Jessica Frost: The Good, the Bad, and the Naughty

The soft pillow and wool-stuffed mattress molded to his body comfortably. Being cramped on the train for so long had left his muscles tense, and, now, as his tendons in his calves relaxed, the tension rolled off of him with every deep inhale he took.

“I have to agree with you, Trev. This feels so good.”

They rested in silence for a few minutes. James kicked off his shoes and massaged his feet through his socks when voices caught his attention. They came from the other side of the wall. Her wall.

“Do you hear that, Trevor?” He sat up and put his ear to the wall.

Trevor stood up and did the same thing as James while he squinted in concentration. “It’s coming from Belle’s room.”

Although James couldn’t hear what was being said, he could tell Belle wasn’t alone in the room. At least two other men were in there with her.

“I think she has two guys with her.” Trevor obviously thought the same thing.

“Probably members of her gang.” James nodded. “Can you make out what they’re saying?”

“No, but they seem to be talking low, secretively.”

“Well, if they are part of her gang and they are conspiring on their next heist, they’d be talking softly like that.”

“Maybe, or maybe she is living up to her nickname, and they are keeping her company tonight, and she doesn’t want Melvin any wiser to her secret activities,” Trevor rebutted.

James’s mind wandered, imagining what exactly transpired in there. When she giggled, he thought maybe his friend’s hunch could be on the mark.

What he wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall in Miss Belle Samson’s room tonight.

When she opened the door to her room, Belle intended to undress and just sink into her warm bed to sleep. But the moment she closed the door, a voice said, “You’re finally here.”

Practically jumping out of her skin, she spun around to see someone turn up the light in the oil lamp on her bureau. As the light spread to the perimeter, she was able to release the air that stuck in the knot in her throat.

Realizing John and Mat had paid her a visit, she slumped her shoulders in relief and sighed. “Ah, you gave me a scare.”

Mat sat on the chair next to the bed. “Sorry, but we had to keep it dark in here. The light can be seen from the space under your door. No one could know we’re here.”

“How did you get in?”

John glanced at the window. “Through that. Your room is on the other side of the inn, and no one could see us sneak in.”

She walked over to the window and stared out. “It’s pretty high. You could have gotten hurt.”

“No, we’ve climbed more dangerous things before. Come to think of it, you were with us most of the time when we did, remember?” Mat piped in.

She laughed at the ridiculous look he gave her. “Of course, how stupid of me to say that. Still, why did you risk getting in contact with me? Wasn’t I supposed to be on my own for this one, and when I got any leads, I’d get in contact with you?”

“Yes, that was the plan or, rather, your plan.” John nodded.

“So what’s so important you would risk my cover?”

“We found out some important news today and thought you’d want to know.” John picked up the oil lamp and started blowing on it lightly, observing the reflective, flickering light bounce from one side of the wall to the other.

“Well?” How she hated it when he started something and then stopped midway, leaving her hanging.

John laughed as the light almost went out when he blew a bit too hard.

Huffing, she walked up to him and took the lamp away. “Stop that.” Placing it on the other side of the bureau, she asked again. “Well, what’s the news?”

“We found out today they’ve hired new expressmen for the train.” Mat lifted his brow, looking at John.

Belle began to pace, her mind churned in many directions. “Oh, they did?”

“Two men from Texas. They go by the names Trevor Kent and James Sanford.”

“What?” She widened her eyes.

“They go by the names Trevor Kent—”

Before he could continue, she lifted her hand to quiet him. “I don’t believe it.”

“Believe what?” John asked, looking perplexed.

Thinking out loud, she continued. “So they are the new expressmen. Now isn’t that interesting.”

Both John and Mat looked at each other, frowning, then returned their gazes back to her.

“What’s so interesting about it?” They spoke in unison.

She needed to think…alone. John and Mat were distracting her.

Getting up, she walked over to the window and, as slowly and silently as she could, slid it open. “You two have to leave now before someone walks by and hears I’m not alone in here. I don’t want to draw any more attention to myself than I already have.”

They looked at her with their mouths open in shock.

“Are you serious?” John asked.

“Yes, now scoot out of here.”

Mat pointed his finger at her as a smile widened his mouth. “I know that look. You’re on to something, aren’t you, Belle?”

“Maybe.” She shrugged.

“Then tell us,” John begged.

“Not just yet, I can’t. As soon as I know more, I’ll get in contact with you both. Okay?”

“Oh, all right. I guess we don’t have a choice.” Mat nodded, looking disappointed.

Pulling the curtain to the side, gesturing them to exit, she said simply, “No.”

“Fine,” John added and bent to get out the window.

Mat didn’t look at her, just urged her as he got out. “The minute you know, you’ll come tell us, right? And you’ll be careful, too?”

Not saying a word, fearing someone could hear them outside and come looking to see who was making noise, she nodded.

When they made it down to the ground a few minutes later, she closed the window and leaned on the wall. Gazing up to the ceiling, she bit her lip nervously. A metallic taste on her tongue told her she made a tiny gash in her lip, and she bled slightly.

Licking her lip to stop the flow, she walked over to her top bureau drawer to get her nightgown.

Her instincts had been right about the handsome, mysterious duo. A lot more was going on with them than they let on. Why would they come all the way from Texas to work on the train? And of all the jobs to get there, they got the expressmen’s jobs. How convenient they’d know the combination of the safe and have easy access to all the gold, money, and bonds stored on the train.

While beginning to undress, her hands did the movements, but her mind roamed a million miles away. “I was right about you boys. You’re up to something, and I need to find out what.”

Once she changed into her cotton nightdress, she slipped under the covers and snuggled to get warm.

“And the perfect time to do that will be tomorrow night. Whoever came up with the motto ‘divide and conquer’ was a genius. Together, boys, you’ve got each other’s back, but alone, your vulnerabilities will show.”

She rolled over to face the window and whispered as she closed her eyes, smirking, “Get ready for tomorrow night, Trevor, because I’ll certainly be. I’ve got a nice surprise in store for you. Maybe even two.”

Trevor knew where his mind headed and just let it lead him, enjoying the trip.

His eyes had gotten heavy after the voices in Belle’s room ceased and James turned out the oil lamp’s flame, going to bed. He did the same and surprisingly fell into sleep instantly.

As darkness enveloped his conscious, his subconscious awakened.

The knock was faint but distinguishable. James looked at him through sleepy eyes and mumbled, “Will you get it, Trev?”

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he got up slowly and stretched, yawning. He couldn’t have been asleep for more than five minutes when the sound awoke him. Walking over to the door, he opened it, not knowing whom to expect.