Lincoln chuckled. “Gladly.” He went and opened the door. “Is tomorrow soon enough?”
The sheriff’s smile widened. “I suppose that will do.” As they turned to leave, the sheriff added, “I guess not all Pinks are bad.”
Lincoln smirked. “That’s some mighty high praise, sheriff.”
They stepped out onto the boardwalk, and Amey took a deep breath. “The case is over,” she said as they started walking on the rickety planks. “I think Archie will be pleased with our success.”
“Not only did we complete our assignment, but we killed Billy Joe Campbell.”
She smiled. “He was wanted, dead or alive.”
“I think dead is much more fitting for a man like him.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more.”
Lincoln stopped outside of the post office and said, “I need to wire Archie.”
“Do you think he’ll have a case already lined up for us?”
Lincoln lifted his brow. “Us? You’d like to team up again?”
Amey felt her cheeks growing warm. “I… uh… misspoke. I meant do you think Archie will have new cases for both of us?”
“I wouldn’t mind working with you again, Amey,” Lincoln said.
“You wouldn’t?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. You’re a formidable woman, and I’ve never enjoyed an assignment this much.”
“Oh,” she replied. “Yes, it was rather enjoyable.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” he asked, smiling.
She worked up the nerve to ask, “Is there any other reason you want to continue partnering with me?”
Lincoln gave her a baffled look. “Do I need another reason?”
“I suppose not,” she said softly.
Taking a step closer, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s clearly not nothing,” he observed in a concerned voice.
The door to the post office opened, and a portly man announced, “I’m about to take a break. Can I help you folks with something?”
Lincoln turned his attention toward the man. “Yes, I need to send a wire.”
“Then come on in,” the man said with a wave of his hand.
“Do you want to come in with me?” Lincoln asked.
Amey shook her head. “I should really go back to the hotel and start packing my things.”
“Would you like me to escort you?”
She shook her head. “That’s not necessary.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am,” she replied as she started backing up. “I’ll meet you back at the hotel.”
Lincoln watched her for a long moment, his eyes searching her face. “I’ll be along shortly.” His words almost sounding like a promise.
She nodded her understanding before she turned to walk toward the hotel.
As she walked down the boardwalk, Amey realized that she’d been fooling herself. Lincoln may want to kiss her, and she desperately wanted to kiss him, but he didn’t have any deep, lasting feelings for her. He just wanted to have a good time.
If she continued to work with him, she had no doubt that she would fall deeply, hopelessly in love with him. She was already halfway there, and her heart couldn’t take the rejection if Lincoln never felt the same.
No, it would be best to part ways with the ridiculously handsome Lincoln Hoyt. It was better for her to be alone than to pine after an impossible dream.
Lincoln walked along the boardwalk with a spring in his step. He’d just sent off the wire to Archie, and it had taken longer than he had intended. He had no doubt that he would receive a response later that day. Which meant they would most likely have to sleep another night in Longworth. Not that he minded. He loved spending time with Amey. How he used to think she was an infuriating woman was beyond him.
He found Amey to be delightful and refreshing. She had managed to take a hardened man and bring joy back into his life. For that, he would be forever grateful.
He couldn’t wait to work another assignment with her, and then another. He saw no reason for them to ever stop working together. Perhaps on their next case, Amey would let him kiss her. He truly hoped so. He had never wanted to kiss a woman as badly as he wanted to kiss the beautiful Amey Hoyt.
Lincoln smiled as he reached the hotel and opened the door. As he walked across the entry hall, he thought about how he loved that Amey had his last name, and, frankly, he didn’t mind that he was married to her. He already had some deep feelings for her, but it was evident that Amey did not feel the same way.
However, he hoped that was about to change. He intended to woo his wife and convince her that he was worth taking a chance on. He planned to begin wooing her over dinner tonight.
A woman’s voice broke through his musings. “Mr. Hoyt,” Mrs. Willow said with a concerned expression on her face.
“What is it?” he asked, growing slightly anxious.
Mrs. Willow stopped in front of him and lowered her voice. “Your wife just left for the train station.”
“She did?” he asked in disbelief.
Mrs. Willow nodded as she slipped a piece of paper out of the pocket of her dress. “She asked me to give you this note.”
Lincoln accepted the note and opened it. He read:
Lincoln,
I’ve decided to return to Denver without you. I enjoyed working the case with you, but I prefer to work alone. I wish you a lifetime of happiness, and I’ll always look back to the time that we spent together with much fondness.
Yours truly,
Amey Hoyt
His eyes shot up to the proprietress. “When does the train leave?”
“In ten minutes,” she said, pushing him toward the door. “Go get your wife.”
Without waiting to be told twice, Lincoln took off running toward the train station. He had just run up the stairs when the train pulled into the station. His eyes frantically sought his wife. In a moment, he saw her in her burgundy traveling gown, sitting on the lone bench.
He watched as she rose from the bench, then stood waiting for the train to come to a complete stop.
“Amey!” he shouted as he ran to her.
She turned toward him with surprise on her features.
