December 3, 1869

Iowa. 

I rode through Iowa this morning and talked with a man and his boy at their cabin. The man’s name was Joseph and his son was Little Wolf. We talked about how the boy was making snowmen outside and how Joseph ran a lawyer office in Nebraska. We talked about how I was a detective and we talked about the area. When Little Wolf went outside to play, Joseph and I talked about the double murder and kidnapping yesterday but he hadn’t heard any details. We still didn’t know who had done the murders or kidnapping yesterday. We talked about our experiences as lawyers and how I missed the work. We talked about the native tribes in the area and how friendly they were. 

Nebraska. 

I was sitting in the saloon later today when a snowball came flying at me. The native apologized, saying it was an accident and he wasn’t used to snowballs. I remembered him from Amiville and how his cousin Daso had called me a dove back then. 

I went home to rest for a while and then came back to continue doing some more writing when Sasha walked into the saloon and I smiled. “Sasha! How are you, my friend?” 

“I’m well, and you?” 

“I’m doing well. Was just getting some writing done and Gosh hit me with a snowball so I left... Came back in to get back at it.” 

“Not too fond of Gosh.” 

“You and me both. Any more developments on the case Hawk and Little Bear and I were investigating?”

“Not that I am aware of. How are things in Wyoming?” 

“Fairly quiet as far as I know. No more attacks I’ve heard of. Everything’s settled down some.”

“Well I just found out Georgetown moved.” 

“Hope some other town takes their place. Don’t like it being an open field. Well I’m gonna try to get over to Georgetown and see what’s going on there. It was good to see you, Sasha.’

“Be well. See you again soon.” 

Georgetown. 

I went into Georgetown with Lonely Eagle this evening and looked around the city. It was such a nice place and I really felt like I wanted to be back in a town again, where people would be that I could interact with and there would be more cases to work. I also wanted to investigate the possibilities of working with the Pinkerton’s, as they seemed to be a very interesting organization that might just fit my ambitions perfectly. 

“Well, shall we find us a place?” I asked Eagle. 

“If this is where you will be living, that would be a good idea.” 

“I want something close to downtown... but not above an office. An actual house.”

“Howdy folks,” Sam nodded to the two of us. 

“Sam,” I smiled warmly. “This is my friend Lonely Eagle. We’re out looking for a place to live in Georgetown.”

“Hello,” Eagle nodded. 

We saw a young girl then and the girl stamped her feet in the snow, chewing her candy. The shoes she wore seemed hardly adequate to the conditions of the weather. 

“You all lookin’ for a place together?” Sam asked with questioning eyes, looking between us. 

“Well...” I chuckled, looking between them. 

“Indeed we are looking for a place together, but as to the assumed living arrangements, that has yet to be decided,” Eagle explained. 

“I’m looking for a house near downtown but not necessarily above an office... Preferably with two bedrooms...”

“This red man sounds like an educated person - not used to that round these parts...” Sam rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Let me think about what we may have available.”

“We can follow you?” I asked, watching the little girl dash off. “It is time to make a change, Sam... I need to start fresh somewhere where there’s actually more than just one person in the ten mile radius, and where lawmen actually exist in town...”

“My travels have brought me here from far away. I have met many white man along the way. Some have tried to teach me more of your culture,” Lonely Eagle said. 

Sam nodded, “Let me just think a moment Miss Paige, I am sure we may have somethin’.” 

“I offer what knowledge I have to benefit you and the others of this town,” Eagle extended his hand in friendship. 

Sam shook his hand and said, “It’s an honor, fried.” 

“Hello Sir,” I said to a man walking over, wearing a badge. 

“Howdy all,” he greeted us. 

“Howdy Sheriff,” Sam nodded to him and I smiled at that. 

“What ya all up to tonight?” 

“Hello,” Eagle nodded. 

“Well you’re the first sheriff I’ve actually seen in... Goodness...” I looked at him, then at Eagle, and chuckled. “It must be months.” 

“Ah Well I tend to be here as much as I can. Sometimes my business takes me elsewhere,” he said. 

“The traveling Sheriff Nile,” Sam chuckled. 

“If there is no houses available, is there a small bit of land that I could put up a Native gathering place?” Eagle wondered.

“I was a detective back in Nebraska and Colorado Springs, as well as an attorney for a case there,” I told Nile. 

“Ya two moving into town?”

“Indeed, that is the plan,” I smiled at him. 

“Ah glad to hear it, new citizens are always welcomed.” 

“I’m thinking of becoming an investigator,” I looked over at Sam hopefully. “And I was wondering if there was a newspaper office around here where I might be able to work..”

“We do have a newspaper but no one to run it, sounds like the two of those go hand in hand,” he nodded. 

“Oh really? Have you seen a copy of the paper I ran in Amiville?” 

“Follow me and I’ll show you the place if it’s still there,” he said and we walked down the street. 

I smiled seeing the Pinkerton’s office and then an empty office next door. “Is there a place where we could put up the newspaper office close to the Pinkerton and Sheriff office?” I suggested. “This would be a good place for the Newspaper office. It’s close enough to everything on the other side of it...”

“Best not be ease dropping through the walls. Gotta check to make sure there are no holes,” Nile winked. 

Sugar came over and we greeted her. “Everything going alright?” she asked. 

“Yes Trin has decided to come run the paper and live in our town,” Sam said. 

“I’m very excited to start things up here soon! This is a good place for the office...” I smiled widely. 

“Sam did ya hear Lone’s question earlier?” Nile asked. 

“Well ain’t that somethin’! Wonderful, Trin!” Sugar grinned and I smiled back. “Good to be in town with ya again.”

“Is there a place near here that I could set up a place for natives?” Eagle asked again. “Assuming others should travel through.” 

“Yes and the pas to it should be open a day or two once we blast through the rest of the mountain,” Sam told him. 

“Well real good to have ya,” Sugar said again. 

“It will be just north of here through that devils gate bridge he points to the distant looming bridge,” Sam said. 

“I like that this is a good central place for the newspaper office. We don’t have to have the connecting door, was just a suggestion,” I winked at Nile.  “But if I’m possibly working with Sam and the Pinkertons.....” I looked over at Sam. “Well we can work all those details out later,” I said and he nodded. “First things first we need to find a house.”

“You keeping those things pretty nice aren’t ya? Haven’t seen em outta yer holsters in a long time,” Sam pointed at Nile’s pistols. 

*** 

A few hours later, we had completely moved everything into the newspaper office. The place looked great and there was a good view of the town. Sam promised to get a sign made and to send an engineer to fix the printing press. 

We’d even found a house to live in, on top of the hill. I walked with Sam towards the house and greeted TJ and Twist along the way, grateful to live around so many familiar people again. I even saw Allegra Sawyer who lived not too far from where I was living. We talked for a while and then I headed home to get more settled in, feeling very happy with the move. This was definitely the right decision. It felt good to be back in civilization again.