March 17, 1900

Black Diamond. 

I walked around town this morning, trying to figure out what to do first. I saw Aly standing on her porch and waved to her. “Morning, Aly.” 

“Oh good morning,” Aly stretched. “Feels like yesterday was one really strange dream.” 

“I know... But it was real. I didn’t sleep well last night. Want to get some coffee at the saloon?”

“Yeah I really need some coffee right about now. I think we’ve got a lot to talk about anyhow.” 

We walked into the saloon and sat at the bar. “Last time I was in here Stormy was drunk and her cousin was trying to get her on a horse...and some man kept calling me a little darling,” Aly laughed. 

I shook my head and said, “Oh yeah?” 

“And that fat Bill guy was here too. Stormy threatened to scalp him, but I think it would have been a waste of time. Nothing there for display. I told her she should wait until she was sober,” she said and we both laughed. “And it was funny... That man kept staring at me and being all flirty right in front of Mark...or...quiet wolf. I wonder what he thought about that.” 

“Sorry when was this?”

“Last night before our trip.” 

“Oh...” 

“I would have flirted back, I think, if Stormy didn’t need my help. I got her water, and wanted to make sure she was alright.” 

I heard the doors swing open and tried to remove the exhaustion from my face. Katie walked into the saloon looking worried and concerned. “Have you all seen David? I have looked everywhere for him.” 

“No, haven’t seen him. Maybe he’s checking warrants at the sheriff’s office or something? I have a key if you want to go look?” I shook my head. 

“Yes, please.. that is one of the few places I have not looked.” 

“Come on, Aly,” I said and started to walk outside. 

“Did you two have a fight? I hope he’s okay,” Aly followed me with Katie close behind. 

“I hope he is too, no we never fight.” 

“We’ll figure it out, Katie,” I smiled. 

“I don’t know but I am very worried,” Katie said. 

“Let’s go look around, maybe he just went to get something sweet or coffee or something,” Aly suggested. 

“Come on ladies,” I said and led the way to the sheriff’s office. We walked into the sheriff’s office and I blinked when I saw David in the jail cell. “David? What the hell....?”

“What in the world are you doing in there?” Katie looked at him. 

“David did a bully or Apache put you in there?” Aly asked. 

“Come on, Dave,” I looked at him and I saw the yellow duck in the cell with him. Dave looked at me with confusion and I said, “Dave, it’s me. Trin. Come on, Dave, out of the cell. Who put you in here?”

“David?” Aly blinked. 

“Trin?” Dave looked at me closer. 

“Yeah, Dave... It’s me,” I told him. “Who put you in here?”

“I put myself in here......more important what happen to you?” Dave asked me. 

“I won’t tell you until you let yourself out of here,” I unlocked the door for him to come out but he closed it again. 

“Why in the world why did you put yourself in jail?” Katie asked. 

“I mean it, Norwood,” I looked at him. “You want to find out what’s going on with me you’ll do it outside.”

“Maybe he...” Aly started, “Did something and feels guilty. I might do the same thing. I mean... Just saying. some people are honest about their wrongs.” 

“Why’d you lock yourself up?” I asked but he closed the cell again and locked it back. “Fine, have it your way,” I stepped back. 

“Supposedly I shot Jack,” he finally said. 

“You what?!” I blinked at that. 

“Supposedly? How do you not know? David...” Aly started .

“It doesn’t make since that you would not know if you shot someone or not,” Katie said. 

“I’m no law but uh....don’t people usually wait until they are convicted before getting locked up?” Aly asked. 

“Yeah, well I know I didn’t shoot the bastard,” Dave said. 

“Then get out here,” I said, my patience running thin. I opened the door again and stood in front of it so he couldn’t close it back up. 

“Listen I know I didn’t shoot the man, but I got up this morning and thought if I turned myself in it would look better then if I waited.” 

“No it doesn’t look better, it looks silly,” Katie said. 

“Uhm if you didn’t shoot the man then you’ve nothing to be locked up for. Come on david, this is silly. Yeah, what Katie said. silly,” Aly agreed. “Almost as silly as me locking myself up here because I had one too many whiskies.” 

I sighed and looked at Dave. “Dave... You’re making yourself look guilty by locking yourself up. If you write up a witness statement I’ll give it to Tye and that’ll show your innocence. The people who shot people don’t do that.”

“But what should I do? I was at the clinic and Jack and Sommer had Tye convinced I had shot him,” Dave said. 

“Then you tell the truth,” Katie crossed her arms impatiently. “Everyone knows the kind of person you are love.” 

“Write a statement with the truth and let the court decide. Your character speaks louder in this situation,” I said. 

“You really think a letter will do?” Dave asked. 

“Dave look at me. How many people do you think have written a letter saying ‘I shot so and so’?” I asked him. 

“There is no evidence,” Katie pointed out. “You are a lawyer love; you know how this works.. they have to have evidence.” 

“You tell us your side of the story and we’ll figure this thing out,” I said. 

“Yeah really, you and I have a lot in common David, about that. We don’t really play with guns and wouldn’t hurt a flea,” Aly said. “I’d be willing to testify that.” 

“You know, maybe I should shoot that s. o. b.?” Dave said. 

“Dave,” I sighed. “Get out here. Now.”

“Okay so maybe I won’t,” Dave smiled. 

“Don’t make me drag you out,” I looked at him seriously.

  “Please get out here,” Katie sounded as if she was running out of patience too. 

“Ok fine,” David walked out of the cell and I closed the door again. 

“Ladies I need a minute alone with Dave,” I said. 

“Yes ma’am,” Aly nodded and she walked out of the office with Katie. 

When we were alone again Dave asked, “What Trin?” 

“You really think the solution to this is to lock yourself in a cell and make your wife and friends worry about you?”

“So why the color change?” 

“You know how this works better than anyone Dave. Write a statement and it’s used in court. Against Jack. Who do you think the jury will like better? The man willing to tell the story honestly or the man that went crazy and locked himself in a cell?”

“Yes I really thought it would be better then hiding from it.” 

“Dave. Write down a statement. You want me to give you a blank copy?” 

“No I have one at the office, I write it up,” he promised. 

“Good.” 

“So what’s got your panties in a knot Trin?” he looked at me. 

“Last night I saw the mutilated body of the first man I loved in the West, and his killer is leaving notes with other bodies and one of those notes has my name on it. And he has my picture. Forgive me if I ain’t in a cheery mood this morning. It was a long, emotional trip.”

“What? Mutilated? Man you loved in the west? What the note say?”

“I don’t know. They won’t show it to me. The other notes are... creepy. I have to study them a bit closer today,” I relaxed a bit and stepped closer to him. “Dave, it was so awful...”

Dave looked at the cell then looked back at me and I noticed he was looking down at my shirt. “I bet. Anything like that would bother me as well.” 

“His body... It was... I’ll never forget that. There was so much blood...”

“Trin please, I don’t do so good at the sight of blood. So whats the plan then?”

“At least I know it’s... Real this time. I’m hoping Gaide will come to Diamond and we can talk about this more but it just... It’s been awful. I thought it would be better to change my look a bit in case the killer finds me.”

“Well you had me confused.” 

“Good,” I nodded and placed a hand on his arm. “Promise me you’ll write a statement about what happened with Jack and give it to me?”

He stammered a bit and then nodded. “Yes, I will.” 

“You’d better,” I looked deep into his eyes. “Let’s get back out there.”

“Okay,” he said, avoiding eye contact. 

I stopped him and said, “Dave...” 

“Yeah?” 

“What’s wrong?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“You just... you seem... Weird around me. Did I do something? Say something?”

“Nothing,” he stammered, “Just not used to the blonde. Looks good though,” he said and quickly turned to go outside. 

We walked over to the girls and Dave apologized for upsetting Katie. He walked over to Jewel’s house and noticed that her Wild Bunch flag was down. I walked over to the house with him and we looked inside to see that the place was now empty. 

“I wonder where she moved to,” Katie said. 

“Can’t say it made sense having an outlaw live across the road from a sheriff’s office and beside a Pinkerton’s office and courthouse... Just sayin’,” I observed. 

“I said the same thing once,” Aly said. 

“Never thought about it, maybe convenience?” Dave smiled. 

“For whom?” I asked. 

“Well both, really,” Dave said. 

“She’s surrounded by law here. Not much room to run,” Aly said. 

“True maybe she just moved further away?” Dave suggested. “Oh well, time will tell.” 

“I guess all those cases against her... Losing an outlaw in town is kind of a victory...” I said.

“That’s because people sitting on the jury know crap about what’s going on,” Aly pointed out.

“Or are outlaws in disguise,” I stated. 

“Geesh go figure outlaws run around doing whatever and I get in trouble for not shooting a man,” Dave said. 

“Write the statement, David,” I looked at him. 

“Okay mom,” he said and I rolled my eyes. 

“I’m going to head to my office. Get that thing to me as soon as you can, Dave,” I said and walked over to the office.