March 11, 1900

Black Diamond. 

This morning I worked in my office amidst a quiet town. Everyone was attending Dave and Katie’s wedding, but I knew that it would be too difficult for me to attend so I stayed back. The door opened and Sponkey walked in and I smiled, “Hey there.” 

“Howdy detective.” 

“How’s it goin’?”

“It is going well. How is everything going for you?”

“Oh it’s alright, feeling the weight of a lot of work to do but the people I need to talk to are all at that stupid wedding. So here I sit.”

“Oh sounds so fun maybe we should go get that drink now sounds like you need one,” he nodded. 

“Hmm that sounds like a great idea,” I smiled and stood to reach for his hand. He took mine and we headed outside. “Here we are...” He led the way to the bar and pulled out my chair and I smiled, “Thank you.” 

“Your welcome so what can I get you?” 

“Could use a whiskey and coffee mixed together. That’s my favorite.”

He grabbed a glass and set it down, reaching for the coffee and whiskey and mixing them together. 

“Maybe you could be a bartender around here. You seem to know your way around that counter well.”

“Here you are, enjoy,” he slid the glass over to me. 

“Thanks, hon.”

“Yeah maybe I could,” he smiled. 

“Talk to Krell or Leigh about it. I’m sure they’d be glad to give you that job,” I sipped my drink, trying not to focus on the wedding. 

“Alright I will keep that in mind.”

“Definitely starting to feel the weight of a lot to do for these cases by myself... but not much I can do until people get back to town.”

“Sounds like you get to play the waiting game a lot.”

“Yep. Wait for others to do a crime, wait for others to show up so I can ask them about a crime they witnessed, wait for the sheriff to show up so I can give him the reports.... It’s nice to have company with someone while I wait though.”

“Yeah I don’t think I would be able to wait all the time like that. Yeah I bet it is nice to have company with you once in a while instead of waiting alone,” he winked. 

I blushed and set my hand on the counter and said, “It’s nice to have some company period. Especially now that I don’t have a partner anymore...”

He reached over and held my hand and looked in my eyes, “Yeah must get lonely in that office now with no partner there.”

I smiled and interlaced my fingers with his. “It’s been a long, quiet morning. Until now... He wanted to focus on other things and I respect that. It’s just hard because I feel like I tried so hard to make that work, you know?”

“Yeah I know what you mean,” he nodded. 

I traced my thumb along the palm of his hand. “This right here... This doesn’t happen often. I haven’t felt this... comfortable with a man so quickly in a long time.”

He rubbed his thumb next to mine and said, “Oh it doesn’t; should I feel special then?”

“Yes, you should,” I smiled and finished my coffee. “You make a pretty decent drink too.”

“I will keep that in mind,” he laughed. “Maybe I should be a bartender in town then.”

“Mmhmm... gives me another reason to come into the saloon... to come and see you,” I winked. 

“Yeah guess that would give you a reason to come here more. Thanks for making me feel so at home in this town.”

“It’s my pleasure. I’m glad you’ve adapted so quickly here.”

“Yeah I am pretty sure this is the first town I have visited where I have adopted to it like that.”

“I know what you mean. Bisbee was like that for me... It was the first place where I actually rented a house and called home around here. Then I moved here with Alex and fell in love with this town. I left it after we broke up but I came back a few months later because it just sort of draws you back. And now that I’m working with Tye as a sheriff... I’ve known him for almost a year and he’s always been the lawman I respect the most in these parts. I feel honored to be working with him like I am. It’s a dream come true, honestly.”

“That is good to hear. At least you feel at home here and love what you are doing.”

“Mmhmm. Taken me a long time to accept it and realize it but I definitely am. I hope you feel that same comfort around here...” I squeezed his hand. 

“I sure do feel comfortable in this town.”

“Dance with me?” I stood and looked at him. 

“Yes I would love to,” he stood with a big smile. 

We went to the middle of the room and started to dance together, feeling so comfortable in one another’s arms. 

*** 

I walked down the street this afternoon and found Jewel standing in front of her house. “Jewel! Just the lady I was hoping to find.” 

“That so?” she raised an eyebrow. “Well, you found me.” 

“I was wondering if you could maybe tell me what you witnessed with Krell getting kidnapped. Heard you were talking with Peta down the street when it happened?”

“I didn’t see anything.” 

“You sure?” 

“I was talking to Peta,” she nodded. “I just heard shouting and by the time I got there they were gone.” 

“Alright. I wanted to check ‘cause I’d heard you were around. I should go find the mayor. Stay safe, Jewell,” I smiled. 

I walked over to the courthouse and found Krell upstairs in the lounge. “Krell, hello! Mind if we talk for a bit?”

“Well hello Trin. Sure.” 

“Glad to see you safe, Krell! Heard you’ve been through an ordeal... Wondering if you could tell me about it and I can write up a statement, then get you to sign it?”

“Well it was quite traumatic.” 

“So I heard you were having drinks or something with the others when they came over?”

“And it would take a fair amount of time to go over.” 

“Whatever you could tell us might help Tye catch those responsible, Krell. And have a stronger case in court.” 

“We were having a snack, I got the chocolate doughnut. Yummy. I love chocolate doughnuts. Especially Bree’s. And she makes the beset doughnuts. The icing is to die for.” 

“Then what happened?” I nodded with a smile. 

“Well, then I got some milk. Milk goes well with doughnuts. Anyway Leigh wasn’t there, so I was sad, but the doughnut sure tasted good. So you like doughnuts too?” 

“I love donuts,” I smiled. 

“Well anyway I heard a commotion outside.” 

“So you went outside to investigate..?” I leaned forward. 

“Oh no I am not an investigator.” 

“Well alright, you went outside to see what was going on or what happened?” I chuckled. 

“No are you kidding? I was not gonna give up my doughnut.” 

“Alright, what happened next, Krell?”

“Well these masked people came in. I asked them what they wanted and they said shut up.” 

Suddenly Stormy came upstairs and said, “Excuse me but Krell you going to show me a house. I have to go soon.” 

“Did you recognize any of them?”

“So I asked them to let the girls go. Well, they had masks on. I told them take me not the girls. They said we came for you. Then I remember the lights going out. Oh I forgot. They told me to stay still. So I slipped the knife off the table without them noticing it. And of course I grabbed the rest of the doughnut.” 

“Of course. So then the lights went out and they took you...?”

“I shoved them in my pocket, they didn’t see it. Well I was hit hard.” 

“Krell I have picture of you in dress. I show to Red Horse. We go now please.” 

I looked over at Stormy and said, “I need this statement from him before this case goes cold.”

“Why you show that picture?” 

“We’re trying to figure out who took him.”

“Well, I am talking to Trin, but if its THAT urgent I guess I can help.” 

“Krell, people kidnapped you, a mayor. Don’t you think that’s serious enough?”

“What picture are you talking about?” 

“You in dress like saloon girl,” Stormy said. 

“Well, that was not fun, and top it all off, they stole my doughnut.” 

“Red Horse will like it,” Stormy said again. 

“Well...” Krell looked at me. 

“So they took you to Benson... There were four of them? And they were all wearing masks? Nothing about their hair or anything that you could tell me? Eye color?”

“Trin, I think I should help her, because of the goodness in my heart can we catch up a little later?” Krell looked at me. “Oh, I know a lot.” 

“Yes, you know where to find me.”

“But I have to maintain my image, as a helpful mayor.” 

I wrote ‘To be continued’ on the statement and stood. “Of course, Sir. We’re just trying to help figure out who took you.”

I stood and walked out of the courthouse. I walked back to my office and wrote up more from my interview with Krell that would have to be completed later. I wondered why Stormy needs a house if she’s Apache and lives in the village with the other Natives.