December 12, 1869

Georgetown. 

This morning I went to Twist’s house for tea and coffee with Nile and Twist. I told them about Joey and then about J coming to the saloon again. We continued to talk and Twist asked about the button case, but we said we hadn’t heard much more about the girl. 

Nile and I went to the stables to talk and he told me, “So that fella who attacked me the other day... Did I ever tell ya his name?” 

“Nope,” I shook my head. “Ah he said he went by Slick Jesse and had a message for Still water, he was coming after him and all who work with or for him.” 

“I heard about the threat and just assumed that’s who we were dealing with...” I swallowed hard. 

“Yeah doesn’t seem to keen on following the law.” 

“Tell me about it,” I shook my head. “Sam knows?” 

“Yeah, I told him last night.” 

“Good.” 

“When my head was clear, but I need to rest up some more I lost a lot of blood the past few days. So I’m off to take a nap.” 

“Of course. Just glad to see you again. Hadn’t seen ya all yesterday and was worried.” I went to hug him and said, “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“I understand,” he hugged me back. 

“You should get some rest. We’ll talk more later. Hopefully we’ll find Aurora and put this Emily case to rest. And I want to work with you on finding this Joey character, or learning more about Chanelle.”

“I hope so too. Yeah that’d be helpful as well.” 

“I have some connections I want to poke around and see what kind of intel I can come up with.”

“Good luck to ya. I’ve got to rest now. Let me know if anything comes up.” 

“Will do,” I said and headed down the street. 

I greeted a woman and asked if she needed anything but she said she was fine. I noticed a man approaching and watched him talk with the woman curiously. He asked for a food store and I showed him where the store was. He said his name was Harrison and we talked for a bit before I headed back to the office. 

I went into the saloon and smiled when I saw Emily playing piano. She played Beethoven almost expertly. I sat at the bar and got some whiskey and coffee. I told her that if I ordered straight whiskey, she should be worried. I continued to talk with Sugar and Downy about the dangerous men in town. Emily looked over and blinked at me as I talked to them. We talked about the fire that happened and I apologized for slamming the door and being upset and she nodded. 

“Emily, you want to come over and sit beside me?” I asked Emily and she groped on the bench to find her glasses and put the ratty boots on, crumpling some paper. I leaned forward and asked Sugar, 

“Has she told you anything about herself yet?”

The girl trundled over to the bar and took some water from the counter. I looked down at her and asked, “So... Have you found somewhere nice to sleep in town?” She blinked and slowly nodded, putting her coat on and going back to the piano. “Did ya get some new socks?” I asked and she looked up at me. 

“Emily? You find someplace to stay?” Sugar asked and Emily nodded. 

I tried to think of how to communicate through music and then set the mug on the counter. “I have an idea,” I said. Emily... Come over with me to the piano? I want to try something.”

Emily gave me a dubious look and scratched her head. 

“Okay... You know how some songs sound happy, and some songs sound sad?” I asked and she nodded. “Okay let’s try this... I’m gonna ask you a question... It’ll be a yes or no question... I’ll ask the question, then I’ll play the happy song first, then the sad one second. You understand so far?” I asked and she nodded, her look still dubious. 

“If the answer to my question is yes... nod during the happy song. If no... nod during the sad song. Okay? Let’s try an easy one... Is your name Emily?” I played a sad song first, waiting for a reaction, then played a sad song happy watched her. Emily rolled her eyes but then nodded. 

I smiled and looked over at Downy who’d walked in, satisfied that this method would work. “Alright let’s try another one... Did you give Sheriff Nile a dyed-blue button when you first came to town?” I played a happy song and she rolled her eyes but nodded again. “Did you give him the button because you thought it was payment for the tea and tomato?” I asked and played the sad song, and she nodded again, then stopped and winced. I kept playing the sad song but then asked, “So you gave him the button for a reason other than payment?” I played a happy song and she shook her head. 

“Okay... so the button was payment for the tea and tomato...” I looked at Emily and she nodded. 

“Okay how about this one... Did you used to live in a house with a lady named Iza?” I played the sad song and she blinked, then I played the happy song. She shook her head side to side, answering ‘no’. “So you did not live with a woman named Iza?” I asked and she shook her head again. I was confused now, but kept thinking of questions as I played the happy song. It didn’t seem to make a difference though, since the child was answering anyway. “How about a Miss White Rose... Do you know that name?” I looked at her and she nodded. “So you do know White Rose...” I smiled and thought to myself, ‘now we’re getting somewhere.’ “Did you meet Miss White Rose in Georgetown?” I asked and she shook her head. “Did you meet her in... Amiville?” I asked and she nodded. 

I cringed and hesitated before asking, “Do you know Icc?” She bit her lower lip and nodded slowly. I swore softly under my breath so she couldn’t hear, having feared that reaction. “Did you meet Icca in Amiville?” I asked and she furrowed her brow, shrugging. “Did you meet Icca at the same place where you met Miss White Rose?” I asked and she shook her head. “Did you meet Icca in Georgetown?” I asked and she scratched her had, pursed her lips, and nodded slowly. 

I knew these questions were making her nervous, but I knew that I needed to know more. I looked at Downy worriedly and started playing a sad song. I looked over and hesitated. “Was Icca... Nice to you?” I asked. Emily looked me straight in the eye and put out a hand onto my moving hands, making me stop playing. She side and I said, “What, sweetie... You can tell me...”

Emily reached up and got her gloves, then pulled the scarf off the bust of Beethoven and wound it around her neck. “Okay... We don’t have to keep answering questions right now..” I said as she pulled the hat off the bust and put it on, then tucked the weathered, beaten bust under her arm.  “Thank you for trusting me, honey... I’m gonna make things right, I promise.”

I reached out to hold Emily’s hand, not sure if she’d let her, and Emily blinked at me. “It’ll be okay, sweetie.” I tried not to sigh, because I knew that if Icca was involved in all of this, it definitely wouldn’t be okay. She gave me a look and scratched her head. “Would you like it if we played together some time, Emily? No questions, just playing?” I asked her. “I could teach you some things on the piano...”

Emily quietly, but determinedly, headed out of the saloon and I watched her go, sighing to myself. I felt like I wanted to hit something and said, “I knew it, Downy. I knew it.” 

“Knew what, Miss Trin? I’m lost,” Downy scratched her head. 

“If he did something to her...” I started, but couldn’t even finish the statement.

“Who what... huh?” 

“I asked her if she knew Icca... She said yes. I asked if he was nice to her and she very vehemently refused to give a reaction. Something happened, Downy, and I intend to find out what.”

“I see. Miss Trin do you think the something that you feel has happened, happened in Georgetown?” 

“We thought it was Iza she knew but it was Icca... Downy if he... She agreed that she’d met Icca in Georgetown, Downy. I don’t know if it was way back long ago in Georgetown or recently but...”

“Because I’m certain that Emily is not really from Georgetown... we do not have many skilled pianists here, certainly nobody that has ever coached a child prodigy like herself.” 

“She stayed with WhiteRose... In Amiville... Then met Icca in Georgetown. The only question is... how long ago? And what happened I need to talk to Sam... And Nile...” I sighed and thought to myself, And Icca... Downy shook her head and said, “Icca ain’t one to bother with small children.” 

“I’ve seen him hire them for his work. He’s in this somehow, Downy... I’m sure of it.”

“You know the night that Emily ran away... I think I told you about this didn’t I? Anyway the night she ran away she nearly knocked me flat. I was walking into the front entranceway of the ex Madames establishment, I forget what for now, and she came running out... reminded me of a wild animal being chased for its life.” 

“You ever figure out what she was running from?”

“Well... I went inside to see what might have scared the child and I found a man in a uniform in there.... a Confederate uniform.” 

“I remember hearing that she was running from people with uniforms. Specifically Confed.”

“He seemed surprised at the child’s reaction. I do recall him seeming very confused about why she’d turned tail when he walked in, and run off like she did.” 

“Did you talk to him?”

“I gather they’d not even met prior to that. Yes briefly. He was a part of a gang.” 

“Which gang...?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer. 

“Well the uniform is your clue there Ma’am. That was his gang. I mean, the war is over now....” 

I remembered the killing in Kansas and Nebraska and Iowa... I remembered the man Hawk dragged in to have hanged who was wearing a confed outfit... I went to sit on the bench and tried to process everything. 

“But I’m fairly sure that Emily didn’t personally know this man she was running away from... that much I found out as I listened to him speak.” 

“Have you tried asking her questions, Downy? To get to know her..?” 

“I know her a lil. I don’t ask her nothin’ though, she’s happy enough in herself mostly.” 

I hesitated and asked, “Should I even bother going to Icca or do you not think he has anything to do with this?”

“I think the connection to Icca is a similar thing to that man she ran away from in the brothel that night. She didn’t personally know the man.” 

“He reminds her of someone..”

“What is it about him that reminds her of that someone?” ‘

“Someone awful in her past...” I thought of several ways to answer that question. 

“Miss Trin... Here’s something you may like to take note of. Mister Iccabod used to wear a uniform.” 

“How would that affect her now? He never wears the uniform anymore, does he? What kind of uniform?” 

“A Confederate one.” 

“I’m still confused on how the girl would know that about him without him actually wearing the uniform.”

“He was wearing one around the time Emily ran away.” 

“Oh he was...?”

“Yes Ma’am, he was.” 

I shook my head, relieved that Icca wasn’t as strong a connection as I thought he was. “Downy... that beethoven bust... Is it hers?”

“Well I think it is hers, now.” 

“Oh I see... Okay well if there’s nothing else I need to know... I should head to the office and find Nile.”

“Alright, Miss Trin.” 

“Thank you for this information, Downy.”

“I should go and find Sam and annoy him,” she nodded. “Welcome” 

“Have a good evening,” I said and walked out of the saloon. 

***

This vening I went to the saloon and greeted everyone. Emily was backing away from Reb, putting a hand to her braid. She looked up at him and I saw her hat laying at Reb’s feet. 

“Trin we were talking as a town here,” TJ said. “We think ya should adopt Em.” 

“What?!” I blinked and sat down at the table. 

“Yup. And since I’m a judge... I can sign all the papers.” 

“We could be mommies together! Yay!” Twist exclaimed. 

“I’m not a mom. I’m an agent, a publisher. My life is far too dangerous for...”

“Well look at it as a big sister. Emily likes danger.” 

I looked over at them, trying to think if they were being serious or not. 

“Em likes danger,” TJ said and I rolled my eyes at him. 

“Emily, come on over here, Sweetie,” I said, then asked, “What brought the town to this wildly unrealistic suggestion?”

Emily blinked at Reb as TJ said, “Em suggested it.” 

“Em doesn’t talk.” 

Rebel tried to grab Emily’s hand and tried to put a cigar in it but Emily blinked at him and tensed up. 

“Rebel, leave her alone.” 

“We have an understanding,” TJ said. 

“Oh you do, TJ?” 

“Yup... see watch.” 

Rebel’s eyes narrowed a bit and he started to whistle Dixie, looking over at me. “Put the stick away, Reb. That horse has been beaten enough,” I muttered. Emily’s eyes grew wide as she stared. Rebel knelt down and struck the match on the wood floor and held it in front of Emily’s face. 

“Reb, cut it out. Leave the poor girl alone,” I said firmly. 

“Need a light,” Rebel said calmly. He slowly reached for the cigar in her hand and I stood, going over to grab his arm as he tried to stick it in her mouth. 

“Reb, I mean it. Cut it out.” I looked over to TJ as Emily turned her head away from Rebel and tried to get free. “A little help here?”

Rebel swung a hard punch, but punched too high and missed me as I ducked out of reaction. When he saw it was me he growled. “Don’t touch me, lady.” 

“Don’t touch the kid,” I said and he let Emily go. “Leave her alone.” I smiled and backed up, satisfied. “Go over to Sugar,” I told Emily. 

Rebel went over to a table and kicked it. I folded my arms across my chest, looking at him.

“I have the adoption papers when ya ready Trin,” TJ said and I looked over at him incredulously. 

Emily went straight into the Christmas tree, thrashing against it, sending a couple of the ornaments flying. 

“Well ya’ll are a good bunch to take care of the poor little gal,” Sugar said. “Well, I’ll pay the girl good, she needs a job.” 

Rebel walked over to me and I glared at him. He tried to grab me by the wrist as Icca walked in and I flinched, pulling back. “Get over here,” Rebel hissed. 

“Not happening, Reb,” I looked from Rebel to Icca, back to Emily. I felt my heart start to race, wondering where Nile or Sam were. Rebel stepped closer to me and tried to grab me again but I pulled away. “Damn it, Reb.”

“How do you like it?” he asked and I glared at him, making him grin a bit. “Bet you don’t like folk touchin’ ya.” 

“Trin givin’ ya a hard time too, Reb?” Icca asked as I traced my scar on my forearm. 

“A bit... was tryin’ to make the lil girl a bit tougher and not be afraid of my shadow,” Rebel said. 

“Ya know we got an upstairs here too miss Trin...” Sugar said. “Just so ya know.” I looked over at her but knew they’d just follow me up there. 

“Good, someone should,” Icca said. 

“Then this here lady... grabs my arm. Reckon she don’t like it much now as I did it back.” Rebel walked over to the table and fixed it, then sat down on one of the chairs. 

“Just don’t like you terrorizin children who are obviously afraid, Reb,” I breathed a bit easier since he was sitting down, and Emily eased her way over to the piano. 

“Don’t tell me what to do. I don’t take orders,” he glared at me.

“I’m not telling you what to do. I’m suggesting what NOT to do.”

“I was being nice to the kid.” 

“You were gonna give her a cigar.”

“Ain’t my fault she’s a coward.” 

“She’s a kid!”

“I was tryin’ to help her out.” 

“Help her out how? By getting her high on whatever the hell was in that cigar?”

“That’s good, Josey. Be nice to the kid. Miss Donwy would be most unhappy if’n ya weren’t,” Sugar said. 

“BOO!” Icca said to Emily, making the girl flinch. 

“It’s just a cigar,” Rebel shrugged. 

“I say smoke’em if ya got’em,” Icca said. 

“I don’t even know what to say to that,” I shook my head in disbelief. 

“Good,” Rebel said to me. 

I rolled my eyes and went to sit at the bar, keeping an eye on the door. “I’ll take that whisky now, Sugar.” 

“Play that piano for me, kid. I need to relax,” Rebel said and I rolled my eyes. 

Sugar gave me some whiskey. “Here darlin’. Kinda medicinal and tastes good too.” 

“Thanks Sugar,” I said and watched as Icca walked outside and then grabbed some snow and came back in and threw it at me. I ducked and muttered, “Can’t wait till spring gets here again.”

Icca sat next to me and looked over at me. 

“Ya lookin’ kinda pale there, Iccy?” Sugar asked him. 

“It’s cause of Trin,” Icca said and I rolled my eyes. 

“Now behave and let Trin be... Why don’t ya talk to my bird up here on the draft handle.” 

“She’s always accusin me of startin fires at her place,” Icca complained. 

“I accused you once, Icca, and I’m pretty damn sure you did it,” I said. 

“Seems I have heard that before...” Sugar looked over at Twist and then back at Icca. “Yep, seems I have.” I chuckled and watched her. 

We talked about the bird in the cage and Icca continued to tease me until finally TJ said, “Go easy on Miss Trin over there. Trin’s about to adopt Emily so be nice.” 

“I ain’t a mother, trust me TJ,” I rolled my eyes. 

Rebel headed towards the door but then stopped and gave me a grin with narrowed eyes. “Good day.” 

“You got somethin to say to me, Reb?” I asked him but he walked outside. 

Icca looked over at me and asked “You know how to use that thing?” 

“Use what thing?” Sugar asked. 

“That thing,” Icca looked down at my gun. 

“Wouldn’t want you to find out.”

We continued to talk and heard Rebel shouting. Emily walked outside and I looked around for her but was told she’d gone outside. I wondered if Emily was okay while Icca headed outside too. Emily came back into the saloon and sat on the piano, tossing her hat down. She took her gloves off and kicked off her shoes, scowling. I chuckled at the child’s defiance as Rebel walked in and folded his arms, leaning back against the wall. 

“Well...” Rebel said, looking at Emily. 

Emily turned to him once more, then turned to scowl at the piano and violently attacked the keys, playing the first movement of one of Beethoven’s sonatas. The heavy chords and arpeggios were clearly perfect and a sign of how angry she was as her whole body shook as she played. 

After a while I stood and announced I was heading home. I walked over to stand beside Emily as she continued to play, and then I walked outside as Sugar said goodnight. 

I noticed someone over by the newspaper office and recognized her as Little Sky, a woman from the Cherokee village. 

“Osiyo Trin,” she greeted me. 

“Little Sky! Osiyo! How are you doing this evening?”

“I am well, how are you this sun?”

“I’m survivin. How’s that article comin?” I shrugged. 

“Slowly as I can’t do the things like you do, I can tell you them though.” 

“We can work on that now, for sure.” I walked into the office with her and said, “Have a seat,” as I took out a notebook and a pencil to write as she talked. 

“Our tribe has two weddings coming up, off two chiefs. Peace and War Chief. War chief to Little Sky,” she beamed, “And Peace Chief to Ahwai.” 

“Cheif Standing Bear? Wow...” 

“Yes Standing Bear and Awahi. They be good together.” 

“Indeed, they are both good people. I am happy to hear the news.”

“As are our people,” she smiled. 

“And for you as well, Little Sky! This is exciting times for you!”

“Yes,” she beamed more. 

“It is good to see you happy like this.” I sighed inwardly, wondering if I’d ever feel that happiness since Eagle was never there, but I tried to focus on my work. “When are the weddings?”

“Wado Trin, we are not sure yet. We have ceremonies to perform first. Men of each party spend time in sweat lodge with Cheif Standing Bear as they say blessings and prayers, then the Maidens and her female party do same. No men and women together.” 

“What other ceremonies are involved?” 

“Before the sweat lodge, man must ask maidens family for hand in marriage and goes hunt deer meat and offers to maiden to cook, if she cooks for him she accepts his courtship.” 

“Then what happens?”

“Maiden and warrior court, but not allowed to be alone together without others around. Maiden then gets things to make her wedding dress. White leather take long time to make. Warrior gathers gifts to give to maiden at wedding and same for maiden to give to warrior.” 

“A lot of preparation,” I smiled. 

“Yes lots,” she nodded. “They make blanket to go around them for wedding ceremony. Gifts things like, leather, cutting knife for meat, leg of meat from warrior to maiden. Maiden gives warrior, dreamcatcher, fruits of the earth, woven or hide blanket and sometimes moccasins.”

“Hawk just got married too did he not? To Sasha?”

“Yes he did,” she nodded. 

“So that would make all the chiefs... That’s definitely a story.”

“Still Chief but with woman.” 

“Wonder if I could include that... Hawk’s wedding I mean...”

“Speak to Hawk or I can... Good to get palefaces to know about our ways and that we are not a angry people. We protect our home fiercely along with our people.”

“You care for your family... I understand that.”

“We do, whole tribe family. From little wolf pup, to the Chiefs,” she smiled at me. “Great Spirit, blessed our lands well. We protect all dear to us.” 

“Is there anything else you want me to include?” I looked at her. 

“Can not think of anything else at present, but it very cold here. You all live with white blanket well?”

“I try to find ways to keep warm...”

Little Sky looked around the building and saw the ink press and gave it a curious look. She tilted her head and poked at the post with her finger. “Looks something... bad,” she turned to me. 

“That prints the paper,” I smiled. “Things are safe at the village?”

“Yes all is safe, had a dog hurt by buffalo but will live.” 

“Oh good, glad it’s safe. I will have to come and congratulate the chief in person.”

“Chief would like that,” she smiled. 

“He has protected me and welcomed me. I owe him that. I still don’t like going to the village unarmed but I will respect his wishes.”

“Yes he has. Though I not have great trust in paleface, you seem one I can trust.” 

“You can trust me. In fact, I’ll even walk you back to the village if you like?”

“If Trin would like a walk or I can walk back so you no get in trouble. I got bow and rifle,” she smirked. 

“Do you think one of your warriors would walk me back to my town? At the end of the evening? If I left my gun here?”

“Yes I would think so.” 

I went over to my desk and put my gun in the bottom drawer, but kept my badge on. 

“Oh... bring gun. I misunderstand. Thought you meant if you came to village, would warrior walk you back,” she looked at me. 

“No it’s fine. I can’t come into the village with my gun so I will respect Chief’s wishes. Shall we?” 

“Yes Trin. Let’s go for a walk,” she nodded and we walked outside. 

Wyoming. 

We walked over to the village and came across a dog who greeted us. I recognized it as Manipi’s friend and she remembered me, wagging her tail happily. I saw Ahyoke walk over and I told her that I came to congratulate the Chief on his engagement but she said he was out hunting, so I headed home.