Tombstone.
This morning I headed over to the hotel and greeted Sirus and Libbi in front of the hotel. Angi shouted to see if her client had shown up yet but Dee replied that they hadn’t yet.
“What’s goin’ on?” I asked Sirus.
“Miss Deesue. Has that accused arrived yet you know?” Jimmi hollared from the balcony of the courthouse.
“Nothing much… Just been keepin my eyes on a few of them thieven savages that think they own the town,” Sirus shrugged.
“There been more robberies?” I asked, growing more curious as I heard Jimmi.
“Well I ain’t seen the dirty dogs take nuttin myself..but..I know thieven eyes when I see em.”
“Pardon me a bit, Si. Think I’m gonna go talk to the judge,” I said and walked over to the courthouse, greeting Jimmi, Dee and Starling. I eyed Aleaya, the native woman, cautiously as I asked what was going on.
“We are getting ready for court,” Angi said.
“We are waiting for the defendant to arrive,” Dee told me.
“Oh?” I smiled and then we greeted Skyla as she walked over. “I’ve been wanting to catch up with you lately. You got a minute?”
“I do.”
“Can we?” I nodded towards her office and we went to sit in front of the office. “I’ve been running dead ends with these cases Ansar gave me. Was wondering if you could help a bit.
“Ok, Nikki has been missing in action a while. Maybe something wild got her, who knows.”
“Okay that’s a good place to start. I’ve got the least on her.”
“I wasn’t even here for her crime and haven’t seen her since.”
“And you don’t know who she runs with, where she might be stayin’… Ansar didn’t even tell me when the crimes happened. Just gave me a list of ’em.”
“I don’t know anything about her other than she was around lot.”
“The wild bunch…” I smiled.
“I’m not sure if she’s part of em,” Sky nodded. “But know she was around Lot.”
“Well I know Lot runs ’em... so it’s an interesting possibility. Anything else or do you wanna move on to Dominic?”
“Nothing else on her. Dominic, I can send a telegram too try coax him in town. Out of all the brothers, he’s the brains.”
“Yeah? You said he worked with Clint, right?”
“He’s Clint’s brother,” Sky laughed. “The James boys are all brothers, including Clint.”
“But... Clint’s last name is Houston? So what exactly does Ansar want him for? What’d he do?” I sighed.
“He has two warrants out that I know of. And yes, but Clint’s full name is Clint Houston James. He just doesn’t use the James.”
“Ohhhh.... Well that’s new information to me.”
“Tries to get further without it.”
“What are the warrants out on Dom?”
“Let me see… One’s for… Shooting without killing, shooting law without killing, weapon un-holstered in town, weapon used in a crime. Second one’s for shooting without killing, robbing person, weapon un-holstered in town, weapon used in a crime… Both my warrants.”
“When were those handed out?”
“March 13 and 17.”
“So a couple months back. Ain’t seen him since?”
“Nope, haven’t not since we ran his brother David out of town.”
“Should we talk about Clint or did you want to head over to the courthouse?” I asked. “Who’s the trial for?”
“Ali and her man Gabe blew up the courthouse.”
“What?!” I raised my eyebrow, shocked.
“On mother’s day.”
“Since when did they… Were they…” I almost fell off my chair, surprised that people I’d considered friends so soon were actually outlaws. “Geez you never really do know a person do ya? Why the heck did they burn down the courthouse?”
“They are outlaws,” Sky shrugged.
Cole walked over and greeted us and we talked with him about his time away. “What you meaning when you shrug and say ‘they are outlaws’ ..... you think you are above us or something?”
“Us?!?!” I blinked.
“No, I was referring to Ali and Gabe bonehead… Stop taking things so personal,” Sky rolled her eyes and looked at me. “Yea Trin, Cole is an outlaw.”
I shook my head in amazement as Cole looked flustered and said, “I ain’t taken nothing personal! Just you! You, Skyla Thor… you know you have a way of gett’n under me skin!”
“You gonna sit and join us or just stand there lookin’ handsome?” I gathered myself after a while.
“I guess I sit,” he said, still huffing a bit.
“So I think we covered Nikki... Dominic... Who’s next…” I looked over at Sky as Cole took a seat.
“You are one pouting outlaw too…” Sky burst out laughing. “Damn, don’t walk up in the middle of a conversation and expect it to be all about you. Now pipe down, or ima have ta pipe ya down.”
“I’m piped!” he promised.
“Want me to find one…” Sky smirked. “Ya can be,” she grinned.
“Sure wish I could find someone in town who knew Nikki or Dom…” I sighed.
“I know Nikki… Wish I didn’t!” Cole said.
“You do, Cole? You on good terms with her?” I looked over at him.
“Not really… We had a shootout or two.”
“Feel like gettin’ revenge on her?” I winked at Skyla.
“Well… I dun’no ..... not good fer a reputation to go again’ another Outlaw.”
“Not even one who’s obviously shot against ya?”
“That different... that one against the other.. face to face.”
“Well I reckon ya don’t know too many outlaws then Cole, cause they come to me all the time blabbering shit,” Skyla said. “Especially about you.”
“This would be face to face,” I smiled.
“What ya want me to do? Shoot her? Cause that I be pleased to do?" Cole looked at me.
“Nah, something more demeaning than shooting her,” I shook my head. “Shooting her solves nothin’. She gets shot at all the time I’m sure.”
“Now Cole, ya know that ain’t the case but ya I bet if I took over the complaints I get about you you’d been in the pokey at least fifty times over,” Sky said.
“You gotta do somethin’ that’ll make her remember ya,” I grinned at him.
“More de-mean-ing… Sky? What that word mean?” Cole asked.
“Something you don’t have,” Sky laughed.
“Ohhhh… Then how do I do it?”
“Trin, you started this,” Sky snickered and shook her head.
“You can shoot her, but then let one of us lawmen know where ya shot her down. Then they can take her in and it ain’t your fault.”
“I dunno… She pretty fast with a gun… I take a bullet myself…” he protested.
“Heck ya don’t even really have to shoot her.”
“What then?”
“If ya know where she’s livin’… Ask her on a date and take her here somewhere in town.”
“Livin’?? Del kill me herself!”
“If I were a man I’d do it myself,” I chuckled.
“Date? You crazy woman?” he exclaimed.
“Draw her into and then it ain’t ya faut ifn she gets caught,” Sky snickered.
“Exactly,” I nodded.
“Come on, Cole. I know ya as sly as a snake. Or is it sly as a fox. Slippery as a snake… Something like that.”
“Not with Del I ain’t… she know everything. Nikki rather spit on me than go on a date anyways.”
“Well that’s Del, not the woman. Geez man, where’s ya balls?! Are the in Del’s hand or between ya legs?”
“This ain’t for datin’ purposes, Cole. We need your help here,” I told him.
“Alright I have things to attend to,” Sky said and got up.
“Send Lacey. She have better ideas than you, Sky.”
When Sky left, Cole and I talked about Nikki and how she was a snake and not there as often as the others. He said she was in town more in the evenings, some afternoons, some days, sometimes not there at all.
“She was here with TX and Tj.. and others a few nights ago... called me over.. one evening.. about... hmmm..... can’t remember 7 or 8.”
“TJ.... Toocool?!” I blinked.
“Not sure… I just know him as TJ.”
“Damn it, can’t run from him anywhere,” I muttered.
“He’s been away for a while.”
I started to kick the barrel over in frustration but stopped myself, setting the barrel back up with a sigh.
“Tx too… haven’t seen either in a couple months. Nikki was there… a few nights ago.”
“Oh? I’m listening.”
“Yes. You have to be in Tombstone evenings…”
“So it would seem…”
“Sometimes Nikki can be here in town earlier though.... hard to predict. Sometimes she isn’t here at all for a few days.”
“I guess that’s why it’s taken so long to find her.”
“Even if I’m here and find her.... you might not be here.”
“But you could tell me when you see her…?”
“If you around I can.”
“Maybe we can nail down a pattern…”
“Like when I was a kid and look at the stars for a pattern in the sky? The teacher flunk me at that.”
“Like when she usually comes to town... maybe that’s how we’ll get her.”
Cole headed for court and I waved as he walked down the street.
***
A few hours later I was talking with a some people outside the courthouse and I wandered in, wanting to know how court was going. Lot was talking while Poe sat on the stand. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the courts today would have you believe you need to wear a badge, or be endorsed by the courts to uphold law, or turn in criminal. Mr Durden was found guilty for his charges, charges that relate to my client doing his job. I will quote in part my client’s statement: “What came next was a man, whom I did not know and did not identify himself as a lawman, started harassing me as I was about to leave. I tried to leave peacefully but he blocked my way and I was forced to try and think of a way to escape and not blow my cover and lose track of the bounty I’m after, which mind you, are dangerous outlaws. This outlaw was none other than Clint Houston.”
I blinked and looked at Tye with shock as Lot went on, pointing at Tye. “It would seem THAT man was the one hindering the course of justice.”
Tye sat and look straight ahead. I wondered what on earth I had just walked in on as Jimmi invited the jury to go deliberate. “Members of the Jury. The accused faces your decision for the crimes of Shooting without killing (knifing) twice, Resisting Arrest, Weapon un-Holstered in Town twice and Weapon Used in a Crime twice. You have been given testimony in court by the Prosecution for the offenses charged on the Prisoner. You have also heard the argument presented by the Defense. I ask you to retire to the Jury Chamber to make your decision, appoint a foreman and return with a verdict, unanimous or by majority, of guilty or not guilty.”
Tye stood and walked out of the courthouse and I walked out after him, curious what that trial was all about. “Tye!” I called after him as he came downstairs in the hotel.
He slumped his shoulders as he approached me and said, “Hey, Pinky. You shoutin’ for me?”
“Saw you walk out of the courthouse. You okay?”
“Just tired of the double standards around here. These damn fools get away with damn near everything. I admit what I did and even sign up to assist the Sheriff’s Office again as penance, and all that gets twisted into me bein’ some evil bastard.”
“If it’s any consolation... you know I don’t judge you for what you did against Poe. We’ve already talked about this but I still firmly agree with what you did.”
“Ya ain’t heard the lot of it. The fucker set fire to my hotel and tried to shoot me unprovoked since then. Yet ain’t none of that matters in this trial.”
“HE was the one who set fire to your hotel!?” I blinked.
“All that matters is that Mr. Durden ain’t perfect,” he muttered and nodded. “And even though I admitted everythin’ to the judge, I still had to pay the full fine even with all the damages incurred to my hotel. Every bit of it.”
“Unbelievable,” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Tye.”
“So I ain’t botherin’ to stick around for the result. I’m gonna head home a while and clear my head. If he’s found not guilty, it’ll just upset me. If he’s found guilty, he’s sure to retaliate. There’s no out for me here.”
“Tye... I’m here. I get it, okay? He’s the same man who I spent the night with and then the next day I find out he impersonates a marshal and draws a knife on one of my close friends out here.”
“Yeh. All I can do is wait until my badge is reinstated and the bring him in with real evidence. He’s causing a lot of trouble for the county - the same county that employs him,” Tye looked down at the rug.
“It don’t make me happy to hear that he’ll get off scot free for settin’ fire to your place or even attackin’ you either. Damn jury system let a woman go last week who I KNEW was guilty. I’d watched her dress herself up to impress the jury after they’d threatened to burn down the damn courthouse and do something to the judge.”
“I was on that jury. I remember. Stacked with outlaws.”
“Yeah, I remember. And I couldn’t say a thing ’cause I had no evidence to prove my statement. I just had to watch a woman get off free ’cause the prosecutor didn’t have a strong enough case.”
“Didn’t even matter at that point, frankly. Five of her friends sitting on the jury - that’s the prosecutor’s fault for not bringing issue with that.”
“Not to mention we went all the way out there to protect the judge and she didn’t even seem to care about the threat,” I nodded.
“Miss Dee did, Pinky,” Tye shook his head. “Dee is an upstandin’ individual who will do her job regardless of the threat. I admire that, actually. And she did ensure that she had Marshal Ansar and myself there to protect her during the trial.”
“Sure... but don’t the threat prove that she was at least likely to be more guilty than innocent?” I nodded.
“Her hands were tied, Trin. Prosecutor has to bring up the jury problem, and judge can’t decide a case if its a jury trial.”
I blinked and looked over at him. “You called me Trin. You’ve never called me Trin.”
“Don’t get all up and up, Pinky. I slipped,” he shook his head with a smirk.
I chuckled and reached out to pat him on the arm. “You go get some rest. Just remember you ain’t alone in this town, alright?”
“Be safe, Pinky,” he nodded and I watched him walk away with a sigh.
I heard someone coming up behind me and greeted Jen. I asked her if the trial was over and she nodded, “Got guilty for stabbing Cole, and not for Tye. Fifteen minutes in jail.” I sighed and shook my head, frustrated, as she said, “I’ll be right back. Need to check on the kids. Make sure they ain’t burned the house down by now.”
Cole wandered over then and said, “Well… that man was guilty. He put his knife inside me also…”
“He put his knife in Tye too,” I nodded.
“Yes… but for some reason they never asked me to take the stand.”
“I watched him pull the knife on Tye,” I said.
“Trin and Victoria are not happy, I am sure,” Kyle observed.
“Maybe Tye should think twice before he draws his weapons,” Ali suggested.
“Messed up, the whole thing,” I shook my head.
“Or stop thinking, period,” Voo said. “Dang busy body. He done quit bein’ a lawman.”
“I didn’t have my weapons drawn at all,” Cole said.
“And he was found guilty for the crime with you,” Ali looked at Cole. “What you complaining about?”
“Can we go somewhere?” I looked at Cole.
“Pinky runs with a sorry crowd,” Keiki laughed.
“About what, love?” a woman asked as she leaned against Kyle.
“Um.. sure,” Cole nodded.
“I just don’t feel like standin’ in the street,” I said.
We walked into the Oriental saloon and got a drink of whiskey, which was his first clue that something was wrong. I asked him who was on the jury and he said, “I didn’t even bother to notice. Ali was one… she was on trial earlier today for bombing the Courthouse…”
“Known criminal number one. Next?” I rolled my eyes. “Aside from the fact that they let a woman who was JUST on trial for a crime be on a damn jury the same damn day.”
“Yeah… she was a bandit this morning but now a citizen. Three women and one man on the jury.”
“Who were the others, Cole?”
“I’m trying to remember… but Jimmy Rubble was the judge. He could tell you… and Miss Dee was the prosecutor. She could probably tell you. Lot was defence… but he probably wouldn’t help you.”
“Yeah, I doubt that.”
“To be honest… I rarely look at the jury.”
“That’s the second trial in a row where the jury was littered with outlaws which would obviously give the side to the outlaw on trial. The second trial I’ve seen in a row that is.”
“Well… they were so desperate for Jury that I almost stepped up myself.”
“For some reason I don’t distrust you as much as the others.”
“You should,” he smiled.
“I thought maybe you called me in because you wanted yer first .. ya know… experience… and I’m well know fer my talents in that direction but I’m just to dang old fer ya… and rough…”
“Experience?!” I blinked, almost falling off my stool.
“Yeah… ya know… what ya call… Ya a ‘veer-gin’ ain’t ya? Me being a trusted older gentleman and all. But I’m taken now…”
I shook my head and just sighed, holding out my whiskey glass. “Got more of that whiskey?”
He pulled out a black book and said, “But I’ve got a few trusted names here I can share with ya fer such services. They all good men… I trust em all… to be real gentle like with ya,” he said as he poured me another whiskey. “Don’t get me wrong… I’d be honored… Jest can’t no more.”
I looked at him blankly and asked, “You’re kiddin’ me, Cole. You can’t honestly be suggesting…”
We heard V and Voo outside and I drank the last whiskey shot before saying, “I should go.”
“Okay Trin. Sorry I can’t be of more help on yer search.”
“Give me one name from that list,” I shrugged.
“I’ll try…”
“I’m waiting,” I folded my arms across my chest. “Just want one name.”
“Give me time… I’ll find one for ya.”
“You said you had a list of names in that little notebook, Cole.”
“You mean the little black book of men? For the Veer-gin thing ? That’s what the black book was fer.”
“Guess you don’t wanna help me, Cole. Don’t expect me to help you next time,” I sighed and shook my head as I pushed open the door and headed out of the saloon.
I saw TJ talking with some others in the street and sighed, going to ask Kyle if we could talk. He introduced me to Cooky and I told Kyle that I needed help. She claimed she had Kyle for the night and I shook my head, “It’s fine. I’ll be fine.” I turned and walked down the street, heading to the hotel. I ignored TJ and the other outlaws as I slammed my door shut and made myself a coffee.
I saw a boy walking into the hotel a little while later and greeted him, “Hey there.”
“Mr Tye where are you?” he looked around.
“You lookin for Tye?”
“Yes ma’am,” he looked at me sadly.
“He ain’t here.”
“Okay,” he said and walked out.
I saw Peta walk over and told her, “Hey Peta... Was a boy in here lookin for Tye.”
“Who’s lookin’ for Tye? Maybe I can help.”
“I am, miss Peta,” the boy said.
“Ya need help, Jeffrey? Maybe I can help! I’m real good at helpin’!” Peta looked at him.
“Tye told me he was goin’ home,” I whispered to Peta.
“Hmmm... did anything interesting happen today?”
“He was mighty upset at the trial and walked out.”
“What trial?”
“Poe got off scot free for the incident against Tye when he impersonated a marshal. But got fifteen minutes for puttin a knife on Cole.”
“His trial? I thought that was yesterday? When was this?”
“Poe’s trial was today.”
“Ahh… I see.”
“They said Tye was impedin’ his investigation on Clint Houston.”
“Hmph.”
“Tye walked out, upset. I came out after him, worried, and he said he was goin’ home to unwind. Damn court will let a woman who was just on trial this mornin’ be in the bloody jury,” I muttered.
“Well he weren’t at his house. I reckon he’s fine..”
“Okay well I’m off then,” Jeff said. “Hope everything is okay.”
“I’ll tell Tye you was lookin’ for him Jeffrey,” Peta told him as the boy said goodbye and ran off.
“Just don’t get how they can just let anyone on the jury from off the street,” I sighed and then headed home myself.
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