Bisbee.
This morning I was sitting in my office working on notes when I saw Ken walk into the room. He looked at me and said, “I’m here to turn myself in.”
“Oh really?” I looked up, not sure I believed him. He nodded and unholstered his weapon, placing it on the desk. “Um... You’re serious?” I looked from the gun to him.
“I want to change my life,” he nodded.
“Oh? “Because you do know that turning yourself in would mean that you would get hanged for shooting me in town. Which crime are you turning yourself in for?”
“Hi Miss Trin,” Cora said then, walking into the office. She looked over to Ken and said, “Sorry Sir, I’m not following you. I just came to see Miss Trin.”
Ken took his pistol from the desk and holstered it again, grinning. “Never mind then,” he said to me and then looked at Cora, “No problem.”
I raised my eyebrow at Ken and asked, “Oh really? Changing your mind so suddenly? Why am I not surprised?”
He tipped his hat and walked away, saying, “I just don’t want to get hanged.”
“That seemed a bit confusing Trin,” Cora said when we were alone again. “I’m not gonna deal with him alone. The man’s shot me three times in the last two days.”
“He seems to take off running whenever I come around...” Cora said and then looked at me. “Oh my... Not badly, I hope? At least you’re still here.”
“Multiple times in the leg... some in my ribs... and a graze against my head.”
“Oh my... I really need to get a gun. Cole or Thea said they’d help me use it.”
“Probably a good idea,” I nodded.
“I came to see you on business Trin.”
“Business, eh?” I smiled at her.
“Well yes... Did you know that I’ve been taken on as a Pinkerton detective?”
“I may have heard of a wire regarding that now that I recall... You don’t have the badge yet eh?”
“No, no badge... But I did get some papers to fill out on suspects.”
“Ah, well... You have information on some then?”
“Well yes... I filled in a bit ‘cause I wanted to know if I was on the right lines before I went further. I was just trying to get some info on that Mr. Phelps but he kept running off.” She handed me some folded up sheets and I read over the two notes.
“This is a great start,” I smiled at her.
“Oh great... thanks,” she grinned.
“Keep copies of these, just in case you learn more.”
“Yes, will do. I’ve started on that Mr. Phelps. Is there anything else that you can see that I could have done?”
“Under notes you can add things with dates about crimes they’ve committed if you hear of any....”
“Okay, yes that’s a good idea.”
“So far just got his name and that he preys on rich women,” Cora said about Phelps.
“He likes to shoot law too,” I winked.
“Damn... I need to get a gun,” she grinned.
“See... This helps for court cases.. when we’re asked to be a witness then we can say, ‘According to my notes’... And pull out one of these notes on the defendant. Helps the prosecutors too in their preparations.”
“I see... it’s a steep learning curve... I’m only just getting the hang of the courts. But it’s really interesting.”
“It is at that. Good to have you aboard, Cora. I’ll be stuck to Bisbee most of my time, except for in the evenings when I’ll wander about.”
“Thanks Trin... it’s good to know you’re around anyway... and good we can help each other out.”
“Be careful around Phelps. The less attention given to him the better probably,” I warned.
“Oh right... So I don’t really have to get information on him then?”
“You can find out information from others. If you want to be brave and talk to him go ahead, I’m just going to be keeping my distance unless I have some backup.”
“Well I will do the same... I have no wish to be shot. So far I’ve managed to stay unharmed,” she smiled.
“I did that for a while as a Detective... Realized I needed the gun. Don’t mean I have to use it all the time... but it’s nice to know it’s there,” I winked.
“Yes going to wait to see Thea or Cole and maybe go get one...” she grinned. “Yes, I bet.”
“Cole’s a good teacher.”
“What sorta gun do you use?”
“It depends on the day really,” I chuckled.
“Just have to check my shop a minute Trin... I saw that guy walk that way... won’t be long. See you in a bit,” she waved and headed out of the office.
Tombstone.
I walked down Allen Street, needing a break from the job, when I heard Sunset yell from the balcony of Dutch Annie’s. “Just let me explain!”
“Sunset! What’s going on?” I yelled back, looking around.
“Trin! My, uh Boss is here to finish the job!” he shouted back.
“Who? Where?” I swallowed hard, looking around nervously. I ran into Dutch Annie’s and then Sunset pointed across the road to the Birdcage theatre. “Sunset... What...” I breathed deeply and followed him into the building.
Just outside, I heard a woman’s voice say, “Now ya went and done it, you want innocents to suffer for your actions?”
“Damn it, Sunset...” I muttered, hearing Harm’s voice.
“Hide, damn it!” Sunset yelled to me.
I went up to the balcony and hid down, watching the front door. It was silent for a few minutes and then I saw Sunset moving around. “I think we’re ok now Trin, she wont look here. I’ll go out to see if the coast is clear. maybe we can make a run for Bisbee and lose her on the back trail.”
“Okay,” I stood, walking down to look for a back exit. I found the a door back stage and walked outside nervously, looking around. I snuck around the corner to the front of the theatre and saw Harm.
I heard Sunset swear and stayed quiet, not wanting to make my presence known. I held my gun out just in case and watched when Sunset walked around, motioning for me to follow as fast as I could. He ran to Bisbee and I ran after him as Harm continued to fire at us. All of a sudden I didn’t hear Sunset running with me and turned to see him laying down on the ground in a pool of blood.
“Damn it!” I swore loudly.
“Lady stop where you are or die there!” Harm called out to me. I walked over hesitantly, and then stood still at the warning. She stood over Sunset and nudged his body with her boot. “I told ya not to run.”
I looked from Harm to Sunset, back to Harm, and said hesitantly, “He needs a doctor...”
“Well he ain’t getting one!”
“I couldn’t Harm... I just couldn’t...” Sunset said weakly.
Harm put her boot on the back of Sunset’s neck and said, “This man is a scoundrel, he deserves to die.”
I heard Sunset’s words and looked over at Harm. “We can just end this now... Just walk away...” I tried to approach a bit but only by one foot.
“Things ain’t ever that easy Missy, come one step closer an I will fill you with lead,” she warned.
“What do you want, Harm?”
She gritted her teeth and spit. “Why revenge of course...”
“Revenge for...?” I tried, knowing the answer but needing to hear it from Harm.
Harm stepped down on Sunset’s neck and I cringed, shaking my head, not knowing what to do. “He failed the most sacred oath, the only punishment suitable is death,” she told me.
I swallowed hard and knew that was true and is how it had ended for my father. Sunset coughed up more blood and I blinked when I saw BB walking past.
“But a bullet to the head is too gentle a death for such a scoundrel,” Harm said then, looking over at the gallows in the distance and waved her gun at me. “You drag him over there! Come on!”
I shook my head and put a hand on my gun and said, “No... I can’t...” looked from Harm to BB and wondered how I was going to get out of this one. I knew I would have to make a run for it sooner or later.
“Throw the weapon down or die where you stand,” Harm set her sights on me.
“Let me just walk away... It’s done... You got your revenge...” I threw my gun on the ground.
“If you think you are getting out of here that easy you are as loco as this one lying bleeding out on the ground.”
“What do you want? Do you want the medal?”
“Get over here and drag him to the gallows,” she said with a wink over to BB.
I swallowed hard and walked over, leaning down to put a hand on Sunset’s back. “Sunset...” I started.
“Quick, quick. I ain’t got all day. You can say your goodbyes on the gallows.”
“I... I won’t press charges on you, how’s that?” I asked her, shaking my head.
BB gasped then, as if recognizing my voice, and then took a step closer to me. “Never been one to trust these law types... I say shoot her in the leg, take her guns... then hang her too.”
“That should be romantic...” Harm agreed.
I looked around, knowing I would have to make a run for it soon. I looked to Harm and dug into my pocket, reaching in for the fake medal that I had made, in case I would need it. I handed it to Harm and said, “Here, take this. It’s what you want anyway.”
“Wait a minute, this is the harlot that has been stalking me wherever I go and giving my whereabouts to the damn Rangers....OH now I’m interested in her too...” I heard BB say as I started to run towards the hotel.
“Get back here!” BB shouted after me as I ran down the street.
“Don’t shoot me BB!” I called as I ran. I stopped and had to catch my breath and looked around, seeing that she wasn’t coming after me but just standing in the street. I felt the emotion start to wash over me and breathed a bit easier, trying to calm down.
“The next time I see you or your ranger friends, I’ll be taking your damn fingers, dead or alive, ya hear? Now git out of my sight!!” BB called after me.
I nodded and kept running towards the courthouse, needing to calm down. The tears started to fall but I felt safer in the walls of the courthouse. I ran upstairs to see if the judge was in his office and exhaled with relief when I saw Jimmi sitting at his desk.
“Hello Trin. Can I help you?” he looked up from his paperwork.
“I...” I started but couldn’t even speak. I was too afraid and was shaking violently. Jimmi reached for the box of tissues and I tried to start, “He... killed... I.... They... She...”
Jimmi got his whiskey bottle and a small shot glass, pouring it for me. “Sit and have this first,” he said and I took the glass from him as I sat down shakily. “Start at the beginning.”
“Sunset... he was running around saying that his boss was there to finish the job... ‘cause he was sent to kill me... and he couldn’t do it...” I started, speaking quickly, “Because I have a medal that I got from my father, when they were in a gang together in the war... And the medal’s worth a bunch of money... So Sunset was sent to eliminate me and get the medal but he couldn’t do it. So his associates.. they... they came to finish the job for him but... It was Harm... and Clint... and Harm just...” she sighs. “She was in a mask but I knew she was one of the associates... She killed him... wanted me to bring him to the gallows but I couldn’t... So then BB came over and... I gave Harm a fake medal that I’d had made just in case... And while she was looking at it... I ran. But BB ran after me... And she said... ‘The next time I see you or your ranger friends, I’ll be taking your damn fingers, dead or alive, ya hear? Now git out of my sight!!’ I ran here when I saw Starling on the balcony... I knew I’d be safe here,” I finally finished.
“So this man Sunset, he is dead and you saw it happen?” he asked and I nodded. “Shot and killed by Harm,” he confirmed and I nodded again. “Now the rest of this gang of outlaws is after you?”
“I don’t know... Maybe she’s happy just killing Sunset... I don’t know...” I looked at him.
“One can hope, but when she discovers she has a worthless fake medal Harm could be hunting you down.”
“I had to, Jimmi.. I had to get away before they...”
“Sounds to me as if you need a Marshal, but you will be safe in this court house while you are waiting.”
“Yeah, I’ll wait it out in my office downstairs. She told me to drop my gun too so I have to get another one from the safe in the Pinkerton office...”
“Your office down the street?”
I nodded and said, “I have another office in Bisbee for more confidential meetings... But I have the main office with the safe here in town. I don’t know if you heard... I’m also a Deputy in Bisbee now,” I said, my voice still shaky.
“I noticed your star the other day.”
“I don’t know what to do about reports from here on out...”
“You get your guns, stay indoors.”
“I’m gonna stay in the courtroom office for a while now...”
“Best to wait in the Marshals’ office maybe across from mine.”
“I will,” I nodded. “Thanks, Jimmi...”
“I’ll get the door for you.”
“I will make a note of our conversation and inform the Marshal’s office to approach you,” Jimmi promised and I nodded.
“Okay.” I walked out to the marshal’s office, trying to relax.
Bisbee.
A few hours later I walked out of my house in Bisbee and saw Pet walking over. After I walked into the office to retrieve a new gun from the cabinet in the office, we walked over to Chezz Cafe and got some coffee.
“I saw the body today...” she started, and I knew she already knew what I wanted to talk about.
“Sunset’s body?” I reached for my flask and sipped some whiskey.
“Sad, very sad,” she nodded.
“I was there when she killed him,” I leaned forward. “We were running towards Bisbee together to get away from Harm... I recognized her voice even though she was wearing a mask... And... Then ‘we’ became ‘me’ and I turned around to see Sunset on the ground. She wanted me to drag him to the gallows but I couldn’t. So I showed her a fake medal and ran.”
“What? The gallow? Why?”
“Who the hell knows,” I shrugged and took another shot of whiskey. “Sunset couldn’t kill me like he was told to, because we were both Apache... I wasn’t gonna be the one to hang him.”
“Dang... That’s just gruesome. Looks like he had a belly wound at close range then a head shot.”
“Sure was close range,” I nodded.
“And she wanted him hung too? No wonder he was afraid for you.”
“Well now that he’s dead... Harm probably still wants the medal...” I nodded.
“Ya think so? But I thought you said... you gave her a medal?” she scratched her head.
“I gave her a fake medal that I’d had made just in case something like this would happen.”
“Ya think she noticed?”
“She didn’t come after me.”
“Then you might be alright. Ya suppose ‘cause Harm don’t let go that easily unless she’s satisfied...”
“You don’t think I’m still in danger?” I looked at her.
“I dunno... I mean we are talking about Harmini, Boss of the Mavericks,” she sighed deeply. “I dunno.”
We sat there for about an hour together, just feeling safe and at peace together. Pet worked on some sermon notes and I worked on case files for Pinkertons. After a while I said, “Town seems quiet enough. It was good spending the evening with you.”
“You have a good evening, Trin...” Pet nodded. “I hope you stay safe and have back up just in case Harm comes around.”
“Hope so too,” I nodded and headed to my office.
An hour later there was a knock at my door and I looked out the window to see Wedge with a woman standing there. I walked over to let them in and smiled, “Well hello there! I was hoping you’d come by.”
“Oh, good,” Wedge smiled and the woman nodded a hello.
“You must be Zabe?” I looked at the woman.
“Trin... this is Zabe,” Wedge introduced.
“Nice to meet you. Come on in,” I smiled and led them into the office. “Can I make ya’ll a cup of coffee or tea?”
“No, I’m good Trin, thanks,” Wedge said.
“I’m fine but thank you,” Zabe replied.
“Have a seat then. I’ve heard word from Kansas,” I told them. I went to my cabinet and retrieved the telegram I had received that morning from the authorities I knew in Kansas. “Alright so... You want the good news or the bad news...”
“There’s both?” Wedge asked after some thought.
“Yeah...” I nodded, not really sure which would be which.
“Oh... Bad news first, I guess...” Wedge said and Zabe looked at him, making him wince a bit.
“Well... I gave my compatriots the name of Zabe to look in their records... figured, how many Zabe’s could there be, right?” I asked and Wedge nodded. “I got a hit... a result rather... Her name came up on a gravestone actually... as a surviving daughter of the one who had been buried there.” I let that news sink in and then said, “Your father... he’d been killed. And he wasn’t Baz Zeluco. Since Baz Zeluco is still alive and well,” I looked at Wedge.
They both looked down and tried to process the news so I continued. “The name on the gravestone was a Jack Pierce... Survived by widow Jane Pierce, and daughter Zabe Pierce. Jack Pierce owned a ranch... where he and Jane lived together for some time.”
“But... I don’t remember any of this...” Zabe looked up at me.
I looked to Wedge and said, “That’s all I could find from them. They didn’t give me anything more than the confirmation of names.”
Wedge sighed and looked at me and I said, “I’m sorry I didn’t have better news for you, Zabe...” I tried to speak evenly, controlling my own emotions after such an intense day reflecting over my own father’s murder.
Zabe closed her eyes and Wedge looked over at her with worry. “It’s a lot to take in...” I said, watching her reaction.
She opened her eyes again and said, “Yes, it’s a lot... my life... none of it is true. If they were really so well off why was I lied to?” she looked over to Wedge with a hard expression on her face.
I sighed and leaned back, looking at Wedge. “That, I can’t answer. I can only tell you what I have learned from facts and records..”
“I don’t know what to say, Zabe,” Wedge sighed.
Zabe looked away from them and said, “What’s to say? You’re not my brother and I am back to not knowing who I really am or even if I have a place to go.”
“You’re better than to say that to me,” Wedge said, hurt. I looked at him with worry and he said, “Thank you Trin. I guess this is where I need to take her out... to talk private like...”
“Do you want to keep this telegram from them? I made a copy for you.”
“Please,” Wedge nodded and I handed him the telegram.
“I’m sorry hon,” I looked over at Zabe.
“Thank you,” she stood and looked at me. “It may have not been the news I wanted but... it opens new doors.”
“At least it’s some clarity,” I nodded. “Good luck,” I looked at Wedge and then watched them walk out of the office.
I shook my head with a sigh and headed back upstairs to go to bed.
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