Tombstone.
This morning I sat in front of the hotel drinking a coffee I had made at the office. Twig came over to me and asked, “You sheriff?”
“Nope,” I shook my head. “Detective. I kind of work with the sheriff though... Something happen?”
“You act like sheriff.”
“One major difference,” I patted my hip. “I don’t use guns.”
“Fake doctor sell snake oil and says ‘GAR-RUN-TEE’ but not give money back.”
“Dr. Frank?” I chuckled.
“I not know his name, but now he say he trains to be real doctor. Law says he must honor his words?”
“Yup, he was talking to Peta about that the other day.” I nodded. “In theory yep. I’ll have a talk with him if I see him.” She nodded and I asked, “Did his stuff not work?”
“What law say about cutting off his fingers for stealing like in Apache tribe?” Twig wondered.
I shook my head, “That would be different than white man law. I couldn’t allow that either..”
“He say cures all, snake oil only fire water with honey,” Twig muttered.
“And what happened?”
“It not make friend feel better, only make her sleep.”
“Hmm... Who was your friend?”
“Sister Waterfall.”
“Oh I see. Well I’ll definitely have a talk with him.”
“Maybe white mans DE-TEK-TUV do better than sheriff and marshal.”
“Thanks hon. I just try to be here and let people talk it out instead of fighting all the time with guns.”
“No guns,” she placed her hand on her knife.
I shook my head and said, “The point is to solve these things without violence. It’s more productive that way. Violence just creates more violence.”
“I try talking now you try talking. Maybe him listen to older person.”
“Maybe,” she nods.
“Moon Dove not likes being pat on head like dog.”
“I don’t blame you for that,” I said, not surprised that Frank was treating her that way.
“I go now. DE-TEK-TUV Lady,” she said. “Yadalanh.”
“Okay, Yadalanh, Twig. Stay safe.”
She walked away and I went to sit down in front of the hotel, waiting for Frank. I looked up half an hour later and saw the man who’d played the mouth organ. I waved and said, “Hi there.”
“Ma’am,” he nodded as he tipped the brim of his hat as he walked out of the hotel.
“Fine day out here. I noticed you were playing a mouth organ yesterday?”
He nodded again, looking up at the sky. “Fine day indeed... it’s just a way to pass time.”
“Well I’m a musician too so I can appreciate the art,” I nodded.
“Oh I’d hardly call me a musician,” he chuckled.
“Don’t think we’ve ben fully introduced,” I smiled at him.
He smiled back, lifting his hat slightly. “Name’s Fred, ma’am”
“Detective Trin Paige,” I nodded to him.
“Detective?” he blinked with surprise.
“Yes Sir,” I nodded.
He took a few steps closer, smirking. “And, uh... what sort of detective might that just be?”
“Pinkerton Detective, Sir. What, never seen a female detective before?” I smiled and then muttered, “Someone’s gotta uphold the law around this town.”
“I reckon I’ve seen my share of Pinkertons, even the ones of a more feminine persuasion... Just didn’t expect to find a woman detective here in Tombstone,” he chuckled.
“Well ya just did,” I smiled at him sweetly. “Try to solve things with conversation rather than violence... Much more productive and less ramifications. Less paperwork too,” I winked at him.
He grinned, wiping his hand off in his duster before offering it to Trin, “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am... I’m Alfred Pinkerton.”
I blinked at the last name and held my hand for a moment before shaking his. “Nice to meet you Sir.”
Richie walked over then and said, “Well howdy, Trin.”
I looked over and smiled, “Well look who it is. Darlin’, this here’s Fred Pinkerton. Just met him. Fred, this is my man Richie.”
“Fred nice to meet ya,” Richie nodded.
Fred shot a squinting glare at him and said, “Uh, howdy!”
“Well now we’ve got ourselves a party. Fred... I can see how you would have had lots of interaction with my kind with a last name like that,” I said.
“Problem with your eyes there sir?” Richie asked.
“Sun’s in my eyes,” Fred shrugged.
“Yeah, it’s bright this time of day.”
Fred looked over to me and said, “Ma’am, I have a letter for your boos to read... If you could just direct me?”
“Well seeing as I’m the only one who’s detectiving around here you could just pass that note on to me.”
“Oh, I reckon that letter’s for you then...” he handed me the twice-folded envelope from his pocket after dusting it off. I took it from him and beginning to read.
Detective Alfred Pinkerton is my nephew and is who he says he is. Due to unfortunate behavior, I have sent him to Tombstone to work in the Pinkerton office and learn the family ways.
Sincerely, Bob Pinkerton.
I folded the paper and asked, “What kind of unfortunate behavior are we talking about here, Fred?”
“Is that what it says?” he blinked. “Uh... I don’t really think that’s the case, if you know what I mean... I was working a strike break, and... well a few people got hurt.”
I chuckled, having the feeling that wasn’t the full story. “Richie darlin’, sounds like we’re not being told everything, don’t it?”
“Not sure,” Richie shook his head. “You know this man?”
“Just meeting him today. Though he played a nice mouth organ yesterday while we were all just sittin’ around out here.”
“Well, I’m sticking to my story! And my uncle thought my... uh... abilities were better spent out here than on the east coast.”
“What is your business here sir?? If you don’t mind me asking,” Richie wondered.
“Uh huh... and what abilities are those?” I leaned over to Richie and explained, “He has a letter here from his uncle who’s a Pinkerton... says that he’d be more useful here apparently but I don’t like bein’ lied to,” I looked over to Fred.
“Miss Trin send off letter to your boss see ifin he knows this feller,” Richie suggested.
“Well, I can be very intimidating... and uh... I know how to shoot a gun fairly well... And I know people, think that’s why my uncle wanted me to be a detective in the first place,” Fred told us.
“Well that could come in handy. Seems we’re running low in lawmen around here,” I looked to Richie and said, “Don’t really have a boss at the moment. I always just went to Ansar but I don’t even know if he’s still a marshal or not.”
“Sir no offense, but just cause you come in town toting the last name Pinkerton don’t mean spit...” Richie told him.
“You can wire the Washington office if you like...” Fred told us.
“He’s got this letter, but you’re right. He coulda just written it up,” I looked from Richie to Fred.
“You may just be trying to use your name to hide,” Richie suggested. “Whatcha hiding from?”
Fred looked accusingly at Richie and asked, “Now why would a man use Pinkerton as a name to hide behind in a place like this?”
I looked to Richie and said, “He’s got a point... It ain’t the most well-liked name... Seems that name would just be putting more of a target on his back.”
“From what I heard that would be suicide,” Fred added.
“Pinkerton is a respected name anywhere and only target it puts on his back is from outlaws but very welcomes by law,” Richie argued.
“Exactly my point. I didn’t wear a badge for the longest time ‘cause people didn’t seem to take too kindly to it. Everyone knows what I do now though,” I chuckled at Fred then turned to Richie. “That’s true actually... ‘round here people come to me with information before they go to the law ‘cause they know I’ll do somethin’ about it.”
“Ask any labourman, sir, they’ll tell you a Pinkerton’s a louse. You dont do strikebreaking and stay popular for long,” Fred shot to Richie.
“Sorry for my mistrusting ways but I play poker fer a living and I trust nobody,” Richie said.
“Sir,” I looked to Fred, “I will be wiring Washington to verify your story but in the meantime why don’t you familiarize yourself with the town and its people... See what kind of stuff you can dig up.”
“I’d expect nothing less. Will do, ma’am,” Fred shifted his cigarette to the other side of his mouth and nodded casually at Richie. “Take care now.”
“Pleasure, Sir. You’re staying here at the hotel?” I asked. He nodded in response as he began to stroll along the street. I looked over at Richie and said, “Well that was interesting.”
“Yep it was. Hey, I have a question fer ya. Did they ever catch up with who robbed the bank? Cause I know who it was.”
“I believe that’s actually going to court this Saturday. I’ll be prosecuting it. Were you there?”
“Well it depends. I have been out of town lately prospecting mines. Can you do one of them there statements? I was here that morning.”
“You were huh? You could give me a statement to read in court... Unless you want to be an acting witness in court...”
“You better take the statement just in case I can’t be there.”
“Okay sure,” I got out my notebook. “So what did you see hon?”
“Well, I was here at the bakery drinking coffee, just trying to relax. I heard an awful lot racket coming from bank. Me not being armed and knowing there weren’t no law around, I eased to back of hotel and watched the bank. All of a sudden a woman... I was shocked seeing a woman at first so I looked all around fer anybody else, not a soul to be seen. So I watched her close and she came out with two big ole bags.”
“Bags, huh? Did they look full to you?”
“She could barely pack ‘em so full they were...”
“Really...”
“So I eased back in the hotel not to be seen. Se went down the back street, down behind the saloon. So then, I walked back out front of bakery drinking my coffee and the same, very same woman, came screaming the bank been robbed by two men she had given chase to. Miss Trin, weren’t no men.”
“Wow...” I shook my head. “So she lied.”
“She was trying to cover her own misdeed.”
“Mmhmm. That’s brilliant information, Richie! I could just kiss you!”
“She robbed that bank herself.”
“Seems pretty evident, don’t it?”
“Now Miss Trin, we’re in public.”
“I’ve got at least five witnesses I could question on the stand that all saw the same thing.”
“She’s guilty as sure as we be sitting here.”
I reached over and squeezed his hand. “Come with me,” I pulled him up with me.
“And me with no coffee.”
“I’ll give ya somethin’ better than coffee.”
“Okay, if’n you say so.”
I led him into Kate’s and we danced around before he had to walk off to the mines half an hour later.
I walked out of the saloon and waved to Fred who was sitting cleaning his guns in front of the saloon. I asked him if he wanted to check out the office and he said okay so I led him over to the Pinkerton office. I sat down at my desk and began to type out a wire to Washington while he looked around the office.
“Well this is the place,” I said as I typed.
“Not the offices I’m used to, but I reckon it serves it’s purposes.”
“What were you expecting?”
“After what I’ve seen in this here town so far, nothing in particular.”
“It grows on you,” I said as I impatiently waited for the reply from Washington. “Tell me more about what happened back home with the protests.”
“Well it was a cotton mill strike, that we were sent out to break up, and as you probably know, tempers rise, when laborers are told to work longer for less. Five detectives were hospitalized, you know...”
“Sure,” I nodded.
“Anyway, we were told to form a line and break the strikers up, and one thing lead to another, and it ended up in a fist fight between some 40 workers and us detectives.”
“Sounds like quite the day,” I nodded and heard the ticking from the wire machine. I went over and read the note from Washington and nodded affirmatively.
“A few of us thought we should have an edge on them, so we brought weights with us... you know, to give our hands a little extra... uh... oompf...”
“Uh huh,” I stuck the letter in the file and prompted for him to continue.
“Yeah that’s pretty much the reaction I got from my uncle.”
I chuckled and said, “Your uncle and I would get along well then I suspect.”
“He’s an old geezer who loves his desk.”
“Well it seems your story checks out. Washington’s verified it.”
“Told ya,” he picked up a pouch from his pocket and started rolling up a cigarette.
“Had to check it out, Sir. Can’t be too careful in this day and age. Surely you can respect that.”
“Of course... so, what now?” he lit the cigarette and nodded.
“Well I have a few people I need to hunt down for my case on Saturday... I’m a prosecutor as well as a detective.”
“Oh?”
“Mmhmm. Gotta do somethin’ to keep me busy ya know? Figure I can’t arrest people but at least that way I can maybe influence it.”
“So you’re wantin’ me to make sure these people show up for the court?”
“Nah not necessarily. Just sayin’ that’s what I gotta do. Ain’t even sure if they’re in town though...”
“You know, there ain’t nobody around here who know me... might wanna take advantage of that.”
“That’s very true.. You may get further with some people than me since I don’t wear a gun...”
He shifted in his seat and asked, “So what... I’m hired?”
“Why don’t we give it some time... Like I said earlier, get to know the town and the people... We’ll see how it goes?”
“Yeah I can do that... Any suggestions where to being though?”
“Hmm let’s see... There’s a couple people I still haven’t been able to track down for the marshals. Guy by the name of Dominic James. Ran with his brother Clint Houston who we eventually got and landed up getting shot dead. Dom’s still runnin around somewhere and there’s a bunch of warrants out on him.”
He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb in the general direction of the town. “I didn’t really figure out the saloons yet... Don’t suppose one or more of them are preferred by these types?”
“Kate’s is the big one... the saloon right beside the Epitath which is where the newspaper office is. I’d hang around there.”
“Right across from the sheriff’s? Bold...”
I stood and looked at him. “You’ll notice... law ain’t around much. There’s a fort north of here where there’s some rangers and such if we need ‘em... Sheriff Skyla’s in town occasionally and she’s the sheriff here. Then there’s a couple marshals but I ain’t seen ‘em much. And a couple of deputies too. Outlaws don’t really have much to be afraid of as of late though.”
“One more now, then.”
“Shall we get to it then?” I smiled.
“I don’t mind gettin’ dirty.” I chuckled and he held the door open. “Ladies first.”
I smiled at him and lead the way down to the street. “I need to go talk to a man by the hotel. Keep in touch.”
“Take care now,” he touched the brim of his hat and kept walking.
Walking over to Kate’s I saw Frank and Serenity talking. “Frank, just the man I was lookin’ for.”
“Ah hello Miss Trin.”
“Mind if we chat inside a bit?”
“Oh sure, Anything ya need? Note I don’t sale snake oils no more. No cash in it.”
“Good, ‘cause that was gonna get you in trouble anyway. Heard Waterfall fell asleep instead of got healed from it.”
“Waterfall? You mean the apache gal. Never understand a word they say to me. But they all look alike.”
“Well anyway I’d advise Twig gets her money back for it before she takes other action. But that ain’t
what I want to talk to you about only.”
“Well I will follow you then,” he said and I led the way into Kate’s. “Don’t you have an office?”
“Sure do but this ain’t Pinkerton work.”
“Well? I don’t have all day for you to tell me what this IS about.”
“I’m prosecuting the case against Amo in the bank robbery from the other day. I heard you were one of the witnesses... Was wondering if you’d be willing to testify in court for me?”
“Oh sure but I didnt witnesses the crime itself. I witness her bragging about the details of the crime.”
“Didn’t you also assist Ru in the clinic?”
“Miss Dee was there. She would tell you. Oh yes I did! Sheriff Skyla shoot her and Ru took out the bullet. I was there for the arrest.”
“Ah okay. Thing is the report says that Amo threatened you for saying that she robbed the bank?”
“And sometimes I am not here on the weekends. But I can make a statement on what I heard and seen.”
“Can ya write one out for me and send it to me? Then I can just read it in court if ya ain’t here. With any information that you think might help our case. She’s on for disturbing the peace, harassment, resisting arrest and robbing the bank.”
“Oh no, she threatened miss Dee. Standing right next to her I was.”
“If you can report on any of that you witnessed it’d be hugely helpful.”
“Well lets see. She said the bank doors where shoot open. and she admitted being in the bank. When Miss Dee questioned her about it. She treated her life. She also knew how the vault was opened in detail. after she threatened Miss Dee when I called the sheriff to take care of her. I also heard Waterfall claim to have seen her walking out of the bank with bags of money. I would talk to her.”
“I hope that helps.”
“That does help a lot. If you could still write a statement for me to read that’d help even more, to get it from your perspective if you ain’t around.”
“Oh, and when The sheriff asked for her to give up her weapons she done right said no.”
“I’d include that in the statement too.”
“Oh, I got to write it?”
“Well, I suppose I could write it from what ya just told me... Would be even better if you were there in person and I could question you on the stand. It’s at 1:00 on Saturday.”
“Yeah, weekends are very hard for me to show up. Don’t expect me there, sorry.”
“Sure. I’ll write up a statement from this conversation then if that’s alright with you.”
“That’s okay.”
“Okay. Thanks for this, Frank. I appreciate it.”
“I will even sign it if ya like.”
“Wonder if Dee will be the judge and if I can include her as a witness,” I chuckled.
“No clue.”
“Well I’ll let you get back to it. Thaks again, Frank. I’ll let you read over the statement when I’ve written it up.”
We said goodbye and I wandered back to my office. I found Pet down the street with the woman who was selling the cats and she said she was giving her a tour of the town. I decided to go with them and we wandered around all the neighboring areas around Tombstone. We found a stable that was giving away horses to ride for free and we rode them around while Pet showed us the different places. After a while I rode home and tied the horse to the fence in front of my house and got ready for my gig.
I went to the Stock Exchange in Bisbee that afternoon and played to another full house. It felt so good to share the music that I loved with them and it was very well-received. I even dedicated a song to Richie. Mikk Graves entered the saloon with a woman I didn’t know and I smiled, welcoming the man I remembered was once the preacher back in Colorado.
***
When I got to my office that night I had received a wire from the sheriff saying that she needed to talk to me as soon as possible. I sent a wire back to Skyla and asked what was going on. I heard her in the street and she called, “Find Trin! Get her here!”
I heard Skyla’s shout and shouted back, “I’ll meet you at your office!” Running down to the office, I heard Punk say, “Apache Chief don’t like what happened to his child and wife. He wants blood.. they are out for blood. And in three moons.. they will get it.”
“Do go ahead, Trin,” Sky said and followed us in. Another man walked in as well and Skyla slammed the door behind us. “Okay look, we got an issue, a huge one.”
“What’s your name, Sir?” Liz asked the man.
“Apache just in town,” Sky told us. “Sorry about my manners but the town depends on us. Little Chief has been taken and the finger is being pointed at the rangers!”
I listened and tried to clear my head so I could focus. “I’m sorry... Little Chief is the Apache Chief’s kid?!”
“We have three moons to get this under control,” Sky told us.
“Well I didn’t do it,” the man in the ranger’s uniform said.
“How long is three moons?” Liz asked.
“Three nights,” I told her.
“Shane, your name was the first said by someone,” Sky told the ranger, “So we have to figure this out and fast, or prepare for war.”
“By someone?” I looked from Skyla to Shane, back to Skyla. “By whom?”
“Ya’ll mean the other Shane,” the ranger shook his head. “Shane T. Not me.”
“The chief doesn’t know, only said rangers were involved!” Sky told me then looked back at him. “Is there another Ranger Shane, Shane?”
“Not that I know of,” Shane shook his head. “We have an imposter.”
“Well we need to figure it out. That’s why I have ya’ll here,” Sky said.
“I’ll put my money on it bein’...” I muttered.
“Calvary needs to be involved. If they come to war with town there aren’t enough of us to defend it,” Sky said.
“We need to find the boy,” Liz said.
“Punk called something about the son and wife... What happened to the mother?”
“We’ll send a telegram to the Colonel, Suzy,” Shane said.
“I’m not sure, I was not informed of that,” Sky shook her head. “Only that the child was taken.”
“I just heard it in Punk’s call on the way over here,” I nodded. “Trying to put the pieces together.”
“Wasn’t that his mother that was here in town?” Liz asked.
“He’s got a big mouth. I’d start there, Trin,” Sky suggested.
“Like one mind, Skyla,” I nodded and she laughed.
“Um... Sky, can I have a word withy you in private for a sec?” Liz asked.
“Shane, talk to all the Rangers you can... Find out what you can,” Sky said to him.
“Trin, might wanna try talking to Pet,” Liz suggested.
“I need a judge,” Shane said then. “I was standing in the street and got shot down from nowhere.”
“When?” Sky asked.
“Last night.”
“I’m on it,” I nodded to Liz. “I’ll talk to Pet, Punk, whoever else is in town that might’ve seen or heard something.”
“Oh Ali, Trin,” Sky said. “She watches a lot.”
“And my man Richie probably knows somethin’ too,” I nodded. “Can I go?” She nodded and I said, “I’ll keep you posted.”
“Yes, you can,” she opened the door.
I walked across the street and saw the huge crowd standing around. “Fantastic. Ya'll can tell me somethin’ I’m sure.”
“What is this?” Punk asked. “Charity night?”
“Just seems that the chief has his back against the wall, and has ran out of options, and this is why he comes and threatens the town,” Alvin shrugged.
“Quid pro Quo, Pinkerton,” Punk told me.
“Who wants to go first?” I looked around.
“First Angry Coyote, do you know if little chief is back in village now or still missing?” Twig asked in Apache to Punk, but I understood everything she was saying.
“Moon Dove, the Little Chief is safe. He is back with his family, but he was taken.. and Spirit Woman was shot that night. It is what happened,” Punk told her in Apache and I smiled that the child was safe.
I looked to Punk and said, “Punk, you want to say something I suggest you do it to me, since I ain’t wearin’ a gun. Be safer for you to talk to me than any other law.”
“Safer?” he chuckled. “Misseh.. Danger is my middle name.”
“Yep. I ain’t gonna shoot you right away.”
“Ali, you want to fill me in then?” I looked to her.
“Why you talking of shooting when there is a more important matter of who took the chiefs son?”
“This shit is pissing me off,” Alvin sighed and walked over to the sheriff’s office.
“Agent Paige, I suggest you do some.. actual detective work, and work. Instead of standing around here, tryna’ look pretty,” Punk kicked up some dust with the toe of his boot.
“How do you know that?” Liz asked me.
“Because Punk and Twig were just talkin’ about it.”
“That man inside of there. The town says he’s the one that kidnapped the chief’s son,” I heard Alvin say from across the street.
“Was the child returned? Or never missing?” Liz asked.
“Take him to the village. They know what the killer looks like,” Alvin was saying.
“You just told Ali that Little Chief is safe in the village,” I said to Punk.
“The Little Chief is not in the village.”
Liz leaned down to Twig and asked, “You know where Little Chief is?”
“Why are you getting the child involved if’n you heard it yourself?” Ali asked me.
“Twig just said to you Ali that Little Chief is safe in the village now. I just heard it not five minutes ago,” I sighed. “Does anyone know anything that would be helpful?”
“I hear people say Little Chief safe so I say it too,” Twig shrugged.
“Who said Little Chief is safe?” Liz asked.
“You have to make sure those facts are true before you share it, hon,” I looked over at the girl with a sigh.
“He is not safe,” Punk said. “Little Chief is not safe.”
“So then what happened, Punk?” I asked.
“Weren’t any of you listening?” Punk shook his head at me and Liz. “Some piece of work.”
“Who did you hear say he was safe hun?” Liz just looked at Twig and smiled.
“I just got here, Punk,” I said to him.
“White man’s words are mixed up,” Twig said. “Same word means different things.”
Ali motioned for Twig to come closer and put her fingers to her lips as if to tell her not to say anything.
“I was just thrown into the ring here. Give me a chance to catch up and find out what’s really goin on before you accuse me of not doing my job,” I said to Punk, getting angry.
“That’s the man who took Little Chief. Shane Denver,” Punk said.
“You are a bold face liar,” Shane told him, coming over.
I got called over to the sheriff’s office again and wandered over. “Something is just not right about all this,” Liz said.
“Miss Trin, you heard what Twig told me. why are you bothering her?” Ali called after me. “She don’t need to get involved in what law needs to clean up here.”
“Child said some one told her little chief was fine,” Liz said, “then changed her mind.”
“Well we will go see,” Skyla sighed. “Trin, come with me to the village.”
“And I wasn’t botherin her I was just tryin to find out what I could and the stories weren’t lining up,” I added about Twig before following Sky and Shane to the Apache village that was located past the trading post and up the mountains.
The chief and his wife came down the mountain and Skyla asked, “Chief, is this the man?”
“I cannot say if this is he,” the chief shook his head. “I was on hunt.”
Sky looked to the woman then and waited for her to respond.
“I wouldn’t take a child,” Shane insisted.
Aleaya looked to her husband and spoke in Apache, “Is same hat the man wear.”
“Is this the man?” Alpha Wolf asked her.
“I not know for sure. He hit me, lots is foggy, but could be, yes.”
“Do you remember a badge, Aleaya?” Skyla asked.
“You know the white eyes all look the same,” Aleaya whispered to her husband.
“Sheriff, I see the butt of a gun, that what I was,” Aleaya told Sky.
“This could be him,” Aleaya said, still seeming unsure.
“‘Could be’,” I looked at Skyla, hearing noise behind us but not turning to see what was going on yet.
“I can look more but was said to him,” Skyla said. “As you can tell we are working the case of Little Chief’s being missing, but a girl said he was fine, so we are all slightly dazed by this knowledge.”
“Yes, a sharp pain in my head and hearing my son scream as I fall to the ground and he is taken away,” Aleaya said in Apache.
“Is Little Chief safe in your camp, Chief?” I finally asked him.
“I cannot search your town. I have said what is intended. If this is him, I will take him now,” Alpha Wolf said.
“This is important! I’m tired of being accused!” Shane cried.
“We care about the child’s safety, Sir,” I looked to the chief.
Blood Shadow, the war chief, walked over then and asked if everything was okay. Alpha looked to me and said, “My child was not harmed. My wife has bump on back of head.”
“I have no use to steal children,” Shane said.
“We don’t need more blood on our hands,” Skyla said looking over to see Punk behind us and I followed her gaze with a slight sigh.
“Was he not harmed?” I looked to Sky, confused.
Blood Shadow had fire in his eyes and looked between us as he moved towards Aleaya’s side. Alpha Wolf said, “If this is the man, leave him. If it is not, then find him!”
“I’m telling you I did not do it,” Shane insisted.
“Chief, I’m sorry but like I said we only care about the child’s safety right now. The boy is safe and in his camp?” I asked, remaining calm.
“The boy is with his grandmother,” Alpha Wolf nodded.
“Then I’m missing the problem...”
“The problem now Trin, lays with who did it,” Sky told me. “If not find them, we have a war.”
“Unless someone’s trying to divert our attention by announcing that something happened to your son so that we would come over here and talk to you about it...” I pondered. “Skyla that’s the thing. The chief is saying that nothing happened to the son. So I’m confused.”
“We Apache, we will have revenge,” Alpha Wolf insisted. “This man went to your village with an Apache child and he was not stopped.”
“Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. But then the child was taken back to his grandmother somehow, correct?”
“Yes, we have the child,” Alpha Wolf nodded.
“Okay, that’s what’s more important, that the child is safe.”
“You bring me this man why? Is he the one?” Alpha Wolf looked at Shane.
“I’ll shoot your brave if he comes toward me with a knife,” Shane insisted, looking at Blood Shadow.
“Well he was said to be,” Sky explained, “That’s why I came here, to be sure.”
“We will figure out who took the child to the town in the first place. We have heard people say that the man’s name was Shane. This is a ranger named shane s o we’re confirming.”
“This is not man,” I heard Lot’s voice then, speaking in Apache. “I see man with own eyes, man who take little Chief.”
“You threaten Apache?” Blood Shadow looked towards Shane with a glare.
“No, You threatened by knife out,” Shane shook his head.
“Shane, let it go,” Sky told him.
Lot looked at me and said, “Didn’t know you spoke white mountain apache, its a very rare dialect.”
“Figured it was something I should learn,” I smiled at him.
“And as for you Skyla, quite ya dammed eye rolling,” Lot looked at her.
“If you can help us , Lot, it’d be appreciated,” I kept my eyes on him.
“I told em I saw the man in question with Little Chief,” Lot nodded.
“Control, white man,” Blood Shadow looked to Shane.
“Which man would that be, Lot?”
“I know what ya said, Lot,” Sky shook her head.
“If this is not him,” Alpha Wolf said, “I take my wife to rest. She is with child. You have three moons to trade or Apaches come search your homes for the man ourselves.”
“Chief, hold on,” I insisted, “Please.”
“I saw man with Little Chief walking behind fort up on mountain range,” Lot explained.
“Which man was it, Lot?” I asked.
“I know man that take Little Chief, the man likes to spit a lot and wears a top hat. It is not this calvary man.”
“Then who, Lot?” I tried not to get impatient.
“Hell if I know his name,” Lot shrugged.
“Come Shane,” Skyla nodded to me and looked to the ranger.
“A top hat and a guy who spits?” I raised an eyebrow, watching as the chief and his wife left too. “Thanks for the information, Lot. It’s something I guess.”
I glanced over at Punk before turning around to head back to town. I saw Starling walk over and said, “Starling, hi.”
“Was the child there?” she asked.
“The chief assured us that the child is safe with his grandmother. They want the man who did this caught or they’ll wage war in three days. Lot saw the man... said he was a guy with a top hat who spit a lot.”
“So why is he coming into town threatening all the town?” Starling was confused. “If the child is with his grandparents?”
“Because the child was taken and the mother was hurt, and they want the man responsible to be caught. Even if the child is safe now they are angry that it happened at all.”
“Well they shouldn’t cause trouble and they wouldn’t get hurt.”
“They’re causing trouble because someone from their family was taken by white man. They want justice to be served just like anyone else.”
“So why did Twig say he was safe at village when he is not?” Star asked.
“He was safe at the village. But she said that she wasn’t sure because she overheard it.”
“Is confusing.”
“I need to head back to town and see what I can find out.”
I walked back into the town and saw Skyla and Shane and Liz still at the sheriff’s office. “If ya’ll will join me in the office? I have a theory.”
“How about at the hotel?” Sky asked. “Better coffee.”
“That works too.”
I led the way into the hotel and Shane wandered off on the way but I continued anyway. “Alright then, my theory...” I started when we were sitting. “Punk was pretty adament that Twig say nothing when I asked questions. He was more vocal against me doin’ my job than tellin’ anything productive. And out in the fort area he was saying that Shane did it, even though the chief’s wife wasn’t sure it was him.” Skyla nodded as she listened so I continued. “My theory is that Punk is setting Shane up,” I nodded to Shane as he walked in. “He wants to frame you, and is using someone else with the same name to do it.”
“He is, I heard a Shane T. was the one,” Shane nodded.
“Or there’s another Shane around and Punk doesn’t want him caught ‘cause he’s in Punk’s gang,” Sky suggested.
“There is another Shane?” Liz asked.
“Yes,” Shane nodded. “Shane T.”
“See? But out by the fort Punk was so bent on putting Blood Shadow against this Shane. Why? Because he’s diverting attention to this Shane so that the other one goes free.”
“Apparently so,” Sky nodded. “I haven’t heard of this Shane either. Trin, what all did Lot tell ya?”
“I’ve been in law for five years and never have bent the law,” Shane insisted.
“Lot said that the man who took the kid has a top hat and spits a lot.”
“I know, Shane,” Sky nodded. “I told Liz the same.”
“That’s why I’m convinced Punk’s trying to frame you, Shane. Because ...”
“Punk’s definitely up to something,” Liz nodded.
“Ah ha!!” I said out loud then, as if a lightbulb had gone off above my head.
“It’s revenge for ya’ll trying to arrest him last week while he was in the courthouse and not giving him the reasons for the arrest!”
“Why place it on Shane?” Sky asked.
“Cause he shot me.”
“Oh I get it, same name thing,” Sky nodded.
“But he’s still upset that you tried to arrest him in court without saying why.”
“What do you think?” I looked at Sky.
“Punk gets upset about everything,” Sky shrugged.
“Well then he’s tryin to get you hanged for somethin’ so that you can’t arrest him.”
“He have a reason he would was a war to start between us and the Indians?”
“Possibly... I think we are on to something. I do feel Punk is part of it but that means he got this other Shane involved,” Sky said.
“Then we have to figure out who this other Shane is,” I nodded in agreement.
“Indeed we do. Start looking for a spitter with a top hat,” Sky snickered.
“Right, ‘cause that narrows it down,” I sighed. “Shane, you said you know this other guy?”
“Well then we still have another issue,” Sky said. “No law was broken in town by this other Shane that I’m aware of. So I can’t step in too much without a marshal, ranger, or calvary there.”
“I know. That’s the problem. If Tye were around...” I sighed.
“Ranger standing right there,” Liz pointed out.
“Indeed there is one, but will he be here when this other Shane shows up is the problem.”
“If he shows up.”
“Only marshal we have left right now is Steve.”
“One marshal? Good heavens,” Liz sighed.
“No Kris?” I asked.
“So I fear we are going to have to bring them in,” Sky said. “Kris hasn’t been here lately. Not since court.”
“Huh,” I shook my head. “So this is all we’ve got, plus Steve?”
“And any other ranger,” Sky nodded.
“But wait, Shane... you did say this other man does indeed exist.. he’s not just made up..”
“That he did say that, I think he’s in a daydream right now,” Sky nodded.
“Well at least we know he’s real...”
“So we need to keep our eyes peeled and if we see anything make note of it.”
I nodded and we decided to call it a night and went home for the evening to figure out the puzzle that had been placed before us.
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