Tombstone.
I returned home this weekend from an uneventful week up north with the family. I had gone up to tell Joshua and Ma about Sunset, and was relieved to find them safe and sound without any further threats from the gang Sunset was apart of. That also meant though, that now the gang’s entire focus would be on me.
On the way into town, I waved to Ali and Gabe who were riding back to Black Diamond. They were happy to see me home safely and then Cole found me and gave me a big hug.
“Well, well, well, look who’s back in town! Trin!”
“Well hey there, Cole,” I smiled, leaning back from the hug. “Great to see you too.”
“So how was that trip of yours?”
“Oh, uneventful this time. No run-ins, just visiting with my brother and ma at the ranch.”
“That all sounds real good.”
“Had to update them about what was going on around here and wanted to make sure they were still safe too.”
“Yes... I haven’t seen that fella around here as of late.”
“Glad to hear that.”
“Yeah, he gives me the creeps.”
“What else is new around here?”
“Hmm... Some shops close up, some new people. Have not seen Sky or Si in a while, or Punk.”
“Oh really? Things have been quiet, huh?”
“Abby’s man Alex Cross he been gone for a number of days also... Yeah a bit quiet. Libby and me are getting Married on Thursday at 11 am here in Tombstone.”
“Oh are ya? Congratulations Cole!”
“If ya can make it,” he smiled.
“You missed it Cole,” Jess came up to us then. “Punk was here today, shot three people and was assaulted by the preacher.”
“Assaulted by the preacher?!” I raised an eyebrow.
“Yea, stitched up his head,” Jess nodded.
“Last night Libby and me both... had separate talks with Miss Sommer about the wedding night,” Cole told me and I just smiled seeing my friend so happy.
“Well I’m going to head over to Black Diamond and see what’s going on. I’ll see ya’ll later.” I waved to them and wandered on.
Black Diamond.
I walked back into Black Diamond and waved to Richie on the balcony of a new apartment near the City Hall. “Hey there Richie! Got your new place I see?”
“Come on up. Steps to the side.”
I walked up the steps and tried the door, seeing it was unlocked. I opened it easily and walked in, going over to Richie and giving him a hug. “Hey there.”
He pulled me closer and I chuckled, “Miss me or somethin’?”
“No...” he let go and asked, “So whatcha think of the place?”
I stepped back and smiled, looking around. “It’s a great home, Richie. And you’ve got your balcony out there still too eh?”
“So I guess you’re busy as hell being out of town for so long?”
“I just got back. Ain’t even talked to any lawmen since I returned,” I said as I followed him out to the balcony. “So what’s new? I can’t stay long, I do need to wander about some law office and see what’s going on.”
“Nothing, still lazy. Just working on getting stuff here.”
“Well it does look great. Glad to see ya so settled,” I smiled at him.
“Thank ya.”
“I really should head on, just wanted to come and say hi. We’ll talk more later,” I smiled and waved as he went inside for a nap and I headed down to the street.
Tombstone.
This evening I walked into town and saw a group in Kate’s. Gabe, V, Ali and Serenity were all there with another woman I didn’t know. V called her Kelly and told her to relax around me. “This here is Trin... she just finds out who did what. She a detective.”
“You all settled in at home, Miss Trin?” Ali asked me.
“No worries with this one. Trin’s harmless, fer the most part. Unless she’s yer prosecutor. Then you in trouble...” Serenity smiled at Kelly.
“Rest easy,” I smiled and then looked to Ali. “Yes ma’am. Seems everything was fine in my absence.”
“Well sorry detective, it is just when people get in here most of the time they want to take me in,” Kelly told me.
“Sure is good to be back home though,” I smiled and looked to Kelly. “Seems to me you do look familiar.”
“Aye, you was in my court.”
Outside, Kris asked a woman named Kimmie, “Kimmie you feel like shooting someone?” He then said to TJ, “Let’s go, TJ.”
I looked around and said, “Sounds like somethin’s goin’ on out there.”
“Kimmie if you wanna help with an arrest, come with me,” Kris said.
“I’ll take that as a deputization then,” Kimmie nodded.
“Not again,” Kelly sighed.
“Oh hell,” V complained.
I looked around, curious to what was going on.
“We have an arrest warrant and it will be served,” Kris said as they came into the saloon.
“Go away marshal,” Kelly said.
“I don’t like to use violence. My deputies... Well I can’t speak for them,” he continued.
I put my hands on my guns, just in case, and watched as Serenity asked, “Well, who’s it for now?”
Gabe put his hands near his guns, seeing mine and TJ’s hands go to ours.
“Please surrender peacefully. I cannot be held responsible for what my associates do,” Kris insisted.
“Last chance folks,” TJ added.
“Marshal I give you a choice. Leave now and you’ll live,” Kelly said.
“Then I’ll say the same fer you,” Serenity looked at Kris. “I can’t be held responsible for what they do either.”
“This is Tombstone. I am law in this town,” Kris said and I thought to myself I had been away for far too long. “I have a duty to protect and serve the law abiding peoples.”
“Yer play Marshal,” Kimmiee said then.
TJ unclipped his gun and I looked around, not wanting to use my gun if I didn’t have to. I gave Kris a glance and Serenity said, “You still ain’t said who the warrant is for.”
Guns were drawn then and I jumped under the table, drawing my gun in case a stray bullet came my way but not wanting to get shot if I could avoid it. From my hiding spot, I could watch and listen to what was happening and it wasn’t long before everyone fell down, wounded. I stepped outside after the gunfight had diminished and looked at Jess, “Guess you’re gonna be busy, Jess.”
Kris told Kimmie to cuff someone and I said, “Kris, who are we arresting?”
Confused, I walked out of the streets and wondered how Serenity had escaped in the confusion. She was the only one who hadn’t been dragged off to the clinic so I went over to Bisbee to look for her.
Bisbee.
I found her standing by the sign just past the entrance and chuckled, walking over to her. “Enjoying the view?” I winked.
“Makin’ sure no more folks gonna come yellin’ bout warrants at me and not tell me who they for...”
“I have no idea what the heck just happened. Kris told the girl to arrest someone but never said whom, so I decided to hide and not shoot.” I felt someone coming up behind me and I turned slightly, wondering who it was.
“So they just shot at all my folks, claimin they had a warrant, but didn’t say who it was for?” Serenity shook her head and grumbled.
“I never heard a name. I wasn’t gonna just randomly shoot someone if I didn’t have to.” I smiled recognizing Punk as he came closer and said, “Hey there stranger.”
“Tell me you know what’s happenin’ to those folks...” Serenity looked at me.
“Which folks would those be?” I kept my focus half on Serenity and half on Punk. He walked a bit closer towards me without a word.
Serenity glanced towards the doctor’s office and then back to me. “Ali, Gabe, V... that Kelly woman.”
“V walked out of the clinic lookin’ fine... the others... I think they were still in the clinic when I wandered this way. I still have no idea who the initial target in there was. Kris just said shoot everyone who wasn’t TJ,” I said.
Serenity looked to Punk and said, “Apparently there be a warrant out for someone, and Kris is ordering people to just shoot, and I quote.. ‘at anyone who isn’t TJ’.”
“I see,” Punk nodded, rubbing the stubble on his chin.
“I knew things were bad before I left for a week but deputizing people and not tellin’ ‘em why?” I asked them.
“Why aint’ they come out yet....” Serenity kept glancing towards the doctor’s office.
Punk walked to block my view of Serenity and smirked at me. “Well, looks like you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Don’t know... I was proud of myself to get out of there unshot,” I shrugged but looked at Punk curiously, wondering what he was up to.
Serenity rubbed her arm and said, “I ain’t seen Ali and Gabe come out...that’s startin’ to bother me...”
Punk smiled as he got in front of me. “I’m sorry but...” he paused, glancing back at me, “This action is necessary.” He twirled his guns out, casually brandishing them in front of me.
I blinked and looked at him, standing back a bit. “What exactly is necessary? We’re just talkin’.”
He gave a cheeky grin and kept a close ranged aim on me. “It’s simple.. Agent Paige. Just take those gun belts off for now.”
“You’re seriously stealing my guns? We’re just chatting here. What’d I ever do to you?” I looked at him, then looked to Serenity for clarification.
Serenity shook her head a bit and said, “Well you was ready to pull in Kate’s when Kris was shoutin, before ya done hid...”
Punk kept his guns on me and said, “Just take them off, please,” he reiterated with a more serious tone.
I shook my head and said, “I took it off in case someone was gonna take a wild shot at me. I wasn’t exactly planning on using it. Why do you think I hid? If I was gonna use it I would have.”
“They takin’ ‘em to Jail now,” Serenity said towards Punk. “’Bout time to move”
He shook his head and walked towards me. He motioned to the barrels by my belt and said, “Take them off now.”
I sighed and took the gun out of my holster, “Fine, take the damn gun.” I thought to myself that there were more guns locked in the cabinet in the office, I could just reload there.
Punk smirked and took the gun but also motioned for the belt. He tried to pry it off my waist before tossing the gun to Serenity. “We’re taking Miss Trin as hostage in exchange for our people,” he said then.
“Perhaps it’ll work, if it don’t....I’m bustin down that back door.”
I shook my head and said, “You’ve got the gun, just let it go at that, Punk. Not like there’s any law to do anything else about it anyway.”
He nodded and said, “Perhaps so.. she’d just be a burden.”
“She’d cause us trouble, let her go on and tell the law we comin’ for ‘em,” Serenity smirked.
Punk walked away from me and said, “Let’s head out. She’ll be no harm for now.” He kept his guns drawn, pointing them at me as they left me by the hotel, and walked away with Serenity.
I sighed, watching them go, and was relieved when they were gone. I leaned against the sign to catch my breath. Nothing like a first day back and having my guns being stolen. I sighed with relief when I saw Wedge riding over.
“Wedge, thank God...” I exhaled.
“What’s going on?”
I held out my arms to reveal the lack of gun belt around my waist. “Notice something missing?”
“Okay, what did you do with them?” he asked with confusion.
“My gun was just stolen off me. Can we talk in Bisbee? I think the sheriff’s office is always open.”
“Sure, let’s go.”
Bisbee.
I lead the way into the sheriff’s office and sighed, looking at Wedge. I told him what happened as we continued to hear gunfire going off. He promised that he would take care of it and I decided to go get a drink at the saloon in Black Diamond.
Black Diamond.
I walked into Black Diamond, feeling almost naked without my gun, but I knew I was probably safer without it. I sighed, needing a drink and some company badly. I saw Mysti riding in on the wagon and smiled seeing that she was with Matt. Perfect, I thought to myself and walked over to them.
“Just the folks I was hoping to run into. Where you two off to? I could use some company.”
“Hey Trin!” Mysti smiled at me. I just got this new wagon .. got a great deal on it want to take a ride?”
“Yeah, I could use a distraction from the night I just had.” I reached for Matt’s hand and he helped me up onto the wagon. I sat in the back with the hay and asked, “This thing don’t happen to ride to a place where they sell drinks, does it?”
“Where would you like to go, Trin? I could use a drink too,” Mysti said.
“Do you need some whiskey, Detective?” Matt asked and pulled a flask out of his vest, handing it to me. “Here you go.”
“Don’t matter, so long as I’ve got ya’ll here with me,” I shrugged and took the flask from him, smiling. “It’s good to be home, I think.”
Tombstone.
We rode into Tombstone and I said, “Anywhere but Kate’s.”
“Goin’ to Annie’s. Is that okay Trin? And why not Kate’s?” Mysti asked.
“I’ll tell you when we get to Annie’s,” I promised.
We stopped in front of the entrance and headed inside, going up to the bar. Mysti poured us some whiskey and then joined us.
“You said somethin’ bout doctorin’?” I began, not wanting to talk about things just yet.
“Ooh yes, I studied at Harvard in Boston and was doctoring there with my dad, but then I left when I found my fiancé with my best friend. I came here to work at Annie’s for a while but after my husband died I was at a crossroads not knowing what to do.”
“You seem nervous, Trin,” Matt studied me. Then said, “She is a very good doctor, Trin.”
I looked at Matt and shook my head, then focused on Mysti. “Sorry to hear about your fiance though, Mysti.”
“And how would you know that?” Mysti grinned as she looked at Matt.
Matt shrugged and whispered something to her and I took another sip, “So you working pretty much in Tombstone now or just anywhere?”
“That’s why I got the wagon, Trin. So I can travel territories and doctor everywhere but... I haven’t gotten my license yet. I am waiting for it.”
“Makes sense,” I nodded. “And Matt, you take over that cafe yet?” I asked him, still keeping the focus off myself for now.
“Well, I use the cafe for the kitchen... Good to cook for the folks and hear the gossip in town.”
“Glad to hear that,” I smiled to him and poured myself another shot of whiskey.
“But no, I am not doing that full time. Cannot be tied down. Only one person can tie me down, and she knows better.”
“Ohh, so you were going to tell me why not Kate’s, Trin,” Mysti said then, smiling at Matt’s words.
I cringed at the metaphor of being tied down and thought that was a good segue as any. “Well let me see... tonight I was welcomed home by a gunfight in Kate’s, which I narrowly avoided getting shot in... by hiding under the table so I could see what was happening... I guess Kris had wanted to arrest someone but he never said who the warrant was for so I just hid and watched, not wanting to use my gun though I took it out in case there was a stray bullet. So then... I go out wandering around for the one person who had been there but hadn’t been carried off to the clinic... and while she and I are talking, Punk walks over and stands between us. Then he steals my gun and wants to take me as hostage but then reconsiders it, realizing I’d just be a burden.”
“Does he have your gun?” Matt blinked.
“Oooh dear, you have been through a lot,” Mysti shook her head.
I tried to keep my hand steady as I held the whiskey glass, knowing that most of my nerves were worn down when I had talked to Wedge, but I knew that this time I could retell the story as a personal victim, not as a detective who was relaying the story for the soldier. “He sure does. I’ve got more locked in the safe in my office so I just gave him the damn thing. This all after a somewhat uneventful trip back home to tell my brother and ma about Sunset.”
“I wanted to ask how your trip went but I don’t want to intrude on something you might not want to talk about,” Mysti said. “But if you are willing, I am interested.”
“Uneventful? Did they even give you background on Sunset?” Matt asked, and then said, “But wait...”
“Wait what?”
“Too many things, Trin. You just got your gun stolen, you were witness to a gunfight... Trin, you need another whiskey.” Matt reached for the bottle and poured another shot of whiskey.
I took the shot and chuckled softly, “Yeah it’s been one hell of a night. I was able to talk to Wedge
after it all happened but it’s a different thing talking to people without a badge, if ya know what I mean. As good friends as Wedge and I are.” I looked at Matt and said, “I could care less about the gun. Like I said, I’ve got others. Just debating the smartness of putting one on again. Not like I’m much use with one. Information is power, not bullets.”
“Very well... You still need something to defend yourself,” Matt nodded. “A law book can only stop one bullet if it is thick enough, but cannot shoot it back.”
“I’m not one for using guns,” Mysti said. “Shoot, I grew up in Boston... but I suppose I will need to learn to handle a gun.”
I nodded to Matt, knowing he was right. “So you think I should get another gun from the safe...”
“Yes, to both of you...” he nodded. “Do not need a peacemaker, but a Dillinger will be sufficient... although the shot will be close and personal.”
“I’ll holster up then in the morning.”
“Good Trin... beter to be safe than sorry.”
“Looks like I was sorry tonight with or without the damn thing,” I sighed.
“Difficult for anybody, Trin,” he shook his head.
“I didn’t even do anything but unholster the thing in case there was a wild bullet,” I said, the fear and anxiety from tonight giving way to anger. “He didn’t have to take it as far as he did.”
“You have been thru so much with your dad and the trip and what you went through tonight... You expect miracles Trin. Don’t be do hard on yourself,” Mysti looked at me.
“And clarify for me,” Matt started, “Who is this Kris that you mentioned before, and Punk? Are both outlaws?”
“Kris is a marshal, who I plan not to work with anymore if I can avoid it. Punk is an idiot outlaw who seems to take things into his own hands when he wasn’t even there to begin with.”
Matt reached over and took my hand. “Look at me, there is nothing wrong to be frozen in a difficult situation if you are still alive... and you are... so let’s drink to that and for another day...”
I swallowed hard at Matt’s grasp and just shook my head, not feeling celebratory as much as angry. “Guess it’s a small victory I got out unscathed.”
“It is,” he nodded, “And you can feel angry.”
“Well good, ‘cause the damn marshal didn’t even say who we were arresting. He just said ‘Shoot anyone who wasn’t TJ’. Who, by the way, is usually not on the side of the law.”
“Trin... I definitely need an education here... so many law people that just crossed the bounds of law... so the marshal wanted to shoot anybody... that was not TJ...” Matt looked puzzled.
“Right. He said he had a warrant to arrest someone but didn’t say for whom, so I unholstered my gun in preparation for the firestorm but...”
From out of nowhere we heard Angi shouting, “All HEAR ALL HEAR ALL HEAR The Body of Marshal Kris Jameson, last view of this life in this world, he is ready for your last respects .. or cusses if it fits .. ALL HEAR ALL HEAR ALL HEAR!”
I blinked as I was interrupted and said, “Well that deserves another drink.”
Matt nodded and raised a drink, “Rest in peace, US Marshal Kris Jameson.”
I shook my head, wondering how that happened but not really caring that much, and just poured another shot back.
“Now we just wait and perhaps Punk will follow the steps of the marshal,” Matt grinned.
I shook my head, my amusement going to anger again at the sound of Punk’s name. “Doubtful. That man has as many lives as a cat, if not more.”
“A cat has 7 lives and then is gone for good... perhaps if the wake would last more than 2 hours, his lives will be a bit scarce....” Matt grinned.
I looked between them and sighed, “Guess I should head back to the office and get another gun before heading home for the night. It’s been a long day.”
“Be safe Trin,” Matt nodded.
“Be easy on yourself, Trin,” Mysti looked at me.
“Make sure that the gun is loaded too,” Matt winked at me.
I nodded to Mysti and looked to Matt, “I will. Thank you both for the drinks.”
“You’re very welcome Trin,” Matt nodded.
I walked back to the Pinkerton office and unlocked the safe, pulling out another gun and holster. I attached them to my belt after making sure the gun was loaded, thinking this was some welcome home. I locked up the safe again and then headed back to Bisbee, locking the office door behind me.
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