May 30, 1899

Tombstone. 

I walked down the street this morning and went to talk with Muriel and Ali in front of the saloon. “I miss anything exciting last night?” I asked curiously. 

“A couple shootings I guess,” Muriel said. “Cole got shot again, and a friend of TJ’s.” 

“Seems like that happens on a daily basis lately,” I observed. 

“Yes he should give up fighting,” Muriel nodded. 

“Some people, trouble just finds them no matter what they do.” 

“Well he looks for it...in a goofy way...they gets killed,” Muriel said as Peta, Vic and Tazz came over to join us. 

When we told them about the shooting last night, Peta said, “Oh yeah, I was there for that. That Nhil guy. Course, Kris weren’t too smart, just barrelin’ up to him and sayin’ ‘Yer under arrest!’ Lotsa folks don’t take to that.” 

I sighed hearing Kris’ name, not surprised. “Kris is a sorry excuse of a lawman,” Vic seemed to agree. 

“Kris ain’t the ‘think first, shoot later’ sort of fella, that’s for sure,” Peta said. 

“He reacts, he doesn’t prevent,” I said. 

“And Nhil I’ve learned does Kris’s job better,” Vic commented. 

“Is Nhil a lawman now? ’Cause if not he should be.” 

“He kidnapped Kris and shot a bunch of people. Also he’s mean ta Tye,” Peta said. 

“Mean?” Muriel asked. 

“No I am trying to convince him to be so but after last night I am not so sure, he gets blamed for cleaning up Kris’s messes,” Vic said. 

“Perhaps there were some events have taken place that led Mister Nhil to do that,” Ali said. 

“Then he should clean up Kris’ messes with a badge on him,” I winked at Vic. “Then he’ll get paid for it.” 

“Well he was sayin’ Tye was a slanderer and stupid and all sorta awful things,” Peta said. “We ain’t got many law these days.” 

“Oh… He’s not stupid,” Muriel observed. 

“Just that you noticed. Something happens... I can’t do a thing about it,” I said. 

“Trying to tell him that,” Vic laughed. 

“I said ta Nhil, ya ain’t even met Tye! How can you say those things?! But he just rants!” Peta said. 

“If I remember correctly Peta Tye started it was not so nice to Nhil,” Vic reflected. 

“Tye was glarin’ at me, and Nhil said it was ’cause he was jealous. And Tye laughed and laughed,” Peta said. “So if that’s mean, then it’s mean.” 

“And would not let it drop, every time he seen Nhil. Nhil ment no harm.” 

“Hell to that,” Peta shrugged. 

“SEE too many people hold grudges. Life’s too short,” Vic said. 

“Sure. We’ll just have ta let time tell all. Me, I don’t think Nhil’s a nice person at all,” Peta said. 

“Too short and too hard at times,” Tazz said. 

“I beg to differ. i have seen the nice things Mister Nhil has done,” Ali said. 

“Oh, I think he is very nice,” Vic blushed. “He did a lot more for this town the the law has. And then getting beef for it.” 

“He accused Tye of kissin’ up to people in power and treatin’ strangers like crap! Now look, all you been new to town recently... has Tye treated any of ya like crap? Have ya seen slackin’ off on the job, when there’s crime goin’ on?” 

As the ladies continued to gossip, I headed back to the office to get some work done.