May 27, 1899

Tombstone. 

This morning I walked into town thinking things were incredibly quiet and empty. I couldn’t help but smile though, remembering the past night and how well things had gone with Chet. I talked with Bria and pet her puppy and then headed over to the courthouse, hoping to find Dee or Ansar. 

I found them both and smiled, “Ah, judge. Just the woman I was hoping to find. You mind if we step inside and talk?” 

“What can I help ya with?” Dee asked. 

“You both might be able to help me. I’m looking for intel on a woman named Patty Hill.” 

“Did ya hear? Clint was taken down. No more needing to find him,” Ansar said.

“Yeah... Clint’s dead, case closed,” I nodded. “Got to meet him yesterday... he threatened me from the cell... then he escaped and now he’s dead. Still seems all too easy.” 

“Patty Hill... oh dear,” Dee muttered. “Why ya wantin to know about her?” 

“You remember the judge’s bench burning on fire end of last week?” 

“Hmm, no, don’t rightly know of it.” 

“She was the last one to be seen entering the courthouse before it happened.” 

“Courthouse gets targeted so much can’t keep it straight,” Dee said. 

“Really?” Ansar asked. 

“We’ve got two witnesses, Skyla and Eliza…” I loked at Ansar. 

“Haven’t seen her myself,” Ansar said.

“I haven’t either,” Ansar shook her head.

“The bench was burned with oil and Red put it out,” I informed. “I wanted to get information from Dee but also tell you, Ansar, about the case. Think we might have enough for the marshals to go a’huntin’?” 

“Well if you have a soiled lead… but if not then its just circumstantial,” Ansar said as Dee greeted Angel and Bria and their puppy. 

“Yep. Don’t have to worry about that man anymore,” I nodded. 

“He shot me yesterday and I was being inside a building,” Bria muttered. 

“Well he ain’t gonna do it again honey,” I insisted and then looked to Ansar. “I’m lookin’ for more information on her, maybe a motive…” 

“Folks like Clint got a way of resurrectin’ themselves,” Dee said. 

“Ain’t that the truth,” I muttered, thinking about Dutch. 

“A motive,” Ansar nodded. “Talking to her may help. See if you cant find cracks into her story.” 

“Yeah... I hear she’s over in Bloomfield or somewhere’s,” I nodded. 

“Not gonna get much information on Miss Hill,” Dee said. “No one knows much about her.” 

“Just wonderin’ why she stopped bein’ a lawyer. Er, judge. Whichever it was.” 

“Why does anyone turn bad?” Ansar asked. “Everyone hold the ability too. It’s just a matter of time.. some people are bad and get reformed.. look at Dee here.. was smacking every man in town.. now she only smacks me.. reformed.” 

I chuckled and blushed, thinking about the previous night with Chet, and nodded. “Yeah... I’ve got some good news in that department too I think.” 

“What department?” Ansar asked. 

“Chet and I kinda... reunited,” I smiled. 

“The Pat Hill i knew as a lawyer was an old woman who died.. so not sure who this Pat Hill is yer referrin to,” Dee shook her head, confused. 

“Chet?” Ansar asked. 

“Guess I’ll keep lookin’ around then,” I nodded to Dee and looked back to Ansar. “Chet and I knew each other long before I came to Tombstone.” 

“Ah… good on ya then.” 

“He used to be a marshal, now he’s been enlisted in the army.” 

“Marshal of another area?” Ansar asked. 

“Wish I could be more help, now ya got me curious who this Pat Hill is,” Dee said. 

“That’s Pinkertons for ya.. more questions then answers,” Ansar said. 

“Marshal back in Georgetown. Before we came here.” 

“They say the natives are challenging…” I said to them. 

Bria told her mother about Clint shooting her and Paige said she wanted to kill him. “Already done, Paige,” I assured her. 

“Ohh thank you Trin,” Paige said with relief. 

“Not by me... but he came to town yesterday and ended up dead.” 

“Bullets go through open door and hit sister Bria twice in her arm,” Twig said. 

“I dun care who as long as he is dead,” Paige said to me. 

“Always thought I’d feel better when we finally caught him,” I looked at Ansar.

“No momma but Twig helped her get help,” Angel told Paige. 

“Oh Twig thank you love. Can we all go home now?” she requested. 

“There will always be another Clint.. ya never get to feel truly good about it,” Dee promised and I nodded. 

Paige continued to listen to the girls’ account about what happened with Clint and I headed to my office. I walked down the street and greeted Tye and Peta at the hotel. Tye was getting ready for going on a trip and I told them I’d been spending more time with Chet. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed some girl talk,” I giggled at Peta. 

“This is girl talk?” Peta asked. 

“Girl talk? Well, I ain’t needed for that,” Tye looked at me. 

“I ain’t supposed ta talk about the s-e-x stuff in public, I get yelled at and Tye gets embarrassed and his ears turn red,” Peta said. 

“I’m sure it’ll be real obvious when he’s in town later,” I grinned. “His name’s Chet.” 

“Oh that fella. I seen him around. Don’t know him well though,” Peta said. 

“He and I worked together back when I started bein’ a Pinkerton in Georgetown... Reunited here and well..” I chuckled. 

“Oh? Was he... ya know, fun?” 

“The old man with one eye?” Tye glanced at me. 

“He ain’t that old,” I looked at Tye. 

“Is he old? Doe she have one eye? I reckon one’s all ya need,” Peta said and I chuckled. “At least for bon--bon mots. Ya know, sayin’ witty things.” 

“Besides I’m in my thirties. Age don’t matter after a certain point,” I said and looked at Peta for help. 

“Well sometimes some experience is good, ya know. Tye’s old enough ta be my daddy.” 

“My point,” I held out my hand to Peta as Tye groaned. 

“I hate it when you do tha,” Peta muttered. 

“Alva! We’re apparenly doin’ girl talk,” Peta said as Alva walked over. 

“Oh good, I was just gonna ask if I could sometime borrow your handsome Tye,” Alva winked. 

“Ya can’t! Unless it’s for openin’ a jar or somethin’,” Peta said. 

“Of course! What did you think,” she grinned mischievously. 

“Well I dunno. Sometimes I just break the jar, but then ya got glass bits in yer peaches and ya don’t wanna swallow glass.” 

“I think I got him tongue-tied,” Alva said. 

“I shoulda stayed in bed,” Tye rubbed his head. 

“So what’s this trip you’re goin’ on?” I chuckled and asked Tye. 

“Can’t go back now, that’s what ya always say when I wake you up and you growl at me and I feel bad and tell ya to go to sleep again,” Peta said. 

“I just shot Lot for making me kissing his arse,” Alva said. 

“He made ya kiss his arse? With yer lips? Or just say nice things about him?” 

“No. Physically.” 

“I won’t be gone long. Most times just in the mornings, sometimes a day or two at a time. Opening hotels in nearby cities, one as far as Tucson,” Tye said in response to my question. 

“He bent my arm..and well uh..I thought he would kiss me for real but…n,” Alva said. 

“Sounds good,” I nodded to him. 

“Just a moment. There’s shouting going on next door,” Tye said after he took a few minutes to listen. 

“Need some company?” I asked him. 

“Ewwww.... no amount of drinkin’ will make that kinda sufferin’ go away,” Peta cringed.

“Keep up your.. girl talk,” Tye shook his head and I chuckled as he walked down the street. 

“Well, I gunned him down,” Alva grinned. 

“Yeah but that don’t get rid of the smell,” Peta complained.

“We had fun.” 

“Now the old ball and chain is gone,” Peta said. 

“No..true..I washed it with some whiskey. Seriously Peta, he’s smokin’… And just my age…” 

“I know! And he’s real talented too, if ya know what I mean. He makes AMAZING donuts,” Peta said and Alva giggled. 

“That’s why you want me to pay for ’em.” 

“Oh yeah. We got a policy. I don’t eat the Work Donuts. He makes me House donuts. So I don’t bankrupt the hotel.” 

“Hi Trin. Nice boots,” Alva laughed and looked at me. 

“Thanks, Alva. Sorry my head’s a bit in the clouds this morning,” I smiled. 

“No problem, I’m babbling too. Lot got me all riled up.” 

“Is this how girls talk? We talk about sex and shoes? It’s been a while,” Peta asked. 

“Guess so, Peta,” I giggled. 

“I’d tell ya more details but Tye’s standin’ RIGHT THERE and he’s good at glarin’,” Peta muttered. 

“Never really got to the sex thing,” Alva said. 

“Hey, anyone seen Dee?” Ansar came over and asked. 

“That one’s trouble,” Tye shouted then. 

“Who?” Ansar asked. 

Two pebbles came down from the sky and hit Ansar in the head. Peta and Alva continued to talk about how Alva had a baby and Tye told Starling to tell him if the Apache bugged her again, since he was gone now. 

I headed to the office and then all of a sudden Tye shouted after me. “Pinky, the hell’s this I hear about you sayin I saw ... Pinky! Hey! Stop walkin’, dammit.” 

I stopped and looked over at him. “What’s up?” 

“I said wait, hell.” 

“You said ‘go on right ahead, pinky.’” 

“What’s this I hear - I said wait right after!” 

“Hear what?” I looked at him. 

“What’s this I hear about you tellin’ folks I saw Lot die yesterday?” 

“What?! I never said anythin’ about Lot.” 

“So it was bullshit. That’s what I thought. Carry on.,” Tye grunted and walked back off down the street without a word. 

“I said ya watched Clint die, not Lot.” I watched him walk away and sighed, heading up to my office. 

*** 

This evening I walked into the clinic seeing the telegram for a doctor and asked what I’d missed. I followed Sirus and Skyla down the street and asked what happened. Skyla said that she was just tired of a certain Indian who was targeting her and people that worked for her. When I asked who it was she said that it was Blood Shadow and that he needed a leash and a cage. 

I greeted Lot as he walked down the street and said, “Howdy, Lot.” 

“Howdy miss.” 

“Name’s Trin. Don’t know if ya remember me orif we’ve even been officially introduced.” 

“Seen ya about town is all,” he shrugged. 

“Just thought I’d introduce myself... Seen ya round too and felt rude for not sayin ‘hi’,” I smiled at him. 

He eyed me up and down and then looked back at my face as he said, “Howdy.” 

“Seems like I missed some activity in town today.” 

“Sounds like you find it all a little too entertaining.” 

“Didn’t say some fun, said some activity,” I said and he shrugged. “Well, I won’t keep ya. Just figured a well-known man like yerself was someone I should come say ‘hi’ to. Hope you have a good night.” 

“You too miss,” he nodded and I turned to walk down the street towards the hotel. 

Bisbee. 

I saw Skyla standing in front of the hotel and asked, “You alright, Sheriff?” 

“Howdy… and yes, Trin, I’m fine. Just talking ta Hell and pondering a few things.” 

“You know where to find me if ya need an ear,” I nodded. 

“Who is Trin?” the man asked. 

“Sky I’d like you to meet my cousin Jessie. She just came in from Boston,” said a woman to Sky. “Jessie this is our sheriff Sky.” 

“Howdy ladies,” I greeted the two women. 

“Outlaw or good?” the man asked and I jumped when Sky shouted for Tye. 

“Geez, Sky,” I muttered and saw Tye walk over.

“What?” he grunted. 

“Tye… Kris didn’t do the report and Blood got out… and all hell broke loose,” Sky muttered. 

“This is my surprised face,” Tye grumbled and I stifled a chuckle. 

“I shot on damn self in the toe!” Sky smirked and bopped him in the arm. 

So, he’s out. That’s another charge, and it’s another arrest,” Tye rubbed his chin. 

“Yea and I ain’t done it yet! And now he just my ranch hand! Here in town so theres another! I think I need ta speak ya the hanging judge on all this!” 

“Call him what he is. His name or his intelligence level. Whatever came across you to hire him as a ranch hand, I don’t want to hear about it,” Tye rolled his eyes. “And where’s that damn jailer?” 

“Fact is he was shot here in town Tye. So that’s what another two hours added up already in jail?” she shook her head. “When’s enough enough? Red is away on business.” 

“Ya lost two prisoners in two days, we got resources and they gotta be used. Sounds like we need more help around here, then,” Tye said. 

“That we do,” Skyla nodded. 

“Good help, too,” I nodded. 

“And don’t growl at me, that man’s got a stick up his ass about me, and I’ll shove it further he starts talking garbage again,” Tye grunted. 

“I’ll growl if’n I want,” she grinned slightly, grwoling again. 

“Anythin’ new on Patty?” I asked. 

“No… Oh, but Trin,” she said and handed me a witness statement from Jy. 

I took the paper and read it as Tye said, “Just ya ain’t know him 24 hours, he trashes your only deputy up and down the road, so much so as to put his cigarette ashes on my face while I’m down, then you hire him. Don’t make no damn sense. Lot has more honor than that man.” 

“Well I didn’t know about all that, Tye… and him working fer me has nothing to do with the law being upheld,” Sky said. 

“Another fire?” I looked up from the statement then. “Think it’s connected?” 

“Sure. But when he shoots someone in the back - as he’s been talkin’ about doin’, I’m gonna be on him like white on rice,” Tye said. 

“Just uphold the law is all asking he has to go in then he goes in,” Sky sighed at him. 

“Anyhow, I got other business to tend to,” Tye nodded and headed off. 

“Two fires in three days?” 

“Yup Trin, all yours.” 

“Thanks, I think,” I chuckled as Tye talked to Abby, Victoria and Vincent over at the hotel. 

I walked into the saloon and nodded to the men at the bar. I got a whiskey and walked outside and met a woman named Kimmee, Sky’s brother’s best friend and Sirs’ cousin. When I saw Chet, I ran over to him and hugged him tightly. 

“Well howdy Trin!” he said, giving me a squeeze. 

“It’s good to see you,” I kissed his cheek and leaned back. 

“Good to see you too.” 

“You ain’t workin’ are ya? I see you’re not in uniform…” 

“No, I had to go out of town just got back on stage.” 

“Everything okay?” 

“Yes was just to visit old friend he moving n getting hitched.” 

“Sounds like fun then. So what do ya feel like doin’ tonight?”” I asked with a playful smile. 

“I pretty much open to anything, but I need to talk to Sheriff first.” 

I saw her and Liz walking down the street and said, “She looks busy. And she ain’t in a good mood tonight. I’d advise waitin’ till tomorrow if ya can.” 

“I just need apologize for somethin I said yesterday.” 

“Honey, I’m serious. I’d wait till tomorrow or you’ll just make her more mad,” I looked him in the eye. 

“Need to have a chat with Lot fella too.” 

I looked from Lot to Chet and sighed. “Lot,” he said to the man. “I just wanted to say Punk calling ya child killer was uncalled on his part. I seen way ya act with Jefrey and other kids and what he said was his words, not mine.” 

“I dont hold you no account fer his words, often folks who make false accusations are covering for their own sinister ways,” Lot nodded. 

“I don’t know what got inta people last night seems like full moon or something.” 

“How long you know Punk fer Chet?” 

“Not long, just since got pulled into army few days ago.” 

“I known him close three years now. He spends more time in the opium den than any chinaman I know. I don’t put to much stock in anything he says or does. He changes his ways, and name as much as most folks change their long johns.” 

I headed down the street and waited for Chet as I sat in front of the hotel and talked with Abby and Libby. When I walked down the street towards Lot and Chet again I heard him talking to Chet. 

“Tell that little lady of yers, its gonna take more than feminine whiles to strike up a conversation with me,” Lot said to Chet. 

“I see ya know my man Chet,” I smiled and chuckled, hearing Lot. “It’s a good thing Chet knows me as well as he does.” 

“Howdy there Chet... how’re you doin’?” Libby asked Chet then with a smile and said to me, “Yes ma’am, he’s been mighty nice about makin’ me feel settled.” 

“Glad to hear that.” 

“Doing good miss Libby,” Chet laughed at Lot’s remark. “Just trying to steal miss Trin away so can finish some work so can have few drinks after.” 

“Well it sounds like y’all have things in the right order,” she grinned. “Work first…” 

“He’s a man after my own heart,” I smiled. 

“I try miss Libby. Now if ya excuse me, I need Trin to let me into her office,” Chet said and I chuckled at that. 

“And whatever do you need in my ofice, darlin’?” I chuckled as we said goodbye to the others. 

“Need some paperwork is all,” he said and we walked down the street. 

“Uh huh,” I chuckled as I followed him. 

Pearce. 

Chet helped me up on his horse and we rode to Pearce where he stopped in front of a house. “This be my place.” 

“See now darlin’ when you said office I thought I heard ya say my office” 

“I said I wanna get into yer office… I was referring yer pants.” 

“So I did hear that correctly,” I swallowed and kissed him deeply. 

“Yes ya did now darling I aching ta see ya fully,” he said and I told him to show me upstairs where we spent the rest of the night together, enjoying each other’s company.