Tombstone.
This evening I walked into town and greeted the group sitting in front of Kate’s. I met a woman named Kaly who was the mayor of Black Diamond.
“Hello ma’am. Nice to meet you,” she smiled at me.
“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am. I’m Detective Trin Paige,” I smiled and shook her head.
“A pleasure for sure,” she shook my hand.
“How are things over in Black Diamond?” I asked.
“Doing well, hoping to move out this way in a few weeks. I’ve been mayor for a long time and I’m hoping to retire.”
“Retire?” Gabe looked at her with interest.
“It’s a nice place to settle down here,” I nodded. “How long have you been mayor?”
“Two years in Black Diamond and I was mayor in Benson for awhile. I want to get back to sewing clothes again.”
“Well you’ve certainly worked for a long time then.”
“TJ, go start shit with the laws,” Tx said then and I looked over but didn’t say anything.
“Yes, it’s been great but time to retire,” she grinned.
“Glad to hear it,” I smiled. I watched as Wedge wandered over to a man on the roof of the bank and I looked over at Ali. “Nothing exciting happen today, Ali?”
“No ma’am. A rather quiet day so far.”
“So what have you been up to today? Anymore hustling at poker?” Gabe looked at me and Ali laughed.
“Nah just been kinda layin’ low since last night. Figured I should get some fresh air.”
“Laying low? Well damn Trin, almost sound like an outlaw,” Gabe winked at me.
“Nah, just didn’t want to hear about how poorly I did last night all day long,” I sighed.
“Nah, you didn’t do poorly,” Gabe said as the mayor waved and wandered over to the studio.
“Well I guess asking if Ansar saw the woman shoot him and him saying ‘yes’ isn’t decisive enough,” I looked at him.
“Except he didn’t say yes,” Gabe smirked.
“Well, he did,” I shook my head, watching Sky tug on the bank doors. “Just not direct enough I guess. Was trying to show that he saw her, and that she hadn’t shot him in the back.”
A woman named Heather walked over and introduced herself to Wedge and I looked over to get the woman’s description and note the name. “Yes ma’am, semantics,” Gabe chuckled.
“Apparently we didn’t put the point across well enough. Woulda helped if I had more to work with but... what can ya do,” I nodded. I watched as Heather walked away rather quickly after introducing herself to Wedge and said, “Think I’m gonna go in for a drink.” I wandered into the saloon and poured myself a glass of whiskey.
I walked back outside and leaned against the pole in front of the saloon, watching everyone on the street. I greeted Skyla and watched her walk up and down the street, checking on doors as she went. Tx unholstered his guns and I saw TJ grin and stand. The group of outlaws continued to comment on how dishonest the law was and Gabe unsnapped his holsters. I watched carefully as they continued to say that they felt bad for Si, being with Skyla. Suzy asked a girl why she was walkin’ around and she said that she lives in the hotel. She said her name was Sara and she had a teddybear in her hand named Teddy. I decided to distract her as Sky looked over to Tx and asked if there was a problem.
Cole walked over and soon Liz was nearby too. Gabe, Ali and I continued to talk to the girl, trying to distract her from the conversation between the sheriff and the outlaws. “Why don’t you come into the saloon with me and introduce me to your bear?” I suggested and we walked into Kate’s before shooting would inevitably commence.
“So you said your teddy’s name was what?” I asked the girl, bringing her away from the entrance.
“Teddy,” she smiled.
Ali came into the saloon with us and I said, “Hi Ali. We’re just getting to know Teddy.”
“He is the brave one,” Sara told us.
“That’s good,” I smiled.
“He made five outlaw run for their lives in Colorado,” she said proudly.
“Oh did he?”
“Teddy got real mad.”
Si came into the saloon and I greeted him, then looked to Sara. “I used to live in Colorado.”
“Really?”
“Mmhmm.. Long time ago now... I ran the newspaper there.”
“Oh, I see.”
“He an outlaw?” Sara asked, pointing to Sirus who was putting some coins in the register.
“I hear he use to be an outlaw. He say he’s a change man now,” Ali told her.
“Women can be outlaws too,” Sara observed as I watched Si.
“They sure can, if’n they want to be,” Ali said.
“I knew a few outlaws,” Sara said.
“What are you going to be when you grow up?” I asked the girl.
“Uhm law.”
“A sheriff? Or deputy? Or maybe a detective?”
“Or lawyer or a judge.”
“I’m a lawyer,” I sighed slightly at the memory of the loss last night.
“You a lawyer?” she looked up at me.
“Mmhmm. It’s not an easy job but when you win a case it’s a good feeling.”
Gunshots rang out outside and Sara became scared, hiding behind a table. “Speaking lawyers, Gabe is working on becoming one,” Ali told us to distract us.
“Oh is he?” I looked over curiously. “Defense lawyer, I’ll bet.”
“He sure is,” she nodded. “I believe one for the outlaws.”
“So I guess I’ll be goin’ against him soon enough then.”
“Ya sure will.”
“I had a long trip here,” Sara pointed out as guns continued to ring outside.
“Where are your ma and pa?” Ali asked her.
“Outside Washington.”
“What happened with them?” I asked.
“Ma died when she was sick.” Pa was a soldier.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that, sweetie,” Ali told her.
“My daddy died too...” I sighed.
“Bad men came to our home,” Sara told us and I realized how familiar. “They killed pa.”
“Ali, I’m just gonna step in the back. Watch Sara?” I asked and went back to the restroom. After a while I decided I would go outside ad see how things were going since the gunshots had stopped. Eliza was hobbling to the clinic and I looked to Gabe and asked, “What happened?”
“Horses went crazy,” Gabe shrugged and I sighed.
“I saw Eliza hobble to the clinic,” I said. “Anyone else shot?”
Gabe just smiled and I shook my head, walking off to the clinic. I pushed the door open and saw Liz and Skyla both laying on the beds. “What can I do to help?” I asked.
“Find a doc,” Sky muttered.
“So how you like being a deputy on your first day?” Sirus moved over to Liz to see if she was alright.
“Suzy...” Sky groaned. “TJ and Smurf... Ya find em, get ‘em.”
“Get a doc if there’s one about,” Sirus told her.
“Ok let me find a doc first.”
“Didn’t see one walking over here or I woulda brought them with me,” I said.
Ya’ii walked into the clinic then and I sighed with relief that a healer was now available. “Talk to me, Sky. How’d it happen?” I asked, knowing that talking would distract her.
“Smurf and TJ flapping their gums...” she moved the rags off her shoulder for Ya’ii and called, “There’s TJ now!” as she looked out the window.
“Ya look pale, deputy,” TJ said as Alvin came in with him and tapped Sirus on the shoulder.
“Just lay back miss Sky,” Ya’ii instructed. “You can take care of outlaws later.”
“Maybe we can have a drink later,” TJ suggested and greeted the healer.
“Don’t touch my wife,” Sirus glared at him then.
“I didn’t,” TJ shook his head. “It was the deputy I shot.”
I shook my head, having gathered the information I needed, and walked out of the clinic. As I walked home, more gunshots rang out in the distance.
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