Denver, Co.

January 5

My Dear Sirs.

I am aware that this missive will be unexpected and unwanted for multiple reasons, not least of which, is that its arrival brings with it an awareness that someone was able to find you with seeming ease, without your co-operation or even knowledge.

Be assured that until this issue arose, my only intention in discovering your whereabouts, was simply to reassure myself that you were succeeding in your new lives, and be available to provide whatever assistance was within my remit, to alleviate any possible problems you may be experiencing. Such an endeavor seemed an appropriate way to honor my late wife's desire that you thrive.

As I am entirely discreet, and there are very few people with the interest, wealth and contacts to succeed in keeping track of men with your skill at not being found , you may rest easy that the knowledge of where you have settled will go no further unless you desire it.

However even with that aside, it remains most certain, that this unexpected correspondence will remain, if not quite an annoyance, at the very least a cause for concern, for that I do not apologize, and instead will merely explain.

My wife's nephew whilst failing in his attempt to gain the office of commissioner that he so coveted, has stayed as Captain of Police , and thus has contacts with his counterparts in New York. He informed me, on my tiresomely obligatory attendance at a soiree to commemorate the turn of the year, of threats against the person of our mutual friend, Mrs Rebecca Poindexter. I am sure Thomas himself expected me to reach out to you on hearing this news, despite his assurances that she is well protected, because as Rosemary often observed, he is a man who will use every form of leverage to gain the outcome he desires. It is rare however that our interests align as in this instance.

I initially had some qualms about the appropriateness of contacting you over this matter, but with my wife's fondness for Rebecca, and your own acquaintance with the lady, I concluded that I could not in good conscience ignore any possible avenue to ensure her safety and prevent another tragic loss of life.

If you don't consider it an insult, I will of course remunerate you fairly for your services. But whatever your decision on other payment, I insist that your expenses are met by myself, and will brook no disagreement on this from either of you.

I await your reply with anticipation.

Yours most sincerely

Henry Barton Esq.

Heyes sighed, would they ever be free from the Kid's adventure in Denver, and the woman, who against all odds held such a fascination for his partner? He didn't understand that, or her properly, even now, with the perspective of distance. He knew he should be grateful to Rebecca because she had been instrumental in getting his partner the stubbornly elusive amnesty, but all he really wanted was for her to stay out of their lives permanently. He'd shared her address with the Kid, alongside the vague idea of a New York visit in the future. After a few months, when his partner had showed no desire to follow though on the notion, he'd been more than slightly relieved, and very happy to let it lie, yet circumstances had once again conspired against them and forced their hand. He read the letter a third time, and half considered burning it, but before the thought had fully landed it was dismissed as nonsense. He was already making plans about how they'd get to New York in as timely a manner as possible, after a trip to Denver to find out exactly what they'd be facing on their arrival.

He had more than enough experience to understand when he held a losing hand, however much he hated admitting to it, so he wouldn't even attempt to argue his partner out of the trip: It'd be a waste of time and words, and would only lead to an argument that he'd never win. The only thing he would insist on was appropriate payment, whatever his partner's objections.

He was drawn out of his brown study by his partner's footsteps followed by his amused question. "What's up Heyes, someone chasin' you for money? I got some cash I can lend ya, if young Mickey wiped ya out last night."

"I'll have you know, Kid, that boy didn't stand a chance against my skill. Weren't me that lost his shirt!"

He swirled to meet the amused gaze of his friend. "Left your sense of humor in bed today Heyes?"

In lieu of an answer, Heyes simply passed the Kid the letter, and watched as he read it, seeing his amusement quickly fade into concern. After he was done, he looked up and said firmly."I'm going Heyes, don't even try and talk me out of it."

"Of course you're going, Kid. You've got no sense where that woman is concerned, but we ain't doing it for free. One of us has to think with something other than, well one of us has gotta think."

The Kid glared at him. "I owe her, Heyes..."

Heyes turned away stuffing the letter in his pocket as he muttered. "Woman puts ya balls in a knot, like I ain't never seen. Stops blood to your head!" Before adding louder. "We're getting paid for this. I won't argue 'bout it being a dumb idea, if you don't get all mule headed 'bout being paid. Deal?"

The Kid looked ready to disagree with him, then he shrugged. "So long as you keep your end of that deal, I'll take it."

ASJ

St. John's Park, Manhattan, NY.

January 18

My Dear Mrs Carnaby,

I do hope this finds you and your family well. I must apologise for my tardiness in replying to you, but due to the necessity of navigating the many obligations that the festive season brings, I've had little extended opportunity to sit and set pen to paper. However, with the current cold spell and the break in social engagements, as people take the opportunity to recoup their energy before the next wave of parties, I now have sufficient time to do justice to your most welcome letter, by responding with hopefully the same entertaining detail that you included in yours.

Rebecca paused in her writing, frowning at a knock on the door of her library office, which was one of the few places she was able to retreat to in comfort during the acceptable social visiting hours of the day. This was the first time in a month that she'd had a moment to herself. She considered just ignoring what she was certain would be Martha, her housekeeper, announcing yet another visit from one of her neighbors, with something like sympathy in her expression. As if they hadn't all seen more than enough of each other in the last few weeks. But with a long suffering sigh, she decided better now than later, so placing the letter back in the drawer and fervently hoping it wasn't Henrietta who'd come calling, she cleared her throat and said loudly enough to penetrate the closed door. "Come on in Martha."

Her usually implacable housekeeper looked uncharacteristically, a little flustered, but after a deep breath, she schooled her expression into her usual calm, though her quickly masked expression left Rebecca wondering just who was at the door, and felt a twinge of interest. "Ma'am, Mr Hannibal Heyes and Mr Jedediah Curry are here to see you."

Rebecca's rote response of 'show them to the parlor, I'll be right there, froze in her throat, assailed by butterflies as heat rose in her cheeks.. When she had heard nothing from either of the men in the time since she had left for New York, she had decided either Heyes had chosen not to share her address, or his partner had decided not to pursue a contact. In the ensuing months, as her life in New York blossomed, the disappointment had eventually faded into something like relief,and she'd put the adventure behind her. Jed was after all a complication that her life did not need, but yet..thoughts of him still lingered in her unguarded moments.

"Ma'am are you quite well? Shall I tell them you are not available?" She could sense both worry and a huge curiosity in her housekeeper's tone and expression. No doubt wondering how on earth she knew such men. "No, that's quite unnecessary, Martha. I will receive them in here. Please bring us tea and some of the leftover ham and cheese from last night."

Too well-trained to argue, Martha still looked a little nonplussed, genuine concern at Rebecca receiving the men in her private space drawing her face into a small frown. "Yes, Ma'am."

Rebecca despite the tumult of emotions she was feeling, laid a gentle hand on her employee's arm to stop her, as she turned to do as she was bid. "Martha, these men are no danger to me. They were in fact of great assistance in an important matter not long before I left Denver and we entered into a friendly acquaintance." A pool of heat grew in Rebecca as she remembered with enjoyment at just how 'friendly' she and Jed had been.

Martha's face softened into a smile and some of the unusual formality in her, faded as she said."Mr Heyes is quite charming."

Rebecca shook her head, her own face breaking into a small wry amused expression as she said. "I suppose one could call him charming."

After Martha left to show her guests in, Rebecca took a steadying breath, as she composed herself, thinking she would on their arrival, seat herself on the comfortable couch, leaving them to sit in the two overstuffed chairs facing it. She hoped that this time, she would find Jed eminently resistible, because now she was in a very different situation then whenever they had met previously, with an interesting and varied social calendar, full of positive interactions, which were blessedly unencumbered by the shadows of her previous life. She had good friends, a comfortable relationship with all her family, and therefore any resumption of the relationship she and Jed had enjoyed in Denver, would only serve to complicate her life unnecessarily.

But any thought of lack of attraction, or resistance to it, fled as soon as she laid eyes on him. He was dressed in a light gray vest suit, accompanied by a cream shirt, a hat in his hands. All of these items were of far better quality then anything she had previously seen in him: The trousers and jacket were of a cut that enhanced an already attractive package, his hair just seemed to be begging her to run her fingers through it. His eyes were as blue as she'd remembered, and his expression held the same appealing combination of confidence and a not quite hidden, and entirely unexpected vulnerability, that she had throughout their acquaintance, found impossible to resist.

As their eyes met, his face showed a very clear reciprocal attraction that she recognised from their days together in Colorado,not to mention the nights, and his lips quirked upwards as his tongue flicked out briefly to lick his lips in a way that made heat pool somewhere below her stomach. Before they could speak to break the slightly overheated silence, Heyes, cleared his throat meaningfully and nudged his friend hard as he said firmly. ""We're here on business Ma'am. Isn't that right Kid?"

Rebecca dragged her gaze to Heyes, who was clothed in a suit of an equally fine cut, charcoal in colour, matched with a crisp white shirt, and dress shoes, his expression clearly telegraphing his disapproval of the way they were looking at each other.

Jed turned away to answer his partner, with a slightly strained. "We are?, finally breaking their eye contact, but his profile and voice did nothing to alleviate Rebecca's desire to touch him, as she was assailed with a flood of intimate memory.

He looked down at his hands, his jaw a little tight and a slight flush to his cheeks, as Heyes sent him a withering glare, before adding resolutely. "Yes, we are."

The rising tension was broken by a knock on the door, and Rebecca grateful for the diversion turned to greet two of her young housemaids, who entered with the requested trays of tea, ham and cheese. "Ahh thank you. Now gentleman please be seated and explain the nature of this business."

The young women obviously sensing the strange atmosphere quickly placed the trays on the table Rebecca indicated and as she said. "Thank you girls, that will be all for now." exited hastily and closed the door quietly behind them.

Rebecca knew her strange visitors would provide much interest for staff, but then she was used to being the subject of gossip, and she was secure in the knowledge that her staff were well trained and respected her enough to keep it within their circle and remain professional, so dismissed it from her mind and sat allowing the men to do so as well. She busied herself with pouring the tea, conscious of Jed watching her hands and Heyes glowering at the top of her head. She spoke without looking up. "I had not expected to see you gentlemen again."

"That makes three of us, though hope might be a better term, at least in my case."

Heyes spoke quietly, but his words still earnt him a growled. "Heyes, you promised." from his partner.

Heyes accepted the cup of tea Rebecca handed him with a slightly disgruntled humph, but quickly schooled his expression into a neutral one as he said. "Mr Barton wrote us in some concern about threats against your life, and Kid." He paused at the pointed clearing of his partner's throat, which made Rebecca smile a little, then started again. "After visiting him in Denver, he hired us to provide you with any necessary assistance to prevent harm to your person."

A small tendril of disappointment trickled down Rebecca's back at his words, so formal, it was business then, well she supposed that would at least mean less complications in her life, until Jed's quiet. "I'd have come anyway, Rebecca, you know that, and not just because of what we owe you neither. It's Heyes that insisted on making this about business, not me."

Rebecca couldn't help but smile at him, knowing just what he wasn't saying, and stretching a hand out, gently patted his leg. Heyes made a strangled noise, pulling Rebecca attention back to him, though she left her hand where it was, and in his disgruntled frown, Rebecca heard as clearly as if he'd spoken them, the words "Here we go again." Instead with a meaningful look at his partner what he actually said was. "We really do have things to discuss that need all of us concentrating."

Jed straightened up with a small slightly apologetic look in his partner's direction, and Rebecca with a reluctant sigh removed her hand to look seriously over at Heyes as she said. "What if I told you Dear Henry is just worrying too much, because of losing Rosemary?"

Heyes let out a small snort of derision. "Really Ma'am, that's the best you can come up with? We were followed here, by a man who screamed officer of the law, however much he thought he didn't. There are two men hiding, poorly, it has to be said, but hiding nonetheless in your garden, and your butler has police detective written all over him."

Rebecca felt her hackles rise at the tone of voice and stood, the pleasure at seeing Jed again, overtaken by the frustration that his partner always managed to bring out in her. It gave her no small degree of satisfaction that of course the feeling was mutual. "I see your arrogance is undiminished Mr Heyes."

Heyes snapped back at her. "My arrogance?"

Before the argument could escalate, Jed sighed wearily, and Rebecca suddenly a little conscious of how unfair she was being, sat down again with a small sigh of her own, and saw a fleeting look of guilt cross Heyes' expression as he too relaxed with a grunt as Jed said. "Captain Walk-Off in Denver, was really quite convincing when we spoke to him about there being a clear danger to your life, Rebecca, so please let us help."

Rebecca steepled her fingers and with a smile over at Jed, and a neutral nod in Heyes' direction, decided that pride was foolish in these circumstances and began to explain the situation. "In late October, I was in attendance at a party, and overheard a discussion that left me disquieted, as it seemed to suggest a well respected lawyer was far less trustworthy than he appeared to be. I had thought my inquiries to be discreet, but it seems I was not as careful as I had hoped, and so this campaign of threats began a mere two weeks after the party. I do not have enough evidence yet to move forward with my suspicions because the man has covered his tracks well, but I have discovered enough to be certain that what I heard was neither misplaced suspicion or vicious gossip. I will not give up, until I discover the whole unwholesome truth about Theodore Burrell. I reported my concerns to the police when my carriage was nearly derailed, with my grandchildren onboard with me. It was only the quick reactions of both my companion and driver that prevented serious injury to any of us."

Jed broke in quietly. "As I was once told, there is a difference between discreet and secret. I think you've made that discovery for yourself with this situation."

Rebecca looked over at him, and he smiled slightly, but added nothing else, as Heyes said. "If the person responsible for these threats is known, why don't the police simply arrest him, rather than make such a production of protecting you? It would be a better use of resources surely."

Rebecca smiled a little wryly, as she said, "Mr Burrell is a very well connected personage. He is a consistently large donor to the smooth running of the police department. He is also a regular honored guest at a great many civic functions. His daughter has recently married the son of our current commissioner. Does that answer your question?"

"So pursuing a charade of protection, while allowing non fatal threats to get through to you, is their approach to resolving the issue, in the hope that you will simply give up?"

Before Rebecca could confirm the succinct but accurate summary from Heyes, Jed laughing softly said. "They clearly have no idea of who they're dealing with."