Monday, June 15, 2015

May 9, 1899

Tombstone. 

This morning I talked with the group in town and met a man named Cole Dassin. Dee commented that there were no arrest notices for him and I guessed that he frequently got ten arrested. 

Tye kicked at the sign angrily then and said, “Ya know dammit if someone were impersonatin’ ME I’d damn sure hope someone would shoot him even if they didn’t take an aggressive action. But no, everyone just wants to say ‘Tye shot a bounty hunter’ blah blah blah. Nobody cares why.”

I put my hand on Tye’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. “Tye, I was there. You reacted as anyone would knowing he was under a disguise.”

“Make sure to tell them that I saved that same boy’s life the day before, with nothin’ but a piece of jerky!” Tye huffed at me in response. 

“Of course. I believe I included that in my witness report I wrote up yesterday,” I nodded. 

“Tyler!” Skyla rounded on him then. “Do ya think I enjoyed arresting ya hot head ass?!” 

“Naw, course you didn’t! I didn’t let you search me or put me in cuffs and you been in a bad mood since!” Tye grunted at Skyla. 

“Ya saved a life with jerky?” Dee looked at Tye curiously. 

“Hell yeah I did Dee. Who else could do that?” 

Skyla laughed slightly and shook her head. “Oh, let me tell ya a highlight to my day is you in cuffs and in the jail...” she shook her head and winked. 

“It’s true,” I nodded and then said, “They had the guy with his hands up and Tye just walked out there calmly with some jerky and offered it to them.” I put a hand on Tye’s arm then and looked at him. “You feel like having a distraction from all this? I’d love to talk to you about Clint Houston.”

“They done forgot I speak Apache, too. The one immediately looked at the other and said ‘this one trouble for us’ pointing at me. I had myself a good chuckle about that,” Tye said. 

“I didn’t know ya spoke Apache Tye,” Dee said. “May be needin’ your help in a trial, if that’s possible. Not sure when but sure would be nice knowin’ I had someone to call on.” 

“He does, as well as I do,” Skyla said then. 

Tye opened his mouth and closed it again before saying in a monotone voice to me, “Clint Houston is hardly what I would call a relaxing distraction.”

“Well whenever you’re able to talk about him, I’d still love to sit down with you. I have a feeling your my biggest lead on that one,” I nodded with some understanding. 

“If’n its official, I’d rather you keep me to the side and I tell you later or motion to you if they are lyin’. They don’t remember I do, and I like to keep it that way.”

“Clint is, well, Clint he gets in trouble with others ‘cause he can’t do it by himself,” Skyla burst out laughing then. “And if he thinks you’re pretty he’ll turn himself over to you. Enough said.” 

“Oh really?” I asked, hoping I could use that to my advantage. 

“Yep, ya want to find Clint...” Dee put in, “Put on a dress and a smile. He come runnin’.” 

“What else can ya’ll tell me about him?” I chuckled hearing Dee, thinking that was the best news I’d heard all day.

“That he’s married to Harm and that he really doesn’t like doing things alone, so you have to be on ya toes with him,” Sky answered. 

“Who does he usually work with?” I asked. 

“Clint runs with two groups,” Sky explained. “The James’ brothers as he is one, and his girl’s gang The Mavericks. She tries to use the fact she’s female to anyone for a distraction of what’s really goin’ on.” 

The man named Cole seemed to be getting awfully close to Dee so Skyla and Tye tried to back him off so the woman could have her personal space. Tye got angry that Sky thought he was going to shoot Cole and she told him to finish his statement. An Apache woman came walking through town and I shook my head in amazement. 

“It amazes me how apache can just waltz through town without a worry but the second we step foot in their camp they threaten to scalp us.”

“Hi Pinky. You must be new here,” Tye turned to me with a stupid grin on his face. 

“Trin, don’t push it on the Apache subject,” Skyla shook her head, clearly frustrated with the topic. 

“Can’t help it, it’s my first case,” I chuckled. 

I walked around town then and greeted people throughout the street. I met Ali’s husband Gabe and we talked about my job as a detective and how I was working on some cases again. The three of us went into the saloon and decided to have a drink together. 

“Mind if I do a toast?” I asked Gabe. 

“By all means,” Gabe nodded and Ali held up the glass of whiskey. 

“To new friends, and fresh beginnings,” I held up my glass. 

“I’ll drink to that,” Gabe raised his. 

“Cheers,” Ali smiled and we drank down the whiskey together. 

Gabe cringed as he tasted the whiskey and said, “Uhh... That must be Doll’s batch from last night.” 

“Yeah, I’ve tasted better stuff than this before. But then, whiskey is whiskey,” I said, not crazy about the whiskey either. 

“Indeed,” Gabe chuckled. “So you mentioned cases. You law?” 

I tapped my badge and smiled. “Pinkerton Agent actually. Still have to talk to Adrian about getting an office situated ‘round here but the judge has given me a case, as has the marshal a few.”

“Ah, good to have work already,” Gabe nodded. 

“It is at that. Would love if ya’ll could help with some information maybe? Seeing as you two seem settled in the area?”

“We can try,” Gabe shrugged. 

“I’m a little hard of hearin’ and my eyes are not so good anymore. But I can try to help ya,” Ali looked to Gabe and winked. 

“Do ya’ll know of a woman named Nikki? Don’t know her last name.” I started off with a perhaps less-high profile question. 

They didn’t seem to know anything about Nikki so I asked about Dominic James and Clint Houston but they didn’t seem to know those names either. Ali did say that Clint’s name had come up in conversation before but she didn’t know who had brought the name up. I figured that was helpful since it meant that people were still talking about him. 

“Pretty courageous walking around these parts unarmed, even as law,” Gabe said then, noticing that I wasn’t wearing any guns. 

“Well bein’ a Pinkerton we don’t have much in the way of authority other than hunting down information on people and giving that to those who do. No point using a weapon to make myself more threatening. People might not be so receptive to me if I were to do that.”

“Not to mention that I believe things should be solved with truth and information, not guns and violence. I go around wearing a gun I’ll be lookin’ like a hypocrite.”

“Aye, just be careful, even from law.” 

“Trust me, I know. That’s why I try to surround myself with people I can trust that will protect me if needbe.”

“Have you found such people here?” Gabe smirked. 

I looked from him to Ali and answered, “Some of ‘em. Some I ain’t too sure what their true colors are yet,” I cringed as I thought of Poe and remembered the events from yesterday. 

“Only one I trust to protect me is my husband Gabe,” Ali smiled. “But, they will think twice about shootin’ the unarmed. So I say, good for you and your way of thinking. Some people here won’t think twice about pulling that drigger if ya armed.” 

May as well paint a target on my back if I carry a gun ‘round doin’ what I do. I’d never get anything out of anyone,” I nodded. 

“Oh lord, that wine and whiskey must be really bad, I’m studderin’,” Ali said then. 

“Indeed,” Gabe chuckled. 

“What do ya’ll do around here?” I looked between them curiously. 

“We just got ourselves a piece of land up in Benson,” Gabe smiled to Ali. “Trying to get a home set up.” 

“Sounds nice. I ain’t been out that way yet.” 

“I’ve been keeping him busy at the ranch,” Ali laughed. 

“I grew up on a ranch actually. Would love to see the horses sometime.” I finished my whiskey and then said, “Well I should get back to the office. It’s been great chatting with ya’ll. We should do this again sometime.”

“Indeed,” Gabe tipped his hat. “Was nice to meet you ma’am.” 

“Have a good day Miss Trin. Safe travels.” 

“You both as well. Take care,” I waved and headed out of the saloon towards my office. 

***

This afternoon I walked out of the office and waved to the group in front of the hotel. I met Keiki and Voo and we talked about the whiskey and things going on in town. Tye came over and offered a gruff, “Pinky.” 

I looked at him and asked, “What is it with you?” 

“Me? I’m just peachy,” he eyed me. 

“Glad to hear it,” I smiled. 

The group continued to talk about Gabe and Ali’s house and Tye kept his gaze on a man who was being quiet. I went into the kitchen to make myself some coffee then wandered out to the street. 

“Thanks for this,” I said to Tye. “Need to get a stove set up over in the Pinkerton office,” I winked. 

“Just come down here Pinky. Get yerself some coffee. Ain’t no bother,” he shook his head. 

“Thanks Tye,” I chuckled. 

Josh and Tye talked about him working at the ranch for Miss Jenna and then his girl Bria came over. They talked for a while and I met a marshal named Kristoff. Gabe and Tye walked off to look at something as I talked to Kris about my detective work. 

After a while I went over to talk to Tye and asked if we could talk inside. We went into the hotel kitchen and I asked him about Clint. He promised to throw me a bone and lead the way to the courthouse where he showed me his files from his experiences with Clint. 

“Are you serious? This is more than a start!” I looked at Tye, my eyes wide. 

“Alright, let’s go chat them over. I’ll need to reread them to make sure I ain’t givin’ ya somethin’ I shouldn’t. But we’ll sit and go over them.” 

I asked him if we could go to his office and he said, “Alright. Let’s uh... hmm... I don’t really have an office anymore.”

“I’ve got an office, sort of,” I said. “There’s that office above the clinic we could use.”

“Let’s sit in the jail. I like to see the street.” 

“The jail?” I looked at him. 

“Yeh. Scared of it?” 

I muttered something but said nothing and followed him to sit in front of the sheriff’s office. He sit down beside me and set the files in his lap, flipping the front open. “Let’s see here... hmm...” 

I pulled my own notebook out to take notes as he talked. “Damn fools don’t know how to keep a filin’ system. I tried to show ‘em.”

“That’s a dang lot of files, Tye,” I eyed the stack and said. 

“Alright! Here we go. Incident 67: Clint Houston, Murder, August 11th. I busted Clint Houston a lot of times,” Tye pulled one file out. 

“Tye why ain’t ya working ya lazy bum!” Skyla shouted over. 

“Oh go on and git. I’m tryin’ to get this lass out of my hair.”

“Oh hell don’t even ask for mine on Clint,” Sky muttered. 

I nodded to Tye and looked back at Skyla. “I can only do one thing at a time, Sky. I’ll come to ya next.”

“Okay. August 11th. Murder of ‘Zenzla.’. Two witnesses,” Tye continued. “According to Diamond Deputy Sheriff Angel - Zenzla merely spoke of an interest in applying for law - Clint Houston drew his guns and shot him down. He was identified by another - a lad named Timmy Watson.” 

I nodded and he continued on. “Incident 70: Shooting Law. 8/19. I had shot and arrested Jen Miles. Clint houston - my first encounter with him - came up and shot me down. He then drug her off to Ghenna, sent his sisten in law to come and get a doctor. Turns out Jen died without treatment.” 

“What’s his sister in law’s name?” I asked. 

He arched an eyebrow and said, “Tayra. Hmm. I’ll get to the last name. I got it here somewheres.” 
Suddenly Skyla called for Tye to help him with something at the bank and then as they were taking so long I went over across the road to them. 

“Oh, done with me, then?” 

“Was coming over to make sure ya’ll were alright,” I said. 

“I was doin’ my job. Ya know, the one that keeps food on my table? The one you keep interrupting? Come one. Let’s get this over with.” 

“If you wanted to just hand me the files I can look through them on my own.”

“Leavin’ the files unattended,” Tye motioned towards the jail. 

“They’re within plain sight, Tye.” 

“That’s assumin’ I trust you with them,” Tye narrowed his eyes. 

I walked back over and sat down, “Sorry I was worried about you then.” Tye picked up the files and set them back in his lap in a display of purposeful aggravation. “I believe we were talking about Tayra, his sister-in-law,” I prompted. 

“I told you I’d get to the last name. Its in this stack somewhere.” 

“Just reminding you where we were.”

“Hell,” he picked up the next one and squinted his eyes, reading. “This one, on August 30th, I chased him from Tombstone to Two Guns to the Apache lands - where he shot Kristoff - then down to Bisbee... west to Pearce. He holed up in the clinic there.” I raised an eyebrow at the mention of Bisbee and he continued, “We had a shootout all up and down the street in Pearce. Mind you - Kristoff weren’t law then - he were a judge. So the charge was different. I wounded him, he patched himself up and hit me too. I wasn’t able to keep up with my injury.” 

He flipped through some more and I continued to write in my notebook as he talked. “Same day, later that evening. Sheriff Sarrah and I chased him to Ghenna mines. We lost him there, came back to town just to find him here. He stood amongst a crowd and fired on us - shot Sheriff Sarrah and his own wife. This is the kind of man you’re after - understand that. He will fire on his own wife if he thinks it’ll help him escape.” 

“You don’t say,” I shook my head. 

“Next day. 8/31. I were in town with a bunch of folks. Clint Houston walks right up amongst them and starts gloating. He drew his guns and aimed them at different people, knowing I couldn’t chance firing. Eventually he shot me. Better that than the others. He left - then as I sit outside the clinic recovering, I heard shots. Clint shot Kristoff and a woman named Mixorroxim. Nothing I could do. I later climbed to the top of the jail and looked for him - Clint picked a fight with a private in the cavalry another outlaw even - Clint Curtis. The private was Vito Arguello. 5 shot that day.” 

“Geez...” I shook my head in awe. 

Kris walked over then and Tye pointed to the apache across the road. “Oi. That Apache’s carryin’ an oil lamp.” 

“I’m on it,” Kris nodded and wandered across the road. 

“Next day. This was all within a couple weeks, mind you.” 

Suddenly we watched the Apache walk over to the bank, unscrewing the oil lamp and pouring oil all over, letting it drip out and splatter on the wood floor and the wall. He turned around, seeing the marshal, and grinned. “You want to play?” he asked, lowering his hands. 

Tye set the file on his lap and said, “I’m at least gonna watch.” 

The Apache pulled out a match from his pouch and held it up as he looked to Kris, one hand still on his gun. 

“Sometimes it’s a relief not wearin’ a gun,” I said to Tye. 

“He could have my help right now if he hadn’t treated me like a common criminal yesterday,” Tye shrugged. 

“I don’t blame you one bit, Tye.” 

“Yeh, I was a hothead and I took the man’s impersonation of my friend personal - but I was willin’ to cooperate.” 

“I still don’t blame you for that either, you know that.”

Tye shrugged and set all the files on my lap. “This comes back to bite me in the ass - well, you can guess. Pinky.”

“I know, Tye,” I nodded. I took the files carefully and said, “I’ll guard these carefully. Would be nice to have an office with a key.” 

It wasn’t long before people were calling “Fire!” in the street and then calling for a doctor. Tye grabbed a bucket and ran back and forth putting out the fire at the bank. Seeing that they had gotten the fire under control, I sat down at the desk in the sheriff’s office and got to work reading the files while taking notes. 

Tye came in to make sure that I had all the right paperwork and he called out the incident numbers as I made sure they were there. I confirmed that I had them all and he said, “Now listen. You got any questions about those specifically, come to me first. I’ll be able to clear up most issues.”

“Of course. You’re the first person I’ll come to,” I nodded. 

“And to be frank, I was the most educated and detail oriented sonofabitch in the area far as law’s concerned. You won’t find more thorough reports than me.” 

“Why do you think I came to you first, Tye?” 

“Alright, Pinky,” he nodded. “I figured it was the beard. Can’t keep the women off me.” 

“I know you’re taken,” I chuckled. 

“Or if yer a sly one, that I was retired and grumpy and didn’t give a damn about records anymore.” 

I asked him if I could keep the files in the desk there in the sheriff’s office and Tye said that would be no problem. He headed outside and I continued to look at the files. Suddenly I read a note that made me almost fall off my seat. “What?!” I said loudly, reading it again to make sure I’d seen it properly. I shook my head in awe, continuing to read about the horror that Clint had done, and then asked again, “WHAT?!! Tye!!!” I called out. 

“What?!” Tye called back. 

“Can you come in here for a sec?” I called back. 

“Yeh?” Tye asked, walking into the office. 

“This Lillith Rubble person, she still the judge over in Cochise county?”

“Nope. And Pinky, yer IN Cochise County. Ya can find the judge’s scalp hangin’ in the White Mountain Apache village, to be frank.”

“What about this point about killin you and this Maverick Runner guy?”

“No one took his offer. Ain’t dumb enough.” 

“No one?” 

“Pinky, I were standin’ in the middle of town, ten feet from Mr. Houston when he shouted that offer. Ain’t not a single person even looked at me funny. Folks ‘round here no good and well they either protected by me, or don’t mess with me.”

“Who’s this Maverick person?” 

“A damn traitor is what.”

“You wanna tell me why?” I asked, guessing the name would be important. 

“Reckless little idgit as a deputy, got caught thievin’ weapons and ammo. Joined with Clint a while, then turned on Clint, too. Ain’t a man left that’d side with Maverick anywhere in this town.” 

“Should the fact that horse theft has already been repeated twice be catching my eye?” I asked, finishing the report for incident 17. 

“Let me ask you somethin’. You start at the beginnin’, or did you start with the first number?” 

“Read incident 2, then 17 now...”

“Pinky, look at the damn dates. First counts were as a deputy. Second was when I was accepted as a US Deputy Marshal. 2 came after 95.” I sighed and put file 17 back in the pile and he said, “That’s better. Now start at the real beginning, then ask me if the horse is important.” 

I pulled out the file from September 18 and said, “Yeah, that sounds more like a beginning...”

“By the time I became a marshal, I knew the town up and down,” Tye nodded. “So, I’ll leave you to it.” 

“Thanks Tye.” 

Tye left the office and I continued to read through the files as people continued to talk outside. The door was still open and I could hear people talking but I didn’t recognize any of them. I sighed as I read, realizing that I didn’t know if half of the people in the files were alive still or even in the area. 
After a while I decided to take a break and set the files under the desk. I walked outside and went to the saloon, getting a bottle of whiskey and filling my flask before heading back to the office. 

“Excuse me, ma’am,” a man walked over to me and I set down my flask, looking up at him. 

“Hi Sir. How can I help ya?” 

“I hear tell you are one of them writers.” 

“Where’d ya hear that?” I asked him. 

“Well news has a way getting around even if it isn’t a newspaper,” he laughed to himself. 

“Why do you ask?” 

“And you don’t have to call me stranger. Richie is the name. I figure if you were one of them writers you would be a good person to get to know.” 

“I’d still love to know how ya found out I was a writer. I guess ya saw me with a notebook around town maybe. You new ‘round here Richie?”

“Yeah been here a day or two. Trying to pick up on things.” 

“What brought ya to Tombstone?” 

“Curiosity.” 

“Curiosity of what?” We continued to talk and then I went back to my work.

***

Later in the evening, Ida was standing with a man in the street and I went over to meet the man. He said his name was Kyle and that he was from Chicago. I told Ida that I’d come to a dead end on the case with the Apache and that I would let the marshals handle it. Kyle explained that this seemed like a good place to start over and I agreed, saying I’d come for the same reasons. 

“And your story?” Kyle looked to me after Ida had walked down the street and we were left alone. 

“Do you have time to spin your wheels?” 

“Spin my...?” I looked at him, confused. 

“Means to tell a story. Chicago term.” 

“Depends. You want to tell me some too?” I chuckled. 

“Sure, I have time. Are you on duty? Have a drink with me?” 

“I could have a drink. I don’t really have a boss, par se. One whiskey ain’t gonna kill me.”

I followed him to the Oriental Saloon on the corner of Allen Street and he told me that his friend V owned it. He poured us two glasses of whiskey and I thanked him for the drink. 

“You are welcome. So you know I am from Chicago,” he said. 

“I don’t know what ya did there though.” 

“Where are you from originally?” 

“Originally? Canada,” I said somewhat evasively. 

“Canada? Wow...” 

“Grew up on a ranch there.” 

“I was a theatre director there.” 

“You’re kidding...” 

“Before I lost my family. Nope, and want to hear more?” 

I sighed, remembering hearing the news of my father’s death. “I know what that’s like.” 

“Yes, I can see it in your eyes. Losing a family member cuts deep.” 

“I lost my father a couple of months ago. He was murdered by a gang.”

“Well, I left Chicago to go to Frisco. Murdered?” he stopped then. “Oh my...” 

“Still don’t know why.” 

“So sorry about that. Yes, my wife’s killers were never found.” 

“My only guess would be over money. Our ranch was a pretty nice one. Your wife was killed?”

“Well, in Frisco, my cousin is the sheriff there,” Kyle explained. “Yes, she was a victim in a shot out at the bank. So I left and went to Frisco like I said.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that, Kyle.”

He reached for the bottle and offered me another drink and I said that I would have one more as he continued his story. “So I stayed there for a bit, and had some issues with some of the citizens, so I traveled here. Met many good people.” 

“So have I, so far,” I smiled and drank the whiskey. “The whiskey here’s better than the saloon down the street.”

“It is, much better,” he nodded. 

“So what kinda work do you do, Kyle?”

“Well like I said, in Frisco I run the riverboat, and next weekend is our big opening day celebration with a carnival.” 

“Sounds like a fun job,” I smiled. 

“It is. In fact my boat manager is outside too. She comes here a lot too.” 

“Seems like ya know a few folks here.”

“A few,” he nodded. “And a few I wish I didn’t... But I really like it here.” 

“So do I. Startin’ to feel like home already. Hard to believe how fast that happens.”

“Yes, I agree. And I have to say, it is very nice meeting you here too.” 

“Good to have some company,” I said, but was guarding myself a little bit more tonight. 

“Most of my friends are women... not many male friends,, men tend to be asses,” he laughed. “Are you okay being here? I am not keeping you from anything I hope?” 

“Nah, I worked hard enough today.” 

“Good,” he laughed. 

“Nice to unwind actually,” I smiled and then let my thoughts wander. “Sorry, just thinkin about some things from today.”

“Okay. Is everything alright? I listen good.” 

“Need to stop thinkin’.”

“It will be just an intense case I can’t talk about,” I shrugged. 

“Sure, sorry.” 

“It’s okay, the concern is appreciated. Been a while since a man’s shown me that kind of concern.”


As Kyle finished his drink I found myself looking him over and seeing how attractive he was. I blushed and looked down. He was quiet and we talked for a little while and he said he was a good dancer too. I chuckled at that and asked if he wanted to dance. We went outside to go dancing and I enjoyed his company. He offered to walk me home but I said that I would be alright and said goodnight.

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