Tombstone.
This morning I walked into the sheriff’s office and clocked in and checked to see if there were any new warrants. I heard Sky and Ansar shouting outside and went outside to join them as they were talking about the incident yesterday in Pearce. Sky again reminded me to close the door again and Tye came over, greeting me and calling me “Rookie”.
“Think I might wander around a bit. Call if ya need somethin’,” I said then.
“I already walked around a bit,” Tye shrugged.
“Was up late last night talkin’ about Tom with Chet so I slept in. Need to move around.”
“Oh, that. What’s all that about?” Tye asked.
“Chet’s been talking to Tom in town... he doesn’t remember anything, just said that I would have the medical papers or somethin’. Thinks his name is John. Has no memory of what happened, doubt he’ll even remember me to see me.”
“Uh, dead Tom? Like burned in the fire back home dead Tom?” Tye asked.
“John… Wait, John who?” Sky asked.
“Yeah, the guy that I thought was dead whom I’d been courtin’ since February Tom.”
“You sure ya ain’t just seein’ things?”
“What last name is he using Trin?” Sky asked.
“I haven’t seen him yet. Pet said she’d seen Chet talkin’ to him, and he matched the description I’d given her. Then Chet came to me last night and told me all about it. Chet didn’t mention a last name,” I looked at her.
“Ya mean I done gave you my whiskey for nothin’? Bah!” Tye grunted. “Why I even bother.”
“I have no idea what’s goin’ on anymore... I won’t believe it till I see him,” I looked at Tye. “I just hope he doesn’t…” I shook my head. “Gonna check something in the office first,” I said and turned to the office. I took another pill for the pain in my shoulder and then went back outside.
“Oh Cole. I need ya ta fill a statement out,” Sky was saying. “About Nhil yesterday, please.”
“Huh? What happened yesterday?” Tye asked.
“Hey Cole,” I nodded to him.
“Oh, Nhil shot him. Early in the morning,” Sky said.
“Really…” I looked at Sky.
“And you still employ him?” Tye shook his head.
“Gonna wander around,” I said and looked at Cole before heading around the corner. I felt like I was being followed and turned to see Nhil. “What’s up?”
“On patrol?” he looked around.
“Wandering around,” I said with a smile. “Somethin I can help you with?”
“Nope… do I need a reason?” he smirked. “Still mad at me, so just allowed to talk to you on official matters?” he joked.
“You asked about official matters first,” I smiled. “How are you doing?”
“Oh… I guess…” he shrugged and rubbed his chin. “I am well Ma’am, just see how you doing as Miss Law Woman.”
“That’s sweet. I’m alright. Still sore from bein’ shot in the arm twice in one day the other day but the meds seem to be helping,” I smiled.
“Well you looking like you are in..umm..healthy condition,” he smirked suddenly. “Just glad it working out. It can be a hard job I am sure.. and no thanks for those you help… well.. I would thank you, but usually I help you,” he teased.
“Yeah well, it’s been a while since I’ve been in this position... being a Pinkerton you don’t really... do much, I learned. Needed something with a bit more productivity, ya know?”
“I understand exactly what you mean.. why I am a ranch hand. So much horse shit to shovel… barely can come into town without it getting deep enough to make the horses learn to doggy paddle,” he joked.
“I grew up on a ranch so I know what ya mean. It ain’t the most clean of environments,” I chuckled.
“I don’t mind… Soap does magic,” Nhil shrugged and looked around with a sigh. “Well… Suppose you should get going. Don’t want you getting in trouble for hanging out with the mean outlaw Nhil the Crazy shooter!”
“Guess I should wander around,” I said and chuckled. “Stay safe, Nhil.”
I walked back into town and saw a crowd growing, so I walked over with curiosity. Wedge had his hands on his weapons already and I rose an eyebrow with interest.
“You’re an idiot,” Nhil sighed as he looked over at Cole. “Said Lot told me you go around to every woman for personal… interests… It was Sky that says you try to gun her down lately. Need it said with less words? Or words with less syllables?”
“What is going on?” Starling asked.
“Not sure… Nuttin’ good, Missus,” Wedge looked back at Starling.
“Some cussin and accusin bewteen married folk, the usual stuff. Could end up with fists flying. Want to take a wager?” Jimmi asked.
“Naw, I know better Sir,” Wedge chuckled.
“Pffft. Yeah. I try to introduce you to Lot the other night and you sudden ride off. I’ll ask around as to whether you even meet him yet,” Cole said.
“What, for Cole? No thanks,” Starling said.
“I don’t know… he is taller than me. A big man,” Jimmy said.
“I don’t need to meet Lot, he is my brother.. idiot,” Nhil shrugged and leaned over to check his horse’s shoes.
“Cole, what does it matter? Honestly?” Sky asked.
“Ohhhh… he your brother now? Lot never tell me that… and I asked him.”
“Always was....you never asked,” Nhil nodded.
“Cole, stop trying ta stir shit? Ya wanna do that go ta the corral,” Sky smirked.
“Does Lot know he has a brother?” Jimmi asked.
“Honey do you think it wise that the children should stay in the street?” Starling asked.
“That’s a lie,” Nhil said. “Kris gave you a gun, and you came at me to take me down.”
“Well honey, we better be to church now,” Jimmi said. “If this is testimony I don’t want to hear it today,” Jimmi said and started to lead Starling away.
“Any more lies… I can work through them one by one… Well don’t break out of jail and come at me, when you don’t have the brains to pull your guns in time.. You’re just slow in the brain and the draw.. not going to wait for you to shoot at me,” Nhil said.
“Nhil, why don’t ya take Silver fer a walk?” Sky suggested.
“You crazy Nhil .. you shoot me in the bar.... with your guns drawn out… where was the law that day??” Cole asked.
I went over to the soldier I’d seen in Pearce and he introduced himself as Wedge. I introduced myself and continued to listen to the argument between Nhil and Cole.
“I was called citizen’s arrest.. and you had your guns out, you shot Alex and why he shot you too..when you were shooting at me when I came inside the saloon… but of course you lied to Paige and told her you were unarmed like the liar you are.. two timer,” Nhil nodded.
“Those two at it again?” I nodded to Nhil and Cole.
“Seems so,” Wedge nodded.
“I shoot you now too…” Cole hissed at Nhil.
“And on a Sunday too... Think they couldn’t just give it a rest for one day…” I sighed.
“Nice to meet you though, Trin,” Wedge nodded.
“You too, Wedge,” I smiled.
“Cole, you draw, I’m taking ya down. No ands, ifs, or buts,” Sky insisted.
“Go ahead,” Nhil nodded.
“You just lucky you got Sky in yer pocket,” Cole said.
“Ain’t about having me in his pocket,” Sky said.
“Aww.. coping my words about you and Kris.. that’s cute.. not very original but don’t expect much from you,” Nhil said.
“I’ve arrested him, for crying out loud,” Sky said. “Now Cole, stop pissing and whinning and carrying on. You came up bothering him. Go about ya way.”
Nhil and Cole greeted Luke and we took notice of his name as he was introduced. Cole said then, “If sky not here I take you up on that Nihl… but why should I get shot down by your friend in the back… just to have a shot at you…”
“Don’t worry about her,” Nhil said. "You will be down before she draws… and she not your friend.. we went through this, she don’t like you… or want to do anything with you… Go find your wife you chased out of town, and swoon her instead of Miss Sky.”
“Cole, hush it and go on,” Sky said.
“You heard me wrong Nihl… she YOUR friend… she shoot me down in the back… if I shoot you,” Cole said.
“Hey, I’m only this to keep you two from hurting ANYONE,” Sky said. “So behave, the both of ya.”
“Oh..then you did understand right...good job, I take that back,” Nhil nodded.
“We find another time like this morning early when she not as attentive… and have our own little party,” Cole said.
“Skyla… Is that your horse?” Luke asked.
“Indeed she is,” Sky nodded. “One of em.”
“Is he fast?”
“Whenever you want to get shot, and go cry like a baby to the law to get me arrested..you go a head..be that big bad outlaw everyone knows your not....just like you were yesterday,” Nhil nodded.
“She,” Sky corrected. “Luke, she’s a she, not a he.”
“You the one saying I’m some big bad outlaw. I never say that bout myself,” Cole said.
“Like my Pa always said...don’t let your alligator mouth, over load your jay bird rear end,” Nhil said and I gave Cole a look, trying to calm him down, as he walked off and kicked the dirt.
“Yeah metaphors are wasted on the dim witted,” Nhil nodded.
I looked over at Nhil and said, “You already said I couldn’t tell ya what to do, or I’d tell you again to give it a rest.”
I watched Rikki ride by with the wagon and Wedge mumbled, “Wonder what else she’s going to blow up or steal.”
I chuckled at that and Nhil looked at Sky and said, “Yyesa master..right away mesta...me be goin’ right quick....don;t get the switch masta.” He took Silver by the bridle and winked at me. “He started it, Trin… I just don’t back down. You can ask Sky who started, people need to stop protecting outlaws and crapping on the victims of this here town that defend themselves.”
“I don’t care what started it today. How did this feud between them start in the first place? From what I understand it’s been goin’ on a while,” I looked around.
“Cole.. All I’m saying,” Sky looked at me.
“It ain’t that simple. It never is,” I sighed.
“Hate never is,” Wedge shrugged.
“True enough,” I nodded to him. I saw Cole sitting across the road and walked over to him. “Cole…?” I started as I heard Keiki shouting to Ansar and Cas.
“Huh?” Cole was staring off into space.
“You wanna talk?”
“Um…. ‘bout what, Trin?”
“You and Nhil.”
“What about him?” Cole glared.
“Where’d all this tension come from?”
“He new to town and trying to take it over is what.”
“Is that so?”
“That is so.”
“Take it over how?”
“Lot used to manage the town in a semi respectable manner… he ain’t even been around lately,” Cole said. “Now this Nihl has been running this town buckshot. Killing everyone that move. This guy is dirty... AND new.... like he own the place. Lot a fool sometime.. he ain’t no preacher boy. But Nhil is like the devil himself. You haven’t seen the half of what he done. And he jest get here.”
“You gotta keep your head clean, Cole. You want Del to come back and find you in jail? Or dead?” I looked at him.
“Del be gone a while yet .. and in the meantime I’m getting all the Outlaws together and we all going to have a circle talk with this Nihl and show him he ain’t our boss .. burn him at the stake if need be. What? You think we let him take over the town?”
“Just seen this before… It didn’t end well.”
“Well… ain’t no new person running us over.”
I stood and looked at Cole. “Just... Let us handle this the right way, alright?”
“Pfft… the way Sky does?” Cole asked.
“You don’t trust me, do you?” I looked at him.
“I trust you… to play it by the book. Nhil is dirty. You gotta play it dirty with him. You can’t do that Trin.”
“Cole…” I started.
“Howdy, Trin. Cole,” Dee walked over to us.
“Just…” I started and then greeted her, “Hey Dee.” I looked back to Cole and said, “Be smart about this, and legit,” I said and headed back across the road. I knew I needed to talk to Sky and walked over to her. She shook her head at me as if to say ‘not right now’. I nodded in understanding and we saw Kris walked out into the street. I watched Wedge head off and I walked down the street.
***
A few hours later I walked into town and greeted Nhil and the group sitting in front of the hotel. I could hear Tye shouting in the distance, “Blake! Stop!”
“What’s that all about?” I asked and ran to try and find Tye. I saw him standing with two women I hadn’t met yet and asked him, “Tye, What’s going on?”
“I reckon you never met Blake before,” Tye was saying to the woman.
“So as I was saying… This madwoman arrives with her handcannon and tells everyone to get out of the office or she’ll shoot,” one woman said.
“I will get him if so is the last thing I ever do,” said the other one.
“She counted to three and everyone fired,” said the other one.
“Wrong. I never did count to three.”
“And now you’re hunting down one of the two men that arrived after the first three men were already in there. So… good job.”
“I never did say three. It was so much easier in the old days.”
“Ma’am, I’ve never seen ya before and I got a whole lot of folks in my jail and some others sayin’ ya started a gunfight in the jail,” Tye looked between them.
“I did not. He shot the first shot. I did not fire once. Check my rifle,” the woman said and I realized what was going on, seeing that she still had her gun out.
“Well, regardless, you’ll have a heck of a time convincing a jury that he wasn’t just trying to defend himself. Get me a warrant and we’ll keep an eye out for him,” Tye said.
“I will.”
“Oi, Pinky, snap out of it,” Tye said then, looking over at me. I had been lost in my thoughts and blinked, looking back at him.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Go where? I’m right here. Anyhow. I asked if you got it figured out what happened?”
“Lead the way, then,” Tye sighed, following me as I walked towards the hotel.
“Need to talk to you about something. Alone.”
“Well? I’m up here. Let’s not linger too long. I don’t like leaving the street for too long,” Tye looked at me when we were alone.
“I don’t like leaving the street for too long. I got some intel on something that may be coming down the pike and I wanted to give you the heads up. I was talking to Cole about what’s been goin on between him and Nhil. This is gonna get ugly. More ugly than what it is now.”
“Yeh? And what specifically was said?”
“He said he was gonna get a ban of outlaws together and go against Nhil. Since he’s a new guy and tryin to ’take over the town’ as Cole said.”
“This ain’t the first time he’s said that.”
“It’s not?”
“What do you want to do, put full time guard on Nhil? Man’s been shooting up the town, Tombstone gets even eventually.”
“I know... I just couldn’t not tell you about the conversation. Full disclosure and all that. Cole trusts me to play this by the book. I think I can keep getting him to feed me more information but it could get dicey.”
“Cole trusts you to play this by the book? Does he not get what the book even is? He gets a gang against Nhil, they’ll all hang.”
“I get that, Tye, I do,” I nodded. “But this is gonna get real ugly real fast and it ain’t gonna stop at the two of them shooting just each other. I’ve got an in with Cole if we want to use it. We’re just friends so it ain’t nothin like that... He’s committed to Del. But he does tell me things.”
“No one’s ever said he ain’t an idiot.”
“Was that a compliment, Tye Durden?” I blinked at him.
“In what bizarre world would that be a compliment?” Tye looked at me, dumbfounded.
“I said Cole trusts me, we’re good friends. You said no one ever said he wasn’t an idiot, meaning he picks his friends wisely?”
“No one. Has ever said. ‘Cole’s not an idiot’. Meanin’ he’s a damn fool.”
“Let’s get down there again,” I glared at him and started to turn.
“You got a badge now. He talks to you, he’s dumber than I thought.”
“He talked to me before I had this badge,” I shrugged.
“But, exploit it, I got no issue with that.”
“Okay,” I nodded.
“Your chest is nicer than mine.”
“Now I know that was a compliment,” I chuckled.
“Gonna check on V,” Tye sighed and headed down the street, looking at V. He looked over at a woman nearby and asked, “You folks seen his hands, right? That old man, weren’t no old man. That was Blake.”
“That what Punk’s callin himself these days? I swear he has a new name every time I see him,” I looked over.
“His name’s Blake. Ain’t Punk or Poe or whatever else he calls himself. He’s William Blake,” Tye shook his head. “Well I just felt like talkin’, V. So here I am, talkin’. Well, ya friend there - the Ranger - got shot by Blake and was lookin’ for him. Or right here, frankly.”
The Apache walked into town then and I listened to them talk as I grew curious about what was going on. I went over to Blake and said, “Blake, hold up.”
“Excuse me, son,” Punk said to Tye and I watched him.
“When I got shot the other day ... You told Chet to keep me close. Why?” I asked him.
“Nice hands ya got there, old man,” Tye sighed and shook his head at the old man.
“Must have mistook me fer’ someone, young woman,” he told me.
“Sure I did. Well if you see the real William Blake, whoever the hell he is... Tell him I need to speak with him.”
“Be sure to keep that in mind, lady,” the man said and cautiously glanced over at Tye.
“Be on with ya, ’old man’. The ranger ain’t got nothin’ on ya, and neither do I. So best head on before she realizes it,” Tye shrugged.
“I’ll be in the office,” I looked between the man and Tye. I headed into the office and closed the door to take a nap.
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