Forever and Always by Leigh Greenwood

his horse. Gathering the reins, he headed toward the trail leading down the rim and into town. He’d known from the beginning he was going. Maybe that’s why the dog hadn’t said anything. No point in giving advice that would be ignored.
    * * *
    â€œElliot Lowe?”
    The sound of his forgotten name caused Logan to stiffen. He had been wary when Cassie informed him that a man in the bank lobby had asked to speak to the man with the puffy face.
    â€œWho are you?” he asked. “And why would you expect me to respond to that name?” The man didn’t appear disconcerted by Logan’s unfriendly manner or the nature of his question.
    â€œIs there somewhere we can speak in private?”
    â€œHere is fine.” The bank was empty except for Cassie and Horace. “My name is Logan Holstock. You have followed the wrong man.”
    â€œI don’t think so.” The man looked pleased rather than disconcerted. “I’m a Pinkerton agent hired by Miss Bridgette Lowe to find you and take you home. I followed you from Chicago.”
    Realizing this was a conversation he couldn’t avoid, Logan said, “Let’s go out back.”
    He wasn’t surprised Bridgette had tried to find him. Her father had done nothing to help his brother build his businesses. Nevertheless, she believed she should have been the one to inherit her uncle’s money. Now her only way to get it was to marry Logan. “How did you find me?”
    â€œYour looks made it easy to follow your trail.”
    That shouldn’t have surprised him. Everyone he’d encountered between here and Chicago probably remembered the sick man with the bloated features. “You’ve wasted your time and Bridgette her money,” he told the agent. “Tell Bridgette I’m not going back because I have no reason to go back.”
    The agent cocked his head. “I understood you were engaged to marry Miss Lowe.”
    He didn’t know what Bridgette had told the agent, but he wasn’t going to discuss his personal life with a stranger. “I have to go back to work, and you have a long way to travel. You should get started.”
    â€œI would like to talk to you again,” the agent said.
    â€œI don’t want to talk to you. Now I have to leave. I have work to do.”
    The man seemed reluctant. “I’ll be in town for a few days.”
    â€œEnjoy the scenery.”
    â€œIf you change your mind—”
    â€œI won’t.”
    After a pause, the agent left. When Logan reentered the bank, Horace pretended to be busy. Making no attempt to hide her curiosity, Cassie looked directly at him.
    â€œI knew you couldn’t be a bum,” she said. “You talk too nice.”
    â€œThere are lots of bums in Chicago.”
    Cassie’s curiosity couldn’t be diverted so easily. “I bet there aren’t any with Pinkerton agents looking for them. You aren’t a criminal, are you? No, you wouldn’t be,” she said, answering her own question. “Not with some rich woman wanting to marry you. Why don’t you want to marry her? Has she seen your face?”
    He’d only known Cassie for a few hours, but he knew the only way to stop her was to satisfy her curiosity. “Yes, she’s seen my face.”
    â€œShe must really love you.”
    He wasn’t going to get into that. “It wouldn’t be right for either of us.”
    Cassie regarded him with open skepticism. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”
    Horace poked his head through his teller window. “Leave the man alone. If he’s got secrets, it’s none of your business.”
    â€œI’m not interested in knowing his secrets,” Cassie said. “I just want to know they won’t hurt Mrs. Spencer.” Her gaze zeroed in on Logan. “What about it?”
    â€œMy secrets won’t hurt Mrs. Spencer or anyone in Cactus