December 23, 1899

Tombstone. 

I walked out of the saloon this morning and saw Deputy Sera from Diamond walking towards me. “Hello, Deputy,” I greeted her. 

“Mornin’ Trin.” 

“How is the case with the bank hold up going? Have Jack and Sommer been arrested?” 

“From yesterday?” 

“No, the incident from the other day when Thad lost his memory... The one that happened in Diamond.”

“I wasn’t there.” 

“Ah I wasn’t sure if Devin made you aware of it yet.”

“But those two got in trouble yesterday.” 

“Did they? Again?” 

“With Jewel,” she nodded. 

Alex rode over then and I smiled, “Hey there!” 

“Hi Trin,” he smiled back. “Hi Ma’am.” 

“Hello Alex,” sera greeted her. 

“How’s it going, doctor?” I winked at him. 

“Very well, thanks! How’s it going with you?” he grinned. 

“Things are alright,” I nodded, half lying. “Things are picking up I suppose.”

“Been a ghost town around here lately,” Alex nodded. 

“No kidding... Most of my business is done over in Diamond now actually. They seem to be the ones who need me more. Around here and elsewhere...” I shrugged. 

“I love Diamond,” Sera smiled. 

“I can’t believe Christmas is the day after tomorrow,” Alex shook his head. 

“Me neither... It’s definitely different this year, that’s for sure. With my father gone...” I sighed. I mean he’s been gone for years but... This year we finally had closure with the man who killed him... So it feels like he’s gone all over again.”

“That makes it difficult. This is my first Christmas in the desert.”

“Mine too,” Sera nodded. 

I nodded to Alex, remembering that too. “At least we have good friends out here that surround us, right?” I smiled to him. 

“That we do,” he smiled back. 

“I guess I should right out to Diamond and see if there’s anything they need me for out there,” I looked between them in silence. 

“Are you singing later, Trin?” Alex asked. 

“I hope to be, yes,” I nodded. 

Anne walked over then and Sera told us how they were looking for a judge to conclude the adoption process for her. I said goodbye to the group and rode off to Bisbee. 

Bisbee. 

I waved to Thad on my way through and he told me that he was feeling better. He gave me a hug and I headed on to Diamond. 

Black Diamond. 

I walked into Diamond and smiled when I saw Devin. “Hey there, Deputy,” I greeted him. 

“Just Devin.” 

“No longer a deputy?” I looked at him. 

“Not on duty,” he laughed. 

“Ooh,” I chuckled. 

“Last night was rough.” 

“You can join me at the saloon then?”

“Sure,” he nodded. 

I walked with him to the saloon and we greeted Lucas and Bill who were on their way out. “So what happened last night?” I asked as we sat at the bar. 

“Awful busy. Lots of shooting.” 

“Oh yeah?” I looked at him, concerned. “You alright?” 

“Yeah. I had to shoot Jack while serving warrants. I got shot down too. Many others as well.” 

“Dang...” I sighed and shook my head. “And of course they probably got away, right?”

“Jack was shot down but they rode off with him.” 

“Who’s ‘they’? Sera told me Jewel was involved but who else?”

“Mhmm.. Mac, Jewel, Dash, at least six of them.” 

“Geez,” I shook my head. “All working together I bet. You and TJ were alone?”

“Well... Sera was taking one in.” 

“It’s alright... Just worried about ya’ll out here.”

“Yeah. They tend to come in groups here.” 

“So you need more help out here,” I nodded. 

“Em is with child and not on duty much. Sera and me can only be on duty so much ourselves.” 

“I know,” I nodded. 

“Maybe this new guy in town be hired after he become a citizen.” 

“I’m just not really one for those kinds of situations... It tends to be more stress than I can handle... Not that I’m much needed as a detective these days though. People shoot each other, they get arrested. Case closed. I don’t want to become law out of obligation but I’m gonna have to find something else to do to keep my time. Maybe I’ll bartend somewhere.”

“Well... Might hire you here? Or Lil in Tombstone is said to be looking for people.” 

“I don’t know... Just feels like I’d be going backwards if I worked in a saloon.”

“Too bad, Trin. We could use you here as deputy.” 

“I don’t know... Maybe... I just...” I sighed and leaned on the counter. 

“Ain’t so bad here really. Usually have back up.” 

“I remember,” I smiled. “It’s just the job...”

Devin looked over at me and reached out to touch my fingertips, and said softly, “Tell me what I want to know Detective.” 

I blinked at the movement, looking in his eyes, surprised by the contact. “Uh... What do you want to know, Deputy?” I asked a bit shakily. 

“Everything,” he winked. 

“Um... Well... I’m not really sure where to start,” I blushed. 

“Go ahead,” he took my fingers into his a bit tighter. 

“I’m from up north.... My father was killed while helping his country and my mother lives with my brother in a ranch in Canada... My brother’s with security forces up there....” 

“Sorry about your father, Trin,” he nodded. “I didn’t know.” 

“Since moving to Tombstone I came face to face with the man who killed my father. I thought he was after me but he came to warn me that others had wanted a medal that I had retrieved from my brother when he’d told me the news. The medal was from my father. Well, I watched as those people came to kill Sunset for not completing the job and killing me and bringing the medal back. I was living with a man for almost three months in Coronado.. We fell in love fast but I guess it got too serious and we decided to slow things down but it has been hard since. I am afraid to get close with men because most of the time they just leave and disappear forever. At least this time I can keep a friendship with Alex but... It only deepens my fear of falling in love.”

“Well, a deep friendship is worth a lot,” Devin nodded. “Don’t over-think things.” 

“Yes it is... But most men don’t want that.” I sighed again and stared at the counter as he moved his hand around and softly rubbed my back. “It’s been a hard few months, Devin.” 

“It’ll be okay, Trin. Just a day at a time.” 

“Yeah, I guess... Just the days pass so slow with hardly anything to do. And then I do get a case and it’s solved within the day...”

“Well you have to be better than I am with a gun in your hand.” 

“I’ve been trained by the best,” I chuckled. “Want to go up to the gun range and find out? Or I might just become a dancer,” I suggested. “And a bartender.. work the dances and actually get to see more people... Might make more money that way.” 

“Now that’s an idea,” he nodded. 

“I’m sure I’d gather up lots of information that way for the agency too...”

“Sounds like a plan, Miss Trin.” 

“Wonder who I’d talk to... probably Lil.”

“Yep, she be the one alright.” 

This afternoon I did my Christmas Carol gig in the saloon in Bisbee and it was emotional as I wasn’t feeling in the Christmas spirit. After the conversation with Devin and reliving the past few months, I was very emotional at the end of playing and went over to Alex who’d been tending bar. He hugged me tightly and I cried on his shoulder, wishing that I could go back in time and do it all over again.