Amiville.
This morning I walked down the street and waved to Nathan as I saw two women I hadn’t met yet standing nearby. I’d seen one before with some outlaws. “How are you doing ladies? Don’t believe we’ve met yet,” I greeted them.
“I am fine, thanks for asking. And you?” the one woman asked.
“Detective Trin Paige. Pleasure to meet you,” I shook her hand.
“We have met before, way back,” the other woman smiled. “I’m Gail, Cathy’s sister.”
“Ah yes, Gail. I remember now. I don’t know this other lady yet though.”
“This is a friend of mine and Cathy’s, Terry,” Gail smiled.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You also,” Terry nodded.
“Well I’m just heading into the office to get the day started but pleasure to meet you ladies....” I looked at Gail and added, “Again.”
I walked into the sheriff’s office and looked up when Nathan walked in. “Hey Sheriff.”
“Hey Trin.”
“You hear about the fire yesterday?”
“No, enlighten me.”
“Logan, Adder and I were in the newspaper office yesterday and we saw Pablo talking with Cathy outside the office through the window. Heard them talking about blowing the place down. Then Logan had to go off and release a prisoner... and that’s when Adder and I realized they’d set the place on fire. Rayce was there too with us inside... we were all just kind of relaxing from the intense day the day before with the arrest and escape of Pablo/Juan... We got the fire out fine but then Adder took off running ‘cause he saw Pablo running away with a woman, who he didn’t know at the time but they were together by the window. It was a personal attack, Nathan. They were mad ‘cause we arrested Pablo and Juan, and I shot at Juan a couple times in the shootout that followed...”
“It’s always personal, Trin. Come’s with the job working as/with the law.”
“Thank God we got the fire out fast enough but it was a personal attack, Nathan. I’d just talked to Pablo right before the arrest and shootout about putting an ad in the paper cause he’d just taken over the cantina.”
“I see.”
I folded my arms across my chest, seeing that he couldn’t care less about the attack on two of his two lawmen.
“Is there a report out?” he asked.
“Yes, Adder filed a report this morning and requested a warrant on Pablo and Cathy.”
“Alrighty. Well at the moment it seams Cathy is missing. But we’ll keep an eye out for Pablo.”
“Oh really.”
Adder walked in then and Nathan greeted him, “Howdy Adder.”
I nodded to Adder and sat in my chair, frustrated by Nathan’s lack of care over the fire.
“Howdy Sheriff, Trin,” Adder said.
“But yes... According to news, she is missing,” Nathan said.
“What news? I hadn’t seen that telegram go out?” I asked.
“Me? Oh, I’m fine. Thanks for asking boss,” Adder turned and walked out.
I rolled my eyes and ran out after him. “Adder, wait.”
“Dam it Adder,I’ve only just bin made a-ware of what happened!” Nathan shouted after us.
“Adder,” I walked over to him when I caught up to him down the street.
“Hey Trin.”
“Sorry about what happened in there.”
“Don’t be, I’m not,” he laughed.
“He could have cared less about the fire. Cared more about the fact that Cathy’s missing,” I kicked a stone across the road towards the cantina.
“Just proves what we’re thinking about him. Guy’s useless.”
“We have to find a judge and talk to them about this.”
“Judge Clif is in his office, but he’s busy. I slipped the three warrant apps under the door for him.”
Two men came over and greeted us. Adder seemed to know who they were but I didn’t know them. We talked to them for a bit and then I walked over to Clif’s office. I knocked on his door and he invited me inside.
“Heya Trin, how’s things?” he asked as I sat down with a frustrated sigh. “What’s wrong?”
“I haven’t slept in three nights, my newspaper was targeted in a fire and the sheriff couldn’t care less, and James and I broke up because I have no time for a serious relationship. Things are fantastic,” I said sarcastically.
“You say the sheriff couldn’t care less, are they refusing to investigate?”
“No Sir. He came into the office this morning and I asked him if he’d heard of the fire at the newspaper office yesterday, he said no. Which, if he read the damn warrant and arrest reports that have been coming in he’dve seen it.”
“So no one reported it?”
“Taurus reported it this morning. While Nathan was walking around town.”
“I see.”
“So I told him about the fire, how two of his lawmen, me and Adder, were almost blown up in a personal attack against me for shooting his brother yesterday in that shootout.”
“Hmm...”
“He says, ‘Comes with the job working as/with the law. Nathan asked if there was a report out.”
“But a fire against the press isn’t covered in that.”
“Clif, we arrested Pablo and Juan just the day before. This wasn’t about the press.”
“I know.”
“It’s about the fact that Logan and Adder and I were all in one room together.”
“It’s a never ending cycle.”
“Then Logan went to release Juan cause he’d done his time. That’s when Pablo and Kit...Cathy blew up the place.”
“Right, and let me guess... Logan was attacked.”
“We saw them through the window. Heard them threatening to set the place to flames. No, Adder was shot down from Pablo/Cathy. And Nathan couldn’t have cared less. Didn’t even ask Adder about the bandage on his shoulder when he walked in the office this morning.”
“I think it’s time I spoke to our Mayor, and have Nate suspended. Clearly he’s not paying attention.”
“He couldn’t care less, Clif,” I nodded.
“And that’s a problem.”
“If he did he’d have known about the fire, or at least cared enough to be sympathetic and ask us if we were okay. Not to mention the fact that he’s never around anyway. And then he comes into town expecting us to tell him all of what’s been going on. And then he spends the hour chatting up Stacie instead of asking for descriptions of the suspect.”
“I’ll get with the mayor about this,” Clif promised.
“Thank you, Clif. Soon, please? Logan’s a great undersheriff, he’d make an excellent sheriff. He makes the effort to be here, he cares to ask how we’re doing, he makes sure we’re all on the same page...”
“I’ll be meeting with her today, this is not the way our law should treat our citizens.”
“Or their law, for that matter.”
“I agree,” he nodded. “I’d think they’d be loyal to their own
“And you’ll make Logan sheriff?”
“I’ll certainly push for it, Miss Trin. The final decision is Miss Ami’s. The local law is her legal responsibility. Mine is the marshals.”
“I know, I just... I knew you were the only one I could talk to about this.”
“But I think Miss Ami will listen to my counsel.”
“It’s becoming frustrating to work for him and we want to work for Logan. Someone who actually cares.”
“Agreed, and if Nate isn’t doing the job, then we fill it with someone who will.”
“Thank you, Clif. I really appreciate this.”
“I guess that’s why I’ll never be able to retire,” he chuckled.
“I can’t tell you it would be an honor to work for Logan as sheriff.”
“I care about our folks.”
“He, Taurus and I have developed a good team. We understand each other, finish each others’ sentences...”
“Aye they have.”
“We’ve always got each others’ backs.”
“And that is the key,” Clif nodded.
“Trin, need you in here!” Nate called then and I hesitated, not wanting to go.
“Speaking of Nate... But I’ll get with the Mayor today.”
“Come with me?” I begged.
“I feel the need to walk a bit, shall we?” Clif suggested. “After you, ma’am.”
“Notice he didn’t say where here was,” I looked at him.
“Reckon he’s at the office?” Clif looked at me.
“Who the... Who knows,” I winked at him.
We walked down the street and saw Tra with some others including Jake and Marriana. We walked into the sheriff’s office and saw Nathan there and we greeted him.
“What’s goin’ on?” Clif asked.
“Exactly what I’d like to know,” Nathan said.
“I told you this morning what’s going on, Nathan,” I muttered.
“Nate, what’s this I hear about not investigatin’ a fire??” Clif asked.
Nathan sighed and placed his badge on a piece of paper and slid it to the end of the desk. Clif and I looked at him in surprise.
“So this is how it’s gonna be?” Clif asked.
Nathan sighed and took his badge back. “No. The fire of witch I have only just been informed of... Of witch I have seen no reports of...”
“Which if you’d read your warrant requests and whatnot when you first came to the office this morning you would’ve known about...” I muttered.
“Warrant requests don’t go throw me,” Nathan said and I handed the reports to Clif to show him.
“And I’ve just now received them.”
“It concerns me that we don’t see ya much, Nate,” Clif said.
“I’d also like to know why no one has told Marshal Rage about the problems my deputies have with her marshals,” Nate said.
“Because Marshal Rage couldn’t give a....” I started but then stopped.
“What your tongue, Trin,” Nate warned and I folded my arms across my chest.
“I’m concerned about that too, Nate.”
“Marshal rage is a good friend of mine and I happen to trust in her and her marshals’ abilities,” Nate said.
“You want to know what your friend did the other night, Nate?” I looked at him.
“Now, I want to know why my deputies have such a problem with them,” Nate said.
“I’d like to know why there’s a problem myself,” Clif said.
We had the Black Brothers in that damn cell and he and this other prisoner were injured. All she cared about was being attacked by the bloody bison and made me go and get the nurse,” I explained.
“If it’s an issue with the marshals, I’m the one to come to,” Clif said.
“Levi, Liam and Lebron were all in here, and she made me and Brendan put them in the cells. She untied the one but we had to search and untie the other”
“We get the law helped before the prisoners,” Nate said.
“But I was so focused on helping Brendan and going to get a doctor for the prisoners. And she didn’t do squat.”
“Was she injured?” Nate asked.
“Okay here’s what’s gonna happen, I’ll talk with Stacie about it,” Clif promised.
“I just said, damn it,” I said angrily. “I just said she was complaining about a bison attack.”
“There you go then,” Nate nodded.
“And then later that night the brothers escaped from our watch. Because Brendan and I didn’t know what we were doing and Stacie wouldn’t help.”
“So let em guess this straight. Two outlaws escaped on you’re watch?”
“Logan and Adder were both down and injured. I was just starting out. I put them in the cells with Brendan and because we had two men in one cell they were able to get out somehow”
“There is two cells back there.”
“We had three prisoners. And Stacie wouldn’t take one of them to her cell at the marshal’s office, though she should’ve,” I said, noticing that Clif had gone out of the office to deal with something.
“Did you search the prisoners? Did the crime happen in Amiville?”
“Where were you this whole time, Nate?” I sighed.
“Don’t change the subject.. Did the crime happen in Amiville?”
“We finally found the three black brothers. We had them. And you weren’t anywhere to be found. I had just started just the day before. Logan and Adder were down, I was panicking. I got them in their cells, Stacie was searching and taking weapons. I figured she’d take them all.”
“That logic get’s people killed. Never assume or figure anything.”
“I figured we could trust Stacie, Nate. Like you said, she’s a marshal. Two of our men were down, I figured she’d have our back. I didn’t even know I was able to put guys in their cells i was that new. I’m just a detective, Nate. I go around when they interview people and then help solve cases.”
“Did you ask nicely?”
Adder walked into the office then but I was too upset to say anything to greet him.
“Okay here’s what I want you to do. Make a report of it.”
“We did. Several times,” I told him.
“Then where is it? Because I clearly don’t have it.”
I looked over to Adder for help and he said, “Well I’ve been to Georgetown, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona. No sign of Cathy.”
There was a knock on the door and I asked, “Who’s there?”
“Ain’t the only thing you clearly don’t have,” Adder muttered about the sheriff’s request for the report.
“A concerned citizen,” the voice said and I walked over to see Trax on the other side of the door.
“Trax? What’s wrong?” I asked him.
“Heard something disturbing last night, had to come see if it was true,” he said.
“What’d you hear?”
“Pablo claiming charges against him for trying to extort money from my cousin’s candy store being dropped.”
“Can’t tell you anything about that, I’m afraid Trax. Though I can say ol’ Pablitos got a lot of warrants coming his way,” Adder said. “I don’t take kindly to being shot at. Or someone trying to cremate me.”
“Well appreciate it if ya find out ya let me know please,” Trax nodded to him.
“Will do Trax,” Adder nodded.
“Guess ya can get back to your arguing now. Thanks for your time and sorry to interrupt,” Trax winked at me and walked down the street.
“I’m going to get a coffee. You with me?” I asked Adder.
“Aye, sounds good,” he nodded and we headed towards the saloon.
We greeted everyone and Gramps poured us some coffee. I met a man named Chuck and introduced him to Adder. Nathan walked into the saloon then and asked, “Right Trin. Who’s looking for Cathy?”
I looked over at nathan, completely confused. “Taurus just came into your office and told you he’d been all over the west and hadn’t seen her. All this with an injured leg and a sore shoulder, by the way.” I went to sit beside Adder at the table with my coffee.
“Right. Keep looking. Who else was involved with the fire?” Nate asked.
“You hear something Trin?” Adder nudged me.
“Adder, stop acting like a child. You’re a member of the law,” Nate instructed.
“As are you, sheriff.”
“Who else was involved in the fire?”
“I get shot at, beaten, almost torched, and you don’t seem to give a damn. Now get out of my face ’Boss’,” Adder glared at him.
“Adder, you’re one more remark away from being out of line.”
“Adder just let it go,” I looked at Adder.
“Nathan, we saw Pablo and Cathy outside the newspaper office just before they blew it up,” I explained again.
“Oh?” Adder asked.
“We all get shot at,” Nate said.
“I doubt you’d know what to do,” Adder argued and I put a hand on his, looking into his eyes intently.
“No one ever ask’d me if I’m alright, but I do my job,” Nate told him. “Right any on news on the whereabouts of Pablo?”
“No, you sit on your arse. On the rare occasions you grace us with your presence,” Adder argued.
“Adder...” I looked at him and said to Nate, “No idea where Pablo is, Sir. That’s why we’re here. He’s either at the Mexican restaurant or here.”
“Well if he has a big warrant sheet out I doubt he’ll be any where near.”
“He wants to run his business, Nathan. He’ll be there,” I said.
“Right.”
“We can see from here if he goes over to the restaurant.”
“Anything else I should know about?”
“Nah, dont you worry your pretty little head about it ‘boss’,” Adder said sarcastically.
“Keep your remarks to yourself, Adder,” Nate ordered. “You’re walking a thin line.”
“Don’t think so. Pablo’s just mad that we had shot at him and his brother..” I said.
“And why did you shoot at him and his brother?”
“What you going to do? Ask for my badge?” Adder asked.
“As a matter of fact, I can,” Nate nodded.
I sighed but continued, “Because we were arresting him for extortion and he wouldn’t come lightly.”
“Do you have proof of this?”
“So we got into a huge shootout in the street and they escaped because it was three against two. Then Stacie and Jake shot them down and brought them to our doorstep.”
“Right. So...”
“You haven’t got a clue what goes on around here,” Adder told Nathan.
“If my deputies informed me, I would.”
“They escaped ‘cause I was on crutches.”
“Anyway...”
“Pardon me?” Adder blinked and stood, walking out.
“So then Pablo and Juan were in jail, I went to work with my newspaper business last night, they escaped,” I said, looking from Nathan to Adder and trying to keep the situation calm.
“So... Cathy and Pablo burnt down the newsagents because you and a group of law tried to arrest Pablo and his brother and you did correct?”
“So then they escaped and then we were in the office with Logan and Adder and I. Pablo did his time and was out, but he didn’t help his brother escape,” I said to him.
“So you, Logan and Adder were all injured when the marshals brought them in, yes?”
“So for some reason Juan was still in jail and Logan went to release him because he’d done his time. They escaped though Logan and I got shots on them and Adder was with us but he was already injured,” I sighed. “It was three on two, and one of them was shot.”
“So how did thy escape the jail?”
“Mind you I’d been shot down just the day before when Buu came into the cell and started beating up on Jake and Logan and I got shot down. So technically Logan and I were also injured. And yet we went out there and tried to gun them down but they escaped.”
“Right, will you write this down in a report and give it to me please?”
I looked for the report from the other day and handed it to them. He took it and I gave him the report him arrest warrants from Pablo and Jaun, as well as warrant applications for Cathy and Pablo.
“Thank you,” he nodded as he took them and I didn’t understand why he hadn’t already seen them.
“Okay I see. All we can do then is keep an eye out,” Nate stated the obvious. He walked out and called, “Chel, need to talk to you!”
I saw a group walking into the saloon and met a woman named Cannalilly and another named Claire.
We talked about how I ran the newspaper and Canna asked, “Miss Trin have you met with a man named High Wolf in these parts?”
“High Wolf? No, haven’t heard that name before...”
“Hmm...”
“Any reason I should know that name?”
“I met him on the trail. He is a friend of mine.”
We continued to talk about where we were from and Canna told me how she had been held captive when she was in Canada and would never return there. We talked about job opportunities around Amiville.
Bravo walked over with a little girl holding his hand and said, “Hey Trin.”
“Who’s the little one?” I asked, looking from Bravo to the girl.
“That’s Bravo’s daughter, Jade,” Kalli explained.
I blinked at that and looked between them. “Daughter?”
“Yes, his daughter,” Kalli nodded.
“Wow... Seems to me you just got engaged,” I shook my head.
“She’s my little girl and my pride and... Yes, why? What’s wrong with me having a child?” Bravo asked.
“I just, well...” I blushed, remembering our relationship.
Jade looked over at me and Bravo said, “Um... that’s Trin. She left me,” he sighed and I raised an eyebrow at that.
“Wow, I had no idea Bravo... I saw you two together the other day and I just thought... Wait, that was yesterday around the time of the fire...” I thought out loud and watched Bravo and his daughter interact, not really sure what to say. More people came in and out of the saloon and I decided to head outside.
I walked over to the sheriff’s office and found Nate talking with Pablo and Juan in the jail cell. He shouted for a doctor while Stacie searched the prisoners and then Ida came in through the back to check on their wounds. I sat at my desk and waited while they racked up the charges for both. I stayed quiet while they talked and refused to get in the middle again, since they didn’t need my help. Juan paid bail and was let go but Pablo had decided to wait out his time in jail.
It wasn’t long before we heard gunshots outside. Nate asked what was going on and I looked outside to see that Stacie had shot down Juan. She took Juan into the jail again and Pablo continued to threaten the law for taking them as prisoners.
“Hey Nathan, can I talk to the prisoner and ask him some questions about the fire?” I asked finally when things had calmed down. Would you be okay with that?”
“Ok ok I geeve up I make a deal weeth you..i ave been here a while I pay you 100?” Pablo asked.
“Sorry Pablo. I gave you a choice. Now you stay the full time,” Nate said. “No half bails.”
“But only eef the newspaper lady she give me a kiss,” Pablo laughed.
“Not gonna happen, Pablo. And I ain’t gettin between your sheets either,” I told him.
“So no kiss either?”
“It was my place he targeted, he’s behind bars, I just want to talk to him,” I looked at Nathan.
“You can’t let her in here sheriff. I’m an injured man. Is not right,” Pablo complained.
“You will stay out of his cell,, you sure?” Nate asked me.
“I’ll stand on the other side of the cell. He’ll be locked in, he has no weapon except that bloody harmonica,” I said and Pablo started playing the instrument again. I walked back to the cell and said, “Put it away, Pablo. We need to talk.”
“Si...” he took a breath. “When I’m finished. Is good no?” he asked and continued to play.
“Why my office, Pablo?” I asked.
He took out his harmonica and looked at me. “Why what, senorita?”
“Why did you set fire to my office yesterday? While we were inside?”
“The fire? I told you I didn’t do that.”
“Was it just because I said I wouldn’t print your ad?”
“I was there, si.”
“Yes you did, Pablo. I heard you talking loudly through the window.”
“I was there si.”
“You said something about setting the place on fire.”
“I no make the fire.”
“If you didn’t do it, you were an accomplice.”
“Well the senorita she had her heart set on it and you had my brother in jail.”
“What senorita?” I asked and looked over at Nate.
“Some senorita. I don’t know her.”
“I say no I say you can’t burn that I say.”
“Bull, Pablo. You acted pretty friendly when you were standing there together.” I heard someone coming in and called, “Adder?”
“Hey Trin. Kraii in there?”
“You saw Pablo and someone outside the newspaper office, right?” I asked Adder.
“But ok I wasn’t against the idea since you no listen to Pablo when he tell you he is being abused by the marshals and then refuse to put my ad in the paper.”
“You and your brother shot at me and the deputy and the undersheriff.”
“I heard Pablito’s voice,” Adder walked in.
“What the hell did you expect me to do?”
“In what way did you do anything about what I tell you senorita? Nothing.”
“Of course you did, he’s in jail,” Nate put in.
“You theeenk I am going to just let eet go? I no care who was in that office.”
“You think I’m just gonna let it go?” I asked and looked over at Adder.
“I’ve just seen Pablitos arrest report,” Adder said. “Is 40 minutes jail time an error?”
“Pablo just admitted that I was the target in that fire yesterday,” I told Adder.
“Not just you,” Pablo told me.
“It will suffice..” Nate nodded.
“Who then? You just said you didn’t care who was in the newspaper office, just that it was the newspaper office. It’s my newspaper, Thus...” I said.
“I’ll deal with him when I’m done with him,” Adder pointed from Pablo to Nate.
“You’ll do no such thing,” Nate said sternly.
“Suffice? IT WILL SUFFICE?? He shot me, he tried to burn me alive and you think 40 minutes will suffice?” Adder exclaimed.
“Oh please keep eet down deputy I’m trying to have a conversation here..” Pablo laughed.
“He targeted my newspaper building and just admitted to wanting me burned down and you think forty minutes will suffice?” I stared at Nate in matched shock.
“I theenk it was a public duty,” Pablo said.
“Pablito, shut your mouth before I break it. Kraii, grow a spine,” Adder glared.
“He just admitted to arson,” I pointed out.
“How’s the wounds, deputy? Pablo laughed.
“Healing,” Adder muttered. “The anger? Not so much.”
“Hey I’m doing my time for all that... what can you do?” Pablo asked.
I shook out and walked down the street. I found Logan and a group of people talking and he said, “There she be. Miss Paige, we were just discussing the missing ‘Cathy’.”
“Sheriff Logan have you seen the pictures of which Miss Terry speaks,” Lali said.
“Ah I see,” I nodded.
“Indeed I have... more gruesome a condition than I would ever want to see a woman in,” Logan nodded.
“How did you get these?” Lali asked.
“They were delivered to me,” Terry said.
“By whom?” Lali asked.
Terry handed me the pictures and I thanked her for it. “It was strapped to a dog with my name on it.”
“A dog? It wasn’t a husky?” Lali asked.
“Cathy knows to send me the info if something ever happens to her,” Terry said. “It might of been miss I don’t know breeds well. Brown and black.”
“Did it have pointy ears? Blue eyes? Any collar?” Lali asked.
“No collar that I could see.”
“Logan that sound like ohhhh what’s her name.... She had several dogs,” Lali tried to remember.
“That woman that was killed?” Logan asked.
“Was she?” Lali looked at him.
“I heard of a woman getting mauled to death by one of her many dogs,” Logan said.
“Allison, one of Kitty’s best friends,” Terry said.
“I never knew her having a funeral,” Lali said.
“Allison Grey,” I nodded, remembering.
“She was a law then turned rogue. Yes! Allison!” Lali nodded.
“She gave me the article for that for the paper and gave me a picture of her and her dogs,” I said.
“I wasn’t much involved in the incident so I’m not sure of what happened. Just heard later that she died,” Logan shook his head.
“She wan’t quite all there,” Lali added. “But then her dogs may have turned feral.”
“I’ll admit with the fire and this whole thing with Pablo I haven’t really read the article yet...” I said. “The funeral hasn’t happened yet has it?”
“I did see Kitty play with them when both ladies were law,” Lali said.
“This is a possibility Mrs. Danube! I hadn’t even considered it....” Logan said.
“I’m speculating,” Lali said.
“Yes she knew the dogs well,” Terry said.
“But those dogs were smart,” Lali pointed out.
“Are there perhaps any people who may have been able to take control over her dogs? Someone that they would have obeyed?” Logan asked.
“Marcusm Clarity was her man for a while. And Kitty did play with them,” Lali said.
“Well I know Kitty had some control over them,” Terry said.
“I somehow doubt Marcus cared much for them, though,” Lali shook her head. “But yes Kitty did play with them.”
“Ah ha!” Logan exclaimed.
“Don’t believe I ever met Marcusm Clarity. Never even really knew Allison,” I said.
“Oh he’s gone from Amiville. Left when Alison went rogue,” Lali explained.
“I haven’t but when Kitty was around she spoke highly of him,” Terry said.
“What if they followed Kitty... Cathy?... there and whoever abducted her, pinned the note to the dog and got her to command the dogs to deliver?” Logan suggested.
“He loved her and protected her,” Lali said about Marcusm. “He practically worshipped the ground she walked.”
“Well howdy folks!” Buu came over and greeted us.
“Perhaps it’s all a ruse?” Lali suggested. “That she is alive and well...”
“Sounds a lot like Dutch Solo to me...” I muttered. “Just sayin’.”
“Buu...” Logan nodded at the man coming over.
“Dutch?” Lali looked at me. “Well well Senor Buu,” she turned.
“Howdy Logan and other people,” Buu greeted.
“Are you ready for the judgement day?” Lali asked him.
“Remember we all thought Dutch was dead and he turned up perfectly fine and a live,” I reminded her and she nodded. “Well, most of the town thought he was dead. I just felt something was different.”
“What you all hiding in this corner for?” Buu asked.
“You have your trial on Sunday at three in the afternoon,,” Lali reminded him.
“They came down to talk to me,” Terry said.
“Not hiding... just conversating,” Logan shook his head.
“The indian?” Buu asked.
“Just like the environment, I reckon,” Clif said as he walked over.
“Oh debating whether to kidnap the Indian or not,” Lali pointed at the man.
“Conversating?” I looked at Logan. “Thought I was the writer,” I said and Logan laughed.
“The wooden one?” Logan looked over his shoulder.
“She aint an injun,” Buu looked at Mimi and then back to Lali.
“Nonono,” Lali shook her head.
“Sorry Sheriff, ‘convesating ain’t a word last I checked,” I chuckled. “Congrats, by the way, boss,” I smiled at Logan as he’d been promoted to sheriff.
“We’re actually talking about an outlaw,” Lali said.
“Oh you mean Mai?” Buu asked.
“Oh no, not her. Shew’ shot at children, she was run out of town,” Lali said. “No use for them kind of folks here.”
Logan grumbled something about cheeky reporters and I chuckled. “What was that, Boss?”
“How is Aurora, Buu?” Lali asked.
“Well good luck finding her then. I try not to mis with that sort,” Buu shrugged. “She’s doing well.”
“No, Mai is gone. No more Mai,” Lali promised.
“Mai’s gone?” I looked around.
“We are discussin’ Kathy,” Lali said.
“Cathy’s an injun?” Buu asked.
“Oh never mind,” Lali smirked.
“That whore Mai was getting to cosy to the marshals for my liking,” Buu shrugged.
“Trin, you shoot children, you get run out of town,” Lali told me.
“I thought that you two were associates?” Logan looked at Buu.
I watched the man who’d pretended to be a doctor walk around nearby and looked at Logan.
“Nope, never was,” Buu shook his head.
“Buu, what happened to Cathy?” Lali asked him sternly.
“How the hell should I know? Hopefully she’s dead or somethin’!” Buu exclaimed.
“Buu!” Lali gaped at him. “What do you know about her?” Terry started to cry and I gasped, looking down at her. “Now see what you did, Buu?”
“All I know is that she’d improve a hell of a lot by being a corpse,” Buu shrugged.
“No need to be insensitive to the matter,” Logan shook his head.
“Senor Buuyou make her cry! Senor Buu, you are horrible!” Lali exclaimed.
I suddenly felt compassion though I wasn’t sure why after how Cathy had abandoned our friendship. I leaned down to pat Terry’s shoulder.
“Yes, that may be true,” Buu nodde.d
“You realize there’s a man in the stream...” the fake doctor peered down in the water.
“What?!” Lali exclaimed.
Buu walked over to where he was staring and I rolled my eyes in disbelief at him.
“If you don’t need the corpse, I’ll gladly take it off your hands,” he said and I put a hand on Logan’s shoulder.
“Pero Como! But how!” Lali exclaimed.
“I dun see nothing!” Buu looked carefully into the water.
“Call Icca. We bury corpses here,” Clif said.
“It appears the dead have risen,” the fake doctor looked back at Logan.
Logan jumped to his feet quickly and looked down in the water. “Where? I don’t see him...”
“Logan, careful. Don’t get too close,” I warned.
“It’s too bad you weren’t dead, sir. I could use a good cadaver,” the fake doctor said and went inside a store nearby.
“Senor!” Lali gasped.
“Logan... You know who that man is, right?” I looked at him. “Sorry... Sheriff...”
“Is that Iccabod? The undertaker?” Logan whispered back with confusion.
“We should go talk in the office,” I shook my head. “Ladies, we’ll continue this discussion when we’re.... less surrounded?” I looked at Lali.
Buu fell in the water then and I turned, hearing him splash back to the shore. Logan scratched behind his ear and nodded. “Of course...”
“Buu you alright there?” I asked, looking at him and shrugged, “He’s fine.” ‘
“Damn Buu... you alright?” Logan saw Buu as well.
“I’m all wet! And there ain’t no body under there neither!” Buu exclaimed.
The fake doctor came out and I shuddered, moving closer to Clif. I asked Clif to join us and we walked into the sheriff’s office, taking a seat.
“I just wanted you both to know who that man was... Figured this was the easiest venue,” I began.
“Of course, tell us what you know,” Logan nodded.
“A couple of days ago I was in the hospital with Adder after he’d gotten shot for some reason or another...” I started. “Hard to keep track these days with that boy... Anyway... Speaking of which, he’s still gonna come back to the team, right?”
“Sure hope so,” Clif nodded.
“You bet he will,” Logan promised.
“He finds out Callaghan is sheriff, he’ll be back,” I nodded.
“If I have to tie him to that chair, he’ll be in here,” Logan promised again.
“Now what about this fella?” Clif asked.
“Anyway... He was in the hospital for something or other and this other man came in, who allegedly saved Adder’s life. In a gunfight but then this guy got shot himself. Anyway so we call out for a doctor and that man goes in to inject something in the guy on the bed beside Adder. Wouldn’t tell us his name even though we asked him several times. Adder even pulled his gun on him but he wouldn’t talk. He just did his thing and the patient was healed and the man walked out of the hospital.”
Logan rubbed his chin and began to put the pieces together. “This is the one that injected Adder I’ll bet!”
“So Adder told me to go after him and I went to find him sitting in front of the sheriff’s office.” I looked at Logan, remembering the incident in Georgetown. “So I started talking to him, asking him what he put into the man, what his name was..”
“Somethin’ don’t add up,” Clif shook his head.
“He wouldn’t tell me, though I told him I was a detective. He said I didn’t have brains to be a detective and I asked too many questions. Rayce was there too but she knew he wouldn’t tell us what he put into the man...”
“I don’t like it,” Clif sighed.
“And Tessa, as Tessa does, kept asking the man questions which probably made him stay quiet even more, though I told Tessa to let me do my job.”
“Does Rayce know him you think?” Logan asked.
“So eventually Adder came limping over and started getting physical with him but this guy just got up from the chair and disappeared. Haven’t seen the man since, until just now by the river there.”
“Something jes don’t sound right,” Clif shook his head.
“Didn’t seem like Rayce and him knew each other, but she wasn’t really helping me find any information either,” I said.
“Sure doesn’t,” Logan raised his eyebrow at that then. “Well that isn’t very far from typical.”
“Aye,” Clif nodded.
“So seeing him again I just knew I had to tell you both about the incident... He sends shivers down my spine, guys. And not in the good way,” I said.
“This is Amiville, we seem to all sorts,” Clif pointed out.
“Apparently,” I nodded. “What do we do about him?”
“I reckon first thing is don’t let him near ya with a syringe,” Clif suggested.
“That’s why I ran over to you just now. I didn’t like being standing right beside him.”
“He sure was doing quite a bit of hovering,” Logan laughed.
“And he seemed to have a fascination with dead bodies,” Clif added.
“He knows I know something, I think. He doesn’t like I was asking too many questions.”
“Yep, and that makes me nervous,” Clif agreed.
“You and me both, Judge. You and me both,” I looked at Logan.
“Well, I guess all we can do is warn the townsfolk. Until we actually have something on him. With the way that fellow seems to be operating, I doubt that it will be long,” Logan said.
“Aye...” Clif nodded.
“But he does it so sneakily...”
“Well, I’m sure he’ll mess up somewhere,” Clif assured.
“Oh for sure,” Logan nodded.
“I was sure he was gonna inject me or Buu with something just now.”
“The lunatics always do,” Logan nodded.
“And what’s this they’re talking about the Allison Grey incident? I only came in halfway in that conversation. She said the name Alison and I’ve only ever heard one name from Allison in the town, so I knew she meant Allison Grey. And haven’t seen her around much.”
“Yes, I hadn’t heard of her until I heard of her death through the grapevine,” Logan nodded.
“And somehow the whole thing is related to Cathy, or...?” I looked between them.
“Hope not,” Clif shook his head.
“The death? No it was canine related... Though... Now that you mention it...”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to put that idea in your head... Just tryin to get all my ducks in a row here.”
“Too late... it’s there. Wait a minute!”
There was a knock on the door and I sighed, not wanting to interrupt Logan’s thought process.
“Somebody wanna get that?” Clif asked.
“What if Cathy...” Logan looked at me with disbelief. “You don’t think she could have...?”
“Do we have to?” I looked at Clif.
“I’ll do it,” Logan raised his hand.
“Cathy could have what..?” I asked and then stood, backing up from the door just in case.
Logan opened the window on the door a crack and asked, “Can I help you?”
“Um deputy did I kill anyone recently?” I heard Buu’s voice.
“Why no.. unless there is something you want to tell me..” Logan laughed.
“No someone jes told me I killed someone,” Buu shook his head.
“Really... who are they accusing you of killing?” Logan asked.
“And who’s makin that accusation?” Clif asked.
“I dunno. That’s what I came to find out.”
I wondered if they were referring to Cathy or Allison Grey but I didn’t voice the thought as I listened.
“Ain’t nobody said nuthin to me,” Clif said. “You got any reports on a killin an ol Buu there Logan?”
“Well I’ve not had any extra warrants on you so... no I don’t think you’ve killed anyone,” Logan shook his head and I looked through the files quickly finding nothing there about Buu.
“Much obliged to ya,” Buu shrugged and walked away.
“Well that was odd,” Logan looked confused as he closed the window.
“Indeed. Ain’t been anything bout Buu for a while,” I said. “Just looked through the files quickly. Which is also odd...”
“Alright, so now where were we?” Logan asked.
“You’d just realized something about Cathy. You said ‘you don’t think she could’ve...’” “Oh yes, you don’t think that maybe Cathy could have... commanded an attack on her do you?”
“Why on earth would she do that?”
“I wouldn’t put anything pas‘er,” Clif said.
“If she would have been able to command them. And perhaps that s why she was abducted? As payback for the murder?” Logan wondered.
“Hmm. Allison was law though... I thought. And I remember Lali saying she and Allison were close... Or Terry said that...”
“I’ll admit it’s far fetched... but minutely possible.”
“Or at least that they knew each other.”
“Terry did yes... and that Cathy often played with the dogs.”
“Was Allison local law or was she a marshal?”
“Local I thought,” Clif put in.
“And so was Kitty... Cathy,” I said.
“Mmhmm,” Clif nodded.
“So then Kathy turned outlaw, Allison stayed local law...”
“Well you know how people often end up in heated battles over things like that,” Logan said.
“Things got ugly? Allison didn’t appreciate that she’d lost her friend due to the memory loss..” I wondered.
“Did Allison have a group of questionable friends?” Logan asked.
“Kathy doesn’t even remember me and when she was Kitty we used to be good friends,” I looked down, not enjoying the memory. “I don’t know, Logan. To be honest I’ve not interacted with Allison much, if at all.”
“They both had questionable friends,” Clif said.
“Do you remember any names, Clif? Maybe we could get them to talk..?”
“Not off hand.”
“I’ll need to find out from the marshals as to who was present during the incident,” Logan said.
“Mmhmm,” Clif nodded.
“Maybe they saw something odd with the dog...” Logan said.
“Which incident, Logan? The one where Kitty changed her name and went rogue or the murder of...” I looked at him.
“No, the doc attack. But... once again, now that you mention it...”
“But if Allison was upset about the switch to outlaw... And she confided in a marshal about it... We’d at least be able to see if they were connected.”
“Yes, we’ll have to get some questions together and then go see what they know about it,” Logan nodded.
“Sounds like a plan,” Clif nodded.
“Well Callaghan, that’s what you’ve got me for,” I winked at him.
“Of course Miss Paige,” Logan grinned and we got to work.
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