Tombstone.
As I sat down sipping my coffee this morning I saw Victoria walk over. Her eyes looked sad and I instantly asked what was wrong.
“Nhil is dead Trin,” her lips quivered. “I lost my baby, all because of these dumb folk in town. I swear if I can make them pay...” she said with the first sign of fire in her eyes that I’d ever seen. I wrapped my arms around her and just held her tight, not even sure what to say.
“I wa... wasnt going to come back to the hell pit but after loosing the baby, Trin... What am I going to do?!” she sobbed.
“I’m so sorry sweetie... I... I wish I knew what to say,” I hugged her tightly.
“All I can say,” she hiccuped, “Is they better hope I don’t load my guns again,” she moved back.
“Don’t you dare, Vic. “Lay low a while, let yourself grieve... Don’t do anything rash.”
“Oh I’ll be grieving my whole life Trin for the baby I almost had, the least they can do is... is wear scars the same as me and I would.”
“You’re better off without him,” I shook my head.
“If I had it in me to shed blood...” she started and I wondered what she wasn’t saying.
“You’re not telling me something.”
“I think, the town certainly thinks so. Oh I will move on but they may live to regret what they have done to me and my baby,” she nodded.
I sighed and leaned back against the post again. “No changing your mind huh?”
“Well, it hardly matters now Trin but there were a couple from town that looked down the barrel of my gun. And they just might again.”
“I really don’t wanna have to go against you in court, Vic...”
“I am not sure what to do Trin. Have you ever lost a baby? I am so mad,” She kicked the ground. “If I hadn’t felt I had to run that night for my life... Maybe I’d still have my baby to hold when it came but now... I have nothing,” she looked at me, desperate. “I want to hurt them.”
“A baby? No. A man I loved? Yes. Too many times to count. I watched them shoot down my best friend years ago... I had to plan the funeral and everything because no one else seemed to want to. We never even got the funeral. Then I lost my man Tom and then Chet says that he’s alive again but I haven’t seen him around here at all so I gave up waiting and watching when there was no sign of him.”
“I lost both Trin, a baby and the man I loved. We.. we were going to get married I have my dress and all. Chet is a liar and I cant say what else, its not lady like.”
“And long before all that.... Back when I moved to Texas the first time.... I was going to marry a man whom I loved and he was killed in a stagecoach accident. I lived with his sister for a year and then moved to Colorado. So yes, I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. A baby I can’t relate to, but three men that I’ve loved have gone on and two of them violently. Hell, my own father was killed by bandits at our family ranch about ten years ago. But I used my revengeful feelings for good and try to bring justice where I can, even though I can’t in those situations.”
“Does the pain go away? My heart hurts, these snippy backwoods hicks,” she spit at the hotel.
“With time... But you have to give it that time,” I sighed. “I still have a hard time trusting that every man I fall in love with won’t just disappear and get shot or killed. But you gotta live in the present and control only what you can.” She cried again and I said, “Come on, let’s go sit. You’re a lawyer still right? Focus on those cases and work them harder than you ever worked before.”
“Yes I am still a lawyer, thank God I have that. Yes pour my heart and soul defending these people who would turn around and shoot me or talk behind my back.”
“Everyone has their own agenda, you should know that by now, Vic. Don’t let them control your actions.”
“No, I wont, I just,” she held her face in her hands. “I want my baby.”
“I know sweetie... That’s the hardest part...”
“Oh well, I will just be a lawyer and make them see day in and out what they did.”
“There you go. Be strong. Don’t show them your fear or weakness ‘cause they’ll play off that.”
“All I can say is they better not ask me to defend them. That’s the part they forget. I am on their side,” she said and I nodded, grimly remembering.
“It would be really hard for me to Trin.”
“The nice thing is you can choose which trials you’re going to work.”
“For the most part now that I’ve won a couple I was able to pick Sirus’s. Saved his butt I did.”
“I lost my first trial the other night. Not a good feeling,” I sighed.
“Where you prosecution?” she asked and I nodded. “Those are always hard. Because of the witnesses. That is how I win my cases.”
“Serenity had shot Ansar outside the bank, right? There were three women on the jury who didn’t know me. I asked Ansar point blank if he had seen Serenity shoot him and he said, ‘If you’re asking if she shot me the answer is ‘yes’.’ Apparently that left them room for debate still.” I shook my head and continued, “Did nothing but made myself look like a fool. But Skyla wasn’t even there to give her statement and they thought it contradicted with Ansar’s. I don’t know...”
“Oh you had that one. Well Serenity has been causing a lot of trouble I had that choice either that one or Sirus. I figured I’d have no room to win Serenity’s case.”
“I thought it was a clear cut case. Apparently not.”
“Well it also depends on who is the jury.”
“But... the lawyer kept speculating and insulting law, so the judge was getting upset with him... Put him in contempt for twenty minutes after the case was over. Made me feel a bit better,” I winked.
“It might have been her friends which as a lawyer you can choose. Oh, who was the lawyer?”
“Ed something...” I tried to remember.
“Oh, Ed Janitor. Yes he is questionable old man.”
“That’s the one,” I nodded.
“Sometimes I wonder if he is competent enough.”
“Course the trial started late ‘cause of Punk comin’ in with his old man disguise and the soldiers trying to arrest him again.”
“Punk, I actually he was my first case I managed to win believe it or not,” Victoria rolled her eyes.
“Because most of the jury were probably outlaws,” I muttered.
“Then right after he shot the town up. Yes that is why I say, it’s up to the jury, and YOU as lawyer, have say who sits and who doesn’t.”
“It don’t work like that in this town I thought. Jury members come in off the street,” I shook my head.
“Well for example when Nhil was on trial for something Cole tried to sit jury, his lawyer had him stand and leave the box. He had reasons to want to see Nhil guilty and came to the case with hazed eyes. He wouldn’t have heard the case his mind was made up already.”
“For sure,” I nodded. “That’s why it helps to know the personalities in town and who holds what against one another.”
“So if you noticed a bunch of friends of hers on the jury you can have one or two removed.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Me as defense, I always pick the statements apart. Most cant fill those out,” she laughed.
“Is why it’s better if the witness is actually there,” I nodded with a sigh.
“I heard Cole moved or left?”
“Yeah, I heard that rumor too.”
“Well that is good. Big major one of my issues gone.”
I leaned back with a sigh and drank my coffee, wanting to change the subject. “Things with Richie have been going well... I think he’s off doing some mining this week but we’re just taking it slow, enjoying one another’s company.”
I looked up then and waved to a woman who walked over. “Hi there, ma’am.”
“Hello there, ladies... its going to be a fine day in Tombstone it seems,” she waved back to us.
“So far so good,” I smiled. “Don’t think we’ve met yet.”
“No ma’am,” she smiled. “I am fairly new.”
“Name’s Detective Trin Paige, this here’s Victoria.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
“Hello there,” Victoria smiled at the woman.
“Where ya hail from?” I asked.
“Pittsburgh.”
“Wow, you are a long way from home there,” Victoria observed.
“Yes I am,” she smiled.
“What brought ya out this way if I can ask?” I wondered.
A saddened look came across her face then and she said, “My husband was killed back home... in a terrible factory accident.”
“Well you’re in good company then,” I looked over at Victoria to see her blinking back tears. I reached over to pat Victoria’s arm comfortingly. “We’ve all lost someone we love because of tragedy.”
“So after his passing, I just couldn’t bear the pain of being there one more day. And since he had gone and left me a considerable sum of money, I went to the train station one day and closed my eyes and put my finger on the map, and Tombstone is where I landed.”
“Well I hope you feel at home here. This place kind of draws you in, that’s for sure.”
“Good luck to you, Ms.,” Victoria said.
“Yes,” she smiled. “And thank you. I have already met some very nice young men... by the name of Jeffrey and Teddy.”
“Oh yes, those are good boys.”
She laughed and said, “They have really made sure I have really fit in. I took them to eat at Mr. Tye’s the other night. Those boys can sure eat and tell some tales.”
“Mmhmm, they sure can,” I smiled. “They’ll love you forever for that.”
“I think their favorite part was the chocolate cake. My heart really reaches out to Jeffrey, he is a sweet soul.”
“That he is,” I smiled.
She said goodbye then and I realized I hadn’t gotten her name but wondered if I would see her again or if she’d just be another face in the crowd. Peta came out of the hotel then and asked if we needed something to drink. I asked for a refill and she got it for me. We talked about how Tye had been in town briefly and how I missed him grumpin’ around.
“Richie’s off doin’ some mining this week so I may not get to see him much either,” I smiled at her.
“Well there’s fun ta be had without men around,” Peta said.
“Oh is there?” I chuckled.
“I was single for years and it never bothered me a bit.”
“Ain’t sure just how single I am anymore,” I winked at her.
“Oh? Is it serious?”
“Well... we’re just gettin’ to know each other so I don’t know if I’d call it serious yet... but it’s promising.”
“Well there’s lotsa fun goin’ on. We’re gonna train new docs soon and the kids are puttin’ on that play and I just bought a real shiny rock from Tuscon.”
“Oh that sounds like a lot of fun!”
“And I got a nice fresh slice of brian ta look at under the microscope!”
“That should be fun for a hands-on learning experience,” I chuckled.
“Yep. Apparently this fella was a real drunk. Im lookin’ at his brain ta see if it looks weird. And even if it don’t, I may tell folks it do ta make ‘em be less obnoxious and drunk all the time. Hypocrates said no harmin’ folks but he didn’t mention lyin’ and manipulatin’.”
I chuckled and said, “That could work. Especially if they see it with their own eyes.”
“So I got lots I could work on. And I’m spendin’ time with Biscuit.”
“Mmhmm. I’m just watching and listening... getting to know as much as I can throughout the week so I can be ready for court on the weekends.”
“There been much shootin’ in town lately?”
“Skyla and Eliza got shot up last night... Eliza’s first day on the job too. Some argument with TJ and some other guy.”
“Oh? Eliza’s joined law? Well they could use the help. And really she should get used to it.”
“Yep. I experienced the same thing but I wanted to do more investigation and less gunplay so I went back to being a detective.”
“Bein’ a detective is good. Maybe you could even do the paperwork for the law dogs... get statements and so on.”
“Since their statements seem to be lacking at times,” I sighed.
“Yep, there’s that. Law seems ta like shootin’ folks, not doin’ paperwork. Not that I blame ‘em. I just don’t ‘em makin’ Tye do all that work for them. He ain’t around enough.”
Waterfall came over then and said that she needed some wisdom. She said that she needed medical wisdom and Peta asked what was going on. She said that for a little while she had been weak and tried to eat but was sick a lot. Peta asked if she’d missed her monthlies and she said that she had, so Peta assumed that she might be in the family way. She said she’d been with a man and we smiled, knowing what that meant.
Victoria said that she was going to clean out her old house and told Peta what happened with Nhil before walking away. Peta told Waterfall that she could go to the clinic and test for if she’s pregnant. They went off to do so and Frank came over as Peta returned.
“You’re one of the ones Peta’s gonna train, hmm?”
“Hopefully,” he nodded.
“Well we could sure use more doctors around these parts.”
“Yep. I’ll have some time startin’ tomorrow evenin’. Hopefully Nora can join us ta help. She’s real good at trainin’ too.,” Peta put in. “At least, I assume she is.”
“Yes, I got your message about the 18th. I know thats when you said you where available. Wasn’t trying to bother or bug you about it.”
They talked about becoming a doctor and then Frank asked me what it was like being a prosecutor and I said that it was frustrating right now but would probably get better. When the women walked away to deal with things on their own Frank said, “Looks like it is just me and you Trin.”
“And then there were two,” I nodded.
“What do you do in times like this?”
“Work on journals... I’m putting my memoirs together from my time in the west over the years. Putting them together so it can be like book format.”
“Ah, sound like boring work to me. But you must like it,” he chuckled. “Do you have anything published? I do love to read more then I like to write.”
“Yeah I’m working on that... Takes longer than you’d think though.”
“I just got a news paper myself. I read the first one when I got here. Told me a lot about your town. Who ever makes them, I must thank them.”
“Jenna’s the one who runs the newspaper actually. Nice gal.”
“Never meet her.”
“Hang around here long enough, ya will.”
“This Cas fella is a funny man,” Frank said as he read the paper and chuckled.
“Cas? I haven’t read the paper yet.”
“Yes, right after the wonderful pieces on the lady society and orphanage.”
“I see,” I nodded.
After a while I decided to head to my office and sat on my balcony where I pulled out my notebook.
***
When I walked back into town that afternoon, I noticed the huge crowd in front of the courthouse and wondered what was going on now. They were talking about Eliza being the new deputy and a man made the comment that he missed the days when the outlaws were the ones he had to worry about. Ali said that one never knew what they were going to be arrested for these days.
I noticed Libby sitting by herself in front of the hotel and went over to sit with her. “Afternoon, Libby.”
“Howdy Miss Trin... Hope you’re well today!”
“Oh you know... Just lookin for somethin’ to do. How are you?”
“I’m doing fine thank you...”
I noticed that the man’s voice and Ali’s voice were actually coming from the roof and asked, “What ya’ll doin on the roof, or do I wanna know?”
“Off the roof you two!” Skyla shouted up at them.
“Why?” the man called down.
“Ain’t supposed ta be up there is why...Kate’s is fine but not there.”
“How does that make sense? We can be on the roof of Kate’s but not this one?”
“Ain’t ya got something better to do then be hollering to get off the roof, sheriff?” Ali asked.
“May as well move before she just shoots us,” the man sighed.
“I ain’t movin’. You want me down you come up and get me,” Ali called back.
“Never a dull moment,” Libby looked up at the roof.
“And should I also stop breathing?” the man asked.
“You said it,” I nodded to Libby.
“Come on, Ali,” Skyla sighed.
“What has she done, Sheriff?” another man asked.
“I just be standing right here doing nothing illegal is what I have done,” Ali answered him.
“Can’t be on any roof but Kate’s over here,” Skyla answered.
“I ain’t see no sign saying I can’t be here,” Ali protested.
“Ali, come on now and stop being like this. Ya know better,” Skyla argued.
“If it’s against the law to be up here why is there no wall or something to stop me from coming right here?” Ali asked.
“Come on now, Ali,” Sky ordered as Voo climbed on the roof to stand beside Ali.
“Now Sheriff, this here’s a public space.”
“Ya can stand over here just fine,” Sky told him. “Now Voo ya about ta step in more than ya can chew.”
“What’s the difference of the roof of Kate’s or the print shop... a roof is a roof,” Ali argued.
“There’s a difference, Ali,” Sky said. “Now down or over here.”
“What’s that, Sheriff?” Voo asked.
“She don’t do anything illegal from what I can see,” the other man who was wearing a deputy badge observed.
“Karl, being on the roof we don’t allow for security issues,” Sky told him.
“Well then ya tell me what the difference is and I will move, or show me the law,” Ali said.
“If it ain’t allowed then why it open to the public?” Voo asked.
“Move it you two. Last warning I’m giving!” Skyla shouted.
“Good question, Mr. Voo,” Ali observed.
“Sheriff you can’t arrest just for that,” Karl argued.
“Yes Karl, I can.”
Shooting rang out in the streets and Ansar called, “Doctor needed! Sirus is down! Cole done shot him!”
“Sheriff... I think the roof just became second priority,” the man who was with Ali at the beginning told her.
Skyla swore and ran over to Ansar and went to see if Sirus was alright. Bree walked over then and I greeted her. The others continued to complain about being told to get off a roof as Cole shouted that anyone who came after him would get shot. Soon someone yelled that Skyla got shot down.
“I knew this would be a good place to write,” I looked over at Libby.
“In the middle of chaos?” Libby asked.
“Exactly,” I smiled as the others continued to run for Black Diamond to find Cole.
“Damn, can’t go after him there,” Karl sighed.
“Gotta love jurisdiction,” I sighed.
“Screw jurisdiction and go serve some justice,” the first man argued.
“I can’t,” Karl sighed. “I do that, I lose my job.”
“Reckon I should take a walk,” I said to Libby as I stood and stretched.
“Take care Miss Trin... don’t want you gettin’ shot up too,” Libby told me.
“Don’t worry,” I smiled, walking south. I saw Cole standing just past the Pinkerton office building, before entering into Bisbee, and I stopped in my tracks.
“What you want, girl?” Cole asked harshly.
“I just wanna talk.”
“I just shot down two people... I hope you ain’t expecting something cordial...”
I folded my arms across my chest and looked at him. “You forget who you’re talkin’ to?”
“Right now it don’t matter... I’m a wanted man and I gotta keep on the run... so say what ya want’ta say?”
“You’ve got a death wish if you’re gonna come back into town and just start shooting law. We used to be friends and talk, remember? Don’t go down this road and do this to yourself.”
“I ain’t going back into that town until things cool off... three days or more. Then I give myself up.”
I sighed and said, “I saw you and Del walking through town together. You gonna give all that up by doin’ this again?”
“I’m an outlaw by nature... damn it Trin, you know that!”
“Yeah and I also know how you didn’t sleep most nights ‘till Del was back in your arms. You give yourself up and you’ll be asking to get hanged. Don’t be stupid, Cole. That’s all I’m sayin’.”
“So what you tellin’ me? Don’t give myself up?”
“I’m telling you... don’t just keep shootin’ up law ‘cause it’s only gonna get you into more and more trouble. Give yourself up but then don’t keep the cycle going.”
“Even if I go into town now,” Cole sighed, “and try to give myself up... they just shoot me first... unless you go with me and tell them I am giving myself u.”
“They won’t believe me if you’re packin’ all that heat.”
“Alright... I take it off.. but they still shoot me.” He dropped his guns and said, “There. It’s all off now.”
I nodded and said, “That’s better. Wait here and don’t move.” He nodded and I turned to walk over to the clinic. “Deputy Karl?”
“Yes ma’am?” he asked and Ansar turned to face me.
“Cole’s standing by the pinkerton office, willing to give himself up. Took off his guns and everything. Feel like making an arrest?”
“Marshal you help me?” Karl asked.
“Marshal, Oh no I turned in my badge. Take up the quiet life,” Ansar said and I blinked at that. “If ya insist, but if he handing himself over i don’t see why ya need me,” he said to me.
“Well cover my back,” Karl told him. “He do?” he looked at me, “Could be a trap.”
“Let’s go,” I said to them, hoping Cole wasn’t trying to be smart this time.
“Well might as well see if he will turn himself over,” Ansar said and we walked over to Cole.
“Turn around, back against me,” Karl told Cole, “and hands on your back.”
Cole placed his hands around his back and I smiled, seeing the situation under control. I nodded to Ansar and Karl before turning to go back to my office.
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