March 24, 1900

Tombstone. 

I limped through town and found a group standing in front of the theatre. Demarco and Aly were talking with two little girls, one of which I recognized as Bria from a long time ago. Quiet Wolf walked over and looked at one of the little girls that I didn’t recognize.

“I was told you look for our Chief and his wife?” he asked her. 

“The chief and his wife are missing?” I looked at him, nodding a greeting to Demarco. 

“Not looking for chief and wife. Just telling this white girl I knew them,” the girl said in Apache. 

“They are good People,” Quiet Wolf nodded. 

“I thought maybe we had a mystery for a second, hardly boring. And a detective as well,” Demarco said. 

“Perked my interest,” I said. 

“Chief and his wife teach me much help me be Warrior I am.” 

“Are they alright?” I asked and he shook his head. “What happened?”

“We still not find them. They go on big hunt never return.” 

“Quiet these girls said their tribe is far away,” Aly said. “If things aren’t going well with your tribe, I wouldn’t mind looking after them for a while. I have food, toys, and Stormy is around often.” 

“Village now worry and go out to find them,” he said. “We have not found them yet.” 

“Chief Wijaya is good man, wise and brave. and Aleaya is kind woman and very good with herbs and making good food.... delicious food, not like white man food,” the Native girl said in Apache. 

“We manage. I go out hunt. Yes they Are family to village and tribe. They keep the ways of our people teach us the old way of our ancestors and the tribe now worry for them.” 

“They continued to talk about the Native village and the food that they served there. When Quiet Wolf started to talk about having little ones, Aly walked off down the street. 

“Quiet Wolf, if you need any help.... You know where I am.”

“Thank you, Trin. We have scouts out looking for them and we hope to find them soon.” 

“Miss Trin, I member when you got us candy was so good,” Bria said and I smiled to her. 

Looking back at Quiet Wolf I said, “My services are still available. I mean that. I have helped the chief and Aleaya in the past... I will do it again.”

“Thank you. I hope we will not need them,” he nodded. 

I smiled, looking to the girls, “I will let you talk. Have a safe evening.” I walked down the street and found Aly talking with Jackson. “You alright?” I looked at her with concern. 

“You know, sometimes I think I am, sometimes not,” Aly sighed. “Sometimes I wish my brain had an erase button.” 

“I know how you feel,” I nodded. 

“Yup, but least I’m not hitting the whiskey over it no more,” Aly laughed. “So it’s a step! I’m good.” 

“Evenin’ ladies,” “Jackson walked over and greeted us. 

“How are you, Jackson?”

“Oh just lovely darlin, how bout you?” 

“I’m okay,” I smiled. 

“You are lookin just as pretty as ever,” he smiled and I blushed at that. 

We talked a bit more and then Jackson left so Aly and I decided to head back to Diamond. 

Diamond. 

We headed to Diamond and saw Lawrence on the way. We invited him to join us and heard Bree and Suzy talking about Leigh leaving town. I wasn’t sure if they meant permanently or not, with everything going on lately. Lawrence came over and we talked for a while and hung out in the tree. We went inside to get some pie from Aly and then Lawrence needed to go take care of something.

When we were alone, Aly looked over at me and said, “Ok Trin...I know something is on your mind. It’s that whole...best friend...” Aly said. 

“Probably crazy,” I shrugged. 

“Mind connection thing...I just don’t know which of the 2,340 things on your list it is,” Aly said. 

“I just... There should have been something by now... a visit, a telegram. Something.”

“Oh. That’s been on your mind since we went to Colorado, hasn’t it? Forgive the pun, but you haven’t been able to put it to rest. It’s got no closure....which is frustrating because we went there for...another kind...of closure.” 

“Exactly the problem. Somewhere out there there’s a killer with my picture and somewhere out there that killer left a note with my name on it.”

“And its unnerving to you,” she nodded. 

“Damn straight it is. Wouldn’t it be to you?”

“It is to me because it’s to you, so yeah.” 

“I’m fine with cold cases, Aly. They happen all the time in my business. But this kind? This personal? This life-threatening?”

“I might not show I’m bothered, Trin...but I am. I’m worried for you. I just think we can’t really do much at the moment.” 

We decided to take a walk around and started to smell smoke as we approached Ger and Mysti’s house. “Ger! Mysti!” I called as I rode over quickly. 

I started pouring water on the fire from the water trough nearby and Aly asked where Ger was. Myst fell down on the ground in shock, coughing and confused, and Bree stood by watching. I told her to do something and help Mysti as one other man helped me put water on the fire. He decided to go inside and check if anyone was there but I called after him to not run inside. I could see that Aly was traumatized by the site of the fire and the man went over to comfort her while I continued to put out the fire. Bree and Mysti tried to move things back from the house but I told them to be careful. 

When the fire was finally out I asked, “Mysti, where is Ger?”

“I didn’t see him inside,” The man said. 

“Got to say, it’s Jewel,” Bree said. 

“Sir, you shouldn’t have run into the burning building,” I said. 

“I know,” he nodded. 

I looked at Bree and said, “You shouldn’t make assumptions. This could have been anyone.”

“Where IS Ger?” Aly asked, also getting anxious. 

“Ohh he had a class to be a vet. He wasn’t here,” Mysti finally said. 

“Can we settle down please?” Aly requested. “Deep breaths?” 

“Glad too see the fire is out and every is alright,” the man said. 

“I was walking around exploring. Saw flames and smoke. Ran to town,” Bree said. “Thanks for all help.” 

“Aly, are you alright?” I looked over at her with concern. 

“Not really,” she shook her head, looking over. “The sights, the smells, the screams, the horror....just kinda came back. I had put it to the back of my mind and worked so hard to rebuild my home, Trin.” 

I nodded and went over to hug her and said, “I’m sorry, Aly.”

“And the fact that this house belongs to Myst, and kinda sorta Ger too... it was too close to home.” 

“I know. I was just focused on putting out the flames. I didn’t want it to spread.”

“Yes Aly, it’s terrible smell and loss,” Bree said. 

“I’m going to look around inside,” I said and went to open the door, hearing it creak as I went inside. I looked around the house and found a whiskey bottle on the ground. Wondering if there would be fingerprints, I pulled on my gloves and looked it over but found no prints. I continued to look around and found some footprints. Taking a piece of paper out, I lifted the prints on the paper and carried it outside. 

“Mysti, you two don’t wear gloves, do you?” I wondered out loud. 

Ger walked over to the crowd then and blinked, seeing the house. “What the...” he ran over to Mysti and asked, “Hun, are you okay?” 

“Ooooooh, G, my house!” she cried and he took out his handkerchief to wipe her eyes. “Are you okay? That’s all I care about,” Ger looked at her with worry. 

“My pictures, my things from my dad!” Mysti cried and Ger patted her back. “How did your class go?” 

“Don’t worry about my class. Bree, can you take her to the clinic please? Check her out throughly,” Ger said. 

“So how this fire get started?” Suzy asked. 

“I will figure that out, Suzy..” I told her. “I found a whiskey bottle in there with no prints on it... Seems odd because neither of them wear gloves.” 

“Why let her know? This is Tye’s town,” Ger said. 

“I won’t withhold information either. And it probably doesn’t mean anything,” I looked at him. 

Jy walked over then and I asked him if he could join us inside the house. We walked in and Ger looked at the footprint I had lifted. He said that it was a woman’s footprint and compared it to one of Mysti’s shoes, finding that it wasn’t a match. 

“I should take these to the office and see if I can compare it to anything, but I’m not sure I can.”

“I have an idea on who did this.... but no proof...yet,” Ger said and I looked at him. “I know Trin...I know. Jewel went off on both Myst and myself yesterday, after she had been drinking a while...” 

“She did?”

“Called us enemies.” 

“Sounds like motive to me. Now we just need proof.”

“Me for prosecuting her for the shooting death and Myst for rooting me on.” 

“Let me head to the office and see about this print. I’ll keep you informed, Ger.”

“Check it agains prints outside Jewel’s house,” Ger said and I nodded. 

“I’ll be in touch,” I said and headed out to my office. 

I walked into the office and saw the telegram machine buzzing. I went over to read the telegram and almost fell over in shock when I read what it said: 

Trin Dutch found alive.... stop

body remains as yet unidentified....stop

Dutch plans to ride to Az to see you soon...stop

Gaide Solo

“Aly!!” I called out.

“Trin, where are ya!?” Aly called back. 

“Office! Come quick!”

Aly walked into the office with a worried look and asked, “What’s going on?” I handed her the note, still speechless, and her eyes widened with surprise. “That’s impossible! You saw a body!” 

“I know. And I... But... Last time they saw a body and thought it was Dutch, it was his triplet brother. Damn it, Aly... here we go again!”

“So whose body was this one?” 

“Well obviously they have no idea.”

“A mess,” Aly frowned, still shaking from the fire. 

I nodded, looking at her. “I’m sorry... You’re having flashbacks to the fire... I’m sorry.” 

“Things were starting to make sense.... Lonnie, Steph, heck even with Mark things were starting to make SOME kind of sense... But this. And that,” she pointed to the letter. “WHAT the hell, Trin.” 

“I don’t know,” I shook my head and kicked the counter, forgetting about my sprained ankle and swore at the pain. 

“How come things just can’t stay......done?” Aly gasped and looked at me. “Have you had that checked today?” 

“No. Tomorrow with Alex,” I shook my head. 

“Yeah well I’m thinking NOW you need to have it sooner. You should get to the clinic while medics are still there. Alex can check again tomorrow, but I’d feel better if you had it now also. ok?” 

“They’re busy enough with Mysti.” 

“Doctors can handle more than one patient. Please. If not for yourself, than me.” 

“Fine,” I sighed, following her to the clinic. There was no one there though so I headed to bed, needing to rest.