June 19, 1899

Bisbee. 

This morning I had Pet, Cora, and Peta over for coffee and girl talk at my new house. It felt so good to hang out with the ladies and just talk about our men and how we were feeling about things in town. When Pet had to leave to take care of business, Peta had me and Cora over to her house next door where we continued to talk. 

Later I walked into town and saw Ru talking with a little boy in front of the saloon. Ru told the boy not to get caught and I asked her if we were still on for the gig in Bisbee that afternoon. We confirmed a time and I wandered down the street and greeted everyone. “Howdy folks!” 

“Well I done hung up my guns and told Sky I’d behave,” Si was saying. “Feels like a piece of me has died, but I love her enough to do it.” 

“Can ya cook, Sirus?” Abby asked. 

I noticed a woman holding a basket of kittens and the woman asked if I wanted to hold one. I reached in and took a kitten, smiling when it pawed at my chest. “Wonder what Richie would say if I brought one home...” I thought as I played with the kitten. 

“Sure he would love it,” the woman smiled at me. “And they’re good to keep the field mice away from your flour bags and food.” 

“Yeah that’s a good point,” I chuckled and set the cat back carefully. 

While we stood around talking, we heard a firecracker from the distance and looked over, wondering what the noise was. When we couldn’t see anything I yawned slightly and sat back down to pull out my notebook. A man pulled out a mouth organ and played a few notes and then turned the song into playing Yankee Doodle while Sirus continued to wonder what kind of job he should do. 

“Well I am going to court this Saturday,” a woman said who I didn’t recognize. “But I will win.” I wondered what she would win but stayed quiet as she said, “I will prove the sheriff is corrupt.” 

“I’m sorry, the sheriff is what?” I raised my eyebrow at the woman. 

“She is corrupt.” 

“And you base that on what?” 

“Well I was a witness to a robbery. I reported it, told her everything. I know the street was empty behind the bank, just me and the robbers. They ran and I ran after but lost them. The sheriff said it was a witness say I had robbed the bank. I tried to defend my honor and she shot me and arrested me for bank robbery. I have never robbed a bank in my life.” 

“Maybe ya should have waited ‘till court to defend that honor of yers,” Sirus suggested. 

“I have,” she shrugged. 

I heard the telegram machine buzzing from the newspaper office and went inside to get it, looking over the court docket that had been telegraphed to me. I came back outside and sat down, reading it over. 

“I was right here when all that took place,” Si said. “Now it’s just my opinion but ya seemed to be flappin’ yer lips quite a bit after being warned a few times to get lost.” 

“It is a free world,” the woman stated. “She has no right to do so. Freedom of speech.” 

“Did ya know tat it’s actually a crime around here to open yer mouth too much?” Jade mumbled. “I learned that the hard way.” 

“Okay, I can confess to disturbing the peace but no more,” the girl argued. 

“You’ll be willing to admit to disturbing the peace then?” I chuckled. 

“I can admit I got angry. To be accused of bank robbery... I did not rob that bank.” 

“You think all your squawking now is helping?” Sirus asked. 

I chuckled when I found the case in question on the court doquet and discovered the woman’s name was Amo. I leaned over to Sirus and whispered, “Shh... I’m gonna take that case. Let her bury her own hole.” 

“I was a witness,” Amo argued. 

“Won’t take much,” Sirus looked at me and smiled, making me chuckle. 

“But I can say this much . When I am through with the sheriff she will apologize.” 

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Sirus chuckled. 

“Sirus, you’ll be my witness? You and Sky?” I whispered to him. 

“I have had big cases before,” Amo went on. “I only lost three cases. I am no outlaw. I am a scholar.” 

“Nah, count me out,” Sirus shook his head. “I ain’t never going back in that courtroom.” He looked at Amo and said, “Well Miss Amo, that’s the first thing ya said I’ll agree about. Ya sure ain’t no outlaw.” 

“I have a law degree, field medic training,” she bragged and I just chuckled as I wrote in my notebook and winked to Sirus. “I admit I was an outlaw many years ago but that’s over and done.” 

Bella asked if anyone wanted a ride on the stage and the man with the mouth organ said said, “I just spent three days on my ass in the coach here, so I’ll pass.” 

“That’s the most I heard outta you,” Jade looked over at him. 

“Ma’am,” the man touched the brim of his hat and nodded to her.

“I’m gonna wander around a bit. See ya’ll,” I stood and stretched before wandering back to my office. 

***

This afternoon I walked over to Kate’s and greeted Ali who was sitting there alone. “Hey there, Ali.” 

“Afternoon, Miss Trin.” 

“Mind if I join you? I’ll keep Richie’s seat warm for him,” I chuckled. 

“Oh please do,” Ali smiled. “Would be nice to have someone to chat with. Been quiet, too quiet for a while now.” 

“Well you can always chat with me!” 

“Your day is going well, I hope?” 

“Yup, got myself another case for this weekend,“ I smiled. “Amusingly the court docket came to me just as the woman was admitting to part of the charges,” I chuckled as Amo walked by then. “I went back to my office and sent Dee a telegram saying I would take the case.” 

“There was a fella here earlier who seemed a bit surprised there was a lady Pinky in town.” 

“Oh really? Who would that be?” 

“I believe he introduced himself as Mister Fred.” 

“Ah, I’ll have to meet with him I’m sure. Didn’t give you a last name?” 

“Perhaps he did but I wasn’t paying much attention. I just heard Fred. The way I figure it, if’n this town don’t have ladies doing some of the jobs ‘round here, nothing gets done.” 

“True enough,” I nodded as we greeted Jade. “And there’s been female Pinkertons since ’68, a year before I started the job.” 

“Sheriff was in town for a short while,” Ali said after some time. 

“Was she?” I smiled. 

“She was. When I came back to town about thirty minutes or so later, she was gone.” 

“I suppose it’s good that I wasn’t here for that,” Jade chuckled. 

“I’m going to be making myself sheriff soon,” Ali laughed. 

“Oh are ya?” 

“Well, why not? Ain’t no law around.” 

“I suppose I’d have to be runnin’ for the border if ya did that,” Jade grinned and I chuckled. 

“Wonder where that man of mine is...” I looked around, missing Richie. 

“Can only aim at ya with my words for the time being,” Ali told Jade. “If ya can’t take what I have to say then I suppose it would be best to run. I ain’t going to be supplying the town with hankies for tears.” 

“I strike the town with bullets for fears...” Jade rubbed her chin. 

“If’n I could holster, I’d be doing the same,” Ali sighed. 

“Well it’ll be your time before you know it,” Jade winked. 

“People have made threats before and I’m still here,” I looked over to Jade. 

“People threatened you?” Jade looked at me. “Can’t imagine why, all I see ya doin’ is sittin’ and mindin’ yer own business. I like people like that.” 

“You’d be surprised, miss Jade. You’d be surprised,” I nodded. “Not wearin’ a gun don’t make me invisible.” 

“To be quite honest with you, I don’t reckon I would be overly surprised. There’s some loon around here...” Jade ruffled her skirt. “I always have my guns... all the time. Yah just can’t see ‘em.” 

“Yeah I suppose you wouldn’t be surprised. When I was a deputy I got a couple of threats but nothing ever came of ‘em. I’ve helped the marshals put a couple people behind bars... Clint Houston, for one.” 

“Is that so? You finally tracked down Clint?” Ali looked over. 

“I don’t believe in the law, to be honest with you,” Jade nodded. “I find justice in my own forms. I have my own fashion in how things are done, regarding whatever the situation may be. Everything is too crooked for me here. I’d rather rise, rebel, and resist than stand side by side with a badge and get pampered for cracking down on the wrong people the majority of the time.” 

“Amen to that,” Ali agreed. 

“Yep,” I nodded to Ali. “He came into town and had a dual with Jimmi and lost. I made sure he was watched while he was in the clinic then we got him to the cell when he was healed up. Then went out back to watch the entrance but he held Skyla hostage inside and got out somehow... Only to get shot down and killed later that night. I’d been tracking him for about a month. Finally got to meet him while he was in cuffs. No feeling like it.”

“I remember you asking Gabe and me about him when we first came to town,” Ali nodded. 

“No one seemed real talkative about him. Still tryin’ to track down his brother but I haven’t heard any rumblings about him either; Dominic that is.”

“Never met him either.” 

“Probably a good thing,” I nodded. 

Jade left and I decided to head over to the saloon and practice for my gig later. 

***

This evening I wandered into town, looking for something to do. I greeted Victoria in front of the saloon and she told me she was getting a bit better every day since Nhil died. I sat in front of the Epitath with Jade and Libby while a group of outlaws hung out in front of Kate’s down the street. Victoria said she was still upset about the rumor of her and Cole and I told her not to let it get to her. 

Cole came over and Victoria said, “Well hello there Cole so when is our date, since we are suppose to be dating and such.” 

“We are?” Cole blinked. 

“Yep go ask Ms Abby she is the one that let me know that we are.” 

“Oh...” Cole said. “Well... I be happy to escort you to the next dance here in town if ya like?” 

“No I’d rather go with a rattle snake Cole.” 

“Alright. I can arrange that fer ya... if you prefer Miss Victoria,” Cole nodded and I chuckled. 

“I am just trying to put an end to the lies that will get back to your dear old wife Cole,” Victoria told him. 

“There so many rumors, another won’t hurt me none,” Cole laughed. 

“The rumors are gonna keep spreading the longer you talk about them, Vic. Trust me on that,” I warned her. 

“I’m not so worried... Del be back in a month or so. She get so many rumors coming her way, what she do is up to her,” Cole shrugged. 

“I just find them rather childish and a waste of time when I’ve don’t nothing to these people,” Victoria sighed. 

“If you think they’re a waste of time then don’t give them the time of day,” I said. 

“Well that is hard when they smack you in the face every day.” 

“Victoria... rumors run through this town all day and all night like waters run through a river... you got’ta let them roll off ya,” Cole told her. 

“Whether it be in your face or in a letter or behind your back,” Victoria sighed. 

“Hey cole and Vic, I have an empty room at the hotel. I’ll let ya’ll borrow for the night if ya want,” Abby hollered over and I rolled my eyes. 

Gunshots rang out from the saloon down the street and I looked over seeing a bunch of outlaws running out, but didn’t have the energy to deal with it. 

“Maybe that what you need, Victoria, is a real kiss.” 

I looked from Cole to Victoria as she disagreed and I sighed as she said she wasn’t going to kiss him. I stood and put a hand on Cole’s arm. “Cole, come on. Let it go.” He brushed me off and I backed up. “Fine, do whatever the hell you want, Cole. You never cared what I said anyway.”

As the outlaws continued to shoot each other Punk called out that he was US Marshal Tyler Durden. I said that I was going home and walked off angrily towards the office, frustrated again that there was no law in town to do anything about the chaos.