[The Secret Lives of Will Tucker 02] - Millie's Treasure

319 Pages·2016·1.34 MB·English

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
BOOKS BY KATHLEEN Y’BARBO
The Secret Lives of Will Tucker
Flora’s Wish
To Watch Book Trailer
http://bit.ly/FlorasWish
Millie’s Treasure
To Watch Book Trailer
http://bit.ly/MilliesTreasure
Scripture verses are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Cover by Garborg Design Works, Savage, Minnesota Cover photos © Chris
Garborg; Bigstock / Tashka Back cover author photo by Robert C. Turner
Published in association with the Books & Such Literary Agency, 52 Mission
Circle, Suite 122, PMB 170, Santa Rosa, CA 95409-5370,
www.booksandsuch.biz.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are
products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
MILLIE’S TREASURE
Copyright © 2013 by Kathleen Y’Barbo Published by Harvest House
Publishers Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Y’Barbo, Kathleen.
Millie’s treasure / Kathleen Y’Barbo.
pages cm.—(The secret lives of Will Tucker ; bk. 2) ISBN 978-0-
7369-5213-2 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-5214-9 (eBook)
1. Mistaken identity—Fiction. 2. Christian fiction. 3. Love stories. I
Title.
PS3625.B37M55 2013
813’.6—dc23
2012048750
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be
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To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, My all and all. You alone are my treasure.
And thank you to the “real” Kyle Russell for letting me borrow your name.
The youth gets together his materials to build a bridge to the moon, or,
perchance, a palace or temple on the earth, and, at length, the middle-aged man
concludes to build a woodshed with them.
Henry David Thoreau
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:21
Contents
Books by Kathleen Y’Barbo
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
(free sample) Sadie’s Secret
Readers Guide to Millie’s Treasure
Author’s Note
Discussion Questions
About the Author
Flora’s Wish
About the Publisher
One
December 24, 1888
Chicago, Illinois
I’m a Pinkerton agent, not a treasure hunter.”
Agent Kyle Russell knew he had raised his voice far louder than was proper
when speaking to a superior officer, but he didn’t care. In previous cases,
pleading his passion for the topic might have been a sufficient excuse, but this
time he offered no apology. He was a man accustomed to working cases that
mattered, not a flunky being used to further another man’s political career.
Henry Smith ignored the breach of conduct to point in Kyle’s direction. “The
president has requested I put my best man on this case, and, unfortunately, you
are he.”
If this was Henry’s way of praising him, the compliment fell short. Nor did it
matter that it was Christmas Eve, and he had agreed to a meeting in Chicago
when his mother wished him home in New Orleans to celebrate the holidays
with his family.
“March fourth.” Henry shrugged. “Your time on this case lasts only until
inauguration day. When the president leaves office, you can leave this case
behind.” He removed his spectacles and pinched the spot where they rested on
his nose. “What if I allow you to return to the Will Tucker case after this is all
over? Would that sweeten the pot for working this one until the first week of
March?”
Will Tucker.
The name held memories of a case that had become personal. Of a man
whose exploits had wounded hearts and caused losses beyond the jewels he stole
from his victims. That he had escaped from Angola Prison in Louisiana had been
a thorn in Kyle’s side for more than a year.
“Before I answer you, can I ask why a president who was voted out of office
is suddenly interested in Confederate treasure that may or may not have
existed?”
With a lift of one shoulder, Henry put on his spectacles once more. “I would
only be guessing, but I think he is looking to add some money to the
government’s coffers. To leave on a high note, as it were.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning he is promising to be back in four years. To be responsible for
adding a substantial deposit of gold to the Treasury without taxing the people
might help him get there.”
“Confederate gold for reelection?” Kyle shook his head. “Not seeing the
point in it.”
“We do not have to see the point. And who knows? Maybe it is not
Cleveland himself who’s asking. It could be anyone who runs in his circles. A
cabinet member, one of his political backers, anyone.”
Henry walked to the door and closed it. “The assignment comes from
William Pinkerton himself, son, so I suggest you take it seriously and respond
accordingly.”
Kyle accepted the folder his boss offered and then opened it to give the pages
a cursory glance. Though William Pinkerton ran the Chicago office with an iron
hand, he rarely intervened in individual cases to make specific requests. Despite
his misgivings, Kyle nodded. “All right.”
“That’s it? Just ‘all right’? Nothing else?”
Kyle tucked the folder under his arm. “What else is there to say, sir?” He
paused to offer the beginnings of a smile to the man he had worked under for the
better part of ten years. “Unless Mr. Pinkerton would be willing to write a note
to my mother explaining my absence during her holiday celebrations. Not that it
would do much good.”
Henry chuckled. “No, if she is anything like my wife, I would imagine not.”
His expression sobered. “The agency appreciates you, Kyle. You are the best
we’ve got. Mr. Pinkerton said so, and I will echo the sentiment.”
A compliment neither man bestowed lightly. “Thank you, sir.”
“Look on the bright side,” he said. “Maybe you will come up with some sort
of invention that will uncover buried treasure.” At Kyle’s grin, he continued.
“You already have one?”
“Borrowing on the theory of induction balance put forth by Bell, I...” Kyle
shook his head. “The short answer is yes, though it’s not yet ready to patent until
we have done more research in the field. At least, that is the opinion of Mr.
Toulmin.”
“Toulmin?”