Bisbee/Tombstone.
This morning I accepted a job as deputy in Bisbee, needing a way to know what warrants were still open and for better communications with case files. Because the law in Bisbee held different punishments than other areas, the mayor allowed me to take the position and still remain as a Detective everywhere else. It was the perfect arrangement, as now I would be able to write while on duty and get paid to do so. Not only that, but there was also a severe lack of law in the area of Bisbee and I knew that I could do the job well as it wouldn’t be as congested a town as Allen Street had become.
I went to Tombstone and used my new key to open the sheriff’s office in Tombstone and took copies of all the open warrants so I finally could know what was going on.
Walking back into town, I met a man named Alex. We walked around town and I showed him the area as I did my first patrol duty as Deputy. He had to leave and so I continued with my patrol, checking out the bank and the cafe. I smiled as I passed Scara’s house and then went to sit down in front of my new office across from the Stock Exchange, reading through the warrants that I had picked up.
I read the file for Dominic James and read the charges:
Shooting w/o killing, Shooting Law without Killing, Weapon Un-holstered in Town, Weapon used in a crime.
Noticing that the warrant had been signed by Skyla, I looked further to find a witness report:
Well what I overheard was them Jame’s boys that was in Kate’s drinking, saying they was going to rob some folks. I heard ‘em say “go out with your guns drawn”. Now I didnt know they was gonna try to rob me, Red Hawk, Kai, Sage, and some others there.
They come out onto the street and asked for our valuables. They formed a semi-circle around us. We was in front of the Epitaph (Red Hawk was sitting on the railing, I was standing off to the side, Kai and Sage were in the street).
Well, then we tried talked to ‘em to let ‘em know we didnt have valuables or money. Sage didnt like that fella’s tone about Natives. Cant say I did either. Anyway, one thing lead to another. It was getting real tense and finally there was shooting all over. (William Mccoy) Apieceoftoastt, (Dominic) Acelord, with (Anthony) Frankieeg and I think that Jhonny fella was with ‘em.
I moved back but got clipped in the wing here. The next thing i know, Red Hawk was shot in the lag and then the mayhem really started. The chasing, running, shooting. (I crashed and dont have the log of who shot me)
Now when I say that Jhonny was with them; he was there, but he didnt shoot or ask us for money.
I looked through my notebook and realized that Ansar had never given me a witness report or law report for the crimes against Dominic, and I smiled that now I would finally have all of the information I needed to understand these cases better.
Having another thought, I looked through the warrants folder to see if there was anything about Maverick/Ace. There were no such folders, so I decided that meat that the case really had gone to trial and that it was now officially closed.
Noticing a warrant for Clint that was still open, I took a deep breath and read the information from July 14. I was surprised to see that he had actually been in town and shook my head, frustrated at the news. I turned the page and read the case for Harmini, Clint’s wife, and learned it was about the same event, so they had been together.
Continuing with my reading, I looked over the case for Jet Black and then Alphawolf. I opened the file about BB, trying to remember if I had seen it on the wall or if this really was an old warrant like Rikki had believed.
Tombstone.
I walked into the sheriff’s office on Allen Street and smiled when I saw that the warrant for BB was still on the wall. Bubba stood outside and I smiled, “Deputy, hey. I just became law over in Bisbee.”
“Congratulations Trin.”
“Good to be working with you,” I smiled. “Was just getting caught up on all the warrants... I have the jurisdiction to be detective anywhere but as I understand, I can arrest in Bisbee and Tombstone?”
“You are the only law in Bisbee that I know so far...”
“There ain’t many of us that’s for sure,” I nodded. “I just had to come and confirm that I wasn’t going crazy over the BB warrant... We almost had her last night.”
“Yeah that’s something I’m not quite sure about either, as far as I know I can only arrest people in Tombstone. Well.. Maybe today. I’ll help you catching her.”
“Good to know,” I smiled. “Nice to know you’re around here though.”
“Yeah.. I don’t see allot of the other deputies.”
“Well now you’ve got a Pinkerton/Deputy. Since the law over in Bisbee is a bit different than here.”
“I noticed that.”
“Let me in, now woman!” we heard Phelp’s voice and I looked over at Bubba with concern.
“Bank!” Bree shouted then.
“Oh God...” Bubba swallowed hard.
“We should go over there.”
He nodded and we headed over to the bank. “I heard some screaming... Is everything allright ma’am?”
Ken moved his head towards Bubba and then ran away as fast as he could. I stayed outside and watched him run but didn’t know which way he’d gone.
“Where did he go to?” Bubba asked me.
“He was just here!” I looked around, confused.
Bree waved to me from inside the bank and Bubba said, “I don’t see him no more. Did he try to rob you miss?”
“That makes two of us,” I looked around, confused.
“I’ll patrol around Tombstone and see if I can find him,” Bubba said.
“I’ll stay here in case he comes back,” I said.
“He didn’t run into the main street that’s for sure,” Bubba noted.
“Is like disappear as soon as he hit the door,” Bree noted.
Bree and I checked the doors of the bank and then she said, “At first he wanted to come look for his lighter. I told him not allowed. he got mad and drew guns and demand I let him in.”
“I should go check on Bubba,” I told her. “Call if you need anything. I became Deputy over in Bisbee this morning but I can help out here.”
“Yes, okay.”
I saw Ken walk past the bank and called, “Bubba!”
I checked around the back of the bank and found him on the other side of the door. He spotted me and pulled his gun out, shooting me in my leg. I barely had time to tell him to drop the gun before I was down on the ground. He walked away, laughing very loudly.
“Was it him again?” Bubba asked, running over to me when he heard the shots.
“Bubba can you get her to doc?” Bree asked him.
“I’m here, Miss,” Bubba insisted.
“Bubba. ... he didn’t even let me draw on him...” I said weakly, holding my leg. “Just shot me down. My leg... Not even law for two hours and I’m already...”
When I was able to walk again, I limped to the clinic, knowing I needed to lay down and see a doctor. Before long I heard more gunshots and sighed, guessing that Bubba had been shot now too. I lay back on the bed and looked around for cloths to wrap around my leg, grimacing at the pain as I held a cloth against the wound and wrapped it tightly.
“Doc needed on Allen st...Two injured!” Abby shouted out from outside.
Bree walked into the clinic and I asked, “Is Bubba okay?”
“He is shot in shoulder. He got that Ken.”
“Damn it,” I shook my head. “At least he got him...”
“But I heard Ali help him up is all I know,” she told me.
“Ali’s in town too?” I asked.
“I not allowed treat but I can help stop blood. Have done before,” Bree said.
“It’s all we can do when there’s no doctor...”
“I wrapped the leg tight so the bleeding would stop. He shot me a bunch of times,” I grimaced at the pain and pulled out my whiskey flask and took a drink.
Ali opened the door to the clinic and helped get Ken onto a bed across from me.
“Where’s Bubba?” I asked her.
“What happened to you, Trin?” she asked me.
“That idiot there shot me down in front of the bank,” I drank my whiskey and took a deep breath at the pain.
“Don’t know where he is. Bree was with him last I saw. I helped this fella.”
I looked over at Ken and asked, “You wanna tell me what you were up to?”
“Trin I go find bubba I hope I gave cloths to his shoulder,” Bree told me and I nodded to her.
“That’s what I get for becoming a deputy in Bisbee, huh?” looked over at Ali.
Ken looked over at me and said, “Never open your mouth to the law.”
Abby helped Bubba into the clinic and I looked over, “Bubba, thank God. Good job on getting him down.”
“I reckon your more of a target now then ya were before,” Ali said to me.
“Oh probably. I’ve got Bubba around at least.”
“Breezes, would you be able to write a witness report?” Bubba asked her and then looked over at me, “Same for you miss.”
“Of course, I’ll write a report,” I nodded.
Bree started to help Ken but he threatened that if she did that, she would have a big problem. Bubba asked her to disarm Ken for him and she did so, passing him the weapons. Abby came in and gave Ken some whiskey and I told her that I could use help with my leg. She came over and said, “Well seems we really need a doc here now.”
“It looks bad, don’t it?” I sighed.
“I can’t lie to ya Trin, it does look back,” she nodded.
I finished my report and looked over to the deputy, “I’d give you this report, Bubba, but I’m afraid to get up until a doc looks at the leg. If it’s as bad as Abby says it is...”
“I hope they amputate your leg,” Ken smiled at me.
“Shut it, Phelps,” I glared at him.
“It don’t look good Trin and I would keep laying down Ma’am,” Abby suggested and then went to get a whiskey for Bubba. “Well Trin, his is worse than yours... he has a chest wound.”
“That’s.. encouraging,” I said sarcastically. “This place is usually crawling with docs... Where are they all?”
We waited for a doctor and meanwhile Kris came in and cuffed Ken for Bubba. Finally Jess came in and Ida came closely behind her. They took care of our wounds as Kris dragged Ken off to the jail and Ida told me to keep off the leg for a bit since I had been shot with three bullets. When we were released to go, I slowly made my way back to Bisbee.
Bisbee.
I sat in my chair and rested my leg on the whiskey barrel in front of me, pulling out my flask and taking another sip. Richie came over and I told him about how I had become deputy and already been shot in the leg. He gave me a cane to use and I thanked him for it as he headed back to Black Diamond.
A couple of hours later, I looked over and saw Cletis and Pet with Ella at the clinic. I walked over and Cletis said, “Trin the bank been robbed here by Ken Phelps.”
“Well, you haul him in and I can tell ya if that is the fella. I got a good look at him,” Pet said and I sighed at the news.
“He done messed up Ms. Breezes face something awful,” Cletis told me.
“Yeah, he shot me too,” I muttered.
“Trin!” Pet exclaimed and looked at me. “He shot you too?”
“Yes ma’am, this morning.”
“Then he shot Nim in Black Diamond,” Cletis told me. “Well hell he must be a good shot.”
“Damn, get this dude!” Pet sighed.
“Dang, if I bring him here can we hang him?” Cletis asked.
“Well it happened in Tombstone...” I thought out loud, “But shooting law without killing is a hanging offense if it happened here.”
“I so scared of this, excuse me, bastard,” Bree said. “He threatened me in Tombstone doc for reporting him. He spit in my face.”
“But before we even start... I ain’t doin’ any hangings. Cletis is gonna have to do that.”
Wedge walked over and I greeted him. He was injured and making his way to the clinic and then I heard Matt shout, “Phelps escaped!”
“This guy’s out of control,” I sighed.
“Ye just all bruised up Bree, ye be alright,” V promised her.
“He shot me earlier without even givin’ me a chance to reply,” I said. I didn’t even get my gun drawn before he shot me in the leg.”
“Ain’t safe for good folks to do their jobs,” Pet sighed.
“Three bullets...” I shook my head. I walked into the clinic then and Bree and Wedge were sitting on the beds. “You got hit Wedge?” I asked him.
“Do I look hurt?” he asked.
“Not really. You look pissed, not hurt.”
“Well, maybe my ego.”
“I know ya too well, Lieutenant,” I winked at him.
“He was trying to sell the horse and called me a dove,” Ella put in then.
“He was, eh?” I turned to her.
“My horse?!” Pet exclaimed and looked to me and Wedge. “Add horse thievery to his list as well then. Hang his butt again.”
“Yes ma’am,” I chuckled at that.
“I got him!” Matt called from the next town over.
“Good job Matt!” I called back, relieved. “Matt, add horse thievery to his charges!”
“Horse Thieves and MURDER!” Matt called back and I just shook my head in awe.
I told Wedge that I would look around and then tried to limp with my gun drawn but then cried at the pain in my leg and said, “Maybe I best stay here.”
After talking with everyone a bit longer I walked out into the street and found higher ground where I could be on the lookout for Phelps. I drew my gun, just in case, and saw movement down by the bank. I holstered my gun and walked down the stairs to go investigate who the man was.
“Evening Sir,” I greeted him with a smile.
“Oh? Evening to you as well,” he nodded to me.
“Just out for a stroll?”
“Do you live around these parts? I am, though it seems I’m slightly lost.”
“I’m a deputy here. Anything in particular you’re looking for?”
“Not particularly, no. One bank’s as good as the next, but when my friend’s not arrived, I’ve found myself with nothing to do. What is there to do around these parts?”
I tilted my head to the side, wondering why he was curious about the bank. “Well, the Stock Exchange is the saloon around the corner... This Cafe is pretty nice too. Over in Tombstone on Allen Street is Dutch Annie’s...”
“Food and drinks. Much needed they are, but I don’t find myself enjoying them as much lately.”
“And why’s that?”
“I can only take in so much before I puff up like a blowfish. What do you find yourself doing around these parts when you’re not eating or drinking?”
“Me? I’m usually working. Getting shot, you know... Getting healed... hopefully...”
“Working and getting shot don’t go hand in hand. How are you to continue if you die on the job?”
“They go hand and hand if you’re a Deputy.”
“Ah, thought it was a pendant on your chest there. Mayhaps for good luck? But what’s a lovely one as you doing getting shot in such a hazardous job?”
“Well Sir... It’s a long story...” I chuckled. I turned when I heard movement and smiled when I saw Wedge. “Lieutenant.”
“Yes?”
I saw Matt with Phelps being dragged behind and just shook my head, watching them drag him off. I didn’t even want to know what they planed to do with him.
“I take it they found something other than eating or drinking to fill their time,” the man observed.
“That man they dragged along shot me three times in the leg, and a few others as well. And stole a horse.”
“Horse thievery. A grave offense, but none far greater than almost stealing life from you,” he said and I nodded.
“It’s been a long day indeed.”
“Then perhaps you can accompany me and have one of these drinks, and tell this long story of how you ended up getting shot for a living.”
“Why don’t you tell me your name first?” I smiled at him.
“It’s Raz or Raziel, though I do prefer to keep it short.”
“Raz it is.” I nodded to the cafe and asked, “Shall we?”
We stepped over to the cafe and then I said, “Friends of mine run this place. What can I pour ya? I’d prefer to sit outside if we could. I am still on duty.”
“You’d know what’s best here. I’ll let you pick for me.”
I reached for the coffee pot and looked to him for confirmation as I poured myself a cup. “This work for you?”
“A fine choice. Keeps me clearheaded.”
I smiled and poured him a cup, handing it to him, and then he extended his hand to lead me back outside. I smiled and took his hand as we headed back outside. We sat down at a table and he pulled a chair out for me before I sat down. “Such a gentleman.”
“Must not forget our roots, I’m always told. So shall I guess then what your name is? Or will this be included in your long story?”
“Name’s Trin Paige,” I chuckled.
“You wanted to know why I became law... Let’s see.. I’m a writer by nature... so I’ve always had a passion for the hunt of the story. When I moved down to the states I came across one hell of a story and investigated it to the end... Law didn’t seem much interested. I then started to run the paper, still following my investigative instincts. I became a detective and eventually a Pinkerton, and more recently, a Deputy.”
Pet came over then and joined us at the table, and I introduced Raz to her.
“And what line of business do you do?” I asked Raz.
“I’m a business developer such and such...” he said something else after that but his words were drowned out when he sipped his coffee. “Boring drivel really.”
“See didn’t I tell ya this was good coffee?”
“Sure did. Best I had since Charleston,” he smiled.
“This is a good spot to see everything in town ... gonna have to remember that,” I smiled and looked around.
“It sure seems like it,” Raz agreed.
Matt came over and checked on Bree, so I waved over to him. We talked for a while longer as we enjoyed the now-peaceful evening. Wedge joined us and we talked about all that had happened today. A man came over and asked if there was a place to rent in the area so she went with him to find a house. I decided to call it a night and said goodbye to them as I headed for home to relax my leg and get a good night’s sleep.
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