February 17, 1870

Colorado Springs.

This morning I was sitting in front of the office and met Sam, the new blacksmith. I went to the saloon and talked with Twist and Baron. I told them that I was back in town and working as an attorney as well as a detective.

I went back to my place and relaxed in my chair. I talked with people walking down the street and met a deputy from Nevada named Tulkas. 

When I saw Anna walking down the street I stood and went to her. “Anna! It’s great to see you!” 

“Wow, fancy meetin’ you here!” Anna ran over to me and hugged me. “I came down lookin’ for a job.” 

“A dancing job?” I smiled. 

“Yes Trin, dancin’ is really the only thing I know how to do.” 

“Well then we’ll see what we can do about that. I think the saloon manager’s a bit busy right now but would you like to come in and see my place first?" 

“Sure I would love to see your place!" She said and I showed her around my new office and apartment before she had to carry on. We walked downstairs and saw a man in my office. 

“Good morning Sir. Can I help you?” I looked at him.  

“My name is Danny Lee Mosely,” he held his hand out in greeting. 

“Hello, my name is Anna Lou Hawkins. I just came down from Georgetown looking for a dancin’ job,” Anna said, shaking his hand. 

“Just checking my mail, ma’am,” Danny said to me and looked back at Anna. “Well I hope to be seeing you soon at the saloon then.” 

“Well, I really must be going. Pleasure to meet you Sir,” she said. 

“I’m sure a pretty woman like yourself will get a job there.” 

“I hope the owner will give me a job,” she blushed and headed out of the office. I wondered if the man would bother sticking around to talk to me and he turned to look at my gun around my waist. 

“You work here ma’am?” he asked. 

“I do. I run the newspaper and am an attorney as well. Trin Paige,” I held out my hand. 

He took my hand gently and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Miss Paige.” 

“Pleasure meeting you as well,” I shook his hand. 

“My name is Danny Lee Mosely. I own the bank her in Colorado Springs.” 

“Good to know. Hello, Danny,” I smiled, still holding his hand. 

“So you have studied law?” he asked. 

“You have many clients at the bank sir?” I asked him. 

“Oh yes. I serve the good people of Colorado Springs and they have trust in my bank.” 

“That is good to hear. And yes, I have a lot of experience with law... I was a detective and a Pinkerton Agent. Did a case here in Colorado Springs once.” 

Suzi walked in then and said, “I could rob this in a minute.” 

“Can I help you Suzi?” I shook my head at her. “Looks like I might need better security ’round here.” 

“She ain’t going to rob nothing,” Danny shrugged it off. 

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” I said as Suzi walked out. “I met her yesterday but I don’t trust her already.” 

“Well don’t you worry none, ma’am.” 

“So how long have you owned the bank for?” 

“I have been here for a while now, maybe a year or so… You drop by the bank and we can talk about an account that would serve you and your needs as a business woman here in town.” 

“I’ll do that,” I nodded. 

“I get important telegraphs and letters here from time to time, and I’m sure I can trust you with those things.” 

“Absolutely,” I nodded. “Well I guess we should head on outside and see what’s goin on today?” 

“Maybe you would have dinner with me…?” he asked and followed me outside. 

I looked at him, wondering what Tom would say if he knew I was being asked out. “Sorry, Danny, I actually already have someone special in my life.” 

“Well it was just dinner ma’am.” 

“I know, but dinner can lead to other things.” I started but then stopped him, “Sir, wait…” I knew I needed to make contacts in this town somehow and said, “Dinner sounds lovely.” 

“Sounds good,” he turned. “I will drop by later for you.” 

“If I’m not here just come call on me another time, okay?” 

“I will ma’am. We can discuss business.” 

“Or something,” I Smiled as he took my hand softly. 

“I look forward to our dinner,” I said and watched him walk across the street into the saloon. 

I went into the office and watched Suzi walked in. “Ya gots a problem wid me?” she looked at me. 

“I don’t trust you.” 

“Why not? Ya from Amiville?” 

“Let’s see... You point a gun at my best friend, you come into my apartment without being invited up, and then you come into my business and say ’I could rob this easily’. Any of those statements ignite trust to you?” I asked, ignoring her question about Amiville.

“I ain’t an outlaw no mo’. Are ya?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your concern.” 

“Seen ya befo’. I knows ya from someplace.” 

“Then ya don’t need to ask, do ya? I left that town a long time ago. I’d like to leave it in the past.” 

“Amiville reject huh? Jus like me. Ya no betta then tha rest of us.” 

“Didn’t say I was. Just want to leave that life behind me.” 

“Me too, sister. Me too.” 

I walked outside and saw Adder and Chelsea. “Good you’re both here. I’d like to report a possible threat.” 

“Howdy Chels, Trin,” Adder greeted us. “What threat, Trin?" 

“Suzi walked into my office and said that she could rob this place easily. Then asked if I was an Amiville reject like her and she said I was no better than her. I told her I never said such a thing, just that I wanted to put that place behind me.” 

“Your day keeps getting better and better Sheriff,” Chels looked over at Adder. 

“I’ll have a word with her. It’d be hard to get a court case out of that, but a few choice words might shut her up,” Adder nodded. 

“I ain’t askin for a court case. I just want you to be aware of it.” 

“I know. Did I forget my birthday?” 

“In case she actually does decide to follow-through.” 

“I know Trin,” he chuckled. 

“Ya forgot something, that’s for sure,” Chels laughed. 

I leaned back against the lamppost and looked between them, missing being on the inside of the law information. Free walked over and we greeted her and talked about the fact that there wasn’t that many deputies who actually showed up for work. I told Adder I’d be willing to work for him again and then Suzi walked over. 

“Ah Suzi... I hear you think you can rob the post office easily?” Adder looked at her. 

“I didn’t rob nuthin. Ya all want me ta leave here ah will ifin that make ya happy,” Suzi said. 

“Aye, but you stated that you COULD. Now, if anything were to happen to the post office, that would make you the prime suspect, wouldn’t it?” Adder asked her. 

“I said I used ta be a bank robber. A ain’t no mo’,” she shrugegd and we greeted Mel as she walked over. “Fine then, I leaves dis here town to den. Every town tha same seems like.” 

“How so?” Chels asked with a confused look at Suzi. 

“Probably cos every town doesn’t like it when she shoots at their law,” Adder looked at Chels. 

“Or threatens to rob their buildings,” I added. 

“True, she does,” Chels nodded as she talked to Mel about moving here and Bo walked over to say hello. Mel and I talked about how it felt like being a family, being around people that wanted us around. In the middle of the conversation, Suzi had wandered off. 

“So what do ya’ll know about this banker?” I looked around. 

“Came down from Wyoming, had a bank there at one time. Seems to fancy himself as a ladies man,” Adder said. 

“I would agree with that observation,” I nodded. “He saw my gun and barely payed attention to me, then decided once he heard my experience in the law field that he was suddenly interested. Just wondering how much I should trust him.” 

“About the same as you’d trust anyone you just met, I’d say,” Adder shrugged. 

“I’m always cautious with anyone I meet,” Chels said. 

Adder headed off to the saloon and I went back up to my apartment. 

*** 

Kansas. 

This morning I found a horse named Kisa and rode her out to Kansas where I talked with Sasha and others who were at the village. “We had two great battles lately also,” Sasha told me. 

“Oh did you?” I looked at her. “Battles with who, Sasha?” 

“We helped the Cherokee take back their land in Wyoming and was another in Colorado East.” 

“I haven’t reunited with them yet since moving,” I sighed. “Don’t plan on it if I can avoid it.” 

“We ally with them often lately.” 

“They’re a bit away from here right?” 

“Back in their old land in Wyoming.” 

“The other side of Nebraska right” I asked and she nodded. 

DeeDee came over and we talked with her and another woman named Night Raven. I assured her she could trust me and we talked about the horses and Sasha and Night insisted that they didn’t own the horses. 

“It would be someone belong to her…. Not her belong to someone,” Night insisted. 

“Sorry, just a bit different perspective,” I said.

“We do. I’s surprised by the question as Trin should know better by now...we do not own our horses, they choose to be with us,” Sasha said. 

“Right, Sasha, I’m sorry... I just... it’s been a while since I’ve been in a village like yours again. A lot has happened,” I admitted. 

“Don’t mind Night, she simply does not trust any palefaces with guns,” Sasha said. 

“I understand, Sasha. I just figure things could be dangerous around here if the Cherokee knew…” I told her. 

“Do you ever use your firestick…..?” Night asked me. 

“Use my gun only if I need to. I only wear it because things could be dangerous for me out here if I am not careful. And I don’t mean because of this tribe.” 

DeeDee continued to show us her animals as Manipi came over and thumped his tail at me happily. “Sasha, you will tell Hawk that I’m back in the area, if he doesn’t return before I head home, I mean?” I asked her. 

“I will.” 

“I am working fervently to finish these stories of my past so that I can leave them behind me. I will say though that it is good to be back here,” I smiled and looked around the village as I pet Manipi. 

I continued to watch the animals interacting and then headed back home through Georgetown and realized how quiet it was compared to Colorado. 

***

Colorado Springs.

I walked over to my horse and noticed Kisa looking around with worry and wandering off. I wondered what was wrong and went over to the sheriff’s office where I saw Adder and Suzi talking. “I don’t like being pestered. Which is what you keep doing. If you keep pushing me, I push back,” Adder was saying to her. 

“Give me ma badge and I quits,” Suzi said. 

“You don’t get your badge.” 

“I wears it anyhow,” Suzi said and Adder nodded to me as I nodded back and walked on to the saloon. 

I talked with people there and joined in with the Poker game that was going on. Someone asked about a judge position and I talked with the group about being back in town. 

I walked back over to the sheriff’s office to check on Adder. “You alright, Sheriff?” I asked him. 

“Howdy Trin, aye I’m fine,” he chuckled. “How about you?” 

“I’m fine. Wishing Tom would get my wire so we could make this move permanent.” 

“Aye thats understandable,” he nodded. 

“I was over in Georgetown again this afternoon... Dead quiet. But I don’t want to give up that office ’till I talk to him.” 

“Aye, makes sense.” 

“Suzi was givin’ ya grief again huh.” 

“Aye, no changes there.” 

“I think I’m gonna take the same approach with her as I did with Tessa.” 

“I put her back in the clinic earlier. With bullets this time.” 

“Did you??” I blinked. 

“Gave her plenty warnings to stop pushing and shoving me. She wouldn’t listen,” he nodded. 

“Don’t blame ya.” 

“Shot at her a couple times, still didn’t stop, so I put her down.” 

Suzi walked over then and said, “Goodbye Adder. I gone. Fer good.” 

“If that’s what you want to do, then so be it,” he shrugged. I chuckled, thinking I’d heard that before today. 

“Ya an ol’ grump. Trin ya take care of him.” 

“Guilty as charged,” Adder laughed. 

I watched Suzi walk off and I looked over at him. “Think it’ll stick this time?” 

“No idea,” he shrugged. 

I said goodbye to him and headed back to my office.