower,” she said leaving the room. “I hope to hear from you after you arrive.”

  She grabbed her bag and started to walk up the stairs. She knew Marianne was on the third floor, so she’d start there and see if she could find her sister’s room.

  She heard Angus’s footsteps follow her into the foyer. When she got to the landing at the top of the first flight of stairs she turned and looked at him. He was following her with his cool blue eyes. She wished she knew what he was thinking.

  As she climbed the second set of steps, she heard his footsteps move away from the staircase. The sounds of the Victrola became clear as he opened the door to Archie’s office and then closed it again.

  She tried to push Angus from her mind. How could she be thinking about him when she only met him about twenty-four hours ago.

  Instead of thinking about the Pinkerton Agent in with Mr. Gordon, she thought, she needed to think of how she was going to get to San Francisco to find her sister. Without anyone finding out she was headed there. Without working with the handsome agent, and without having to get married.

  Chapter 6

  Penny clutched her carpet bag to her chest as she descended the train steps onto the platform. The station was larger than anything she had ever seen. The station in Great Plains consisted of a platform and a shack. Tickets were purchased at the mercantile.

  This, however, was something spectacular. Penny stood for a moment to take it all in. There were people hurrying to the multiple platforms where trains were wait
ing. Vendors were selling every kind of trinket or treat. At the end of the platform was the station house. It was made from red bricks and was at least two stories high.

  There were large archways leading to a covered platform before going through the doors into the stationhouse. Most of the passengers were disembarking and moving towards the brick building.

  Penny heard the man behind her clear his throat. “Oh goodness,” she said. “I apologize.” She moved forward to join with the other passengers leaving the boarding area. Once they reached the covered platform, some went through the doors, while others walked around the side of the building.

  Penny followed the crowd going around the side of the building onto the busy streets of San Francisco. Horses were pulling wagons filled with lumber and other goods up and down the street.

  Chinamen carried long poles with baskets hanging from each end. They weaved in and out of people. Penny was sure that someone would be hit by one of the baskets, but they appeared to be skilled at navigating with such a wide load.

  Women walked in small groups, carrying baskets. Penny noticed a group of five women around her age heading into the building across the road. She grabbed her bag again and darted over to the mercantile where she saw the women enter. Perhaps she might be able to find answers to her questions there.

  A bell rang as she walked into the store. The woman behind the counter gave her a smile then returned her attention to writing on a pad of paper. Penny glanced around the shop.

  There was a room on the side that had a door with a window in it. The window had bars instead of glass, along with a small cubby hole. The sign above it read “Post Office.”

  The five women were clustered in a corner whispering over the display of ribbons.

  Penny waited until the woman was done serving her customer and then stepped up to the counter.

  “Good morning,” the shopkeeper said in a cheerful voice. “How can I help you this morning?”

  “I just arrived in town. I was looking for a place to stay. Do you know of any boarding houses in town?”

  The woman tilted her head as if she was thinking. “There is one down the road. Ma Hutchins. Only takes in women. I don’t know if she has rooms or not.”

  “Thank you. Can you think of anywhere else?”

  “Not offhand.” The woman reached behind Penny to take a few items a customer was holding out for her. “I need to help this customer, unless there is something else I can do for you?”

  Penny shook her head. “No. thank you. You said Ma Hutchins was down the road, this way?” Penny asked, pointing to the wall in the store. The woman nodded but continued to speak to her customer. Penny sighed and headed back into the street.

  “Miss. Miss!” a voice called as Penny stepped into the dusty road. She turned to see a young woman, probably around her age, skip down the steps towards her. Penny recognized her as one of the women she followed into the store. “I couldn’t help but hear you were looking for somewhere to stay. Ma Hutchens is nice and all, but it can be mighty expensive.”

  “Do you know of somewhere?”

  “I do. There is a house at the end of town where I live that has openings.” The woman thrust her hand out to Penny. “I’m Deborah.”

  Penny looked at the woman. She had dark brown hair hidden under a hat with a wide brim, and a pale complexion. Her deep eyes were soft and framed by long lashes. She had a pointed nose and sharp chin. Deborah’s clothes were clean in contrast to her own clothes that were dusty from traveling.

  Penny shifted her bag to the opposite hand. “I’m Penelope.” She took the hand offered and gave it two firm shakes.

  “Penelope, glad to meet you.” Deborah skipped back up the steps. “Let me get my sisters and we’ll be right back.”

  Penny nodded and sat on one of the empty whiskey barrels which served as a table on the boardwalk and waited for Deborah to return with her sisters. It only took a moment for them to return and Penny realized they couldn’t have been sisters.

  “Penelope, these are my sisters. Dorcas, Ruth, Mary and Tamar.”

  The five women looked nothing alike. Deborah was pale with dark hair. Dorcas had an olive tone to her skin with dark black hair that was falling from the chignon on top of her head. Ruth and Tamar were both petite blonde women, with hair pulled so tightly it stretched the skin on their cheeks. Mary was the tallest of the group. Thin and lanky, she had red hair that was covered with a kerchief. A few strands fell loose and were blowing in the breeze coming off the water.

  “Those are biblical names,” Penny noted.

  Mary nodded her head. “Yes, once we decide to stay, we take a biblical name.”

  Before Penny could ask any further questions, Deborah grabbed her bag and threaded her arm through Penny’s, dragging her off the barrel.

  “No more questions until we get home. You probably want a hot meal. You look like you’ve been traveling. Where are you from?”

  Penny thought for a moment. She didn’t want to tell these women anything more than necessary. “Denver. I just arrived from Denver.” It was the truth. After dinner with Angus and the other agents, she stayed at the house for the night in her sister’s room. She had hoped that Angus would have taken her with him on the trip, but when she found out he left, she hopped the next train to follow him.

  He should have arrived the day prior. Once she found a place to stay, her next task would be to locate Angus and let him know her whereabouts in case he found anything out about her sister.

  The women weren’t related, Penny found out on her way to the house where they were staying. They were members of the same church and lived together. They called each other sister to honor the close relationship they shared.

  The house they lived in was for single women to keep them protected from the nefarious nature of San Francisco. There was an adjoining house where the men stayed.

  “If it is so nefarious, why were you out walking today?” Penny asked.

  Dorcus laughed. “We still need to go to the store. Brother Thomas allows a small group of us to go to town every week. That way we can make purchases for the house.”

  “Allows?” Penny was astonished. She couldn’t imagine anyone allowing her to do anything. It was almost as if this group of women needed to ask permission before leaving the house.

  “It is to keep us safe,” Tamar responded.

  “Safe from what?” Penny was truly confused. Were there dangers on the streets of San Francisco? So far all she had seen was a very busy city with people moving too quickly to pay attention to anyone else. How fortunate she was that these girls found her.

  “The most wretched of society live here,” Mary explained. “We call them lost lambs.”

  Penny’s ears perked up. That was the same language Silas Benson used when describing San Francisco. Before she could respond, another of the girls chimed in.

  “Some of the brothers go out on the street and minister to the people,” Ruth chimed in. “Can you imagine? Being among all that sin and depravity? I feel faint just thinking about it.” She gave a shudder as she continued to walk.

  “You call them brothers,” Penny said. “Are these men related to you?”

  “Some are. Others have been brought to the church and renewed their soul. Their whole life is now spent in service.”

  “Service to whom?” Penny wondered.

  “No more questions until we get home,” Deborah said. She passed the carpetbag to Ruth and then held Penny’s arm with both of her hands. “I can’t wait for you to meet Brother Abe.”

  Brother Abe. Penny wondered if Abe might be short for Abraham. Perhaps it was fortuitous that she met these women. They might be able to lead her to Alice.

  After a short walk they were in front of a tall iron gate surrounding several buildings. A man stood by the entrance and pulled the gate open to let them enter the courtyard.

  “Sisters,” the man responded. “I see you brought a friend with you.”

  “This is Penelo
pe. She is new to town.” Deborah released Penny’s arm. “Penny, this is Brother Jonah. He handles security for our home.”

  Jonah was an older man, with gray peppering his once dark hair. He wore a linen tunic with linen pants and a rope tied around his waist. He had dark eyes and looked like he had spent too much time in the sun. His skin was leathery. He was probably handsome when he was younger, but now he reminded Penny of the saddle her brother forgot to take care of. Eventually the leather dried and it started to crack.

  Penny glanced around the inside of the home Deborah referred to. It didn’t look like a home, it looked more like a prison. The fence appeared to go around at least seven buildings. She spied a chapel in the distance. It reminded her of the small churches at home. She was surprised to see such a small church given the size of the compound.

  There were four large wooden buildings, with a smaller building in the center. On the farthest side of the fence there was another large building. This building, however, was surrounded by its own fence.

  Both fences were too tall to climb over, but Penny could see men strolling along the perimeter of that interior fence. It appeared that they were guarding that area.

  Why would there need to be a building protected by two fences? What ever could they be hiding?

  She glanced around a bit more. There were women working in a garden while the men stood on the sides watching them. Children played with a ball in the dust. Everyone appeared happy, but a feeling developed in her belly that something wasn’t right.

  Trust your gut, Angus told her.

  “Welcome, Penelope,” Brother Jonah said warmly. The welcome didn’t reach his eyes, however. If Penny didn’t know better, she’d say he was annoyed at her appearance.

  Dorcus must have picked up on Penny’s feelings as she gave Penny a gentle push to move her towards one of the taller buildings. “Can’t you see you are intimidating her, Brother Jonah?”

  Jonah’s features immediately softened. “My apologies, Miss Penelope. I hope you enjoy your stay with us.”