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rapid-fire instructions and be ready to fill Norma in on the details when she arrived.
    She unfolded the papers and, smoothing them against her knee, reviewed her notes. According to the Pinkertons, several factions existed in Pickford—mine owners, saloonkeepers, plus the usual assortment of businessmen and tradespeople.
    “Don’t rely on outward appearances. There’s no telling who might be involved. Under no circumstances are you to reveal your true identity or your connection with this agency to anyone in Pickford.”
    Ellie could almost hear Fleming’s dry tone as she read the inked words on the page. “We have no idea who is behind these thefts, so trust no one, not even the miners who asked for our help.”
    When Ellie looked at him in astonishment, he’d added, “It wouldn’t be the first time a miscreant has attempted to divert suspicion from himself by calling us in.”
    Ellie frowned and tucked that snippet of information away in her memory. She would ask Norma for clarification on this point. Being an experienced investigator, her partner would surely understand the behavior of the criminal element.
    The desk clerk polished his pince-nez with his handkerchief, then set them back on his nose again, never taking his gaze off Ellie. Pushing herself farther back in the seat of the chair, Ellie ignored him as she folded the papers and placed them back inside her reticule. She lifted her head at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairway adjacent to the front desk and swung around to see who was descending.
    A stocky blond woman who looked to be in her midforties stepped off the bottom stair of the stairway leading to the hotel rooms and crossed the lobby with determined strides, barely slowing when she pushed open the heavy door and went outside. Ellie let out her breath in a disappointed sigh and slumped against the chair back. Even if her hair had been as red as a strawberry, Ellie would never have suspected the other woman of being Norma Brooks. There had been something in Gates’s voice when he spoke of the senior operative, a tone that made Ellie feel sure Norma was a highly attractive woman.
    Besides, she must be relatively young, probably not far from Ellie’s own age, since the Pinkertons had been looking for a woman of Lavinia Stewart’s advancing years to play the role of her aunt . . . and to be by far the less actively involved investigator of the team. Ellie pressed her lips together, remembering the sting she felt when the men told her the role would be primarily a matter of window dressing, giving Norma a necessary chaperone. On the other hand, they also implied that Ellie stood a good chance of future employment with them if she proved herself by learning the ropes quickly.
    She needed to look on the bright side and view her role as something like being an understudy, learning the lead character’s lines and stage business while carrying on a minor role of her own. Frustrating for the moment, but with the possibility of bigger opportunities to come. She would fix her hopes on that consolation.
    The door to the street swung open, and an attractive young couple strolled into the lobby. The dark-haired man was handsome enough, but Ellie’s gaze—like that of every other person in the room—was drawn to his dazzling companion. Ellie realized her jaw was sagging and snapped her lips shut. Could this be Norma? The Pinkertons had led her to believe she’d be meeting a stunning redhead, but she hadn’t expected anything like this gorgeous creature with her blooming cheeks and air of vitality.
    With a show of reluctance, the man moved to one side and stood near the coatrack while the woman stepped forward, glancing from face to face as though searching for someone.
    Searching for her! Scrambling to her feet, Ellie tried to collect her wits. This was no time to demonstrate her lack of experience. Plucking up her courage, she approached the other woman and offered a polite smile. “Excuse