Her hopes sank as a knot formed in her throat. There was only one place he could be—in the baggage car with the money.
PERIODICALLY, ASHTON checked his timepiece. By his calculations, they should be nearing Meols any minute now...and that meant the railway would be robbed, since this area was always when the robbery happened, according to the police reports, anyway.
He had sneaked out of his seat and into the baggage car. Just inside the door, there were two large crates, and he was able to hide behind one of them before the guards at the end of the car could notice him.
Two days ago, he decided to set a trap for the thief. He was tired of waiting for the police, and Ashton decided to take matters into his own hands. Only a few people knew about the money being transported, and because of what Nicole had told him about Nickerson and Larson, Ashton truly believed he would get to meet the thief this very day.
He had dressed in disguise, hoping nobody would notice him, and so far, nobody knew he was one of the co-owners. He certainly didn’t look anything like Mr. Ashton Lee, not since he wore a blonde wig and matching mustache.
Ever since boarding the car, he had been studying people to see who resembled him, and only two men could possibly be his look-alike. But one was old and had a cane, and the other one wore glasses and had a chipped front tooth. Several ladies rode in this car as they sat huddled in the middle as if conducting some kind of meeting, and none of them looked remotely suspicious. Even those men who boarded alone, didn’t seem to be suspicious, especially since they had drifted off to sleep within ten minutes after the train left the station. There was one slender young man sitting by himself on the other side of the car, crouched in his seat, but Ashton didn’t believe that boy would be the thief. He didn’t appear strong enough to knock out the two guards who were always inside the baggage car. That particular little imp probably couldn’t even harm a rodent.
When Ashton knew the railway was getting close to Meols, he quietly left his seat and moved to the next car. Nobody had even looked up at him, which was good. Even the two guards by the money trunk were asleep.
Ashton shook his head. No wonder the money had been so easily taken before. What could possibly make them both fall asleep? Did they not realize how important it was to guard the queen’s money?
He crouched behind the crate, carefully opened up his handbag and withdrew a loaded pistol. If the railway was going to be robbed today, he was determined the thief would not be leaving this car unless injured and lying on a medical stretcher.
The car’s door slowly squeaked open. He whipped his focus toward that direction, gripping the butt of his pistol. It surprised him to see the thin young man in the baggy clothes and overlarge cap, tiptoeing into the car. But what surprised him even more was that the guards didn’t stir at all. Something was wrong, and he had a sinking feeling that the money had already been taken. If so, then who was this person coming into the car?
As the young man walked past the crate, Ashton reached out and grasped the man’s arm, yanking him down on the ground. Instead of hearing a man’s deep voice cry out, it was the high pitch of a woman. As she landed on the floor, the cap covering her hair fell off and light brown hair tumbled out from underneath. Big, brown eyes with flecks of gold stared up at him, wide with fright.
He inhaled sharply. “Nicole, what are you doing here...and dressed like that?”
“Shh...” She scrambled to her knees and faced him, taking hold of his hand. “They will hear you.” She motioned her head toward the guards.
He raised just enough to peek over the crates. Surprisingly enough, the guards didn’t move. “I don’t think so. They are either asleep—or dead.”
“Are you certain?” she whispered.
“Well, considering they didn’t hear me come in, and they definitely didn’t hear your entrance, yes, I’m going to believe something is wrong with them. Either that, or they are both extremely deaf.”
“Do you want me to go over and see?” Nicole stood, but still kept in a crouched position.
“Not yet.” He yanked on her arm, and she fell into him. “First I want to know what you’re doing here.”
A sly grin touched her perfectly shaped mouth. “I was following you this morning.” She shrugged. “Should I now ask what you are doing here?”
He scowled. “I’m trying to catch the thief. What else would I be doing here?”
She switched her focus from his face to the weapon in his hand, and back to his face. “Why do you have a pistol, Ashton?”
The tone of her voice made him catch his breath. She doesn’t believe me! Huffing, he shook his head. “Why do you think I have one? No, wait...let me guess. You think I shot the two guards and stole the money?”
When her face turned red, anger shot through him. He pulled the handbag next to her and opened it up. “Miss Bastian, if I had taken the money, why isn’t it in this bag? Since the guards are unconscious, wouldn’t a thief have the evidence by now?”
She frowned as her eyes grew misty. “Ashton, I—I—”
“Don’t say it,” he snapped. “Let’s just go see why those imbeciles are not awake.” He moved past her and toward the guards, running his gaze over them from the top of their head to their boots. There wasn’t a spot of blood on them. Obviously, they hadn’t been shot.
“Look,” Nicole pointed to the two cups on the floor beside the chairs, “each of them was drinking something.” She scooped up one of the cups and brought it to her nose, sniffing inside the tin.
“Oh, dear. This isn’t good at all.” She met his gaze, frowning.
“Why?”
“It’s laced with opium.”
“Are you sure?”
