Wednesday, July 22, 2015

February 3, 1900

Bisbee. 

This afternoon I performed in Bisbee and thanked everyone for coming. Ali came over, the deputy in Benson, and said she needed my help. 

“Who is the town sheriff?” she asked. 

“I don’t believe there is local law in Bisbee that I know of, is there Spank?” 

“You were wonderful, first of all,” she said. 

“Thank you,” I smiled. 

“Nelli wants to pursue this,” Ali said. 

“Pursue what? I was kind of singing so I couldn’t exactly hear what was going on.”

“Well Miss Nellie here say she dun got robbed of some ore, gold that is, and she want a certain lady that was here arrested. Isn’t that right, Miss Nellie?” 

“Mmhmm. Didn’t have no green in it at all,” Nellie said. 

“Tarnation!” Ali exclaimed. 

“I can’t help you, Ali. I’m just a detective. You need a marshal,” I told them. 

“It’s just a tough case is all. We ain’t got the name of the lady that mighta took it.” 

“Ya’ll get that fancy hat wearin lady’s name?” Nellie looked around and the group still gathered. 

“I was hearin’ the singin’,” Ali said. 

“Not sure how I can help other than digging through everyone’s pockets for ore.”

“She told me to put it on the sofa there,” Nellie pointed, “Then sat on it like this,” she sat. “Then she scurried away.” 

“Then you gotta go find a marshal in this town and report it,” Ali said. 

“Who that be?” Nellie asked. 

“That’d be your job, Deputy. Nellie came to you for help, you need to find the proper authority to handle the situation,” I told her. “Probably Marshal Kris in Tombstone. Miss Nellie, is it? There’s a marshal’s office in Tombstone, you may want to file a report there.”

Nellie cried a little and Spank said, “Ya never know, Nellie. Ya might be reunited with your ore.” 

“That’s all I can suggest. I mean, I’ll look around and see if I can see some stray ore around, but I wasn’t even able to see who was all here for the gig so I don’t even know who to ask for witnesses... Ya might want to just file a report with the marshal in Tombstone,” I explained. 

“Reckon I can go see if there’s more nuggets out there. So ya don’t know her name?” 

“The lady who took it?” I asked. 

“Are we talking about Mister Krell’s lady-friend?” Ada asked. 

“I don’t have eyes on the back of my head, ma’am,” I informed her. 

“Had on a big fancy hat. She was dancin’ and kissin’ all up on that fella, like she owned him. He was dressed fancy too.” 

“That sounds like Miss Lee - I think that was her name,” Ada said. 

“They was dancing right there,” Nellie insisted. 

“Mr. Krell,” Spank nodded. 

“Ada, I’m leaving this in your hands... I’m not sure what else I can do from my standpoint,” I said. “I can talk to Mr. Krell when I get a chance and see what I can find out. I know him well. I invited him here.”

“Oh. Don’t confuse me and never get me excited. You don’t know me well enough yet,” Nelli winked at Spank. 

“I need to head out. I’ll keep you posted, Nellie,” I promised. 

“I don’t know much more than you, but I have met her, in Black Diamond. How I know her name,” Ada said. 

“Do that, singin’ lady,” Nellie nodded. 

“Detective,” I looked at her seriously. “I will keep you all apprised. Stay safe.”

“Detective, yeah singin’ lady,” Nellie said as I walked out of the saloon. 

Black Diamond. 

I walked into the courthouse and knocked on Krell’s office door. Nellie walked out and I said, “Oh, Nellie.. I was just going to ask the mayor about that ore.”

“Popular place. You’re next.” 

“Which gang took her? We’ve got two,” I heard Desi saying in the office. 

“Struck a deal,” Nellie told me. “I pay for ore, and they let me keep thirty percent. Isn’t that something? I had to talk ‘em up fifty-fifty though.” 

“Did you find that stuff that went missing?” I asked. 

“That mayor ain’t none too bright,” Nellie winked. 

“Why do you say that?” I asked. I saw the deputy walk out of the office and said, “Hello Desi. Somethin’ going on?” 

“Nope,” Nellie said. “I just need to get back to Fly’s, is all.” 

“Still need me to look for that ore?”

“Oh, we took care of that.” 

Suzy walked up into the offices then and Desi said, “I believe the Wild Bunch got her.” 

“What have you learned Trin?” Suzy asked. 

“Um, er... Um... I’ll be taking that leave now. See ya,” Nellie said and bolted down the stairs. 

“I wait outside, captain!” I heard Strider shout from outside. 

“Okay, Strider!” Suzy yelled back at him. 

I looked at Suzy and said, “Learned? Not a damn thing. Other than Nellie and the mayor have made a deal about who gets to keep the ore they mine for. Or she mines for, rather.”

“Oh they both mined it?” Suzy asked. 

“I meant to say she. Been a long day. So I guess I ain’t needed then.”

“Okay,” Suzy said. 

“Soon as the mayor makes me marshal, I’ll go huntin’ for her,” Desi said. 

“Why would you hunt for her? She’s just been mining ore, ain’t she?” I asked, thinking she was referring to Nellie. 

“She Leigh kidnaped,” Desi said. 

“Who kidnapped whom?” I asked. 

“I believe it was the Wild Bunch,” Desi said and I shook my head. 

“Well if I ain’t needed I’m gonna go catch up on some writing.”

“You needed,” she said and I stopped and turned to her. 

“Sounds like ya got it all figured out.”

“If the Wild Bunch has her she is somewhere in Breeze,” she said. 

“Oh, Leigh is still being held somewhere.”

“Yes.” 

“Why didn’t ya just say that?”

“I can’t leave town until the mayor makes me temporary marshal. Then I can look for her. My hands are tied.” 

“I’ll look around, see if I can find her, or find someone who knows what happened to her.”

“Okay. Meantime I’m going to the saloon and get drunk. Have a good night, Detective.” 

I walked out of the courthouse and headed for Tombstone, hoping to find some sort of lawman. 

Tombstone. 

“Daryl, Strider, good to see you both,” I smiled when I saw the men sitting on their horses. “I need your help. I was just over in Diamond and the deputy informed me that the Wild Bunch may have Miss Leigh in their custody.”

“Really?” Daryl looked at me. 

“That’s what she says,” I nodded. 

“Strider you want to Look into this?” Daryl asked. 

“I don’t know the deputy over there that well, but she said that she can’t leave town because she ain’t a marshal, so I told her I’d look into it. But I can’t do it on my own. I’m just a detective. I need one of ya’ll with me.”

“Well the Rangers could ride out as a unit,” Daryl suggested. 

“What that, my friend?” Strider asked, as if just noticing I was there. 

“Strider, I heard ya shouting over in Diamond,” I said. “Congratulations on becoming a ranger.”

“Strider, we should get the captain,” Darly said. 

“Daryl, perhaps we can ride around and see what we can find,” I suggested. “Wild Bunch are out in Ghenna, ain’t they?”

We started to ride down the street and looked all around Tombstone. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and Strider said, “I guess we limited.” 

“Doesn’t seem like anything suspicious is goin’ on...”

“Kris, good...” I said, seeing the marshal walk over. 

“Well, didn’t it happen in Diamond?” Daryl asked. 

“Well, I ain’t sure where it happened. That’s just where I heard about it,” I said. “No idea where it happened, or who has her, or where.”

“What happened?” Kris asked. 

“What is it?” Strider asked.

“Leigh’s apparently been taken by the Wild Bunch. Or so says the deputy in Diamond,” I told him. 

“Well we know Wild Bunch had something to do with it, right Trin?” Daryl looked at me. 

“Yeah, from what I understand,” I nodded. 

“Is there any of them in town?” Daryl asked. 

“You know as much as I do. I told her I would look around since she can’t look out of town,” I said. 

“I told her she should consult a marshal..” Kris walked off then and I sighed. 

“If it for sure, we can go find her,” Strider said. 

“But...” I started. “I want to come.” 

“Check the Wild Bunch hideout,” Kris suggested. 

“Over in Ghenna right?” Daryl confirmed. 

“Yep.” 

Ghenna. 

“Anyone in there, come out!” Daryl shouted when he and I reached the Wild Bunch hideout. 

“Door’s wide open,” I observed. 

“You’re up, Detective.” 

“Let me look around inside?” I suggested. 

“I’ll cover you.” 

I nodded and walked in, remembering from when I’d been showed around with Jac so many months ago. I walked through the hideout, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. I shuddered when I saw the cells and remembered Jac wanting me to go inside them. I walked back outside and said to Daryl, “Nothing weird there.” 

“Okay, let’s ride to Diamond.” 

“Let’s get out of here,” I agreed and got back up on Watson and followed Daryl through Tombstone. 

Tombstone. 

We saw a group of people in front of the Crystal Palace and I saw Lil among them. Remembering that she was at the saloon in Bisbee for my gig I asked, “You remember the woman dancing with Krell? Apparently she stole some ore from Nellie... and now somehow she’s missing. Deputy Des says that Wild Bunch has her.”

“Leigh,” Lil said and I nodded. “The mayor’s girl.” 

“Let’s ride, “Daryl said. 

“Let me know if you hear of anything, Lil,” I said and rode off after him. 

Black Diamond. 

We rode into Diamond and found Desi standing in the streets. “Deputy, I found you a Ranger. He has been made aware of the situation with Leigh.”

“Howdy,” Desi nodded. 

“Ma’am,” Daryl nodded. 

“We rode out to the Wild Bunch hideout and found nothing out of the ordinary,” I informed her. “She is still missing, yes?” 

“Thank you, detective. Yes, I know they got her.” 

“How did you come to the realization it was them?” Daryl and I asked at the same time. 

“A hunch,” Desi shrugged. “The mayor got money.” 

“You had us ride out to Ghenna on a hunch?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“The bunch will do anything,” Desi said. 

“Well Miss Trin, that’s my job anyways,” Daryl said. 

“I don’t like assumptions,” I looked at him. “I like facts.” 

“I know they got her,” Desi insisted. 

“Well did you see them take her? I need to know facts. Names,” Daryl said and I smiled at the fact that we were on the same page. 

“The mayor himself was almost taken in,” Desi said. 

“There’s a lot in that bunch,” Daryl said. 

“Yeah, I know,” Desi nodded. 

“There is Mac, Sniper, Lot, Devil hands... and a bunch more of them,” Daryl listed. 

“The mayor didn’t get into it. He’s upset. I’ll find out more when he calms down and when he makes me marshal.” 

“Deputy to a marshal,” Daryl shook his head. “That’s a huge change.” 

“Temporarily,” Desi clarified. 

“Don’t happen all that easily, Des,” I said. 

“Heck, I know that well,” Daryl nodded. 

“I used to be one,” Desi said. “I was a tough marshal.” 

“Find anything Strider?” Daryl asked as he rode over to us. 

“Just you two,” he replied. 

“We looked ‘round the Wild Bunch hideout. Nothin’ there,” I told him. 

“Maybe I should talk to the mayor.” 

“I’ll be up in the courthouse lobby waiting until he comes out,” I nodded and walked upstairs to the lobby and smiled when I saw Krell. I looked from Krell to Daryl and said, “Krell, this is Ranger Daryl Winston.”

“Howdy Mr. Mayor,” Daryl greeted. 

“Evening folks,” Krell tipped his hat. “Something I can do for you all?” 

“Heard there was a kidnapping,” Daryl said. 

“We heard Leigh is missing,” I said at the same time. “Or rather that she was taken by the Wild Bunch.”

“My Leigh.... gone?” Krell fell to his knees. 

I went over and held my hand on his shoulder, steadying him. “That’s what we heard,” I said as he tried to stand again. 

“We have searched everywhere we can,” Daryl said. “So far no sign.” 

“I thought you knew...” I looked at Krell. 

“So what do you know so far?” 

“Your Deputy thinks its the Wild Bunch. Do they have a reason to Kidnap her?” Daryl asked. 

I saw Krell looking weak and I explained, “I came here earlier to investigate the incident in Bisbee... Nelli thinks that Leigh took her ore. That’s when Desi told me that Leigh had been taken by the Wild Bunch, or so she suspects. Maybe we should sit...” I nodded to the couches. 

“Yes,” he nodded, trying to catch his breath as we sat down and he tried to compose himself. 

“Krell... talk to us... We can help bring her back but we need to know the facts first,” I prompted. 

“Okay, I will try. Do you know why she was taken?” 

“We were hoping you could tell us,” I looked at him. 

“I knew nothing. This is the first I heard anything,” Krell admitted. 

“W well if your Deputy is right Wild Bunch took her. Why would they do that?” 

“Are they demanding ransom?” Krell asked. 

“Though I ain’t rightly sure why she thinks that,” I shook my head. 

“So no confirmation?” Krell looked between us. 

“Sadly no.” 

“We went out to the hideout and saw nothing and no one there,” I shook my head. 

“Oh where is my Leigh?” 

“It depends on who could have taken her,” Daryl said. 

“Well, what do you suggest we do?” Krell asked. 

“If it’s Mac, his house in Benson. If it’s Lot, right in plain sight. Sniper, the hideout.” 

“Well as a ranger, you have jurisdiction there, and Trin, I would like to engage your services,” Krell said. “How may I support you?” 

“That’s why I thought w could work together on this. We need to know why someone would want to take Leigh.”

“If they contact you, find Trin,” Daryl suggested. 

“I’ll be around,” I nodded. “And if I’m not, send me a wire.”

“She will find law, or myself,” Daryl continued. 

“Yes sir,” I nodded and then Krell smiled about something. “Something funny, Krell?”

“Besides money, why would they take her, Mr. Mayor?” Daryl asked. 

“Well, last I saw her we were dancing, she felt ill, laid on the sofa, and then asked for me to take her home,” Krell said. 

“You were dancing at my gig this afternoon. I remember,” I nodded. 

“She seemed nervous, and even like she gained a few pounds, I know I carried her.” 

“You don’t think she’s...” I leaned forward, wondering if Leigh was pregnant. 

“She asked to stop just inside town limits, and got on her knees, think she was getting sick because she dug a hole, but I couldn’t watch,” Krell said. I took a deep breath, looking at Daryl with concern. 

“She seemed a little better when she was done. She must have really gotten sick a lot, because I noticed when I picked her up again she felt lighter.” 

“How big of a hole?” Daryl asked. “Do you think she found something and buried it? Could be why they kidnapped her.” 

“Oh I think she dug a hole to get sick into, but I couldn’t look, I get sick if I see that,” Krell said. 

“You think she faked being sick in front of her fiance so she could bury something she found?” I looked at Daryl. 

“Would make sense,” Daryl nodded. 

“Ranger, why do you think thats a clue, and why they kidnapped her?” 

“I knew you were the right man to ask for help, Winston,” I smiled at him. 

“Well if she found something that belonged to Wild Bunch,” Daryl said. “They would have taken her.” 

“Funny she asked me to bring her home and lay in bed with her. Said something I couldn’t understand.” 

“She said something? What?” I looked at him. 

“Like I thought lullaby, it sounded like.” 

“Was it Dixie? A few of the Wild Bunch whistle it,” Daryl suggested. I looked down, swallowing hard at that tune. I reached down to pet the cat that was wandering around, using the motion to help me focus. 

“She wanted me to be well, her, oops.. I mean sing her a lullaby. Thought at first I heard ali-something.” 

“Aly maybe?” Daryl asked. “There is a lady in town that was called that.” 

“I didn’t hear her whistle at all, but she seemed relieved once we got home. She seemed to be in such a hurry to get there. Like I said, she never lets me in bed with her. Said she ain’t letting me in bed ‘till we get hitched. Allibye? I just didn’t understand her. Then I figured lullaby.” 
I looked at him, realizing then that Leigh couldn’t be pregnant like I’d suspected. “Libby?” Daryl suggested. “There is a doc called Libby.” 

“No, she wanted me to be a... aliby? Oops I mean lullaby.” 

“She wanted an alibi?! For what?!” I snapped to attention. 

“Like I said she pilled me in bed and made me stay. Seems like she was expecting company.” 

“Who ever took her must be dangerous,” Daryl observed. 

“I really don’t know why she asked for a lullaby. I thought she was tired.” 

“Daryl there’s somethin’ going on here. Something big,” I looked at Daryl. 

“I agree,” he nodded. 

“Maybe she did say alibi,” Krell nodded. 

“Are you sure she didn’t say alibi? Like a story to tell the law... to place her away from the scene of a crime?” I asked. 

“Maybe she saw a crime,” Daryl suggested. 

“I liked not having to sleep on the floor so I just sang to her,” Krell said. “Well maybe. She sure seemed in a hurry to get away from the dance hall fast. She was really acting strange.” 

“Well seems the only person who can tell us what’s going on then is her,” I said. 

“Yeah but she is missing, correct?” Daryl asked. 

“How long has she been gone?” Krell asked. 

“Not sure,” Daryl shook his head. 

“You know what we know,” I said. 

“Your deputy would know,” Daryl told him. 

“I thought Des would have talked to you,” I agreed. 

“Well for now I need to get back to town and to the station,” Daryl said then and stood. 

“Well no she said nothing I was sound asleep, I remember falling asleep in the bed with her, then waking up and you were here.” 

“You should have a talk with your deputy, Krell,” I stood with Daryl. “We’ll keep in touch if we discover anything.”

“There may be a line or two there about it,” Daryl said.

“Please let me know what I can do, should I offer a reward?” Krell asked. 

“That might help draw them out in the open,” Daryl nodded. 

“Well, I can go to the bank and withdraw some gold,” Krell nodded. 

“Just be careful, Mayor,” Daryl warned. 

“Have a talk with your deputy first, Krell. The ranger and I should head on our way,” I suggested. 

“Whatever you recommend, money is no object,” Krell told us. 

“I will be back to check on you in time,” Daryl promised. “Keep your Deputy posted at your place. They may come back for you.” 

“I’ll be downstairs, Daryl,” I said and headed down to the street. Krell thanked us for our help and Daryl soon joined me. “Daryl, what do you think?” I looked at him when we were alone. “Seems awfully strange to me.”

Jamie came over and Daryl answered, “Not sure. Whoever done it is smart.” 

“I feel a ruse,” I observed. 

“Just not sure who,” Daryl sighed. 

“I’m going to ride back to the office and think about this one,” I said. “All we know is she took Nellie’s money at the gig this afternoon... She stopped to dig a hole and got sick, and asked Krell to be her alibi. And now she’s ‘kidnapped’. See ya soon, Daryl. Thanks for your help tonight.”

We started to ride down the street but then stopped when Daryl said, “Trin, look. There is a flag.” 

I looked around and blinked seeing the Wild Bunch flag in front of the house near the entrance to town. “I’m going to hang around here and see what I can overhear or who I can talk to,” I sighed. “Stay safe, you two,” I said and headed for the saloon.

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