Colorado Springs.
This morning I wandered over to the stables where I found someone sleeping there. I saw Jake walking over and poked him. He turned and said, “Howdy Miss Trin... What are ya doin’ in here?”
“Heard movement in here so I thought I’d see who was here,” I chuckled.
“Well yes, it seems like we’ve got some stranger sleepin’ in here and I wanted to come check it out too,” Jake chuckled.
“Ah I see. Like one mind then. I just tolok a walk around the block... ain’t much goin on.”
“So Mister... You got a name?” Jake turned towards the stranger.
“Guess he ain’t in the mood for talkin’,” I looked from the stranger to Jake.
The man dusted himself off and got up off the ground from where he was sleeping. “Yes... and I intend to keeping it.”
Jake shrugged and said, “Maybe he just woke up...”
“Ah he does speak English. Good morning, Sir,” I greeted the stranger.
“You know where you are Sir?” Jake asked him.
He stood and gave a blank stare. “I am in a shed...” He looked at Jake for a moment and asked, “Does this mean you own the shed?”
Jake and I chuckled and then Jake said, “Naah, this is just a shed for the Baker’s mule or somethin’ Sir... Why don’t ya come with us to the saloon and we’ll see if we can get ya somethin’ to eat or drink?”
“By the way, Jake, I need to talk about some business with you when we can,” I remembered and then greeted Chels as she walked over. “We’re just tryin to help a poor man who woke up in the shed here. He doesn’t seem to be too talkative.”
“You would too if you got rudely woken up...” the man said, patting down the weapon on his belt.
I saw another person walking into my office and walked over to him. “Can I help you sir?”
“I am from the Cheyenne Tribe I am lookin for a medicine person in trade,” the Native said.
“Oh, well I can lead you to the clinic but I am not sure if anyone’s there right now.” I reached out my hand and said, “My name’s Trin.”
“I have been givin the name of Red by my mother,” he said and shook my hand.
“This here’s my office so I had to come over and see if I could help you with anything. Shall we go to the clinic? Follow me.” I led the way outside and on the way to the clinic I asked, “Is it something serious that you need medical attention for?”
“No, I just came to trade.”
We made it to the clinic and but no one was there so we parted ways and I walked back towards where Jake and Chels still were and talked to them about the morning as the stranger continued to mutter in German. I asked Chels to get Jake to talk to me about a possible case and Jake walked over.
“Perhaps you both would like to join me in my office? It’s not that I want to exclude you, Chels, I just wanted to make sure Jake would be here too.”
“Alright...” Jake nodded and they followed me into the office.
We sat down at the table and I looked between them. “Okay here’s the thing,” I started, looking between them. “Teren was in the clinic when I found Adder and Logan yesterday talking to the Black brothers there...”
“Yes?” Jake nodded.
“The brothers were asking Logan and Adder for the 2000 coins and they weren’t having anything of it... But... I went in to talk to Teren about why he was in there... He said he’d been shot in the leg by one of the brothers. Not sure which one, I’d have to talk to him about it again but... He said he’d testify against them if it went to court.”
“Alright, it seems like those Black Brothers has gotten themselves some enemies around here... Also that other guy I forgotten the name of seemed to be willin’ to help the Sheriff against those sons of bitches,” Jake nodded.
“Angelo...”
“Yup, that’s him.”
“Is it worth it? Would they even show up?”
“What do you mean?”
“Once I found out which brother shot Teren... Would he even show up for court if we arrested him? It could just be a waste of time... but it gives us some sort of higher ground, doesn’t it? That is... if Teren’s telling the trut....”
“What kind of higher ground does it give us...that TerenI saw hanging around in the mine one day,” Chels put in.
“I reckon we would have to do that court right after their apprehension and not postpone it...” Jake thought for a moment.
“There a law against hanging around the mine?” I looked between them.
“Well if you recall wasn’t Adder and Logan both taken there?” Chels asked.
“When was this?” I asked, trying to remember.
“A couple of days ago or so,” she shrugged.
“Connect the dots for me here?” I looked at her, confused. “Did Teren have something to do with it?”
“I chased Santo’s all over,” she said and I looked at her with a blank expression, not seeing the connection yet.
“Well now if Teren hangs out in the very same mine that they take Logan and Adder to...it could mean one of two things..he is involved or might of saw what happened,” Chels said.
“And Logan and Adder were taken to the mines by.... people we don’t know the names of?” I nodded. “Or by Santos?”
“I am telling you this so you will know, not to be questioned,” she looked at me.
“I’m just trying to understand the chain of events,” I told her.
“I wish I could tell ya what happened, but I wasn’t around... I only came in that mine after the Sheriff’s were taken hostage there...” Jake nodded.
“Logan and Adder were taken to a mine a couple of days ago... you ran Santos all over town.... And then you saw Teren hanging around the mines so he may have seen what happened or may be involved?” I tried to summarize.
“No, I ran him all over, not just here,” Chels said.
“Why?”
Jake shrugged his shoulders in confusion. We went to the mine and by accident ran into the two Sheriff’s there and their captors had just run off seeing us approach the mine... We chased all three of them down and shot them all, how ever Santos seemed to escape but I got him the next day in Colorado... That’s how it was when we entered that incident that day at the mine...”
I sighed with appreciation and looked at him. “Oooh.... So Santos was one of the people who saw you approaching at the mine and was with the captors...”
“No, Santos, Red and Teren ran away down south when we entered the mine, we freed the two Sheriff’s and took after the outlaws.”
“Red?!” I shot him a look.
“That’s what the third one is called,” he nodded.
“Was he a Native?” I asked nervously.
“Red is a woman, Miss...” Jake shook his head.
“Thank God,” I sighed with relief. “The native man I told you about who came looking for the clinic. His name was Red.”
“The next day... I believe it was yesterday I went after Santos and Red... We had them locked up in the Sheriff’s Office and there someone payed their bail and they were set free... What ever happened between the Black’s shootin’ Teren I know very little of,” Jake smiled and then chuckled. “Well I can assure you... Miss Red is not a man”
“Well before Logan and Adder got shot up by that guy Angelo... I found them talking to the Black brothers in the clinic. Teren was in the bed in the back and told me he’d been shot by one of the brothers in the leg. Not sure why or which brother. They were trying to egg him on though to shoot the sheriffs but he didn’t do it.”
“An outlaw shooting an outlaw... I’m more concerned about citizens then outlaws shooting one another,” Chels put in.
“They were saying he was one of their brothers but he assured me he wasn’t one of them.” I looked at Chels and said, “I didn’t know Teren was an outlaw until hearing about the mine incident just now.”
“Ain’t Teren black?” Jake asked.
“Was the first clue that he wasn’t one of them.”
“I guess those two brothers had been messin’ with ya...” Jake laughed.
“Not worried about that part. I’m trying to pin a shooting on them and ya’ll seem like ya don’t really care. I thought it’d be a good way to get them arrested but whatever... I’ll just let the outlaws, as you say, shoot each other and not worry about it,” I said, getting frustrated.
“It’s up to the Sheriff... It’s his town... And to be honest I was a bit suprised he didn’t accuse any of them outlaws with any crimes myself...”
“What about the ones that shot Adder and Logan.....those ones shot law,” Chels laughed.
“Well then I’ll just talk to Adder. Sorry I wasted your time.”
“If they were in my town drawin’ weapons or somethin’ I would arrest them... How ever the Sheriff just let them go,” Jake said.
“Fine. I’ll just talk to Logan and Adder about it and find out what’s going on.”
“I’m sure Sheriff Adder would be able to tell ya all about it since he was in it from the beginnin’ Miss Trin,” Jake smiled. “You have a good day Miss Trin, sorry we couldn’t help ya more.”
“Enjoy your day Trin,” Chels said.
“Safe paths, you two,” I sighed and watched them walk out of the office. I realized I didn’t really need to talk to them after all and decided to stick to talking with local law from now on.
I walked around and talked with people and then saw a woman who seemed to know me. She then said that she was there the day that Dutch Solo had been found alive and her name was Allegra. We talked about living in Colorado Springs and about the first trial I had prosecuted for. She told me that Baron and her had parted ways and then we carried on our walks.
I saw Mr. Toll riding over and greeted him. “Mr. Toll... Good to see you again.”
“Hi Trin. All quiet in town?”
A woman walked over and waved. “I’m Trin. Don’t believe we’ve met yet,” I said to her.
“Livia, nice to meet you Trin,” she nodded.
“Pleasure,” I said. “Toll, you been keepin out of trouble?”
“I was about to make a ride with my guest to Amiville,” Toll said.
“Oh were you?”
“Trouble? Me?” he frowned.
“I was kidding,” I chuckled and saw the look of worry on the woman’s face. “Oh he’s no trouble, miss. Just friendly conversation.” I thought about my first meeting Mr. Toll and getting him married, and wondered how things had developed since.
“Oh I’m sure he’s no trouble....but you just have to be weary sometimes.,” Livia smiled.
“Yes, the boar attacked me...and yes I drank a beer with a gypsy woman, and yes I was attacked by someone in the desert recently......but trouble...NO.”
I raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “Attacked by someone? Who? When?”
“It was some random man in the desert. I had to drag him out of the place,” Livia shook her head.
“You tell her, I passed out,” Toll shook his head.
“You were there?” I looked at Livia.
“At least now his wounds are healed.”
“The person who attacked you, Toll... Why did they attack you?” I looked between them.
“Well...it was pretty peculiar.. considers himself slightly stupid but...in the middle of the desert.... there was a test shooter... at least that’s what I thought.”
“Test shooter?” I looked at him in confusion.
“But that test guy... he shot me more than a hundred percent in two minutes. It was a duel go wrong, Trin,” he shook his head. “Anyway I was healed... so let’s forget about that.”
“Well I won’t keep ya’ll. Sounds like just bad coincidence in timing,” I said. “It’s forgotten. Hey Toll... Maybe you can help me quick. What do you know about Teren?”
“Sure Trin,” he rubbed his head and said “Teren...”
“Was seen around the Black brothers yesterday.... has been seen around the mines a bit..” I said.
“Nah, not by me. Should we care?”
“I’m trying to figure that out. Thanks anyway. Have a good day you two.”
“Hmm... I’ll keep my eyes open.”
“And hey... if you go to the saloon... say hi to Gramps for me?” I said of his trip to Amiville.
A woman walked over and said she was from Iowa and her name was Maykaylla. I let the group chat and walked back to the office.
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