June 27, 1869

Amiville. 

The next day I sat in the saloon, reading the case reports I had received from Peep the night before. I drank my Irish Coffee and read about Stacie had given for the report. Baron had apparently informed her of how the body had been found by the entrance of the mines. When they went to see the body they found it laying facedown with blood pooling on his back, soaking the clothing. Foxie had informed her that Dutch was indeed dead, and his body was taken to the clinic to be examined. It was there that Foxie confirmed that Dutch had been shot in the back. The body was then moved to the funeral parlor. 

In another report, Stacie wrote that she had been investigating witnesses, and it seemed that Dutch had been murdered over a woman. There was as yet no concrete evidence but things were pointing towards two people, both of whom needed to be questioned by other law officers. She noted that Tristan especially needed to be questioned as Stacie’s presence made him distracted and distanced. 

As I was joined at the table by John and Vae, I re-read over the notes to make sure I’d seen Tristan’s name correctly. Hadn’t he been helpful in discussing Peep and Dutch’s relationship? He hadn’t seemed awkward or distanced when we talked. In fact, he seemed confident and genuine in his information. I wondered suddenly if Tristan’s helpfulness had all been a plan to keep my focus off of himself.

It was at that point when Tristan walked into the saloon. I looked up from my notes to him and felt my heart racing. I wondered why I became so nervous whenever I was in the same room as him and looked away.

“Ta hell’s wrong with her?” he asked as he sat down at the table with us. 

“I’m not sure, Tristan...” I hesitated. “I just got the feelin’ I needed to see you... to talk to you... And now here you are.” 

“Well go on,” he said. “I’mma listening.” 

“Tristan... This whole murder thing has been gettin’ to me...” 

“Mmhmm. As to us all...” 

“And I’m not quite sure what do do with some of the information I’ve been receiving,” I hesitated, looking over at him. 

“How’s bouts you just spit it on out?” 

“Tristan, your name’s come up in conversation.” 

“My name, ya say?” 

“I can’t even say by who, ‘cos I promised I wouldn’t... but I wanted to warn ya... To talk to ya,” I hung my head in shame, feeling like I’d already betrayed Peep’s confidence. 

“Well I reckon if’n you can’t say then it wasn’t a reliable source, Miss Trin. Everyone knows me and ole Dutchie been friends since we’s were boys...” 

Looking at him, I knew somehow he couldn’t have murdered his friend. Something in his voice just led me to believe him, to trust him. Perhaps my judgment of him was being clouded though, due to the fact that he was so charmingly handsome. “Tristan, I...” I hesitated. “I think I know who did it.” 

“I reckon ya do,” Tristan nodded. “And so does everyone else with their opinions.”

“From what I’ve been hearin’ and what I’ve been seein’... It’s becoming more than just an educated guess.” 

“Now Miss Trin... If’n I was you, I’d leave that up to the Law to decide.” 

“But...” I felt my heart racing faster and reached for Tristan’s hand to steady myself. 

“Ma’am, if’n ya have something to say, g’on and say it, would ya?” 

The door to the saloon opened and I looked over to see a group of children walking in. I sighed and shook my head. “I can’t now, Tristan. Not with all these children here. Can we... Can we go outside and talk?” 

“Yes ma’am, if’n we must...” 

“I think it’s imperative at this point.” 

We walked outside and I walked up to Tristan, trying to steady my breathing. He looked at me and asked, “Now Miss Trin, what is it you have to say?” 

“I think I had the murderer in my house last night.” 

“Oh, why didn’t ya say?” he asked, suddenly interested. “And just who do ya think it is?” 

“Before I tell ya that I wanted to run another theory past ya.” 

“Alright... g’on.” 

“I’m not so sure he was killed much less gone into hiding.” 

“You saying Dutchie’s alive?” 

“I don’t know, Tristan... But Miss Rosa saw his ghost and... Well he warned that his brothers were in danger. And all this stuff about a woman bein’ involved...” 

“Ma’am, I assure you ole Dutchie has crossed over.” 

“How do ya know for sure?” I asked. “His body was found face down. He could’ve set someone up. 

He could’ve...” I stopped as Chels walked over and Tristan said hi to her. 

Turning to me he said, “There was no mistake...” From inside we heard Rosa chuckling and Tristan shouted, “Rosa!” Looking to me he said, “Now ma’am I reckon you getcha a much better source.” 

As Rosa laughed again I said, “I’d say the deputy sheriff was a better source...” 

“Reckon you beatin’ on the wrong bush,” he said, his anger at my suggestion clearly rising. 

“She had vengeance in her eyes, Tristan. When I suggested he could still be alive, Peep went from bein’ a distraught shell of a woman out for revenge.” I sighed, feeling like he wasn’t really listening to me. Turning around I told Rosa to tell him what Dutch’s ghost told her.

“Oh Dutch? Oh where is he? Is he here again?” she looked around, panicked. 

“I’m sorry Miss Trin, I just can’t believe what you’re saying, is all,” Tristan apologized to me. “That woman’s all sorts of crazy.” 

“I couldn’t believe it either but...” 

“I ain’t crazy!” Rosa interrupted me. “He was here! He looked mighty fine too!” 

“And I’m gonna take it upon myself to put you out of your misery...” Tristan reached down and pulled out his Winchester, making me raise my eyebrow in surprise. 

“Dun make me shoot you, Tristan!” Rosa shouted. 

“Now close ya eyes, it ain’t hurt one bit, you’ll see!” 

“Ya call me mad!” Rosa shouted. “You outta yer cotton picken’ mind!” 

“Okay look,” I started, becoming nervous. “I didn’t want any violence over this. I thought I was confiding in a friend...” 

“Is your eyes closed?” Tristan asked Rosa, ignoring me. 

“Hell no; ya gonna kill me, I wanna see it comi’n!” 

“Yessum, but I’m thinkin’ you got your facts all wrong,” Tristan said to me. “It can’t be her. She ain’t like that.” 

“Okay, I take it all back. I don’t know what I was thinkin’,” I shifted uncomfortably. 

“Listen here. I know what I saw and heard!” Rosa shouted as another man joined the circle. 

“Now on the count of three, Roby,” Tristan said to him. “Shoot Rosa.” 

“I was there with Rosa,” Chels came over to us. “Saw and heard nothing.” 

“Tristan!” I called out. 

“Dutch was here! He came to me and told me-” 

“One,” Tristan started counting. 

“Tristan, stop!” I ordered.

“One and a half... Two...” Tristan looked over and said, “Common, Roby. Draw ya damn gun.” 

“Tristan! Shut up a moment!” Rosa shouted. 

Tristan just laughed and said, “Two and a quarter...” 

“God dang you!” Rosa shouted, making him chuckle again. “Fine, shoot me,” she sighed. 

“Mista I’m gonna make you eat that rifle,” Tristan said to Roby. “And you’s gonna like every bit of it.” 

“Bring it mister,” Roby held out his weapon. 

“Tristan... come here,” Rosa motioned with her finger. 

“All wanna stand back. Mister here poking his nose in business that doesn’t concern him,” Tristan called out. He took his gun and pulled it up to take aim. 

“Ah fer pete sake,” Rosa rolled her eyes. “God you men are pig headed fools!” 

Tristan looked down then said, “I can’t hold this back. Miss Trin be saying she knows who killed Dutchie.” 

“I’ma startin’ to think all you folks are done plum crazy,” John called from his spot on the sidelines. 

“She does?” Peep had joined us and suddenly all eyes were turned on me. 

“Yessum, She does,” Tristan nodded. 

“Trin?” Sheriff Zakk looked over at me. 

“Damn it, Tristan,” I swore, livid. 

“Miss Trin you can hold stuff like that back now but it ain’t right,” Tristan advised as Peep just bit her lip, waiting for me to speak. 

“Come to the courthouse, now!” Zakk ordered then. 

Though I was more than a little upset with Tristan for selling me out, I went to the courthouse with everyone who had joined the crowd gathering in front of the saloon. When we got there, Zakk told me to explain everything I knew so I did, though it wasn’t much. I clarifid that all I had were theories, and I didn’t have any concrete evidence. As I spoke I felt myself trembling, feeling a mixture of both fear and anger. Once I started talking about ghosts and how Dutch might still be alive, they all laughed and said I was crazy. I began to wonder if they were right. 

I told Zakk about how Peep had been at my place and how she’d had vengeance in her eyes when I suggested that Dutch might still be alive, and how they had fought in the saloon violently. Zakk joked that if they arrested everyone who’d fought with Dutch, he’d have to arrest everyone in town. 

“But Trin has proof...” Tristan tried to assure them after Chels and Peep had left the courthouse together. 

“Tristan, don’t put words in my mouth,” I glared at him. 

He closed his eyes and thought a moment, then said, “But she admitted it to Trin.” 

“She did not, Tristan,” I couldn’t believe him. Why was he suddenly trying to blame Peep when 

outside he’d been so sure she wasn’t like that? 

Rosa yelled that she wasn’t crazy and the whole conversation turned back to the ghost and how both Peep and I were just as crazy as her. When we all left the courthouse I was livid and told Tristan I needed a word with him. I overheard John making a comment about how I probably never ran out of words and Tristan just agreed before following me to my cabin. 

When we were inside, I called him out for making me look crazy in front of everyone. He apologized but it wasn’t good enough I told him there was more I was trying to tell him and he asked me what it was. Finally I told him that I had feelings for him and that I’d been trying to tell him the whole time. Tristan told me that his wife died two years ago, and he just wasn’t over it. As he left, he said everything would be fine, but I wasn’t sure...