July 31, 1899

Tombstone. 

This morning I was sitting in front of the Epitath when Aleaya came over saying that a crazy white woman was over in the village. I guessed that it was Tina and just shook my head as Nim walked off after the Native towards the village. 

Nim returned minutes later and I asked, “How’d it go?” 

“Tina, stupid woman is going to end up dead and its her fault.” 

“She’s suicidal,” I nodded. 

“One of those that needs attention, so pushes folks buttons to get it.” 

I told her about what happened between Tina and Mikk yesterday and we talked about how things were going with our court jobs. I told her that sometimes I missed being fully law just so I could know what was going on. Luna, the horse, came over and played with Bria and I smiled as I watched the two together. Waterfall came over and we talked about Tina being in the Native village. Serenity walked over and joined in the conversation. Eventually I headed off to my office to get some work done. 

***

Later today I walked back into town and greeted everyone sitting in front of Kate’s. Cole asked if I’d seen Sunset today but I said I hadn’t seen him. Ali and Richie continued to banter back and forth and I chuckled as I watched them. 

Noticing that the bank was open again, I looked over at Skyla and decided to go investigate, needing something to do. The front door was wide open and the back door was busted but still closed at least. Skyla unlocked the inside door for me and we checked the vault, which was still sealed shut. The roof door seemed fine as well. 

“Looks like was just the back door and the front entrance one door. Doesn’t make sense,” I told her. 

“Unless they did it just to be a distraction,” Skyla suggested. 

“Happened the other day too. Door was wide open. Front door that is. Both of them were wide open, inside and back doors were locked tight. I couldn’t get in to check the vault.”

“I swear some folks,” Skyla sighed. 

“Makes no sense.” 

“Ok well that’s done. Let’s get it locked up,” she said and we walked outside, locking the doors as we went. 

“Didn’t know you had keys and such still.”

“Yep,” she smiled. 

“I’ll have to remember that. I’m still tryin’ to track down Chase...”

“Chase is God know’s where,” Sky laughed. 

“Without him I’ve got no case for Friday. All I would have for that case as a witness is Ansar. If that. I mean I have his statement but... I ain’t goin’ in there with one witness statement to read.”

“I understand that,” she nodded. 

“My whole case is built on Ansar and Chase’s statements. I have to get Chase’s or else I’ll have to redo EVERYTHING, or dismiss the damn case. Problem is... I was a witness to it too. So I’m almost tempted to just give it to someone else and be available as a witness to whoever takes it.”

She nodded and then we said goodbye as I headed down to the office to get some more work done. 

***

After a while I went to the bank and talked with Bree about how things had been going at the bank. We talked for a while and she told me that Ansar had quit being a lawman. I walked outside and went to find someone who could tell me what was going on. 

In front of the sheriff’s office I found a man I didn’t recognize, “Good to see another US Marshal in the area. Don’t think we’ve officially met.”

“I am Steve Breguet ma’am. Been US Marshal for many years here, just away for awhile.” 

“Pleasure to meet you, Marshal Steve,” I nodded to him. 

Ella and Sommer were standing nearby, and I told Ella to tell Steve about what had happened with Ace at the bank. She told him the story and I noticed Nim walk over and drop a deputy application in the box. Ella finally filled out a witness report and handed it to Steve. Ella told me that Chrono was the one working the bank at the time and she said that she hadn’t seen Ace since it had happened. 

I went to sit down in front of the hotel and saw the man from Bisbee come over towards me. “Well, you’re not dead yet, Sir,” I smiled at him. 

“I seem to be alive at the moment,” he laughed. 

“Do I get to know a name yet?” I chuckled .

“Might as well. It’s Piers for the moment.” 

“Nice to meet you Piers,” I shook his hand. 

“What kinda work do you do?” 

“Detective, actually,” I smiled, seeing that he was looking at my badge. 

“That so? “Wanna look into my case?”

“Which case would that be?”

“At the risk of being arrested, I might decide to tell you”

“Well I can’t help you if you don’t tell me, Sir.”

He stared at me a moment, then said, “Might be I’m a murderer and I don’t know it.”

“Oh?” I asked, officially intrigued. 

“They got a warrant on me and near arrested me last night saying I killed someone.” 

“Where’bouts?” I asked and he pointed over his shoulder at the sheriff’s office across the street. 

“Have a seat, tell me what happened.”

  He sat down and said, “All I know is I got a warrant on me. Don’t know why, don’t know where it came from.” 

“And you’re just out standing in the street? Brave man.”

“I don’t see why not, seeing as I don’t remember killing anyone.” 

“So what, you’re being framed?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. Funny thing though... Victim’s got no name.” 

“Eh?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“That’s all I know about this case. They won’t tell me who I killed.” 

I shook my head and said, “I can look into it.”

“Well, I should get going. Appreciate your time.” 

“I’ll let you know what I find out,” I promised as he nodded and walked away. 

I looked over and waved to Tony who was walking over towards me. He joined me and so did TJ and Nim. I realized I needed to talk to TJ and said, “Hey Teej, can I talk to you a sec?”

“Sure can. What’s on ya mind?” 

“Been some allegations about somethin’... Guess your wife said she talked to me huh?”

“Oh, which ones?” 

“Bout the sheriff in Black Diamond.”

“What about her?” 

“Reports say you held a gun on her but it’s all circumstantial and I was hoping you could shed some light on it.”

“Hell, I only go there to go home,” TJ laughed. “And I only met her once.” 

“I thought so. So you weren’t there were you?”

“If’n it were me, I’d tell ya. Ya know me, why lie?” 

“I figured that too. I’ve known ya long enough.”

“I claim what I do, unlike other cowards.” 

“Any idea who did it then?”

“No clue. Maybe that new Black fella knows.’ 

“Hmm... Well at least that’s part of the mystery solved. Thanks T, knew I could count on you,” I winked. 

I looked over and saw that Piers was still here, and asked if he knew anything about the sheriff over in Black Diamond, but he said he’d just arrived recently. I asked Tony why he seemed so nervous and he said he was waiting for someone. Some others came to join us as we chatted and enjoyed the evening. 

I found Keiko and decided to ride up to the fort. I asked Wedge if he knew anything about Piers’ case and he said that there were no records on file for it, but he would keep looking into it. I rode back to town and asked Piers if we could talk in my office. 

“Have a seat,” I offered and sat at my desk. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“Don’t know what’s going on, but something tells me I can’t trust half the folk in this town.” 

“I’d reckon that’s about accurate. Who was the officer that almost arrested you? Did they give a name?”

“Liz, some ranger mentioned her name while I was waiting to be interrogated.”

“Some ranger?”

“Yeah, but that’s besides the point.” 

“What’s the point?”

“You got a half a dozen people standing around seeing what happened down that road..enough witnesses to gather the shooters. And not a single one confesses, and instead I end up arrested. Deputies say I killed someone, but there’s no body to be found. No victim, no names.”

“What did they tell you exactly when you were released?”

“When I asked, one of them said ‘She don’t have to give you a name’. I wasn’t released..”

“Well technically she doesn’t. She doesn’t even have to tell you why you’re arrested, really.”

“You just pick folks up for no reason without telling them? If I’m accused of murder, I wanna know who I killed. Or what, you just bend the laws to your own ways and make up stories to arrest folks, since they can’t know what they done wrong?”

“Not me, Sir. I have no power to arrest. You’ll have to take up that problem with the deputies in question.”

“What you find up in that fort? My warrant?”

“No, Sir. No warrant but the ranger is still looking.”

“They’ll keep looking. You keep an eye on them though. Soon they’ll write one up and that’ll be the one they use. You ask me, they’re covering up something bigger and using me as the fall guy.” 

“I’ll look into this, Sir. I’ll keep you posted,” I nodded. 

“Careful who you tell. Might be you with a warrant next.” 

“Stay safe out there, Sir,” I nodded. 

“If I’m not dead in a ditch by morning.” 

I hook my head as I watched him walk out of the office, wondering what was really going on with this strange man.