An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards Page B

this with my sons.”
    Lilly sat in the outer office with the clerk, listening to the clackety-clack of the Remington typewriter Harris was using, while they both tried to ignore the yelling and cursing as the Pinkerton men argued over her like dogs over a meaty bone.
    At the end of ten minutes, she was called back in. The tension in the room was palpable. Allan wore an unruffled expression, but his color was high. Thank God he had not suffered another shock on her account! William looked relieved. Robert was livid.
    â€œCongratulations, Mrs. Warner,” William said when she was seated across from him once more. “You are the newest employee of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, on that trial basis you mentioned.”
    The knot in Lilly’s stomach unfurled, and her first true smile encompassed them all. “Thank you. I appreciate your confidence more than I can say and promise to do my best.”
    â€œI’m certain you will,” William said. “We do have an assignment for you, a missing person—a missing family, actually. There will be no need for you to take on another persona. You will just be Lilly Warner, trying to locate a certain individual. It’s up to you whether or not you’ll be better served by letting people know you’re with the agency. It may not be very exciting, but I’m sure you understand that as a new recruit, we can’t throw you into the lion’s den, so to speak.”
    She glanced at Allan, whose face was impassive. There was no mistaking the gloating expression on Robert’s face at knowing her first assignment was one of little consequence.
    â€œThank you, sir. It’s sound thinking on your part to give me something uncomplicated for my first assignment as a detective.”
    â€œFor the record, my father has always preferred the use of operative instead of detective, since that word has come to mean someone with a less-than-savory reputation. You should also know that we have a code of ethics written by my father entitled General Principles . You will be given a copy. We expect all of our operatives to honor them.”
    â€œI will do my best.”
    Allan spoke up. “This is a high calling, Mrs. Warner. I’ll be the first to admit that you are quite the expert at role-playing, which will stand you in good stead, but you must also become a close observer of people. To analyze those around you, judge their feelings, their actions, and the reasons behind those actions.”
    Lilly nodded, doing her best to store away every word he spoke.
    â€œIt’s been my experience that people like to talk, even when they’ve done something wrong,” the eldest Pinkerton offered. “It is up to the operative to judge just when to force the issue, as well as what means to employ to obtain the information. As you pointed out earlier, as long as justice wins out, the ends justify the means.”
    â€œI understand.” Her head spun with all the information she was receiving. Perhaps it was better after all that this first job was somewhat trivial.
    William handed her a small booklet. “This is an overview of the case,” he explained. “We make a journal for each client. In it, you will find the client’s name and problem, what he would like us to do for him, and a detailed plan of how to proceed. Look it over thoroughly tonight.”
    Lilly took the proffered book. “Thank you, sir. I will.”
    â€œWe want you to come in each day for the remainder of this week and part of next for further instruction. At the end of that time, you will be sent to the southern part of the state, a town called Vandalia. Our clients are a wealthy man and his wife who wish to purchase some land and a house near there that they desire to turn into a home for unwed mothers.”
    â€œA noble undertaking,” Lilly commented, thinking of her own mother.
    â€œYes,” Robert interjected. “It’s