Georgetown.
This morning I hung out in the saloon and talked with Rosalee who’d been out visiting relatives. We talked about the new saloon and how great it was to have more hotel rooms upstairs. Slade walked downstairs into the saloon and I asked if he wanted a drink but he said he was good for now as he yawned.
“Up late last night were ya?” I smiled at him.
“When ya be fallin’ asleep in a rockin’ chair you wake up stiff as a board sugar,” Slade shrugged.
“That’s fur sure. You know they’ve got more comfortable beds upstairs…” I chuckled.
“I know. But they was still movin muh bed into that room last night so I couldn’t get in there.”
“Ah I see... Well it should be there now so hopefully you’ll sleep better tonight,” I smiled at him and he nodded with a chuckle .
Slade and Rosa talked about how they’d come to Georgetown and Slade said that he was a traveling musician and a knife entertainer of sorts. I noticed the girl was a bit intense but Slade and I talked about music and how we should do a duet together sometime. I told him about singing at the saloon tomorrow and he said he would try to be there. Slade flirted with both of us and I asked Slade to dance.
“So what’s a detective like you doing in these harsh parts sugar?” he asked me and then he accepted my offer to dance.
As we danced closely with each other I looked in his eyes and said, “Well darlin’, I came here a couple of months ago lookin’ for a more quiet environment… Guess I didn’t really do my research eh?” I winked at him.
“I see,” he smiled and wrapped his arms around me. “I see. I am guessing you weren’t expecting so many bandits and injuns here…”
“I wasn’t expecting things with the Natives would get so bad so quickly. When I came here I was on good terms with them,” I sighed as we danced.
Slade stroked my cheek and looked in my eyes. “I am sure we can work something out with them... Get them back on our side. I seen what them outlaws did to their camp most disgraceful…”
I sighed, leaning my head on his shoulder, wishing it were that simple. Slade continued to stroke my cheek and leaned in to whisper to me, “I have a hankering you should know this sugar that I am a deputy... Keep tha ton the don low though... I dun want any of these outlaws i seen frequenting this establishment to know... I gonna work on getting us back right and proper with the Cherokee... Did you hear something…?”
I smiled, leaning my forehead against his neck with a nod. I whispered back and said, “I think there might be someone outside but I don’t feel like letting go of you just yet.” I felt relieved and safe in his arms, dancing with him. I looked into his eyes, knowing I felt something with him the day I met him and I wanted to get to know him better.
“I be wanting to get to know you better sugar... You seem like the right proper girl to be around…” Slade whispered as we danced while others came in and out of the saloon.
“I want to get to know you better too.. No one else knows I’m a bartender, I can just throw on my Pinkerton hat and keep dancin’ with ya,” I whispered back to him and he kissed me on the cheek.
Slade noticed something about a couple of people talking outside and asked the lady who she was talking to outside. The girl shrugged it off as if the conversation was no big deal and I knew there was so much that I wanted to talk to him about, but the saloon wasn’t the right place.
Slade looked into my eyes and smiled. “Care to take a morning walk with me about the country side sugar?”
“I would love that,” I nodded and smiled. “Maybe we can find a spot by the river somewhere and sit and talk,” I looked at him hopefully.
“I would like that, sugar,” he said and led the way outside.
We headed down to the dock by the river and I sat down beside him. He leaned back against the barrel and sighed. I looked over and traced a finger around his leg and asked, “What’s wrong, darlin’?”
He smiled to me and smirked with a wink. “Nothing lass, this ruse I play is a bit taxin’ on me sometimes…”
“I’m glad you felt comfortable telling me though. I wondered but was never sure exactly. You seem to have a confidence about you only people in our business would have,” I continued to trace around his knee. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his deputy badge and I smiled, “It was getting a little crowded in there,” I looked in his eyes and leaned against him.
He stroked my cheek and wrapped his other hand around my waist. “Ya it was quite crowded…”
“Is there anything you want to know about me?” I asked, leaning against his chest.
“Well I dun know much about ya... Why don’t you start off tellin me..” he stroked my hand.
I nodded, feeling easy talking with him and loving his touch. “Well... How far back should I start?”
“As far back as ya feel comfortable with sugar…”
“Well... I moved to Colorado back in June... After living in Texas for a year or so… I started off just as a writer... Lookin for a story. Boy did I find one,” I sighed. I told him about working in Amiville and the case with Dutch Solo. Slade listened intensely as I told him about how the man was now a sheriff in Cripple Creek and how it had made me have a hard time trusting men ever since.
“Well I hope you be trusting me enough…” he sighed.
I continued telling him about how I’d gone to Cripple Creek and the family never really acted like they wanted me around. I told him about Dutch getting shot down again and about how the case had led me to work as a detective, an agent, and run a newspaper. I told him about the Horsemen gang and what had happened with Bill and how I’d moved from place to place ever since. I told him about the relationships with the Cherokee and how things had gotten worse lately.
He kissed my forehead gently and said, “I was thinkin bout heading up that way and see about talkin to their chief…”
“Don’t bother,” I shook my head. “It ain’t worth it.”
“I gots to try... We dun have enough lawmen to deal with them hill bandits…"
I continued to tell him about the gunfight with Icca and what had happened since. Slade insisted that he wanted to go over to the village unarmed anyway and I told him about the chief blowing up the sheriff’s office while I was inside and about what happened in Mesa Verde at the fort.
“I think I know how to get in good with them natives hun…” Slade said and then blinked when I told him we’d been ambushed.
“I found out yesterday that it was because chief’s wife had been taken captive there… But… These natives came into the office where I was and said that I was a traitor and that I was dead to them.”
I choked back the emotion and he leaned in to kiss me tenderly on the cheek, trying to ease my pain. I leaned into him, shaking as I remembered being trapped in the fort with the fire surrounding me. “You said you know how to deal with the natives?”
He undid his gun belt and set it aside with his pistol within reach. “Well yes... Diplomacy... You let them speak then you speak then you come to an agreement…"
“I tried that, Slade,” I sighed.
“Yes you tried... Now it’s my turn ta try…” he winked at me.
“I went out there with Chet, the marshal. After talking to Adahy and some other natives. Chief gave his side of the story and I gave mine. We agreed to disagree on our method of dealing with the outlaws and we weren’t gonna stand in each others’ way. Then he blew the office up with dynamite.”
“Then we are gonna meet on his grounds…”
“But…” I shook my head, doubtful.
“Well, I ain’t no lawman in their eyes yet…” he winked at me. “So I think I might have a better chance, I think…”
“Good point, darlin’,” I kissed his shoulder.
“Plus I got something worth fightin’ for n this town finally…” he held me close and kissed my forehead.
I leaned against him, hoping I wouldn’t get hurt again, but I couldn’t help but feel nervous about the new connection we’d just made. “Slade?” I looked in his eyes.
“Yes ma’am?”
“Thank you…” I whispered.
“Anytime, sugar..” he whispered onto my lips and then kissed me slowly and passionately. I kissed him back, letting the feeling and emotion wash away the fear and sadness I’d just shared with him. He broke the kiss back and stared into my eyes.
I looked into his eyes and said, “Darlin’.. I want you to know... If I flirt with other guys in the saloon it’s only to get information.. There was somethin’ different about you though and I knew I wanted to take it out of the saloon. I just want you to know so you don’t think any less of me.”
He smiled and winked, “I gots to say Sugar, I haven’t found a girl I wanted in a long time… And if you see me flirtin’ with them saloon girls its cause I know they be dirty…”
I looked around, enjoying the silence around us, and curled closer to him. “So whenever we give each other that look that we need to talk... We come here?”
“Alright hon... I would like that a lot…” he kissed my cheek.
“When do you think you’ll go talk to the Natives?”
“I am hoping to go an talk to them today.”
“Godspeed, hon. They’re not the most easiest to talk to, even if you’re unarmed. You’re paleface so you’ll be seen as the enemy right now.” I reached for his hand and held it, not wanting him to go since I knew it wouldn’t end well.
“I am a whiley one hon... I will be alright,” he insisted.
“I guess so…. I guess we should go make sure they haven’t robbed the new saloon,” I sighed and looked out at the water. “Your cover is safe with me, darlin’. No one else will know about that badge.”
He strapped on his gun belt and smiled at me. “Alright. Thank ya hun.”
I kissed his lips firmly and he lifted me up with him as we stood, kissing me passionately again. I leaned into the kiss, not letting go. “This is my favorite place... In the whole town…”
“I think it’s my favourite place too,” he stroked my cheek and wrapped his arms around me.
I smiled and leaned against his shoulder. “Why is it so hard to let you go?”
“I just have this way with women I guess hon…”
“Slade.. Thank you for trusting me, and letting me trust you.”
“You stay safe now ya hear... I am gonna be out of town for a bit... Head for the cherokee lands... Don’t fret none alright... And stay out of trouble... I want someone to walk back to…”
“I’ll be here, darlin’.”
He kissed my cheek and pulled out a knife from his leg holder and handed it to me. The blade was a hooked curve and a strange handle with a hole in it that could fit an index finger for twirling. The blade was razor sharp and he said, “Something to give you good luck…”
I took the knife and exhaled deeply. “Thank you, hon.”
He gave me one more kiss before heading towards the village.
I went to my office and got some writing done, though it was hard to focus as I kept looking at the window, wondering if and when Slade would return with news. I talked with Mimi about how I’d been working on my memoirs and then I walked with her over to the saloon to show her the new building. We sat down with a drink and she told me about how she’d been working as a doctor. She said that she’d been helping Natives with healing and I was surprised that they’d trusted her enough. We continued talking about my writing and about the book about Dutch. Mimi said that she planned to be around more to heal people and I told her about the ambush at Mesa Verda by the Cherokee.
Sam and Downy joined us in the saloon and we talked about how busy the new saloon had become. They headed on and Mimi and I continued to talk about Georgetown and people we both knew.
Nile Quander came into the saloon then and I was shocked to see him. We had drinks and Vanilla, the other saloon girl, continued to serve drinks. Slade walked downstairs from his room and gave me a wink as I introduced the two of them.
“Good to have ya back, Nile. We’re in need of some lawmen around here. Things are quite... well, it’s picking up let’s just say that,” I said.
“Thanks Miss Trin, I heard through the grapevine ya gave up being a deputy Trin,” Nile looked at me.
“Heck son these parts could use you back something fierce... I seen bandits just mosey into town and be all friendly with the folk round here... Thy even be disguise sometimes…” Slade chuckled.
“I did at that. Focusing on the Pinkerton thing and the newspaper,” I told Nile.
“Ah how is the newspaper?” Nile asked.
“Been goin alright though not many stories lately other than ’so and so shot so and so. Though I’m getting a bit more detail on this fort ambush over in Mesa Verda I was involved in. So that’ll be a story as soon as I clear the rest of the details.”
“Sounds good. Sounds like I missed a lot.”
“Wasn’t good to be in it,” I looked at him. “I was trapped in the fort with a soldier there and the natives came and ambushed the place.”
“Ah just you and a soldier?”
“Apparently the chief’s wife had been taken there so they were getting revenge. I was talkin’ to him about some frustrations I’d been having with the natives.”
“I see, so the war is still going on?”
They came in and called me a traitor, said I was dead to them,” I shook my head. “The war started when their chief burned down our sheriff’s office while I and Duke and Kale were inside.”
“Ah I see, and then I heard someone burned down there teepees.”
“Oh did you? I hadn’t heard that part. You know who did it?”
“Nah, just heard some news while I was on vacation. Word does travel fast”
I looked over at Slade and asked, “Any luck on your wanderings over to the village today?”
“Naw no one round picked up some supplies and such from the local area then came back,” Slade shook his head.
“When did ya come into town?” Nile looked over at Slade.
“Been watching over this here town for a while... Came in made myself known about two days ago,” Slade shrugged.
Nile said he had to run home and take care of some stuff and Slade and Freya talked a bit as I continued to write in my notebook as other people came into the saloon. Slade announced he was heading back to the Cherokee village and I wished him luck before he headed out of the saloon.
TJ walked into the saloon and I greeted him. He asked if there was anything about him that I was writing and I teased him about the day in the Mexican jail and he just chuckled and walked out of the saloon.
***
This evening I headed over to Vito’s house and knocked on the door, shifting nervously. I knew we needed to catch up. Vito and his sister invited me in and showed me around the house. We sat down on the couch and I knew the tiredness was in my eyes.
“Pardon me for asking, but are you alright? It looks like something has been wearing on you lately,” Vito looked at me.
“No, I’m far from alright,” I shook my head. You’ll notice the new gun I’m wearing… I’ve decided it’s time to fight back. I can’t sit in hiding anymore. Too much has happened against me.”
“I see. What, pray tell has happened?” Vito asked.
“Let’s see where do I start? When the chief knowingly burned down the sheriff’s office while I was inside, or the ambush at the fort in Mesa Verda, where they also seemed to know somehow that I was inside?”
“So are the Natives all against you now?”
“So it would seem, though I’m still foggy on those details. See here’s what happened as far as I can figure it with these two events, which... If they haven’t made the natives against me they’ve made me against the natives. The fire at the office happened first," she sighs. "We had been in a gunfight with two outlaws and we had them in our cells. The war cheif and chief came over claiming that they wanted the outlaws for their own justice. Apparently these two outlaws had attacked their village before coming to town here,” I told them. “Well anyway, the sheriff was willing to give the outlaws to them after a day in our cells, and it seemed like the war chief was ready to take that deal and go. But the chief didn’t like that plan... and he knew I was inside because I had been outside talking with them and then went in the office. They all got into a gunfight with Sam and…” I blinked, realizing something then. “Oh my... That’s why they…” I shook my head. “No, it can’t be that simple.”
“What is it?” Vito asked.
I shook my head, not wanting to get ahead of myself, and told them about what happened in Mesa Verda. Vito was shocked at the news and as I told him about Ahawi being kidnapped.
“Do you know if the chief ever got his wife back?” Vito asked.
“I believe he did. But Vito.. If they found out I worked for Sam when they had that gunfight at the sheriff’s office... They might have seen me a traitor because of that…”
“That very well could be.”
“I don’t know why I never realized it before. It’s so obvious now. They always knew I was a Pinkerton.. But now I wasn’t letting them have their outlaws for their own kind of justice. Or my boss wasn’t...But Duke, the sheriff, he was insistent that they would make the deal.”
“It can be very difficult at times to get rationally get inside the mind of an irrational person.”
“Vito, that has to be it. I can’t think of any other reason. Before then all I’d done was try to create a bridge to speak peacefully with them, show them we’re on the same side. In that moment at the office... they suddenly realized that I was holding them back from their own justice.”
“The natives have a ‘justice’ all their own different from the law here,” Vito said pensively.
“That they do. And they thought that I was standing in the way of their achieving that justice,” I nodded.
“What they may come to realize is that there are others with their own forms of ‘justice’.”
“They’re never going to accept anyone else’s justice.”
“Unfortunately for them, there are those that don’t care.”
“I don’t know what to do now, Vito,” I shook my head.
“What would you like to happen?”
“I miss Adahy... And some of the others in the tribe that I can’t talk now…” I sighed.
“Do you think the whole tribe is against you, or is it just a personal vendetta?”
“I think it’s against the palefaces. Probably specifically law but paleface in general. I don’t think it’s personal at all. They just see me as one of the paleface now, not as the only paleface they trust.”
“I really don’t think they want a war, but it appears they are readying themselves for one.”
“They’ve pretty much declared it, Vito.”
“Then they need to be ‘crippled’. Shown that it is a futile effort. What they will lose trying will far outweigh anything they could gain.”
“They already had the wife of the chief kidnapped. What more do they need as a message?”
“Do you think there are any that are still loyal to you?”
“I think if I could talk with Adahy… We would at least have a productive conversation. We might not be able to change anything but... It’s worth a shot. “
“Their village is near a mountain, correct?”
“Several,” I nodded.
“Should they return to find their village crushed in a landslide….”
“I don’t know if it’s quite to that point yet…” I shook my head.
“I will try to talk to Adahy, I think that’s what needs to happen next.”
“It is, however a good ‘bargaining chip’ to have. Have a ‘demonstration’ with more at the ready.”
“We’ll try to understand both sides and hopefully make some sort of progress. It’s the only straw I haven’t tried yet.”
“Well, I do wish yo the best with that. I’m not going to be rushing headlong into a native charge.”
“Well I should let you folks get back to your evening.”
“Thank you for coming, Miss Paige. It is nice to have guests. Do let me know how things go and if you need any assistance.”
“I certainly will. Thanks for letting me vent... I think it helped understand some things better.”
“Venting can surely help,” Vito nodded.
“Indeed it can,” I smiled and said goodnight as I headed outside.
I walked through town and went to the sheriff’s office and found Duke sitting at his desk. We talked about the new saloon and I asked him to join me in the saloon for a drink. I blinked seeing Chet there and looked between them. “Well well... The marshal and the sheriff in one room. I feel safe.”
We got some whiskey and sat down at the table. Vito and his sister joined us and we talked about the current events of the past few days. Chet was wearing an eye patch. We talked about me singing at the saloon tomorrow and Chet said there was an Indian girl in town. He said she was looking for a shop of some sort and kept changing her story of who she was. Chet continued to talk about another case and then Slade walked into the saloon.
I invited him over to join us and he asked, “Sheriff… marshal… What if I told you I struck a truce with the Cherokee?”
“You… what?” I blinked at him, choking on my whiskey.
“Truce huh?” Duke looked at him suspiciously.
“Well then, I’d buy you a drink,” Chet laughed.
I leaned against the bar for support at the announcement, not expecting the discussion to go THAT well.
“There’s a catch though… But I be thinking ya both liking it…” Slade smirked.
“What’s the catch?” Duke asked.
“We remove them outlaws with the Cherokee’s aid…” Slade said.
“Have a seat. Drinks on me, Trin… For everyone,” Chet said.
I sighed, knowing I’d tried to crack that deal with them a long time ago. I couldn’t help but kick the bar in frustration as Slade walked over to us.
“Last time we tried that they tried to blow up my office,” Duke muttered.
“Injuns not interested in our law and outlaws still deserve a fair trial,” Chet said and I nodded. I stayed quiet, reaching for another bottle of whiskey and handed it to Slade. I was jealous that he’d been able to accomplish what I’d spent the last four months trying to do.
“I am talkin bout rootin them straight outta this here place... Scare em out of our lands... If you cling to the laws you uphold you give these outlaws the weakness they need to exploit…” Slade looked between the men. I looked in his eyes, knowing he would understand my frustration after the conversation we’d had the other day.
“I ain’t caring if they get scare out of this territory. I just don’t want them skinned alive or lynched or whatever injuns do with prisoners,” Chet said.
“We need decisive actions... We need to cut this problem off at the root of its source... Them’s hills ain’t safe and won’t be safe for us nor the Cherokee…” Slade said and looked at Chet. “I think Duke here would like to lynch a few of them outlaws... Eh duke?”
I sighed, knowing I’d had this exact same conversation with the chief and the war chief several times and it had gotten me nowhere.
“I believe all men and woman deserve a fair trial,” Duke said.
“I agree with that... But after such hanous acts towards this here town and finally having a means to capture these outlaws... And make them pay for all the suffering they have caused... Would you not join up in arms with the Cherokee to rid this land of um…?” Slade nodded as I reached for another bottle of whiskey.
“And speaking of trials the Chief still blew up the sheriff’s office which resulted in injury damage n I believe prisoner escaping. That still needs be brought to trial,” Chet added.
“That’s very true too,” Duke nodded. “We had a peaceful arrangement and he choose the hard way.”
“Politics…” Slade looked at them. “All you men want to do is please the people... and the politicians…”
“Well I say screw the politicians,” Duke said and I drank more whiskey, thinking to myself that the town didn’t even have a new judge yet.
“I ain’t saying its right what the chief did but that’s in the past and these outlaws are growing in strength... We don’t have the means to hold them off if they come into town... We need this truce and we need their help to get rid of these outlaws…” Slade went on.
“What you think, Marshal?” Duke asked.
“They need this help just as much as we do... It’s why I was over there al day today talkin to their chief…” Slade said and I looked between each of them, knowing they understood my history with the Natives and how unproductive my talks had been with them on this very matter.
Chet slammed down his bottle hard and said, “I ain’t a care who I please ’n I ain’t give a rat’s ass about no politician. I care ‘bout the law. I don’t wear this damn badge ‘cause I wanna please anyone. Law is law ’n let Chief get away with no trial now… Next thing we have injuns grabbing our women off the street!”
“Well Marshal, I agree that we need to be careful but they are a proud people I don’t think they would come into town to do that,” Duke said.
“This would be upholding the law though marshal... If would be giving them outlaws what they deserve.. and in helping us root em out would that not pay back for what the chief did to one building…” Slade looked at Chet.
“Plus last time they were here two men backed them off,” Duke said.
“You’re forgetting about the chief’s threat to me,” I finally put in.
“Sugar, I will make sure he does not harm you…” Slade looked at me.
“Hmm, that’s true, Trin,” Duke nodded .
I looked at Slade and said, “That ain’t the point, and I’ve heard that before. The last time someone said that to me, I landed up blown up in a sheriff’s office, then ambushed in a damned fort. I’ve spent months trying to convince the war chief and the chief that we need to do this very thing," I finally says with bite in my voice. "How the hell do you plan on suddenly working with them so easily now?”
“My dear, I will promise you this time to personally talk to the Chief on this matter,” Slade looked back at the men. “So would helping us root out the outlaws remove any sins the chief and his people have done to this town? They wish to stand and fight at our sides against this common enemy to our town and their village…”
I shook my head and knew that talking with the chief would get him nowhere. “Come back when you’ve had that discussion with the chief and let’s see if this ‘deal’ is still in tact. I assure you he will not go for it.You could have the entire tribe on your side. You could have the war cheif on your side. It ain’t gonna make a difference.”
“Yeah, I want peace n I want outlaws gone too,” Chet said, “but if we do it the wrong way injuns will think us weak ’n next thing you know we all run off. And I agree with Trin. I was there with her. Chief does not want peace no matter what he tells you. He can’t be trusted ’n as far as I am concerned unless the governor or Lincoln himself gives him a pardon chief is a wanted man who I intend to arrest,” Chet said. I looked over to see Downy walking into the saloon with Sam. I sighed with relief, needing a break in the conversation.
“Then I think that we will never be out of this problem if you two keep up your bravado…” Slade looked at us.
Sam asked for a whiskey and Slade looked over to him. “Sam, I was just talking ‘bout rounding a posse together. I managed to strike a deal with the chief of the Cherokee to make sure that there is peace between the natives of bear river and georgetown…”
I rolled my eyes, still frustrated that he was able to do in one day what I’d been trying to do in four months.
“However the catch is we all join together to root them outlaws out o the hills…” Slade looked at Duke and Chet.
“Peace? I seriously doubt that,” Sam shook his head skeptically.
“Downy can I get you anything?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the conversation and I avoided making eye contact with Slade.
“That chief is a criminal and that has to be dealt with in same hand person who burt their village criminal so why should one be looked for n arrested n not the other?” Chet asked.
“I ain’t lying... Its a common foe that we face here... Them has whatevers in them hills are getting to cocky and to strong... If the people of georgetown and the native cherokee of Bear river joined together we could root them out of this here state…” Slade looked over at Sam and Downy.
Sam looked between us with a freshly rolled cigar in his mouth and Duke said, “I agree with all of ya. I’ve seen first hand that the Chief can not be trusted. But if we work together with them to get the outlaws we can deal with the Cheroke after.”
“I been over their all day... Unarmed... talking to them…” Slade looked at Sam.
I finally looked over at Slade and said, “I’ve been over there four damned months, unarmed, talking to them. I even played the whole ’I’m being chased by the same outlaws you are’ card. Look where it got me. Burned up in the sheriff’s office. Ambushed in the fort in Mesa Verda. Threatened by the chief for information about where Icca lived and worked. Oh and... Getting shot down by Icca when I was trying to save the chief, which they never thanked me for.”
“But the chief should be held for his crimes,” Duke agreed.
“Now there is a solution I can live with if Chief agrees to follow our laws from now on when in our town that includes breaking laws lead to arrest I can live with this peace treaty,” Chet rubbed his chin.
Slade looked over at me and said, “We will talk later hun... About that…” Slade looked at me and then looked at the others. “I spent good time talking to them getting to know them.. I even met with their medicine woman... She is on our side in this matter even... We must act... We must remove this problem that faces both this town and their village…”
“Hmm… if they were to agree to following the laws in town I could agree myself to help,” Duke said.
“And I want whatever grudge against Trin dropped,” Chet said.
“I only ask you one question folks.. If your in for this and them’s your conditions write them down... and tell me how many of you will fight along side them…” Slade looked at Chet and nodded.
“I ain’t got a choice. I am a freaking US Marshal. I fight along ya even if ya don’t agree,” Chet shot back.
Sam looked up from his cigar and said, “I know that you wont be taking any actions without first consulting me. I have a personal stake in this.”
Slade nodded to him and then held out a hand to me, but I walked out of the saloon. I was furious, but I knew we needed to talk. I went over to the dock where we’d agreed to talk alone and I paced back and forth, trying to calm down.
Slade stepped down towards the dock and said, “I know yer angry with me sugar…”
“You’re damn right I’m angry!” I shot him a look.
“I have a few confessions to make to you…” he walked over and sat on the barrel nearby.
“You’d better wipe that smile off your face first,” I glared at him. He removed his jacket showing the tribal markings covering his body, a depiction of the wolf spirit in the centre of his chest. He slowly stood before me, showing a side of him only the Cherokee would know. I swallowed hard and backed up. “You’re a…” I suddenly realized.
“I am not a full blood…” he looked in my eyes and I swallowed hard, looking down at his chest. “This is why they listened to me…”
“I…” I started, but I was speechless. He lifted his hair showing off a brand on his neck that had two words burnt into his flesh: ‘Half Breed’. I shook my head in amazement and stepped closer. I reached out to touch his chest, as if touching it would help me believe, as he looked into my eyes. I placed the palm of my hand on his chest and took a deep breath, looking in his eyes.
“This is why I want peace... This is why I fight for both Georgetown and Bear River... I fight for both people equally…”
“I need to… Sit…” I swallowed hard and sat down on the dock. “Everything I’d tried to do,” All the talks... all the times by the fire... None of it mattered because I wasn’t cherokee like you are…”
“It’s not that…” he shook his head.
“It wasn’t that they didn’t trust me personally," I realized. ”It was because I’m white.” I wasn’t sure if that made me feel worse or better.
“I do not know what you did with them. But i did not bring you up. I would say you being white had something to do with it yes... But... I cannot speak for them... For my words would be untruthful…” Slade looked at me. “WE will bring peace to these lands my dear... We will bring these two people together... And we will drive the has-whats-its out of those hills…”
I looked at him, at a loss for words. “Slade, I… The way you walked into that saloon tonight and.. Made me look like a fool in front our team... After the four months I spent working on this and you solve it in just one day… You can understand why I was upset. Still kinda am.. But at least now I understand why they talked to you more willingly.”
“I didn’t solve this in one day... I still have this town to talk to now.. I thought the natives would be the hard ones to talk to but they were not…” he nodded at me. “Miss Trin, never stop tryin’. That’s all I have to say to you…”
I looked in his eyes and asked, “Slade, what if you brought up my name and tried to see what this traitor/coward talk is all about? They said I was dead to them.”
“I will bring it up when next I visit the village…”
“I was wondering…” I looked at him. “If it was because Sam and the chief got into the tension when they burned down the sheriff’s office... And they saw that I worked for Sam.. But they always knew I was a Pinkerton agent. Something else had to have triggered what they said and I don’t feel welcome walking back into Bear River now. I would really like to know what changed Last chief and the war chief and I talked... It seemed we were going to agree to disagree on how we treated the outlaws.”
“They have a large distrust of white men and women my sweet…” he noodded.
“Then the incident at the office happened... then at the fort… Four months I’ve tried to earn their trust, Slade... No, maybe three months... But still… The only thing I could do now is talk to Adahy but I don’t even know if I’d get far with that.”
“I understand where you be coming from hon…” he looked in my eyes.
“Do you? Because I need to make that clear. I’m up against a wall here. There’s nothing I can do short of talking with Adahy that will make me feel welcome over there again. I lost a whole family there, Slade. A protection unit, an escape…”
“I will see what I can do and what strings I may be able to pull to get you welcomed back there my dear but for now I cannot say much for that would be speaking for the chief…” he said and I nodded, knowing the Chief would never speak to me directly again anyway, but I stayed quiet.
“Miss Trin… Would you... care to spend the night with me in my room…?” he yawned slightly.
I hesitated and swallowed hard. “I need to process all of this…”
“I.. Understand... I would still like to extend my formal hand to you... I have taken a strong liking to you my dear…”
I looked at him, then looks down, unsure now as he’s hidden such a huge factor from me until now, though he also didn’t tell me he was a deputy until today either.
“I would... Like you to know more about me... Learn who I am... Where I been an such…”
I looked into his eyes, knowing what I needed was an apology, but I hadn’t received it yet. “You made me look like a fool, Slade. In front of my boss, my partners… You waltzed in there like you’d solved all the problems of the world.”
“I reckon I did…” he blinked. “I must say, I am truly sorry for that…”
“Like you’d totally disregarded the past three months of my efforts, that you knew every detail about.”
“I never meant to upstage you, Miss Trin… I only sought what was in my heart… and that was peace. And I attained a piece of that puzzle…”
“We’ve got a long way to go before I join you in your room for a night, Slade. I appreciate you telling me everything you have today but... I don’t think I’m quite ready for that step yet.”
“Classy, my dear… Something I have come to appreciate about you…”
I stood shakily and looked at him. “I’d let you walk me home though. Don’t think I could make it on my own.”
“It would be my pleasure, Miss Trin,” he smiled, rising to take my hand with his.
I let him lead me home and fumbled to find my key. I looked over at him, still in shock and not entirely sure how to speak with him. “I... Thank you... for being open with me today.”
“To you, miss Trin, I am an open book,” he kissed my cheek. “To others, I am bound and sealed. I want to know more and read your pages… and let you leaf through mine.” I sighed as he kissed me and knew I couldn’t stay mad at him forever, though it still stung a little. “If you ever need a place to stay... My doors always unlocked for you…”
“Thank you, Slade. This means a lot.” I smiled and said, “Goodnight, Slade.”
“Sleep soundly and sleep sweetly miss Trin... I will see you tomorrow sometime…” he said and I headed upstairs to bed.
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