December 18, 1869

Georgetown/Wyoming. 

This morning I woke up and found Spirit anxious to get going. We went to the village and I missed the days I could just walked over freely. I greeted White Dove and Running Bear and we talked about Spirit limping over to me along the way. White Dove insisted that Spirit was okay and we talked about how there had been few outlaws in town lately. I talked with a few more Natives there and then headed home. 

Georgetown. 

Icca and Cannalilly greeted me and he asked if I’d ever caught the person who set fire to my place. I said there hadn’t been any evidence so no arrests had been made. Icca called my new deputy badge an abuse of power but I argued that it was an extension of it. I went to the saloon and saw Bravo kissing someone and I chuckled that some things never changed. I talked with people in the saloon and I told Chane about becoming a deputy as well as a detective now. He was proud of me and the group of us talked about the people in town. We talked about Twist’s baby and how she was feeling with it coming soon. 

***

I was working in the sheriff’s office when Nile walked in with another man and introduced him as Sheriff Duke Cross. 

“Glad to have ya aboard,” he greeted me. 

“I’m still working for Sam as a Pinkerton Agent, but am working for Nile within the city,” I smiled. “When it crosses jurisdiction, I put on my Pinkerton hat. I also run the newspaper here in town. Did you get a copy of it? There’s some interesting names ya may want to be aware of.”

“I’ll have to check that out soon,” Duke said and I handed him the paper from my back pocket. 

Nile went home and I took over his desk. “Spirit’s taken it upon herself to protect me,” I said as the wolf came to sit at my feet. “She followed me home and barely leaves my side now.”

“That’s sweet.” 

“Mmhmm. I need it going from here to Wyoming. I’m trying to keep up appearances with the Natives to let them know they can trust the law.”

“That’s a long way.” 

“Of course Woody goin round and shootin them for sport isn’t helping...”

“Well I am half-Native so they usually leave me be.” 

“They’ve accepted me into their company,” I smiled. “Of course dating a Native man helps me in my case,” I winked. 

“Hmm.. This Slick Jesse seems like he gonna be causin’ us some issues,” Duke said, looking over his paperwork. 

“That was a scary night indeed. Oddly haven’t seen him since though. Or Vlad.” 

“Wish I could’ve been there.” 

“You coulda taken him, hmm?” I chuckled.

“I’ve taken out a lot of outlaws and I don’t miss. Unless I am drunk,” he laughed. 

“That’s encouraging to hear. I’ve been taken down a couple times... Though I did get a couple shots on the Black Brothers... And I got a chance to lock them behind bars at least once.”

“Back in Colorado Springs if ya got em in Jail, they sent about 5 to 10 men to get them out with in 5 minutes.” 

Duke grinned as he read another report and said, “Damn bears.” 

“Haven’t seen any of them around since either,” I leaned forward against the desk. “I’m bored. Wasn’t there somethin going on at the Moonshine Saloon tonight? You know where it is?”

“Nope, sadly I don’t. But not sure. Maybe I read somethin’ on it.” 

“Care to venture out and find it?”

“Well nothin better to do at the moment. I’ll go, I reckon.” 

“I think it’s actually just past my house on the hill out to the west.”

Once we’d reloaded our guns, we walked out to find the saloon in Silver Plume, neither of us really knowing where we were going. We found Mimi and she asked us for directions. Between the group of us we found the saloon where Rebel was playing records. We danced for a while and talked about how things had been quiet lately and talked about the current events in town. 

***

This evening I walked over to the Washington’s home and knocked on the door. Mrs. Washington invited me in and I took a seat as Leu walked over to join me. After complimenting their home, Leu asked, “How can I help you?” 

“Well Leu I was wondering if you’d had a chance to speak with the Cherokee chief since we last talked?”

“Yes I have and my letter to Washington DC has been sent by courier.” 

“Oh really? Which letter was that again?” I asked, taking the letter and reading it. 

“My job is to assist the Indians but I am required to report all actions to Washington.” 

I nodded and read with a sigh, “‘That the white man had no good heart’.” 

“Yes, he does not trust us.” 

I continued to read, “‘The failure on the part of the gov’t to protect them from the raids of local bandits’.” I handed the note back to him and sighed. “We’d protect them if they’d let us. Sounds about right.” 

“They don’t trust us, and every time locals show it ends in conflict.” 

I looked between them and said, “I’m sorry for stating the obvious but... You’re not white folk... Should they not trust you more?”

“Well chief said they need no teaching of any kind or health care ..because all his poeple not need,” Mrs. Washington said. 

“Perhaps, I am still of the ‘paleface ways’ as they see it,” Leu said. 

“I suppose they have their own methods of healing... but education wouldn’t hurt them if they wanted to, say, read the paper.” 

“They are a proud people and don’t understand how it all works.” 

“Don’t I know it,” I sighed. 

“Chief just not want no help at all,” Mrs. Washington said. “He is a stubborn chief.” 

“In all honesty I am surprised that he welcomed me as much as he has.”

“He has only tolerated us thus far.” 

“He has not shot you down at least,” I said somewhat sarcastically. 

“Well he has held me at the end of a gun barrel and ready to shoot me several times,” he said and I raised an eyebrow. “As they say, I am treading on very thin ice.” 

“I am fine from the villagers’ point of view... The chief I’m not sure of now,” I sighed and leaned back on the couch. 

“Last time I was there he held the gun to my head and told me to head south or he was going to shoot me.” 

“Did he know what you did for a business?”

“Oh yes.” 

“Clearly thinks he doesn’t need help then.”

“I stood in front of his tribe and told them what my role was and where I was from.” 

“Have done that myself,” I nodded. 

“I will be going there again. I do not know how I will be received but I need to keep trying.” 

“Then they all thought I was planning to live there... They were surprised when I was still living in Nebraska and going to their village for protection. But I explained to them that I was only planning on helping them against the outlaws and bandits, not as much for my own protection though that was part of it. They all seemed on board with the plan and then...” I sighed. 

“See they perceive that as you drawing in the others that will bring harm to their village.” 

“Yes that’s what they said. They were angry when I didn’t tell them the names of those who had hurt me. But I didn’t know if anyone would follow me there.”

“One thing with the chief, you cannot bullshit him.” 

“Well I told him all that had happened... I told him my whole story.”

“If you tell him something you better be able to back it up.” 

“Granted, I did not tell him names. But like I said, I didn’t want to cause fear where it wasn’t necessary, in case they didn’t actually come.”

“And when you did not he got mad right?” 

“Now sadly.. one of them did come. Shot down my friend and pointed a gun at me. I tried to go to them for protection and they got all upset that I was still living in Nebraska and letting myself be vulnerable to attacks. But I had never planned to become fully part of their tribe and village.”

“He has a certain perception I cannot change.” 

“At any rate... That was cleared up and I thought we were on good grounds again. But then last week the chief gets attacked by these guys and he kills one of them but not the other two...” 

“I do know this, with the chief, its all or nothing.” 

“They beat him and robbed him.. And when I showed concern and asked for more details all he said was ‘I’ll take care of it’. When he knows that I’m an agent and could get lawmen to help against these men that beat him.”

“Well that’s one of the big issues; getting everyone to work together. We need to take it one step at a time.” 

“But Leu I poured my soul out to that man... I told him everything I’d been through... Everything...”

“And right now he things you baiting him.” 

“And he can’t even...” I shook my head, too upset to continue. 

“Well as I said, one step at a time.” 

“I just...” I nodded. 

“It may require treaties that are upheld.” 

“Hawk’s tribe in Kansas... They were so much more open to my help... The Cheyenne... They were less resistant and I could come and go as I wanted. They protected me... gave me a place of peace.. And still do from time to time.”

“The Indian Tribes are all different.” 

“So I’m learning.”

“I have dealt with many and you cannot consider them all the same by any means.” 

“I guess not I just... Didn’t expect it to be this different,” I sighed. “Guess I should head home. It was good to talk to you both. It gave me some perspective.”

“I have know many Indian chiefs, some will quietly follow while others will fight till their death. Standing Bear is one who may fight till the death.” 

“I believe that,” I nodded.

“Only trust will change that.” 

“I just thought I’d built that trust,” I looked down. 

“Walk in his shoes and maybe you will see his point of view.” 

“I am going to need your help... Even just as a sounding board for my frustrations with this and giving me perspective like you have. If that’s alright with you?”

“That is fine. I am the liaison put here to bring resolve and peace to this region.” 

“That’s what I told them my role was going to be too... Or what I had hoped it would be,” I nodded and stood, looking between Leu and his wife who’d remained quiet. “Thank you so much for letting me come and talk to you both.”

“Sure. Feel free to stop by anytime.” 

“I appreciate the perspective greatly.”

We said goodnight and then I headed home. I wished Eagle was around to talk to and sighed as I didn’t know where he was. Spirit jumped up on the bed and I pet the wolf, talking to it as if it could understand. 

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do, Spirit... We have to go see the chief in Wyoming tomorrow... I feel like he doesn’t fully trust me.. I told him everything about my story, Spirit. Everything. He said he would protect me, and welcome me into his village... We had an arrangement that he would protect me and that I could help them... Be sort of the midpoint between them and the law... I thought we had an agreement... I thought he trusted me... And then last week he gets attacked by these three men. He killed one and the other two got away. I went to the village and found out about this... He shrugged it off as it was no big deal to him. I tried getting information out of him, a description of the men, something.. But nothing. Not a word about it other than ‘I’ll handle it’. I have barely spoken with him since. Me and the tribe are fine but..” 

Spirit climbed onto me and licked my face and I lay back in the bed with the wolf close beside me, comforting me.