January 20, 1870

Cripple Creek. 

This morning I walked into Cripple Creek with hesitation, knowing that I didn’t want to be back there but I needed to know if Dutch was okay. I saw Christy standing by the well and as I approached, she dropped the snow she’d been holding. 

“Christy… hi. I wanted to come see if Dutch was okay.. I haven’t heard anything since that awful night he got shot and I’m getting worried.” 

“He is in the saloon, the last I saw him,” she nodded and reached down for more snow to hold onto. 

“He is?” I raised an eyebrow. “Thanks so much, Christy.” 

I ran into the saloon and saw the crowd, relieved to see Dutch up and sitting at the bar. “Dutch!” I was suddenly at a loss for words, seeing him perfectly fine, and I wondered why no one had bothered to tell me. “Dutch… you’re okay…” I put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Need him to go lie down,” Monte muttered. 

“I am done with lying,” Dutch muttered. “I need a drink.” 

“Maybe coffee.” 

“My special coffee, please,” Dutch ordered and the girl behind the counter grabbed a clean mug and poured the coffee. 

“Trin, can I git cha anything?” Alaine asked. 

“No, I didn’t plan on staying long,” I shook my head. “Just came to make sure Dutch was still alive.” 

“Oh, he is definitely alive… and stubborn as always,” Alaine muttered. 

“Barely,” Dutch put in. 

“Now I know so I guess I’ll just…” I shook my head, telling myself to get a grip. “Sorry, been an intense few days. Maybe I should have that drink.” I sat down between Monte and Dutch and ordered a whiskey. I talked with Monte and found out he was getting married to Alaine. I looked over at Dutch and asked, “Did they ever catch the guy that shot you?” 

“We got him in bars,” Monte nodded. 

“Who was he?” I looked between them. 

“Dirk.” 

“He kept talking about shooting down the Solos. Is he the one who….?” I asked Dutch. 

“Him and one other that is still about.” 

“Who’s the other one?” 

“Jesse.” 

“Jesse who?” 

“He goes by Cyrus Ulrik,” Monte said. “Or also David.” He handed me a warrant for his arrest and said, “You may see him. Bald head has a scar on his face. I call him Scar Face.” 

“Can’t miss him. Balder than a baby’s butt!” Ascot exclaimed.

“Is he the same one that shot at Dutch back in June? Or rather, his triplet brother? He kept talkin bout shootin up all the Solos,” I looked at her. 

“I don’t know,” Monte said. 

“He never had a triplet brother, he was messing with poor Dutch while he was in a coma,” Ascot said.

“Back in June, or July,” I shook my head. “When we found out Dutch was actually alive. Someone was killed and they thought it was Dutch, but it was actually a Solo brother.” 

“Yeah hard as we all try he keeps commin’ back!” 

“Now someone comes back months later he comes back and is still tryin’ to shoot down the Solo name…" 

“They all want ta be Solo brothers… Gettin’ kinda old!” 

“Who is this guy? What does he have against your family?” 

“Don’t know this new guy, probably didn’t likes tha way they smell er somethin’.” 

“I’m more curious about the old guy... from back then.. What’s this vandetta he seems to have?” 

“Well, you can dig him up. I ain’t a gonna.” 

I looked over to Dutch for help and he held my hand. I swallowed hard and held his hand, looking at him with confusion. “Dutch can we maybe... Go somewhere and talk?” 

“He just got outta the clinic !” Ascot protested. 

“Come on... Let’s go somewhere you can lay down for a while,” I reached up to rub Dutch’s neck as he lay his head on the bar. 

“Done layed way too much,” he muttered. 

“Please?” I pleaded, wanting to talk to him alone. “You know I’m right, darlin’..” 

Alaine and Monte continued to banter back and forth and I traced my fingers around Dutch’s neck. “I know you’re upset over getting shot honey but I think maybe if you talked about it it might help…” Dutch stayed quiet though and I sighed. “Well I’m gonna go back home then.. You know where to find me if you wanna talk.” I looked over at Ascot and said, “Ascot, I... I’m sorry if it seemed like I’ve been in the way I just.. I care about Dutch, is all. I’ll just head home now. Just relieved to see Dutch up and well enough.” 

“We all do Trin, try as we may not to,” Ascot said. 

“And... Tell Corri and Josh... I’m sorry for getting in the way when he got shot. I was just so in shock. He’ll always have a special place in my heart even if it’s not meant to be him and me forever.” 

“I wasn’t there,” she shrugged. 

“I know you weren’t but just... tell them for me? I should go home,” I said, taking one last look around the room before heading out of the saloon. 

Colorado Springs. 

I walked down to Colorado and saw a group of people in the street. They greeted me as Jake Despres was talking to a girl in the saddle about how they would take her somewhere. He smiled when he saw me and said, “Ya wanna come too? We’re headed for the Saloon to relax.” 

“I might join ya’ll,” I smiled and followed them to the saloon. 

Jake clapped his hands together and said, “Great, haven’t talked to ya in a while Miss Trin.” 

“Indeed, been a busy few days. You won’t believe what I’ve been up to…” 

“You can tell me all about it over a cup of Bourbon,” Jake chuckled and led the group into the saloon. 

When we were sitting at the table, Chelsea asked, “So where do you hang your hat these days Trin?” 

“Been over in Georgetown. Keeping busy,” I told Chels. “Good to be back in Colorado Springs.” 

Vinni and Stormy were playing Poker while we walked in and got our coffee. I asked Chels if she and Jake were married yet and she said they weren’t. Jake chuckled and said that Chels hadn’t proposed yet. They both agreed that there was no point messing up a good thing with something like marriage. I smiled at the amount of people in the saloon as Adder came in and joined us. 

Jake told us about a barbecue in Devil’s Ditch in less than an hour and we continued to talk. Adder asked how I was doing and I knew that I should have told them about Cripple Creek but I decided to keep it quiet. 

“So Miss Trin, what’s been happenin’ with ya the last couple of weeks?” Jake finally asked me. 

“Been kinda dealing with Icca as of late actually…” I looked over at him as the conversation continued around us. 

“Over in Georgetown?” Jake nodded. “We had a run in with those sons of bitches some weeks ago and we let them know they ain’t welcome here no more…” 

“He shot me down over in Wyoming and then we tried to arrest him while he was conducting a funeral and he shot the marshal down in the process,” I nodded to him. 

“Well he’s a strange fella, that’s for sure... And so are the boys he’s runnin’ with,” Jake sighed. 

“Boys would be the right word for ’em,” Adder put in. 

“So things have been busy around here I see,” I looked over at Chels, changing the subject. 

“It’s starting to get busy… but then again has its slow times.” 

“Damn it… When will this cold end?” Vinni muttered then as the snow came down again outside. 

“You don’t get none of this in Tombstone, Arizona. Riding down here I noticed it was getting colder and colder.” 

“This is Colorado, Vinni. Better git used to the cold,” Mack snorted. 

“Well am sure I do but ya’ll better start selling warmer clothes then.” 

“Jus gotta git cha some a them there bear skins to make a good coat out of,” Mack suggested to him. 

We continued to talk and it was so good to be around friends here again. I was really starting to miss everyone here and wished Georgetown wasn’t so far away. We went to Devil’s Ditch for the cookout and sat around the campfire. I wondered why I ever left this place as we all hung out and had a good time. I discovered as we talked that Vinni was in fact Jake’s uncle. 

“So I’m thinkin about movin back to the area... Taking up the private investigating thing, maybe doin a newspaper,” I said then. 

“There’re lots of available apartments in town, but out here and across the river it’s difficult to find a cabin these days…” Jake said. 

“Don’t want somethign too small like the last place. Less availability means a lot of people in the area. That’s a good thing ain’t it?” I observed and we continued to talk. Jake told us about a new preacher that was living there now as well. I realized I’d missed them so much and it was so good to be back with them. I asked Adder if he wanted to help me buy a house and he pointed at his food so I said that it could wait and kicked him teasingly. 

After the barbecue Chelsea showed me around town at several different buildings and landed back at my old office. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to make the move yet, but I promised I would think about it. 

Georgetown. 

As I went back home, I realized how much I loved my house and the city there and the people. I realized I couldn’t move out of this place and went downstairs and headed for the saloon. 

I greeted everyone there and was happy to see Chet again. We talked about how I’d hung out with friends in Colorado but it was good to be home too. Chet and I danced to the music while the conversation went around us. Chet asked Little Rock if any white men had been hanging out in his territory and he said that he hadn’t, and Icca hadn’t been around. Chet told them that Icca was wanted for aiding and abedding a known fugitive and shooting at a lawman and trying to kill me. Melany handed out wedding invitations for her and Vic. 

After a while I said to Chet, “You know, there was something I wanted to talk to you at the office… er… house…” I blushed a bit and looked at my boss sheepishly, who just chuckled. 

“Whenever yer ready to, we can go,” Chet smiled. 

“We’ll see ya’ll later!” I waved to the group and followed Chet out of the saloon. “My office or yours?” I turned to Chet. 

“You pick. Lady’s choice.” 

“We’ll probably get less in trouble if we go to yours,” I grinned. 

“Sounds good.” 

We walked down the street and he unlocked the door, leading me into the sheriff’s office. “I am afraid I might have to arrest you for being too beautiful,” he looked at me. 

“Power gettin to your head, marshal?” I winked at him. 

“Nah, just your body…” 

I blushed and looked around, then back to Chet. “Got a couch or somethin’ upstairs?” 

“I don’t remember.” 

“Let’s find out, shall we?” I asked and led the way upstairs. There was a hard bench inside and I hoped he didn’t get any ideas. 

“You are very beautiful,” he said. “Perhaps you be more comfortable out of some of those clothes to relax.” 

He pulled me close and I leaned against him. “Think I saw a desk downstairs,” I whispered into his ear. 

We walked downstairs and he set me on the desk as we kissed. I suggested we take things slow and got to know each other as too many men had left me in the dust in the past. I told him that I was trying to trust more but that we were off to a good start, and then headed home.