February 11, 1900

Black Diamond. 

I walked down the street this morning and heard Bree shout hello to me. I turned and saw she was standing with a man I hadn’t met yet. “Come see. Have you met Gerric, Trin?” she asked. 

“Not yet. Hi there,” I smiled at him. 

“You must be Miss Trin, the on I’m supposed to talk to. I’m Gerric.” 

“I received a telegram from David that you were interested in investigating.”

“Well, I started to investigate Miss Breeze fire from the weekend.” 

“Oh the bakery fire, yes. I’ve been meaning to look into that. Perhaps you could help me out with that? What have you discovered?”

“Plenty... mind if I show you?” 

“Please do, yes,” I nodded and followed him to the bakery. 

He opened the door for me and led the way to the corner of the room. “Found a scent of accelerate over here by the stove... and it lead over to you, on the counter and such.” He pulled out his knife and scraped off a chip for me to smell. 

“Dynamite?” I guessed. 

“Here, should still be in the wood. Think it is kerosene.”

“Found an empty lamp under the counter there with a burnt match near it, and a hardened clay footprint by the window.” 

“So someone lit a kerosene lamp and left it to burn the place down,” I looked to him and said, “A footprint?” 

“Worn sole... Think they tried to make it look like an accident since the trail either starts or ends here where the stove was.” 

“It would seem that way. I was thinking accident at first too so they might have succeeded in that,” I nodded. 

“There is more, Miss. Before this happened, in Miss Gig’s dance hall, there was a couple, man and woman, that came in, helped themselves to drinks, complaining about how this bakery isn’t as good as his was... but got the customers. He went behind the counter, got a match, then left ‘for some air’ with his flask of drink...” 

I nodded, looking around more. I found some glass under the bottom counter and blinked. I followed the trail to two whiskey bottles laying broken in the corner. “Two whiskey bottles... broken... Didn’t know bakeries sold whiskey.”

“That’s glass... too thick to be a drinkin’ glass,” he nodded and then said, “Not to my knowledge.” 

“Someone was here, Gerric. Someone spent time here.”

“Thinking that might have been the beginning of the fire?” 

“I need to find out who was at that saloon when they were there.”

“Miss Leigh, Miss Desi, Miss Katie and myself. Though Miss Katie didn’t see anything.” 

I sighed at those names and said, “I don’t know Miss Katie... I think we’re looking at two suspects here, unless one suspect was just really drunk. But two people left the saloon?”

“Oh.. I forgot, his female friend, Miss Pita, stayed in the lounge.” 

I blinked at that. “Pita? You mean Peta?”

“Yeah... that’s the name. She was here last evening too, asking questions. Got kinda nervous when I said I had information for you.” 

I reached over for the counter, shocked at that. I hadn’t seen Tye in a long time. I didn’t even know if he and Peta were still together. But they wouldn’t... I looked at Gerric, the room spinning. 

“You okay Miss Trin?” he looked over at me, concerned. 

“No... No, it couldn’t be... He was a... Damn it, Durden,” I shook my head. 

“No, that wasn’t his name... let me think... Tye... yeah, Tye was his name.” 

I swallowed hard, looking directly at him. “Durden is his last name.”

“He was pretty soused then too.. though he could walk.” 

“I need to sit down,” I said and went over to a table, taking a seat. 

“Funny... once we were standing around after the fire went out... I asked him how his smoke was, said he didn’t smoke,” Gerric sat with me and asked, “You need some water or something?” 

“He doesn’t... He hardly drinks too... I... I just can’t believe he would...”

“Asked Peta how his bakery was doing now, since they claim it is the best in the country...she said it’s picked up since the fire.” 

I shook my head, wondering if they did it for that reason. “I just... I can’t believe it. Is Desi still deputy here?”

“No, she... ummm... is pursuing other paths to take.” 

“Is there a deputy or a sheriff here now then?”

“I don’t think so... though the mayor has taken a keen interest in the case... said he has the match Miss Desi and I found.” 

“Good. I’ll have to talk with him. Have you ever thought about being a lawman?” I looked at him. 

“I did...  a few years ago... not for me. I prefer this and being in the court room.” 

“Maybe you should talk to Krell about becoming a lawyer in Diamond then?”

“I have... Once I become a citizen here, he has offered me a place.” 

“Good. I’m waiting for him to finish my place,” I nodded. 

“You are going to be livin’ here? I’m staying at the Hotel for now.” 

“That’s the plan. I was living in Tombstone but I’m hardly there except for court. I spend more time here.”

“Nice little town,” he nodded and I leaned forward, still taking in the information about Tye and Peta. He watched me carefully and said, “Okay, somethings bothering, it seems you know these two... maybe friends with them, which means you are having trouble accepting they could be involved.” 

“Tye was a marshal when I came to Tombstone back in May of last year...” I shook my head. Had it really been that long ago? “He taught me how to be good with my gun. He gave me confidence. He was there when I heard the news that my man had been caught in a fire in our old town where I’d been before Tombstone. I just can’t believe that he’d... Do something like this.”

“Times change Miss Trin, so do people, to adapt to those changes... happens to all of us, even me...” 

“But to change this much? To go from being one who defended the town and fought against outlaws to becoming one of them?”

“No one really knows what happens to change a guy... and I won’t speculate.” 

“I don’t know if I can stand facing him. If I have to see him after I know now what he’s done... I...” I shook my head. “I don’t even want to imagine it. Thank God I won’t be the one arresting him.”

“But, you might have to testify against him...” 

“Or prosecute him,” I sighed. 

“Look, I just met you, but from what I heard you are good at your job and a professional... you can handle this I thinkin’...” 

I took a deep breath and nodded, “I’ve done this job a long time... Almost been a year here in Tombstone. Just a bit shocked.”

“Which is expected...but you can’t allow it to rule you...” 

I nodded and said, “I know you’re right. I’ve got to focus on the job. We’re pretty sure it was them, right? Folks saw them leave together... With whiskey.. We found two bottles here empty. They were askin’ questions about the bakery...”

“Miss Peta was,” he said and I nodded. “Mayor, Prosecutor Dave, Miss Breeze, Miss Lil, Miss Leigh and another woman was here then.” 

“I’ll have to talk with Dave and Lil,” I nodded. “Lil knows Tye and Peta well too.”

“That’s the curse of being new in town, don’t know anyone real well.” 

“In time you will.”

“I know... and in this case, I think not knowing them is a good thing.” 

“Definitely. It’s so much harder knowing people’s pasts...” I nodded. 

“Anything you need me to do to help you further?” 

“Not unless there’s anything else you can remember someone saying. Could I trouble you to write up a witness statement for me of what you saw?”

“Will do. Are you going to be okay?” 

I handed him a blank witness form and said, “These are incredibly useful in court... I’m going to try to gather as many of these as I can to help out the law.”

“Yes, I can see how that would be useful,” he looked it over. 

“Don’t forget to sign it. I can give it to a lawman when I talk to them about this case.”

“And I know I won’t be able to prosecute, or defend in this case. Sucks to be a witness,” he laughed. 

“Sucks to prosecute a longtime friend who’s decided to go his own path too. Hoping I can get out of that.”

“Well, what I learned in school is you can recluse yourself from testifying and have the prosecutor read your statement.” 

“I can always just do my court clerk duty,” I nodded. 

“If you can even do that... hands might be shaking...” he said, looking at my hands. 

I nodded, knowing he was right. This one wasn’t going to be easy to participate in no matter what role I was doing. I saw that my hands were already shaking just at the thought of it and hid them under the table, not wanting him to see my nervousness. 

A woman came into the bakery then and asked, “Oh goodness what happen to the bakery?”

“Had a fire here a few days ago...” Gerric said, greeting her. 

“I’m sorry to have interrupted,” the woman said. 

“No problem, I think we were just about finished...” he looked at me and placed a hand on my shoulder, looking at the woman.

“Good to see you again Miss Trin,” the woman smiled and looked at him then, “I don’t think we have met sir?”

“Name’s Gerric, nice to meet you,” he tipped his hat. 

“My names Sasha Dugan,” she introduced herself. 

“I don’t think we’ve officially met. How do you know my name?” I looked at her. 

“Golly, I thought I had over heard your name once before.” 

“Possible. I’m somewhat well known around here.”

“I’m terribly sorry for being so familiar with folks, I ah don’t do well we people.” 

“We all have our hiccups... some are just harder to get over than others,” Gerric said. “Only way to get over this problem is to be with people and talk with them... listen to what is going on... and relax.” 

“You must be pretty brave fella not to wear a fire arm in these parts,” she said to him. 

“Not much into fighting... Will defend myself, but not lookin’ for a fight.’ 

“Think I’m going to head to my office. Make sure to drop off that report, Gerric?” I stood, looking between them. 

“Ain’t gonna do much with out a pistol. Whatcha gonna do beat ‘em to death with your hat?” she laughed. 

“Sure will, Miss Trin. And if you need anything else...” he offered to me. 

“Thanks,” I said and looked suspiciously at Sasha, not trusting her already as I headed out of the bakery.