Wilder Than the Rest: MacLarens of Fire Mountain (3 page)

“I could use the money.” Mollie sat clenching her hands in her lap, watching Pierce and wondering if his concerns were the same as hers.

“It’s an impressive amount.”

“It would take years to earn that amount by taking normal agency assignments.” She stood, stepped around her chair, and rested her hands on the back of it. “I don’t like not knowing the details.”

“Neither do I.”

“Or who else will be on the team.” Mostly, she was concerned about one specific member of the team—the one standing a few feet away. Was the money worth the aggravation of working with this hardheaded man one more time?

Pierce didn’t respond, too focused on deciding which way to go—take the assignment and the money or walk away from Noah and the female agent who caused him nothing but grief. A short assignment might work. A long one might drive him over the edge.

Both turned at the sound of the door opening and looked at the man walking through it holding a half-finished cup of coffee. Noah didn’t acknowledge either of them, just returned to his spot on the other side of his desk and settled into the large leather chair. He set down the cup, placed his arms on the desk, clasped his hands, and leaned forward.

“Your decision?”

“I’m in,” they replied in unison. Each snapped their gaze to the other, stunned they’d made the same choice, and neither looking happy about it.

Noah didn’t miss a step. “Good.” He pulled two documents from his desk drawer and handed one to each. “Sign these so we may continue.”

Pierce glanced at the document. It was simple, an acknowledgment of the fee for the job and that assignment details would be provided. He accepted the pen Noah offered and signed his name, hoping he wasn’t making a colossal mistake.

Mollie watched Pierce sign, then took the pen from his hand and did the same. Each handed their copy to their boss.

“Wonderful.” He took a satchel from underneath his desk and put the agreements inside, then looked toward them and took a deep breath. “There are three items you need to know about today. The rest we’ll review in a few days, once I receive final details from my colleagues.”

Pierce and Mollie nodded, trying to remain patient.

“First, there is another team of agents investigating all of the same leads and sources you’ll be provided. We don’t have enough information to know if this is East or West Coast based. Regardless, the two groups will share information until such time as we identify more specifics. Second, you’ll have three team members. One you don’t know, two you do.”

Noah took a sip of his coffee and continued. “Eva Gagnon has been with the agency for quite a while. She has excellent clandestine skills and a file full of arrests. Lee Hatcher normally works for Alex McCann. He only comes back to the agency for the most difficult assignments, and always with McCann’s approval. He will continue with McCann Investigations once this job is done.” Noah looked up to see that Pierce’s eyes had widened at the name of a man he knew. “Lee was one of our most successful agents. He and Eva have worked together before, so their joint experience will be invaluable. Lee will stay in New York unless it’s found his presence is required. He’ll be my main contact, and you’ll take your orders from him. Last is Chaz Yarbrough.”

“Chaz?” Mollie asked. “But he’s a merchant. How does he fit in?”

“Chaz was an agent for several years and has agreed to come back for this job. His assignments were in Europe and focused on criminal intelligence in conjunction with Scotland Yard. When the last assignment ended, they offered him a position, which he refused. He’s fluent in several languages, although I doubt he’ll need them for this job.” Noah leaned back in his chair, resting his elbows on the armrests, and brought his hands together to steeple his fingers. “Now, I’ll explain how this is going to work.”

It didn’t take long for him to explain the basics of the assignment. He told them covers for Eva, Lee, and Chaz would be arranged as needed, but they would be a part of the team. Lee was the lead for their assignment, with Eva as the main contact between him and everyone else. For the most part, Noah would stay at a distance and handle requests from Lee.

“Most, if not all, of the assignment will take place in San Francisco,” Noah added.

“And our cover?” Pierce asked.

Noah’s face remained impassive. “You’ll be posing as a married couple.”

Chapter Two

Neither his brother, Connor, nor his cousins—Niall, Jamie, Will, and Drew—could contain their laughter. All six were working on an extension to the horse birthing area next to the barn at the main ranch house. It was the first time in weeks they’d all been together, without the women.

“Are you still planning to work for Noah?” Drew straightened to stretch his arms and legs.

The turn of events the day before still angered Pierce. He believed Noah had set the two of them up. He’d almost walked out until he realized he was truly hornswoggled. Mollie had looked as if she would jump over the desk and attack the man.

“What the hell was I supposed to do at that point?” he asked, clearly exasperated. “I’d already signed the agreement, learned about the others and how they’d be involved. He knew how Mollie and I would respond, that’s why he insisted we agree beforehand based on the money.” He pulled off his work gloves and threw them on the ground. “What a mess.”

The others watched him put some distance between them. The five glanced at each other, sobering at the thought that Pierce would be holed up for who knew how long, with a woman he disliked intensely, but was drawn to like a moth to a fire. It was a true mess. Either way, he’d get burned.

Connor walked up and placed a hand on Pierce’s shoulder. “You did what any of us would have done—accepted it. Now, you’ll do your best to honor the commitment you made. There was nothing else you could have done.”

The four cousins nodded their agreement and broke off, each returning to the work before them.

“Hey, supper’s ready.” Grace walked up and slid her arms around her husband, Connor.

They’d been married a few weeks, and it was rare to see one without the other nearby. His cousins understood the newness would fade a little in time. For now, however, they all enjoyed watching and ribbing him about being on a short rope.

******

Alicia MacLaren looked around the table at her family. It was a good thing that her deceased husband, the boys’ uncle, Stuart MacLaren, had planned the house for a large family. Even though they both wanted children, it had never happened. Now, with six grown nephews, four wives, a niece and her husband, plus several grandchildren around the supper table, the house felt full—and wonderful.

“When do you start the new assignment, Pierce?” she asked. The men had mentioned it while eating supper, and she wondered if it would take her nephew away from Fire Mountain and the family.

“Just waiting for word from Noah Dodd, Aunt Alicia. Shouldn’t be long.” Pierce continued to focus on the roast beef in front of him, his mind filled with second thoughts. He wished he’d walked away, ignored the large sum of money, and waved goodbye to Dodd, as well as the female agent who was nothing but trouble. His gut had told him something wasn’t right and he’d ignored it.

“So it’s the two of you, no one else involved?” Connor pushed back his empty plate and laid an arm across the back of Grace’s chair.

“For the most part, yes. Dodd says there are some others, but he didn’t share with us their exact roles.” Pierce wasn’t at liberty to share the names of the others involved, at least not yet. He took a deep breath and let the air escape in a slow stream. “Damn, but I hate waiting.” He looked around the table. “Sorry, ladies.”

“As far as I recall, you’ve been impatient most of your life,” Mr. Jericho commented. An older man, he’d known Connor and Pierce since not long after they’d come to America with their sister, Meggie. He had been involved in their lives in some fashion ever since. Now, he made his home at the ranch.

“Guess you’re right about that,” Pierce replied on a sigh.

Alicia looked at her youngest nephew and smiled. “Pierce, all you need to understand is that you always have a place here. No matter what transpires, this will always be your home.”

******

“How did Pierce and Mollie take the news?” Chaz Yarbrough sat in Noah Dodd’s office smoking a thin cheroot as he leaned back into the large leather chair.

“Not well, I’m afraid.” Noah hadn’t been surprised when Mollie had jumped from her chair, demanding to tear up the agreement. He’d calmed her down after some quick talking and a reminder than he’d already shared a portion of the details about their new job. “However, they did accept the plan, such as it is at this point. Of course, they will need to work on the way they communicate in public, lest people catch on that they’re not married.”

Chaz chuckled. “I know what you’re saying. They either want to throttle each other or…” He let the rest trail off, sure that Noah knew what he alluded to.

“That is the one potential flaw in this plan. They can be brilliant working together or go up in flames. I’m betting each will work through any personal issues with the other to make this assignment a success.”

“You wouldn’t have set them on it if you weren’t sure of their ability to follow this to the end.”

“Now, what do you have for me?” Noah was ready to get down to the reason for their meeting. He liked Chaz, the way he operated, his cool professionalism, and willingness to take risks other agents avoided. They’d both served in Europe, which, in Noah’s opinion, was a benefit and provided them with contacts that might very well be needed for this assignment.

“There isn’t much right now.” Chaz slid a file across the desk. Scattered bits of information that he and Lee had pulled together for both teams the agency had established for this assignment. “This is all we have.”

Noah pulled the file toward him and began to review the contents, shaking his head at the utter lack of detail. He wondered if they’d gotten involved too soon in the investigation. “The East Coast group has been provided the same material?”

Chaz nodded.

“My understanding is they will be working from New York City. My counterpart, in the Eastern region at the Treasury, has arranged a place for them to work.” Noah continued to scan the small amount of information.

“Do you have anything identified for Pierce?” Chaz asked.

Noah looked up from the file. “Yes. We were lucky on two counts. First, Louis Dunnigan is providing offices for our use. Second, it turns out that Victoria MacLaren, Jamie’s wife, owns a mansion in the society district of Nob Hill. The team will hold most of its meetings at her home.”

Chaz’s eyebrows lifted at the news. “Torie MacLaren?”

“The same. A long story, but suffice it to say, the woman has substantial assets in California.”

“I’ll be damned. I never would have figured her to come from money like that.”

“You wouldn’t expect to. Nothing about the family indicates their standing or money, but, trust me, the family has both. Victoria MacLaren happens to have an over-abundance of it.”

“She’s agreed to the use of her property?”

“Yes. I met with her and Jamie yesterday. All the MacLarens know of its existence, but she and Jamie are the only two who know its location.” Noah handed Chaz the address.

“When do they leave?” Chaz asked.

“Within the next few days, once Lee Hatcher gets back to me. He’s got Eva on a train to San Francisco already. He’ll head out only if he’s needed.”

“You do live dangerously, don’t you?” Chaz smirked.

“What are you talking about?”

“Lee and Eva.”

“What does that mean?” Noah thought he knew most of the secrets of his various agents. Perhaps he’d missed something.

“Nothing much, except they used to be married.”

******

Mollie packed the last of her clothes and shut the lid of the trunk. She’d given the outfits she’d used while undercover at the Desert Dove to one of the working girls, a young woman who’d started just after Mollie began her last assignment. The same time she’d first met Pierce MacLaren.

She leaned against the frame of a window overlooking the main street and fingered the thin black ribbon around her neck. Dangling from it was the cameo her mother had given her many years ago, just before she’d left for her job at a small laundry several blocks away. She’d never returned, leaving ten-year-old Mollie and her father to carry on alone.

Twelve years later, Mollie was still plagued with the notion that her mother had not walked out on them, but had become a victim. She was certain her mother was dead.

Her father had insisted otherwise, said that she’d gotten tired of living with so little, and walked out. The police had sided with him, explaining that a body had never been found, nor had anyone heard screams or pleas for help anywhere between their house and the laundry.

She glanced out the window and pulled her thoughts from the past to the real dilemma that had her so on edge—her partner.

Mollie had been raised by a single father, she’d worked alongside men as a clerk in a lumberyard, served drinks to them while at the Desert Dove in Fire Mountain, and yet none of them had made as significant an impact on her as Pierce MacLaren. He’d walked into the Dove alone one afternoon, taken a seat at a back table, and introduced himself. She knew who he was. Everyone knew the six MacLaren men, or at least knew of them.