November 27, 1869

Idaho. 

I wandered around on my horse this morning and found Manipi. I fed him some fish and he followed me as I continued to ride. In Twin Falls, I taked with Roy about the newspaper and then wandered on. 

Kansas. 

At Hawk’s village I talked with Two Spirits and she said that things had been safer lately. We talked about hunting and then I continued on. 

Amiville. 

I spent the day working on reports and then headed over to Amiville. I knocked on the sheriff’s office door and Logan opened the door to greet me. “Well look who it is.” 

“Hey there, Sheriff!” I smiled. 

“How are you Miss Paige?” he asked, opening the door as I walked in and saw Rayce. 

“Rayce, hi!” I smiled at her. 

“Hello miss Trin,” she looked over and smiled. 

“I’m alright, Logan... How are you both?”

“Doing well, just setting up a bulletin board,” he said, nodding to the board on the wall. 

I looked and asked, “Things quiet round here?”

“All is well. The outlaws are pretty much gone other than... well.... Kitty.” 

“Oh really..” 

“I’m alright, thank you,” Rayce replied. 

I looked around, realizing it had been a long time since I was in the office. I took a deep breath, remembering everything that had happened there, and looked over at Logan. “Maybe this was a bad idea...”

“What?” he looked at me, confused. 

“Just... a lot of memories in this room...” I shook my head. “I see you’ve still got the Black Brothers pictures up.” 

Logan looked around and said, “Well I have to work here... and remember my former undersheriff. Not so pleasant.” He shrugged at the mention of the pictures. “Something to put on the wall.”

“I’m sorry,” I looked down. 

“No matter... good riddance I say.” 

“At least the saloon is different..” I sighed. 

“It is for sure.”

“Been working on my journals from way back.. .Found the day when I met you,” I chuckled. 

“That’s funny. My awkward first days,” he laughed. 

“Oh gosh, I want to hear about that!” Rayce grinned. 

“Georgetown rejected me because I was too young,” Logan smiled at her. 

“Well he came into the saloon and that Irish accent made me turn my head right way...” I explained. 

“I was dancing up on stage and well, he was being all charming..”

“But when I came here Gramps encouraged me to stay until I was ripe enough,” Logan laughed. “I though you found me behind a sign...”

“Nah...” I chuckled. 

“And I made an offhanded comment about beating the piano into submission and everyone gave me the eyebrow,” Logan laughed. 

“He was... charming,” I winked at Rayce. 

“Aren’t I always?” he grinned. 

“Yes, yes he is,” Rayce smiled. 

“He’s turning red, Rayce. We should be nice,” I looked over at Logan. 

“Not a chance,” Rayce hit his shoulder lightly. 

“I never blush,” Logan laughed then rubbed his arm. “Ow!” 

“Hm... How bout some drink?” I suggested. 

“I didn’t hit you that hard, you wimp!” Rayce exclaimed. 

“I would love to, but I need to rest for a bit ,” Logan said. 

“I guess I’ll see you both soon then.” 

“Be safe out there. There be monsters,” Rayce warned. 

“Mmhmm. See ya’ll.”

“Alright Trin. You have a good day,” she said. 

“Rayce, you weirdo,” Logan laughed. “Nice to see you Miss Paige. don’t be a stranger.” 

I headed outside and then blinked, seeing Drake in the streets. We talked for a while and he said he’d just got back into town again yesterday. We talked about how I lived in Nebraska and he walked me back home. 

Nebraska. 

This evening I walked out of the house and saw a crowd in the streets. “Howdy everyone!” 

“Trin, meet Casper and Austin,” Dom introduced me to the man and young child. 

“Pleasure to meet you both!” I smiled. 

“She’s our newspaper woman.” 

“The pleasure is ours, thank you,” Casper said. 

“Sheriff Brent, how are things?” I asked Brent. 

“Quiet just how I like them,” he answered. 

“It’s nice and festive looking in here... I just decorated my office for the holidays,” I looked around the town. 

“It’s too beautiful out to stain the snow,” Brent said.

“So Casper how long ya’ll been in the area?” I asked him. 

“We gots da house over dere,” the boy named Austin said. 

“So we have our full newspaper team...” I told Dom. “Two writers in each area that we’re covering. Thinking the first deadline will be the first week in January... Have the first issue focused on Christmas and December.”

“Great, Trin!” Dom smiled. 

“Gives ‘em a month to come up with stories and such. I’ve taken to riding around the places we cover... See what’s going on. If there’s something happening I let the writer in that area know about it. Gives me something to do and a reason to go around exploring when I don’t feel like writing.”

“Well ain’t nothin’ much goin’ on round these parts, Trin,” Dom laughed. 

“Nope, pretty quiet around here. Is good to have a quiet place to write. Only bad one I’ve seen here since moving here was Buu...”

“I figured Buu would find his way here sooner or later,” Dom nodded. 

“Ones that don’t need to be in newspapers,” Brent noted. 

“He shot down my friend Kale. Aimed a gun at me. The marshals were all standing across the river and didn’t do a thing. They were just conveniently outside of our jurisdiction. Haven’t seen him in these parts since though.”

“Where did this happen?” Dom asked. 

“Just past the town hall building. Was about a week or two ago. Right Brent?”

“Yeah I’d say so thats when you told me about it,” Brent nodded. 

“I think I told you about it a couple day after it happened. Surprised he hasn’t been around again.”

“Where this Buu character hang out?” Brent asked. 

“Oh he will be. I seen him in Amiville a lot, Brent,” Dom pointed out. 

“Think he was making a point that no one was around and the marshals that were there didn’t have any power over him,” I said. 

“I need a new gun,” Casper laughed and I chuckled. 

“Yeah he’s in Amiville or Georgetown...” I said. “Usually.” 

“Well only posse there gonna be if it’s necessary is a legal one,” Brent said. 

“No sense of adventure, Brent,” I chuckled. 

“I highly recommend Stag Arms guns,” Dom suggested to Casper. 

“Hmm... we need to pay a judge,” Casper smiled. 

“We have two judges,” Dom laughed. 

“Luyu still the judge around here? Who’s the second?” I asked. 

“How much do we need?” Casper smiled. 

“Our town judge Luyu and the federal circuit judge.” 

“Federal Circuit judge?”

“Yeah Clif.” 

“Ah yes, Clif... Good friend of mine. I’ve known him a long time.”

“Is there gonna be a hangin’?” Casper asked. 

“He been my friend a lot longer, Trin,” Dom laughed. 

Quiet signed, ‘Cliff been kidnapped unless they give ransom.” 

I blinked and looked over at Quiet. “What?? He was kidnaped?!”

“Yeah, I got a wire about that,” Dom nodded. 

“They haven’t found him yet?” 

“Nope.” 

“Who sent a ransom?” 

“Who is the outlaws?” Brent asked. 

“We don’t know, Brent.” 

“Who cares which ones. They’re all...” I muttered. 

“All I have heard so far is a note was received and they are to wait on another note,” Dom said. 

“Where was he kidnapped from? Amiville?” I shook my head in frustration. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Did anyone talk to the law there?” Brent asked. 

“If he is, I should talk to Sheriff Callaghan there...”

“So we can be kidnapped , see that Austin you stick around home,” Austin’s mother who had arrived warned the child. 

“Yes ma,” Austin nodded. 

“I need to find out more information first,” I said. “Normally I wouldn’t even consider going to Amiville but...”

“Trin you want to take a ride over see if we can find out something?” Brent suggested. 

“Yes Brent, I would. I don’t want to go on my own. And I don’t like the sound of this.”

“Try talking to Tristan. He’s head marshal in Amiville now,” Dom suggested. 

“I’m worried, Brent...” I said as I got up on Cleetus. “Clif is a close friend.. If they hurt him...’

“Oh will be fine,” Brent promised. 

Amiville. 

I sighed as we rode into town, knowing that if it weren’t Clif then she wouldn’t have come there to investigate anything. “Let’s dismount and poke around. Maybe someone’s heard something.”

“I’m not sure if I want to go on point to talk to anyone,” Brent said. 

“How we gonna find anything out then?” I looked over at him. 

“I was thinking more just lurking around town. Find friends.” 

“The saloon is a good place to start if Gramps is there. Only folks I visit here anymore are Gramps and Logan. Unless we can maybe find Rayce...”

We walked around town and I saw the church and remembered when Bill’s gang had surrounded me inside. I swallowed hard, telling myself to get a grip and leave it in the past. The snow had completely covered where the Mexican restaurant had been, and then I shook my head seeing the hotel. I looked at my old house and office and kept walking as memories flooded my mind. 

“Through here. Sean might be in the hospital and he would maybe know something. He’s the head doctor there,” I told Brent and we headed over to the clinic and I knocked on the door. “Sean? Sean, you in there?” I muttered to myself, getting impatient, and banged on the window. “Come on Sean.... Wake up! I can see you in there! He’s in there, Brent... He’ll know something. I just..” 

“Yes?” Gigi peaked out of the window and then smiled. “Oh hey Trin! How goes it?”

“Gigi! I need to talk to you! I heard that Clif’s been kidnapped! This is Sheriff Brent, our sheriff in Nebraska.”

“Hello ma’am,” Brent tipped his hat. 

“We just heard about it tonight and we had to come poke around. Brent this is my friend Gigi.”

“Hello,” Gigi shivered a little. 

“Any news on Clif?”

“I been down south. I had simply no clue. When did he go missing?” Gigi asked. 

“I’d say about a week,” Brent said. 

“I been in Texas. Got back today, really.” 

“Oh I see...” 

“Yeah, I had some things to attend to and then Sean and I had our anniversary. He came ahead of me. But other than that no I haven’t seen much of any one.” 

“Oh I see... We saw him in the hospital but he was resting I guess. Thought we’d come see if we could find you.”

“I mean why would any one bother kidnapping him?” Gigi asked. 

“I have no idea but I heard there was a ransom demand.”

“Well if there’s anything I may assist in, let me know please,” Gigi said. 

“Well thank you much ma’am,” Brent said. 

“Okay thank you Gigi. If you hear anything... Send me a wire in Nebraska?” I asked her. 

“Yes, I will,” she nodded. 

“Good to see you again. Glad to hear you and Sean are doing well,” I smiled. 

“We are. He so wonderful,” she shivered and rubbed her arms with cold. 

“I’ll let you get inside. Good to see you.”

Brent found a sleigh and we headed back home. 

Nebraska. 

We headed back home and I saw Andy talking with Dom. “Hey Andy.. Remember how you said cowboys needed hugs?” I asked Andy. 

“I a lawdog too!” Andy waved to Brent. “Dis Cwiff, he was importants?” 

“He’s the circuit judge, Andy... And a good friend of mine,” I told him. 

“Oh.... Well a fend of yours is a fend of mine otays? And I still want your gwasses.” 

“I hope we find him. I’m worried...”

Andy picked up a toy and held it to me. “Want to hold him?” 

“I want a hug, Andy.” 

Andy hugged me tight and said, “It be otays.” 

“I hope so...”

“I go now otays?” 

“Tell Logan I want to talk to him?”

“Yes ma’ams. But we still can’t go out otays?” 

“I think I’ve already met someone though,” I winked at him. 

Lonely Eagle came over then and gave me a hug. He and Quiet Water talked about how he wanted to be a healer.