June 24, 1899

Tombstone. 

This morning I talked with Twig, Bria, and Angel about what had happened with the war and how they hadn’t been around for it so were kept safe. I went over to the hotel to get some coffee and talked with Peta about the war and how I’d almost been kidnapped in Ghenna the night before. We talked about how there weren’t many law around and how I felt guilty for not doing my job well enough. Frank came over and announced that he’d had his first patient, Cole, who’d got himself shot. He said that he’d also healed another woman who I hadn’t met yet. 

I told Frank about winning the case he had helped give a statement in and he was glad to hear it. Cora came over and we continued to talk. Richie came over and Cora made us some coffee as I introduced him to her. 

Serenity came over ad I didn’t say much, keeping my gaze on Richie and Peta. Peta looked between both of us and asked, “Oooh, you too ladies have some beef?” 

I gave her a look as if to say, ‘don’t go there.’ 

“I mean, some quarrel? Oooh I totally get it, I won’t mention it, we’re bein’ quiet about it.” 

Serenity just laughed at my response. “She’s just sour she got caught askin’ too many questions out near Ghenna ‘bout my place.”

“Oh okay. I didn’t say anything. I’m subtle! I don’t ask questions or nothin’,” Peta said. 

“Was just doin’ my job,” I muttered. 

“Ya doin’ ya job, but what’s that gonna get it from here?” she teased. 

“Evidently nothin’ since you’re still out romin the streets,” I shot her a look. 

“You accusin’ me of somethin that you insinuatin I be locked up?” she gasped. 

“Nope, just sayin’ if ya did do somethin’ then my tellin’ them about it wouldn’t make much difference. I just gather facts.”

“Ladies, ladies, quit this bickering and get the steaks ready to fixed fer dinner,” Richie put in and I shot a quick glare towards him. 

Serenity looked over at him too and said, “I’d suggest you shut that fat mouth of yours before I shove a raw steak a place where it don’t belong.”

“Look Serenity, just let it be,” I said to her. “I was just goin’ out for a walk lookin’ to see what I could find out. Ain’t come to nothin’ since I can’t say how that clock got there or even if it’s the same one. So there ain’t nothin’ to talk about.”

“Well considerin ya been listenin this whole time, ya realize it ain’t about beef. Ya think that a puny mind like yers would get that, but perhaps that ain’t the truth,” Serenity said and then said, “Then we ain’t gotta talk ‘bout it, but I ain’t done nothin’ wrong to ya, so ya ain’t need to be salty with me now.” 

“You didn’t object when TJ suggested tyin’ me up, now did ya? Or when Lot railed those threats at me.”

“Course I didn’t, and I’d agree with it again. But ya can’t go blamin’ me for what they said.”

“Just don’t like your friends too much.”

“Not many folks do.” 

“I’ve known TJ a long time... there was a time I went to him for protection and friendship. Guess that time’s long since passed.”

“Well I can’t say much for TJ, in the short time I known him he always seemed like a loose cannon.” 

“That’s one way of putting it,” I nodded. 

I realized then that today was the anniversary of when I first moved to the west all those years ago. It felt like another lifetime that I was flirting with TJ and running the newspaper for Colorado. 

The conversation continued to flow until I heard Bella cry in pain. I went down to the clinic to find out what was going on and Bella had hurt her ankle falling out of the stagecoach. I walked back to the hotel and noticed that Punk had joined the group, as had Cole. Richie poured me a cup of coffee and I thanked him for the drink as they talked. 

“Taken’ some of that funky medicine?” Punk asked Cole as Richie and I walked down to sit by the Epitath. 

“More like breathing in,” Cole said. “You here when that new doc was handing out that medical grade weed?” 

“Wait, what?” Serenity asked and I listened to the conversation intently from a distance. 

“One puff of that and you go out of this world,” Cole said. 

“Sounds like I need to be speakin’ with this new doctor in making some trades.....” Serenity thought out loud. 

“The snake guy?” Punk asked. 

“Nope, that new woman. Assistant.” 

“Libby?” 

“Yeh, that the one.” 

“Oh, Libby is my new friend now,” Serenity decided. 

They continued to talk and I reached over to hold Richie’s hand. Ru came over and asked what detectiving was, and Skyla came over and greeted me and Richie as love birds. 

“It a crime to be happy now?” I winked at her. 

I asked her where Sirus was and she said that he was at home. Skyla went into the hotel to get coffee and they continued to joke about how serious Richie and I were getting and how we should be having kids. I told them not to get too crazy with suggestions as we weren’t even married yet. 

Sirus walked over then and we told him how grateful I was that Skyla walked in and saved the day in court for me, helping me win my case. We joked about how the defense attorney had called her to the stand and how crazy that had been. 

I walked over to my office after a while to write some notes but then heard shouting in the streets. I went over and asked the sheriff, “Skyla what the hell’s goin’ on down here? Some people aare tryin’ to get some work done.” 

“Oh hey Trin. Punk’s lost his marbles,” she answered. 

“Again? Surprised he managed to find them.”

“Maybe you two lovelies can help me find ‘em then,” Punk glanced between us. 

“You’d like that wouldn’t ya, Punk,” I chuckled. “Sorry pal, that opportunity left with the stage coach about a month ago.”

He shook his head with a smirk and said, “Not as much as you would, Agent Paige.”

“I’ve got a good man now. Don’t need someone who’s gonna go around and stir up crap just to get attention.”

“Oh you mean yourself?” he asked me poignantly. 

“Excuse me?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“Trin, did he just call ya a man?” 

“I think so, Sky.” 

“But haven’t ya’ll...” she started and Punk looked away like he wasn’t paying attention. 

“See now he’s pretending we don’t exist. Nice try, Punk. He can dish it out but he can’t take it.”

“Go on don’t be shy, Sheriff.. spill it out,” Punk shot a glance back at her. 

“I told ya he lost his marbles!” Sky smirked. 

“That a challenge, Cher?” Punk smirked. 

“Spill what out, Punk?” Sky shook her head at him. 

He raised an eyebrow at me, then nodded towards Sky. 

“Don’t raise your eyebrow at me. Use your damn words,” I shot at him. 

“Looks like you were both wrong about my involvement with the Apache mess.” 

“Oh here it comes,” I looked at Sky. 

“Me wrong?” Sky laughed. “Never.” 

“And sorry to say, that your poor detective skills, Agent Paige.. lead to the suffering and deaths of many.” 

I shook my head, not showing him that I was starting to believe that as truth. “Don’t even start with me, Punk.”

“I hope next time, you’d take your job more seriously.. and actually PREVENT these things from happening.” 

“Punk I already know the truth behind the matter and that was you!” Skyla started to shout. “Knew who it was the WHOLE time and tried to keep it from us so there would be war.” 

“Instead of going around, moseyin’ with fellers and smellin’ the daisies,” Punk continued. 

I glared at Punk and looked at Skyla, “If I shot him right now would it be self defense against stupidity?”

“I wish Trin,” she laughed out loud. “But then I’d be shooting a bunch of folks.” 

“Would just be proving his own point. That he can’t talk his way out of a conversation he’s gotta shoot up the town with a war.” 

“Don’t punish me for your own ignorance, Detective,” Punk laughed. “I bet you don’t even have a damn clue what happened to that Clock Tower over there.”

“For your information I know exactly where that damn clock is.”

“Tick, tock.” 

“It’s okay, Punk. It’s sad when you got a kid who believes the truth is more important than the lies and depiction you try to cause.” 

“Which, from what I hear, had to be spoonfed to you,” Punk continued to rail at me. 

“Spoon-fed? Spoon-fed?!?” I started to get mad. 

“It’s okay, Trin. Punk likes to be spoon-fed himself. A child told me he knew the whole time who took Little Chief,” Skyla said. 

“That clock’s been missing for what? A few days now? Nobody said I did not know it. I expressedly told Agent Trin, TWICE. I had information to exchange.” 

“You told her ‘nough to confuse her, Punk,” Sky said. 

“Wafer thin ice, Sir,” I glared at him. 

“Which she chose to ignore due to her personal opinion of me. And that is not professional at all. I told you Detective.. Quid Pro Quo.” 

“I don’t have to sit here and listen to this. Can we go talk in your office?” I finally asked Sky. 

“Certainly, lead the way,” Sky said and I walked into Sheriff’s office with her. 

“He’s being an ass, Sky. There’s no nice word for it. I’m sick and tired of him blamin’ that damn war on me. I feel guilty enough I don’t have to hear it from him too.”

“He withheld information. He knew the guy’s full name. I got it from a child that got it from him. Twig, the little girl.” 

“The one he was adamently against talking to me when I asked her for information.”

“Came to me and told me the man’s name after getting the full name from Punk.” 

“She said that the kid was back with his grandmother. I heard them talking in Apache.”

“That the child was,” Sky nodded. “We heard that from the chief himself. They just wanted the man. So don’t let Punk make ya feel guilty. He did it on purpose. He wanted war.” 

“Of course he did. But we were right, Punk was behind it?”

“I’m not sure if he was behind it,” Sky said, “but he did have a hand in it.” 

“What about Lot?” 

“Lot knows a lot but it’s Lot and he won’t give up something unless it fits him.” 

“Seemed strange he would be helpful in even giving up the little information he did to us.”

“Punk does it just to spite.” 

“I’m tired of listening to his crap, Sky. When Mahko and I went searching through Ghenna I really thought that me and him were on the same page and he was gonna protect me.”

“Ya need a hired gun, Trin,” Sky sighed. 

“Then TJ suggests tying me up and Serenity and Lot start closing in. I split as fast as I could but I saw the damn clock at her store.”

“I know, I know. We are going to have to get that today, somehow. Though I don’t have a wagon. And we need bodies.”  

“He thinks I don’t do anything but you see I do lots. We both do lots, you and me. Ain’t like we’ve got thousands of lawmen watching our backs.”

“Indeed. I think without us this town would fall apart. So don’t fret about Punk, just throw it back at him. I do and then he hits on me like he did long ago as a bounty hunter as William Blake, before I was married, or even dating Sirus.” 

“Yeah, you’re right. I just wish I could have done more.”

“Trin, you’ve done a LOT and don’t let folks tell ya ya haven’t. You got more information than I could have.” 

“Thanks, Sky. That means a lot.”

“That’s your job and you’re good at it. I only speak the truth.” 

I smiled and hugged her. “I really needed to hear that today. I didn’t want to show Punk that I believed every word he was sayin’ out there but I was really starting to.”

She hugged me back and nodded. “It gets hard, trust me I know.” 

We said goodbye then and I wandered to the office to get some more work done.