Chapter Thirteen

By late Thursday, the repair crew reached the train, fixed the coupler, and pulled the cars back to the nearest siding, where a new engine was attached to the dining car so they could be on their way. Word reached the women that the security officer had checked the coupler and taken charge of Phineas Spieth. The man spoke with Doro about her ordeal before reviewing the key elements of the investigation with both young women. He was grateful for their work on the case, which left Doro smiling.

Hours later, they pulled into Kansas City. Sayers got off and summoned the police. Again, the Michaw women were interviewed with Doro fielding most of the questions. The lawmen assured them that Phineas Spieth would be held in the local jail until railroad officials determined how to proceed. The city’s mortician would see to Mathers, whose body would be sent back to Colorado Springs. Before leaving the women, Sayers shared other information. “I’ve checked the train schedules. We got you on one heading to Chicago in an hour. There’s another one going east out of there tomorrow in the early afternoon, so you’ll only have a short layover.”

Relief filled Doro. “I wondered if we’d be stuck in Kansas City or Chicago for a spell. Since it’s late already, I thought we might need a hotel.”

“So did I,” Gramma Rose added. “Thank you for going to that trouble, sir,” Gramma Rose said.

After offering her gratitude, Aggie brought up a concern. “We’ll be a day late getting home, so we need to send a telegram or call Wade.”

“I can handle that for you,” Sayers said. “Jot down the information, and I’ll do it right off.”

Aggie hurriedly wrote a note and handed it to the conductor. “We appreciate you going to so much trouble for us.”

“No trouble, ma’am. A porter will get your bags in short order,” he replied before bidding them goodbye and moving on.

“That was kind,” Doro said.

A knock at their door interrupted. When Aggie answered, she ushered Grayson Bailey in.

He swept off his hat. “Again, I’m sorry for the trouble. I guess I didn’t know Phineas as well as I figured.”

“When people attempt to hide their true character, we can’t fault ourselves,” Gramma Rose told him.

“I suppose, but it’s hard knowing your best friend is a killer and a kidnapper,” he murmured. “We may meet again at the trial, but I’ll be heading back to Colorado Springs after my father’s funeral. I won’t be attending Mathers’ service, and I’ll wait to call on Luann.”

“That’s wise,” Doro said. “Perhaps you’ll seek my mother’s counsel on what the right timing would be.”

“A good idea,” the young man said. “Safe travels the rest of your way home.”

“Before you go, I have a question for you,” Doro said.

Gray nodded. “Go ahead.”

“What about the coupler being broken?” Doro asked. “Is the cause known?”

“I spoke in passing with the railroad security officer, and he believes the coupler was damaged in the train yard, mostly due to rushing to add more cars and jockey other ones around,” Gray said.

“So, no foul play,” Doro said. The man had not yet studied the coupler when she had spoken to him.

“Nope. But he’ll get an alert out about checking the couplers carefully. Now, I best be on my way. We may meet again at Phineas’ trial. Or when you visit Colorado Springs again. In any case, I hope it’s under happier circumstances.” He touched the brim of his hat and moved on.

After Doro shut the door behind Gray, she released a pent-up breath. “I sincerely hope nothing else happens before we get to Sylvania.”

“It won’t,” her grandmother assured her. “In about a day, we’ll all be home.”

Aggie clasped her hands in front of her and put them to her chin. “I can hardly wait.”

“Neither can I,” Doro agreed. “Neither can I.”

Mrs. O’Brien also said her goodbyes before leaving the train. “Thank you for sharing your compartment and your company. When you’re in the Springs again, I hope you’ll call on me. I live on Lake Street.”

Although Doro was not sure if Aggie would travel to Colorado in the future, she accepted the invitation. “We’d love to visit, and I’ll write my mother with your name and neighborhood. She can call. She’d enjoy meeting you.”

“How nice,” the widow said. “Now, I must go. My niece will be waiting.”

Mr. Boggun and his son approached the group just as Mrs. O’Brien was walking away. Both expressed their congratulations on Doro and Aggie solving the case. Dr. and Mrs. Cartwright did the same, as did the other passengers, even the starched-up retired army officer.

As the women were stepping off the train, Joshua and Clyde stopped them. Doro and Aggie apologized for suspecting them.

Clyde, his expression grim, put up both hands. “I had plenty of motive, but I couldn’t do no such a thing, if for no other reason than I won’t leave my wife alone to grieve for two menfolk. I’m not sorry Mathers is dead, but murder is ugly, and I’ll testify, if I have to.”

“Me, too,” Joshua said.

“I thought you stayed at a boardinghouse back up the line,” Doro said, as a memory hit her. “Will you take another train back?”

“No, miss. Clyde invited me to stay with him and his missus,” the boy replied.

A genuine smile lit Clyde’s face. “On a permanent basis. I’ll know she’ll agree, because she’s met Joshua and likes him real well.”

“How wonderful,” Gramma Rose said.

Doro and Aggie added their good wishes to the two men.

Doro gripped her valise. “At least something good came out of all this.”

“I have a hunch something else positive will result, too,” her grandmother observed.

“Luann and Grayson getting back together?” Aggie asked.

Gramma Rose nodded. “You gave him good advice, Doro. Your mother will see to it he doesn’t act inappropriately. Moving slowly, although he may want to rush, will be better in the long run. Julia can invite them to dinner, when the time is right. A low-key social occasion can provide a wholesome opportunity.”

“It certainly can,” Aggie added. “A dinner, a luncheon, a birthday party. They’re all nice venues for potential sweethearts to socialize without pressure.”

Silently, Doro agreed.

When their next train pulled into Chicago late the following morning, the three women were packed and ready to get off. With a two-hour layover, they planned to have lunch and shop near the terminal. The beautiful stores were a draw for Gramma Rose, while Doro and Aggie enjoyed browsing.

After leaving their baggage with a porter, they sought a nearby diner before stopping at several shops. By the time they returned, their next train was only thirty minutes from departure.

“I’m going to sit on the platform,” Gramma Rose said.

“All right. I want to get a newspaper at the stand,” Aggie observed.

“I’ll go along,” Doro put in. “Gram, we’ll meet you in fifteen minutes.”

The two friends went to the newsstand. While Aggie sorted through the papers, Doro looked around. Abruptly, her gaze fixed on a man some forty feet away. She was only vaguely aware when Aggie joined her.

“What’s wrong?” Aggie asked. “You look like you saw a ghost.”

Doro’s gaze followed the male figure as he hurried along the tracks before stopping next to a shorter man. The urge to follow was strong, but she resisted. Surely, her eyes had deceived her. Doro pivoted to face Aggie. “I thought I saw someone I know.”

“In Chicago? Who?”

Conflicting urges hit Doro. Should she reveal her supposition? Maybe hearing Aggie poo-poo the possibility would help Doro dismiss it. She gestured to where the man, partially obscured by the crowd, stood beside another fellow. “That guy looks a little like Ev.” Doro injected a note of amusement into her voice. “You know how my imagination is. Vivid.”

Aggie turned toward the two, who now stood fifty feet away. For long moments, she stared at them. When she faced Doro again, Aggie appeared to be perplexed. “It is Ev.”

The statement sent Doro’s heart to her heels. “It can’t be.”

“Look again.”

After doing what her friend advised, Doro could no longer deny the obvious. The tall, lean figure was Ev. Her heart pounded so hard, she feared it would bounce out of her body. “What is he doing here? His sister lives near Cleveland, and he has no other family. Why would he come to Chicago?”

“To visit a friend,” Aggie suggested in a tentative tone.

As she continued to watch Ev with the other man, Doro remembered a conversation from May. “Ev said he might be gone for a few days during summer vacation, and he let me know Tee would stay with Wade and his family.”

“Wade mentioned that, and the children were excited at the prospect,” Aggie said. “But Ev was still in Michaw when Gramma Rose and I left a month ago.”

Doro turned toward her friend. “He hadn’t mentioned leaving?”

“Not to me, but things can change in a month,” Aggie replied. “Why not go over and talk to him? There’s no reason not to, is there?”

Thinking back to when she had dropped Tee off, Doro battled additional uneasiness. Two reasons came to mind, and she hadn’t shared either with her best friend. First, at their last encounter, she’d told Ev about leaving for Colorado two weeks earlier than planned—an announcement that had added to the stiffness between them. Second, when Doro had stepped into his kitchenette, she found the remnants of a beautiful May basket—one that had surely been meant for her because she had admired it in his presence. One that she had not received due to her haste to escape Michaw...and the temptation presented by Everett Mallow.

“Doro, you didn’t part on bad terms, did you?”

Although she still didn’t want to admit details, Doro couldn’t lie. “Not exactly bad.” Not good, either.

“There’s more to the story, I’m sure. Ignoring him for almost a week before you took off early to see your parents was bad enough. If you did nothing to resolve your differences, I can see how facing him could be difficult.” Aggie glanced at her wristwatch. “We’ve got less than a half-hour to board our train. Go talk to him now.”

Doro hesitated only seconds before nodding. “I’ll join you and Gramma on the platform in a few minutes,” she said before heading toward where Ev and the stranger were still deep in conversation. Weaving her way through the crowd, Doro kept her attention on Ev, so she knew the moment he saw her.

His gray eyes, wide with surprise, stayed on her until she stopped in front of him. “Doro.”

Her name came out as a breathless murmur. “Hello, Ev. How nice to run into you.” As soon as the words were out, Doro chastised herself for the inane remark. Nice did not describe her feelings. Surprise, curiosity, dismay, and more—much more—did. Those words remained stuck in her throat.

“Nice to see you, too,” he replied, but his tone did not match his words. He sounded uneasy.

Doro glanced at the other man, who barely came to Ev’s shoulder. Despite his lack of height, he cut an imposing figure. Clad in a charcoal gray three-piece suit, starched white shirt, black bow tie, and highly polished wingtips, he appeared to be a businessman. When Ev did not introduce them, Doro smiled. “I’m Dorothea Banyon. Mr. Mallow and I both work at Michaw College.”

“How lovely to meet you, Miss Banyon,” he said with a nod.

“It’s Professor Banyon,” Ev put in, his voice as strained as his expression.

The other man smiled. “Pardon me. I didn’t know. In any case, it’s nice to make your acquaintance.” He paused a heartbeat before continuing. “I’m Agent Lowery Canton. I used to work with Ev, too.”

As the news hit her like an icy shower, a chill rippled through Doro. Ev had been a Prohibition agent before coming to Michaw. Surely, he wasn’t going back to the Bureau. “I see.” She glanced at Ev, whose jaw was taut with tension. “Do you live in Chicago, Agent Canton?”

“I’m here temporarily. I’ll be returning to Toledo soon,” the man replied.

A glance at Ev revealed the rigidity had not left him. If anything, the muscle twitching in his square jaw indicated his strain had increased. But why? Due to his reason for being here? Since Ev was unlikely to answer her questions, Doro focused on the agent. “What brings you to Chicago?” Perhaps, Ev was there for the same reason. He was clad similarly: dark gray suit, black tie, starched white shirt, and black wingtips. The overall look was more formal than his typical attire, but just as appealing. When Doro sucked in a long breath, his scent was mesmerizing. His jaw was devoid of whiskers, so the pleasant aroma of allspice, citrus, and hints of something else hit her. Warmth spread through Doro, since she could not recall ever noting the fragrance surrounding him. But he wasn’t always freshly shaven. Determinedly, she focused on the other man.

Something flickered in Canton’s dark eyes, while a slight smile played across his lips. “Some personal matters.” He touched the brim of his hat. “Nice to meet you, Professor. Ev, I’ll see you outside.” With that, the agent strode away.

Doro watched him leave before turning again to Ev, whose expression remained wary and guarded. When he said nothing, impatience got the better of her. “I suppose you’re here for personal business, too.” Although she injected a note of levity, Doro wanted to know why Ev was in Chicago with his former boss. Their last exchange, in May, had not boded well for their future. Doro had thought she was all right with that. Now, she knew better. What if she was too late? What if Ev had already decided to leave Michaw and take his old job? Could she convince him to stay? Should she? When he simply gazed at her, Doro clasped her pocketbook with both hands. “I’m sorry. What you do and where you go is none of my concern. It’s just that...” As the right words failed to follow, her voice trailed off.

“Just what, Doro?” His voice was rough with suppressed emotion. “You left for Colorado two weeks early, with a day’s notice. After that, I didn’t figure you cared where I went or what I did.”

Both his tone and expression were tense, which made responding tricky. “I should’ve given you more time to heal without needing to care for Tee.”

A harrumph left him. “I love Tee, and it was no trouble to take her sooner than planned. That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

When emotion flared in his gaze, Doro thought she understood what he meant, and hope bloomed inside her. But what should she say? That she most certainly cared what he did, where he was, how he felt. As she searched her mind for the perfect explanation, the one that would make up for her May departure, Doro grasped her pocketbook handles tighter and lifted it in front of her like it was a shield.

Dismay crossed his face. “What happened to your wrists?” His voice was soft and low, as he gently clasped her forearms and scrutinized the skin beneath her cuffs, which had ridden up.

Drat. She should have reapplied the bandages. Doro cleared her throat. There was no time to describe the murder and ensuing events, so she presented a summary. “A man was stabbed to death on the train. Since there was no lawman on board, Aggie and I investigated.”

His gaze again met hers. “And the killer went after you.”

“Not exactly.” Doro shifted restlessly. Explaining how she had been taken hostage would take time, and she needed to be on the train to Sylvania in short order.

“These are rope burns, so someone tied your hands.” Ev released his hold and stepped back. “Don’t I deserve to hear the truth?”

The question, rough and ragged, nearly shattered her soul. “Of course, you do. It’s a long story, and neither of us has time for the entire tale. But you’re right about me being bound by the killer. It all turned out fine, as you can see.” She offered a smile of reassurance, but his expression did not lighten.

Ev ran one hand over his face. “Thank heavens for that. Unfortunately, you’re right, we don’t have time for more, but I want to hear the entire story when I get back.”

“I’ll be happy to tell you.” Although he might not be happy to hear her tell it, since Ev could be overprotective. In the past, Doro had resented his tendency to smother her. Now, his protection did not seem like a bad thing. She would have welcomed it when Phineas had jabbed a gun in her back and taken her as a hostage.

When a passerby jostled them, Ev took Doro by the arm. “You all right?”

“Sure,” she murmured, but even through her sleeve, Doro felt the heat from his hand.

The tension drained from him as, with his free hand, he touched her cloche. “Your hat is askew.”

“I didn’t know,” she murmured.

A grin lit his expression as he adjusted her headwear. “It wasn’t before that minor collision. Now, it’s fine.” As he stepped back, Ev scanned her from head-to-toe. “Your travel outfit is quite stylish. Not that you aren’t usually.”

His comment was kind because Doro typically thought little about fashion. At least she hadn’t until Ev had commented on her party costume last fall. Since then, she had gotten more interested in looking nice. This morning, she had donned the ensemble with the faint hope of seeing Ev later. Now, she was. “Aggie, Gramma Rose, Mother, and I went shopping several times. Everyone agreed my wardrobe needed sprucing up. This outfit is one we had made in the Springs.” The dropped waist dress—a light blue and navy print—was topped with a matching three-quarters length jacket. Both were in a travel-friendly treated cotton, a new fabric from the dressmaker. A navy cloche with a pink flower and navy t-strap shoes completed the look. Suddenly, Doro was happy she had worn it. Happy Ev was seeing her in it and appreciating the view.

“You had a pleasant summer?” he asked.

“I enjoyed being with my parents, and it was wonderful when Gramma Rose and Aggie came.”

For a moment, he gazed down at her. “You aren’t planning to move to Colorado?”

“No, not at all.” Her answer was honest.

“Good.” Ev cleared his throat. “That is, it’s good you enjoyed your trip.”

Was he blushing? Doro hoped it was because he was glad that she didn’t plan to leave Michaw. Before she could comment, he spoke again.

“You’ve been gone all summer, so you may not have heard the gossip going around campus.”

The comment piqued Doro’s interest. “What gossip? Aggie didn’t mention any important news.”

He drove his fingers through his cropped brown hair. “It started in earnest about three weeks ago. A couple of the more progressive trustees were in Michaw meeting with President Adams. Word has it that allowing married women to work at the college will pass at the next board meeting. Married women with children, too.”

Joy spiraled through Doro. She could hardly wait to tell Aggie. “Truly?”

“Mrs. Jones told me in confidence, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind you knowing.”

Doro had known Violet Jones, the president’s secretary, and one of her mother’s best friends, all her life. If she passed on a rumor, it was based on facts. “Aggie will be thrilled.”

“Wade is.” Ev swallowed hard enough to cause his Adam’s apple to bob. “What about you? How do you feel?”

Doro felt a lump form in her throat. How did she feel? As she looked into Ev’s quicksilver gaze, her heart stutter-stepped. Since girlhood, Doro had believed she would never have her own family, due to her career aspirations. Now, things were changing. Burying her feelings for him was no longer sensible or possible.

“Your silence speaks loudly,” he muttered. “If you’ll excuse me, Lowery is waiting.”

When he turned away, Doro grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. “Wait.”

He did not face her as he spoke. “Why?” His arm went rigid beneath her grasp.

“It’s a surprise. A shock, really. I hoped the board would change the policy, but I never thought they’d do it so quickly or so completely. But I think it’s wonderful.” She did not remark on her thoughts—mostly about him—after being kidnapped. That could come later.

Slowly, Ev pivoted to face her. His face was a mask of uncertainty. “You’re happy for Aggie and Wade.”

A kaleidoscope of butterflies took flight in Doro’s stomach. “I am, but it’s also good news for all other women at the college.”

“All other women,” he repeated. “Does that include you?”

Doro only allowed his question to hang in the air for seconds. After a deep breath, she nodded. “It does. It most definitely does.”

His handsome features glowed with a smile. “I’ll be back home in a few days, maybe a week. Not much longer. I’d wait to ask, but I’ve waited so long now. Maybe you’d like to go to Sylvania for a movie? We could have dinner before or after.”

Hope and joy and excitement spun through Doro. Although she could not recall ever feeling giddy, she did at the moment. “I’d like that.”

“So would I.” After a glance at his watch, Ev shrugged. “I really should go.”

Alarm replaced anticipation. “Does Agent Canton want you to go back to the Prohibition Bureau?”

“He’d like that, but it won’t happen.” With one hand, Ev rubbed his neck as if to dispel the tension there. “I’m in town because the Bureau thinks booze is being transported along Chicago Pike from Toledo to here. Since Michaw is only a few miles north of the road, Lowery wondered what I know. He’s meeting with other agents and asked me to join them.”

“Because you know something important,” Doro murmured. She looked around before continuing in a whisper. “Mr. and Mrs. Fulton are involved, aren’t they?”

A harsh exhalation escaped him. “I can’t reveal bureau business, but you’re a fine amateur sleuth. One with plenty of insight, and we’ve talked about the Fultons, more than once.”

“We have,” she agreed, reading between the lines. The couple had worked for a widow, whose husband had been suspected of bootlegging. Some townsfolk, and Doro was among them, believed the woman carried on after his death, and that the Fultons had helped her. “In May, you admitted to watching them, so I assume you saw something suspicious.”

His gaze flickered away and back. “Doro, I can’t discuss it here and now,” Ev said. “I know you’re curious, but please don’t poke into this matter. Bootleggers are violent, and they don’t think twice about dispatching whoever threatens them. Your snooping might put a target on you. At least wait until I get back.” A plea was in his voice.

“I’m not planning to snoop, as you call it.”

His gaze widened, as if in disbelief. “Why do I not believe you? You haven’t gone three months without sleuthing.” He touched one raw wrist. “You were kidnapped by a killer, and not for the first time.”

The anxiety darkening his gaze reached past Doro’s defenses. “The conductor asked Aggie and me to help.” Which was not true, but Ev did not need to know.

His dark brows rose. “Really? How did he know you’re an amateur sleuth?”

Since she could answer the question with honesty, Doro smiled. “Two graduate students from Colorado College were on the train, and they heard about some of our adventures from my dad.” While that was true, it was not why she and Aggie had finally gotten permission to investigate.

For several moments, Ev gazed steadily at Doro. “Your parents don’t object to you cracking cases and being in danger?”

Again, Doro gripped her pocketbook. “They know I love mysteries.”

“But they don’t know you were tied up in a cellar in December. Or that you confronted a culprit alone in May.”

A resigned sigh escaped her. “They don’t, and I don’t plan to tell them about either episode. Not that I was in peril last May. The confrontation took place in the library’s back room. Help was only feet away.”

Ev rolled his eyes, while his mouth softened into an almost-smile. “You’re incorrigible.”

Because she could see he was softening, Doro grinned. “I thought I was intrepid.”

Laughter rumbled out of him. “That, too.”

Her heart filled with pleasure. “Intrepid and incorrigible aren’t such a bad combination.”

“Not when they apply to you.” His attention returned to her wrists. “Don’t dig into the Fultons until I get back. Promise me you won’t.”

His earnest tone and troubled expression telegraphed genuine worry, not overprotectiveness. “All right, but you’ll share some details, won’t you?”

A momentary hesitation preceded his response. “I’ll tell you what I can. In the meantime, I can’t keep Lowery waiting. Tee is with Wade, but she’ll be thrilled to see you. We had to walk by Wheaton Hall every day, just in case you were there.”

Warmth spread through Doro’s heart and soul. “I will be there tonight, and so will Tee.”

A wistful smile touched his mouth. “I’ll see you two when I get back.”

“When will that be?” His earlier reply had been indefinite.

His lips flattened, and his gaze slid away. “I’m not sure. Like I said, a few days, maybe longer.”

The indefinite quality of his words bothered Doro, who yearned to ask if he was more than helping the Bureau with his observations. Could he—despite his protestations—be assuming a temporary role as an agent? Knowing he would not admit to such a job, she offered a heartfelt statement. “Please be careful. Very careful.”

Ev gently squeezed Doro’s hand before stepping away. “I’m only consulting. No danger in that.”

Something in his expression belied the words, but Doro did not press him. They were on good terms, and she wanted it to stay that way. “I’ll look forward to dinner and a movie. Maybe next weekend.”

“Maybe not so soon. For sure, we’ll go when I’m home.” Ev cleared this throat. “I hope this leg of your trip is uneventful. After all, even a top-notch amateur sleuth deserves a break.”

The lilt of laughter underlying his last comment made Doro smile. “After this last crime, I’d like to stick to reading whodunits for a while.”

“I’m eager to hear about how you and Aggie cracked another case,” he assured her. “Over dinner. Now, I really have to go.”

“I do, too,” Doro murmured with genuine reluctance. When he moved away, she caught his one hand. “My birthday is coming up, and my grandmother is planning a small party. I hope you can come.”

Ev faced her again. “I hope so, too,” he replied before brushing a featherlight kiss across her lips.

Heat spread through her. “I better get to the platform,” she murmured.

“Have a pleasant journey,” he said, before striding away.

As Doro stood staring after him, she felt the warmth give way to a chill. A surge of impending doom washed over her when Ev neared the exit. Not for one moment did she believe he was simply serving as a consultant. But what was he doing for the Bureau? And why wasn’t he sure when he’d be home? A few days. Maybe more. And he only hoped he’d be back for her birthday.

With determination, she shook off the troubling thoughts and concentrated on the pleasant feelings left by his fleeting kiss. Although only the second one they had shared, it sent her heart soaring. Soon, she and Ev would share an entire evening. Surely, somewhere in the mix of dinner, a movie, and a drive to-and-from Sylvania, they would have time for a more personal conversation. And there was her birthday dinner. If wishes could bring him back by then, he’d be sitting at her grandmother’s table right next to Doro.

Her spirits lifting, Doro headed to the platform. Summer vacation would be over in a few weeks, but the new school year offered an array of possibilities. Exciting ones, ones that did not include working toward becoming the head librarian at Michaw College because, although Doro loved the school, she also...

Abruptly, she halted her train of thought and hurried toward the platform, but not without a backward glance. Ev, almost at the station’s doors, turned in her direction. Although the crowd milled between them, Ev lifted one hand. Doro returned the gesture of farewell. No, not farewell. See you soon. Hopefully, quite soon.