Black Diamond.
“Good morning, Meg,” I waved to her as I walked out of my office and saw her standing by the bank.
“Hi there, Lady Trin. Been perched here awaiting them ta open this dang blasted place.”
“Oh?” I smiled.
“Sign says ‘open’ but ain’t no one about.”
“Still early I suppose.”
“Need ta check upon my everything. Yea, whell my granny always said the “early bird get... the everything? Er, something like that?” She scowled, trying to recall. “How’s the new office?”
“It’s working out very well. The early bird gets the worm, I think,” I chuckled.
“Ew!” she scowled more. “Worm!? No thank ya.”
“Well, birds eat worms... I guess that’s why it’s the saying.”
“I knew I shoulda slept in,” she shivered and I chuckled. “Don’t much care fer either, ya ask me,” she glared up at the birds circling the entry to the town. “Whell good ta hear that ya’ll got settled in your new spot, Lady Trin.”
I smiled when I saw Alex riding over. “Hello dear!”
“Mornin’,” Alex smiled and dismounted Leonidas.
“Mmhmm, we’ve settled in quite well, haven’t we darling?”
“We have,” he slipped his arm around my waist and kissed me. “Good mornin’ Meg. How are you?”
“Your um Lady and I were discussing um worms and birds please excuse the distatestful conversations.”
“Those creepy crawlies don’t bother me too much,” Alex chuckled.
“Well you said the early bird gets something, I was just finishing the phrase for you.”
Meg shivered and said, “Don’t know how YOU’D know what my Granny had said... you didn’t know her... or .........did you? Hmmmm.”
“I’ve heard the phrase before, Meg. My grandparents both used that phrase a lot,” I chuckled.
“YOUR Granny spoke as MY Granny?” Meg exclaimed.
“Phrases get passed down through generations,” I shook my head.
“Are YOU from Eastland too!?”
“I’m from up north actually,” I chuckled and caught Alex laughing. I looked over at him for help and he just shrugged.
Suddenly Meg screamed, looking over Alex’s shoulder. I blinked, backing up, and asked, “What on earth is wrong?”
“You okay there Meg?” Alex asked.
“Ggggah gah gah ghost!!!!!”
“Not again,” I shook my head as Meg pointed at the white floating object in the boutique and I sighed. “Meg, that object has been floating around in there for weeks. I’m sure it’s just a sheet on some rope creating the allusion of a ghost...”
“I’d have to agree with Trin on that one,” Alex nodded.
Meg fainted then and I cried, “Meg!”
“You got any smelling salts, babe?” he asked.
“Uh... Oh, yes, for Watson in my pocket...” I reached in my pocket and handed some to him.
“You give your horse smelling salts?”
“He liked it...”
Alex chuckled and took the salts, waving them under Meg’s nose. She moaned and then jumped, howling. I helped Alex lift her back up on her feet and she shoved the salt away.
“What the hail is that poison?!” she exclaimed.
“It worked, didn’t it?” I chuckled.
“It ain’t poison. It’s smelling salts. Wake you up out of a faint,” Alex chuckled too. She held her nose and he said, “Yeh, they are a bit strong.”
“Strip me of my sixth scent, I’d say,” Meg frowned and looked at me, tears in her eyes.
“Oh Meg, you’re alright...”
“Wh wh wh... wha wha wha what happen?” she massaged her nose.
“You got a bit spooked, hon... It’s okay. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Maybe you could use a cup of tea?” Alex suggested.
“T’is the season I guess?” Meg muttered.
“Yes, dear, tea is a good idea,” I nodded. “Shall we head to the saloon?”
Bree walked over to the bank then and Meg said that she would meet us at the saloon. I walked over with Alex, knowing I needed to talk to him before the others arrived. He barely suggested that we should sit before I began to tell him about last night.
“Alex.... Jo told me something last night after everyone left. Jo said that the Regulators were her family and she has this hope that someone might still be alive. She told me about this huge massacre and how her grandpa was shot and she was sent to England... She said some people are sayin’ some of the family got away but no one knows. She said that she knows her family were bad people... but she also wants to know the truth. Alex, if Cym was.... This could explain why Eye was reluctant to hurt her.”
Alex went behind the counter to pour a couple of coffees and looked over at me, handing me the cup.
“And why he gave her a card in front of her store...” I asked, then stopped talking as others walked into the saloon.
Meg and Bree took a seat at the bar and I went around the counter and served people drinks. Thad and Lil joined us and I went back to sit beside Alex. They started talking about zombies and ghosts and Alex and I said that it sounded like something out of a Bram Stoker or Mary Shelley novel.
Eventually we decided to check on our office on Allen Street and said goodbye to everyone. We went out and called our horses and rode off for Tombstone.
Tombstone.
“Lost yet, dear?” I looked over to Alex as we rode to our office.
He shook his head and chuckled, “I might be able to find my way back.”
We dismounted in front of the office and I went up to check the mailbox, finding it empty. We decided to walk around town and talked with the group standing in front of the Crystal Palace.
“Is it I Apache blood that I not get justice?” Waterfall asked, coming over to me.
“What happened now?” I sighed a bit, though I guessed it was probably about the incident with Balt again.
“Nothing since Balth,” she said.
“Good...” I nodded.
“Hello Sir. Don’t think we’ve met,” I looked over at the man approaching.
“No we haven’t. Valkner is my name. Valkner Nightshade. I’m Skyla and Balthazar’s younger brother.”
“Oh, Sky has a younger brother... Pleasure to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Nightshade. I’m Alex.”
“I’m Trin,” I smiled as we introduced ourselves.
“Pleased to meet you both,” Valkner nodded and smiled.
“Do I ask Sky and her brother to kill him as there is no justice for me?” Waterfall asked.
“I was told that the charges were dropped because the witnesses withdrew their testimony,” I told her.
“I won’t kill my own brother,” Valkner folded his arms and frowned.
“What? I did not do such a thing, Trin,” Waterfall said. “What witness?”
“Out of my hands, Waterfall. I’m just a detective. Talk to Kris, or Bubba, or someone around here.”
“I kill Nim,” Waterfall said.
“Can’t you hold all this off until after my brothers wedding?” Valkner asked. “Do you have to do this now?”
“I kill Val here.”
“Me?” Val looked shocked at her. “What the hell have I done?!”
“Sounds like this is the downside of havin’ such a large family,” Serenity tilted her head then.
“Water, you don’t want to do that. Just talk to a lawman. Please,” I insisted.
“He could have killed two people that day,” she said.
“But he didn’t, so why all the fuss?”
“Cause she won’t let it go and just move on like I told her,” I sighed.
“Trin, there was no witness. It was me and Balth. No human.”
“Talk to TJ,” I insisted and then looked to Alex. “Let’s keep walking? There’s not much more we can do here if law has dropped the charges against Balth.”
“Val, there no justice for anyone with Apache blood,” Waterfall complained.
“I just go by what I hear,” I said.
“Ok, I go to Black Diamond and kill Nim.”
“What?! Water...” I swore under my breath as she walked away. “She won’t listen.”
“Well the law make there own rules,” D said.
“I can’t let her kill my bro and I won’t kill her,” Val said. “She seems like such a nice lady, what can be done?”
“Ain’t my fault they dropped the charges on Balth. I just know it’s true. I honestly give up trying to reach that woman... There’s no point.”
“Maybe I should go and try reason with her?” Val suggested.
“She try and shoot you Valkner,” another woman standing by said.
“I’m out of other options at this point. I don’t even know what to think,” I shrugged.
“Well if she try and shoot me, I’d shoot first. Though I don’t want to. I don’t resort to violence unless absolutely necessary.”
I smiled and said, “That’s what we like to hear, Valk. Glad you’re not like your brother in that sense.”
“Best to leaver her to calm down,” the girl suggested.
“Sorry, don’t think we’ve met,” I looked over at her.
“Who me?” she asked. “I’m Laurie.”
“Yeah, I think so too, Laurie,” Val nodded. “But I’ll follow and watch my brother like a hawk. Make sure he avoids crossing Waterfall’s path.”
“Good idea, Valk,” I nodded. “Laurie, good to meet you. I’m Trin and this here’s Alex.”
“Nice to meet you Laurie,” Alex nodded to her.
We talked for a bit longer and then Alex and I walked around town more. We decided to head home and I said, “So Mr. ‘I think I can find home’...”
He looked at me and said, “If you want to follow me, we’ll see where I end up.”
“Sounds good,” I chuckled and followed him out of town.
Black Diamond.
We found our way back home and spent the rest of the morning curled up on the couch in the living room. I worked on case journals and Alex worked on some writing that he was doing.
Bisbee.
This afternoon I played my gig at the Stock Exchange. When I was done and everyone had gone to Pet’s birthday party in another town, Alex and I stayed behind and danced together to the music.
“So how was bartending?”
“I liked it. I think I’m suited to tending bar.”
“A good way to get to know people and get information, you know... You could be a detective and a bartender,” I winked.
He chuckled and said, “I’m not a good detective like you are babe.”
“You’re good at taking in information though... People talk to you and trust you...”
He nodded and said, “People do seem to talk to me.”
“Did I hear that guy talking to you about a robbery? And a gunfight?”
“Yes, Abdula. He saw a robbery this morning. Two men and a woman. Said it was too dark to see much and he didn’t recognize them.”
“Oh yeah? Where’bouts?”
“Um... I didn’t ask.”
“Probably Tombstone...” I smiled.
“Always remember the five W questions...” I winked.
“Not sure he’d be able to tell me anyway... he’s new in town. I’ve been around two months and still don’t know where I am.”
“We’re in Bisbee, darling,” I chuckled and he laughed as I kissed him.
“Who was the other guy? That got in the gunfight?”
“That was Val. Guy we talked to earlier in Tombstone.”
“What was the fight about? Heard him go on and on but couldn’t quite make out what he was sayin’.”
“Got shot when someone thought he stole a horse. Claimed he didn’t.”
“Oh? That sounds like something we could follow up on...”
“We could. I just saw in over in Tombstone when I went to the office.”
“Did you...?”
“Even spoke briefly.”
“And you say you ain’t a detective,” I smiled, dancing closer to him.
“I remember everyone I meet, but I’m bad at asking questions,” he chuckled.
“Remembering people’s names is a tough part of the job, darling. You’ve got that part mastered down already. I still struggle with it and I’ve got a card for everyone I meet or hear about.”
“Well, I’ll do that part, you can ask the questions.”
“And when I get into conversation with a person whom I have no idea who they are, you can whisper it in my ear.”
He nodded with a smile and said, “Gets me in trouble sometimes...”
“And whislt you’re bartending... You should talk to Ryker or Lil about that sometime... Why do you think I was a saloon dancer for such a long time as a consultant?”
“I remember someone I met three months ago in passing and remember everything about them. They never remember me and wonder why I know who they are. Saloons often hold good info.”
“Oh... Jack Kelly was talkin’ to me last night too.. After Jo had talked to me,” I said, remembering I hadn’t told him about that conversation yet. “He said that while Eye was in jail after the trial, Frankie had gone in and visited him and called him ‘boss’.”
“Interesting.”
“Apparently Jack and Matty had a discussion about it. Reckon I need to find the sheriff tonight and discuss all this with him.”
“I bet I could get Frankie to talk a bit more if I were behind the bar.”
“That would be a huge help. I know he’s not telling us something...”
“Definitely. And I get a good idea he’s easy to open with a few drinks. As long as we go about it indirectly.”
“Indeed,” I smiled and twirled around the dance floor, so happy and relaxed in his company and enjoying every minute of it.
***
Black Diamond.
Tonight I walked into Diamond and greeted Bree as we were both clocking in at the courthouse. I walked over to the Sheriff’s office and saw Matt talking with Lil with the door open. I made eye contact with Matt and waited outside, trying to not listen to their conversation but the door was wide open so I could hear it clearly.
“Well I will talk with him. The most important thing is for him to keep alert,” Matt was saying.
“As for who did what to Rikki, I don’t know. I didn’t get a chance to look at his hands.”
“Detective, howdy,” Matt tipped his hat to me.
“I can wait, Sheriff,” I smiled.
“Hi Miss Trin,” Lil greeted me.
“Hi Lil. Don’t want to interrupt ya’ll,” I said.
“But I don’t think she would lie to me,” Lil said to Matt.
“Between you and I,” Matt looked at Lil, “I think that Thad is innocent. Almost total certainty.”
“Have known her for a long time,” Lil nodded. “Maybe he was close by and she was knocked out and didn’t see the real person.”
“I know, Lil. I know.. something must be going on with her... that’s something that need to investigate,” Matt said and looked at me with a wink.
“Investigate?” I perked.
“Just a thought. That could be why she thinks he did it,” Lil said to Matt.
“Mmm.. cannot discuss more about the case with you, Lil.. but hope that everything will be cleared up soon,” Matt said as the two of them walked out of the office towards me.
“I know, but I get curious too, Matty, when I see someone beaten that bad.”
“Lil, if you can be discrete and find out who she may have been talking with yesterday... the word is discrete... and perhaps Detective Trin can help us on that.”
I looked between them and asked, “Perhaps you can fill me in on what’s going on, Sheriff?”
“Yes, Trin.. I am about to do that,” he smiled at me.
“I will keep my ears open,” Lil promised. “By the way, did ya know there is a dog on the roof of the saloon?” she grinned. “Mutt, I think.”
“Don’t wanna know how he got up there,” I chuckled.
“Me either,” Lil giggled and Matt grinned.
“So Trin.. how are you doing?” Matt asked me as Lil walked away towards the saloon.
“Alex and I have made some huge headway in this case with the Regulators. We may want to chat inside?”
“Sure.”
We walked inside and I closed the door behind us so that we could talk in private. “Alright... last we spoke was with Abby in my office... we confirmed Adrian’s uninvolvement and Abby mentioned someone named Jackson Menkes... I also informed you about Bubba’s involvement... I think that’s the last we conversed about, correct?”
“Right,” he said as we sat down at his desk.
“Alright. I was at the beginning of the trial for Eye, but I had to leave as my family was coming into town for a couple of days... I did read the transcript though from the record’s office. I have a few questions.”
“Shoot, Trin.”
“Nora’s testimony... She said that Eye called her by her first name. How did they know each other?”
“Nora’s just a child...”
“Nora is a teenager, Trin.”
“Still... Question holds.”
“She is a damn good doctor.”
“Alright...” I nodded, moving on. “April’s testimony made a note that the jewels must still be out in the desert somewhere...”
“Yes...”
“I thought that Kris had returned them after he’d received the bag of jewels that was stolen?”
“Let me check my notes.. because I do not remember that...”
“Let’s see... Back when I talked to Ryker, he informed me that Kris had returned some of the stuff that was taken back to Diamond. He told me that back on the 22nd.”
“Then it must be in the safe..”
“Alright. April also mentioned that Eye had once been a friend.”
“Yes...”
“How long ago?”
“That is a good question... That is something to ask Miss April.”
“I thought so... This brings us to yesterday... I spoke with Lil, Jack Kelly, and Thad about how Lil and Thad had been kidnapped. Separately, but Jo was at the saloon as well... and she revealed that she’d been given a card at the grocery store.”
There was a knock on the door and I looked at Matt, not wanting to stop there. Matt invited the person in though and I looked over to see Thad walk in.
“I didn’t want to talk to Jo, but I couldn’t be rude either and she seemed in a talkative mood last night,” I told Matt.
“Trin.. checking my notes... yes, Marshal Kristoff brought the bag of jewels from Tombstone,” Matt told me, looking from his notes as Thad walked in and closed the door.
“Fantastic. Glad that is cleared up then.”
“He returned them to the Saloon and folks took whatever was stolen.”
“Was just curious why April and the town didn’t seem to know about it at the trial.”
“I think what we were all focused on the necklace of Nora and we lost perspective.... besides.. Abby was the one that provided the jewelry for the ladies and the gentlemen. So the charge that I stole them was wrong... I do not have any motive to do it... and Marshal returned them to the saloon.”
“Fair enough,” I nodded. “Sheriff... Thad here was the one that showed me the card he received when he was kidnapped.”
“Thad showed it to me yesterday morning.. he came over with Jack Kelly to the ranch,” Matt nodded.
“Sheriff...”
“Did you have biscuits this morning, Thad? Maria was preparing a new badge,” Matt said.
“No, I slept in,” Thad said.
Matt turned to me and said, “I am listening.”
“Jo, she...” I hesitated, not sure how much I should say.
“Just say it, Trin,” Matt nodded.
“She said that Eye wouldn’t hurt her because the Regulators were her family. She said that she had hope that someone was still alive the way folks talked over her as if she wasn’t there... She told me about the massacre where her grandfather was shot. And how she’d been moved to England after that. Jack Kelly told me about his conversation with you and some guy named Frankie had called Eye ‘boss’ in the cell after the trial... We met Frankie in the saloon, Sheriff, me and Alex. We talked to him about the old days and I asked him if he remembered the Regulators... We were just talking casually about gangs... So I brought up Despres’ name and he said that they weren’t really Regulators but wannabes... He said there was some scuffle with Despres and the Wild Bunch and asked if we knew Lot, but then he closed up on the subject and wouldn’t say more. We didn’t even bring it up, he did.”
“Frankie Bumbleweed,” Thad put in. “That’s his name.”
“Trin.. I do not know who is Depres.. but,” he nodded to Thad, “Correction ... Frankie Bumblefeet.”
“Despres is the guy that was the leader of the Regulators gang who Lot hanged. Or killed mercilessly at any rate.”
“If one of Jo’s descendants...” I started.
“If you excuse me.. need to take a break,” Matt closed his eyes to process the information for a few minutes. I waited patiently and then said, “Very well..”
“I think that bring you up to speed on my end of things...” I smiled.
“One thing that you should know... seems that Jo’s mother had an affair with an outlaw.”
Abby walked into the office and I pulled out my notebook, beginning to write notes.
“Trin.. that is why it is a very delicate subject...” Matt continued.
“It’s why I’ve never once went to her. She was very chatty yesterday, as I was sayin’,” I nodded.
“And the affair was confirmed by Lady Gigi.”
“Right. Oh..... Jo’s relative is...” I looked at him, understanding.
“Who?”
“Johnny Ringo?” I asked.
He shook his head and said, “No, I do not think so.”
“Well you said outlaw... Lady Gigi...”
“According to Lady Gigi.. Ringo had an affair with another Madam.”
“Oh?”
“And he probably left with her.. at least Lady Gigi thinks that either he is still with the Madam or drunk in some forsaken street.”
“So then Jo’s relative is someone else... Eye...?”
“That’s something to find out.. I think she knows.. but do not know... Mm.... Could be.”
“If it’s Eye, it explains why he won’t hurt her... He know her from the past...”
“It may not be a relative, just a friend of her mom.”
“But what would be his relation to her?” Abby wondered.
“A friend of her mom....”
“Thad.. do you know anything about that?”
“Cym...” I said then.
“Yes, Trin. Eye may have known Cym.. and from my perspective, Eye is one of the regulators.. and,” he paused. “Frankie referred to Eye as Boss.”
“And Jo said that the Regulators were family...” I nodded.
“Frankie was a Ranger a long time ago he said... When the Regulators were more active and when Despres was around.”
“Depres is dead, right?”
I nodded and said, “But he had some scuffle with Lot. Something big happened between the Regulators and the Wild Bunch. About the time Frankie was around and Ranger. And he closed up about it when he brought up Lot’s name.”
“Could Eye have been the one that Cym had the affair with? Could Eye be Jo’s father?” Abby wondered.
“Jo’s... father?!” I blinked, looking over at Abby.
“Trin... Depres is dead... dead do not talk.... let’s focus on the living,” Matt nodded to Abby.
“It was a way to create a rapor with Frankie, Sheriff,” I said. “We got Frankie talking about the Regulators because I brought up Despres.”
“I do not think so... according to Jo.. the affair happened after she was born,” Matt said.
“Well,” Abby shrugged, “Jo’s brother was in town the other night and was saying that her mom cared more about the town then their father.”
“Jo’s brother?” I tilted my head in confusion.
“Yes, I saw him,” Thad said.
“And he didn’t want to see the town or anyone in it.”
“Who was he?”
“His name is John.”
“Last name...?” I asked.
“He came from England.”
“So maybe there is more to the story then even we all know,” Abby said.
“England...” I remembered. “Where Jo was shipped off to after her grandfather was killed. Abby did you get a last name for him?”
“I don’t know Trin, she never said, but said he was not impressed with the town and didn’t want anything to do with it and seemed quite upset with their mother and he wanted Jo to leave right away.”
“Thoughts?” I looked over at Matt.
“Seems to me that he doesn’t want her here to find out the truth of what happened,” Abby said. “Who knows what other secrets will come out.”
“And yet she’s convinced that her family is still alive somewhere. She said she feels that hope when people talk over her like she’s not there.”
“Yes she is and she really wants to find them,” Abby nodded.
“Even though she knows to her core that they were the Regulators and not good people,” I nodded.
“She also knows that the regulators were killed,” Abby said.
“And she said that she thought all of them were killed... but now she wonders if someone escaped. In that massacre..”
“At least the main leaders,” Matt put in.
Abby sighed, “It’s not easy wondering all your life what happened to all or part of your family.”
“I have information that Lot left the rangers after he shot Yojonny Janic and Jakob Depres. That was the start of the end for the Regulators and the beginning of the Wild bunch,” Matt pulled out his notes.
“Right,” I nodded. “That’s what we discovered that night in the saloon from my source...”
Matt nodded. “Now, Trin... there is two cases that I want you to help.”
I looked at him, turning pages in my notebook. “New cases... I’m listening.”
“One of them may be related... Did you know that Thad was kidnapped after the trial of Eye?”
“Yes, he told me all about it. I told you he gave me the card from the Regulators. Was part of my update earlier.”
“Hold on, just putting things in context,” Matt nodded.
“Sure. Just makin’ sure you’re not losin’ your memory, Sheriff,” I winked at him with a smile.
“Yesterday afternoon.. Sheriff Rikki came over to Diamond claiming that Thad beat her up.”
“Thad? Beat her up?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Trin.. she was very beat up. Word, claiming.”
“Of course. Beaten up where?”
“I had to arrest Thad just to keep him safe.”
“I didn’t do it,” Thad said.
“We know Thad,” Abby nodded.
“Of course we do. He doesn’t have that kind of mentality,” I nodded.
“Yes, Thad... I believe you.. and I have already proof of that.”
“Proof?” I looked at him.
“Yes, Trin... When Rikki came over.. I asked her basic questions.. when and where it happened. She said that it happened in her home in Ghenna, but I know that Thad does not go to Ghenna.”
“No one in their right mind goes to Ghenna,” I said.
“Then I asked her about the when... and she said early morning...”
“Thad sleeps in...” I winked at Thad.
“I tried to pin a time.. she finally agreed around 10am,” Matt told me.
“I do, I’m sorry,” Thad admitted. “I missed breakfast.”
“Don’t be sorry, Thad. It’s helping you now,” I smiled.
“It’s ok Thad, nothing wrong with sleeping in,” Abby said.
“Well.. at 10 am.. Thad and Jack Kelly were at our ranch having breakfast.”
“Ten in the morning...” I looked to Matt. “What the heck kind of outlaw works at ten in the morning?”
“Then I got a witness statement from Lil,” Matt smiled. “Lil was the one that treated Rikki.”
“She claims she was outside working in her yard with no gun on as well,” Abby put in.
“Oh? Not like Rikki to not have guns on,” I noted.
“Lil treated Rikki around...” he said, looking for the time, “Sometime between six and eight in the evening.”
“Can I see a copy of the statement, Sheriff?” I asked, seeing the statement. “A long time after ten in the morning...”
“The blood of her face was still wet.”
“Still wet?!” I exclaimed.
“Also, she saw Rikki between three and five in Tombstone, and did not see any bruises in Rikki’s face.”
“So Rikki’s lying. Why would she lie about something like that if she claimed someone was beating her?”
“And the question is... why?” Matt nodded, asking the question at the same time.
“Like one mind, Sheriff,” I smiled.
“And someone beat her bad,” Matt said.
“Most likely while she was in Tombstone, I’d bet. Where did Lil treat her?”
“She treated Rikki here in Diamond.”
“Rikki came all the way from Tombstone to Diamond to get treated by Lil...”
Matt handed me the witness statement as a man came over looking for directions to the maze that had been set up for Hellderado week. When he had been told which way to go, we continued.
“She reported the incident to... Diamond law? Which Sheriff?” I asked.
“So... I asked Lil if she saw Rikki talking with anybody in Tombs.. and she did not remember,” Matt thought after a moment then replied, “She reported it to me, Trin.”
“But... It happened in Ghenna...”
“Yes, it happened in Ghenna according to her, but she came over to get Thad,” he grinned then. “And I see your point, Trin.”
“It makes no sense.”
“She could have put a warrant for his arrest,” he winked.
“Mmhmm, that too. She’s the sheriff herself. Why ask you for help? When she knew that you would have backed Thad up most likely.”
“Dang.. her story has so many holes that if it was swiss cheese, there would not be cheese,” Matt shook his head.
“Even telling Tombstone law would have made more sense,” I sighed.
“So, Detective...” Matt nodded.
“Yes, Sheriff...?” I asked, hoping he wasn’t sending me to Ghenna, though I knew that’s where this investigation would most likely end up.
“I want you to go to... Tombstone,” he smiled and I sighed with relief. “Find out the whereabouts of Rikki, who talked to her.”
“Between 3 and 5 yesterday?”
“She must have said something to someone. And then, we can bring Rikki and talk with her.. because the beating was real.”
“Her beating was real but her story is, well, full of lies.”
“I suspect that she was put in a bad position.... and making Thad a target.”
“Took the heat off her?” I finished for him.
“She probably was threatened and the beating was done to keep her mouth shut.”
“Wonder if she’d talk to me... Makes sense as anything else. Consider it taken care of, Sheriff.”
“Let me give you more information,” he pulled out a sketch of Rikki. “This is when she arrived to the clinic.
I took the picture from him and saw the bruises and the beaten-up lip.”Ouch,” I shook my head.
“Not a good thing,” Matt nodded in agreement.
“No Sir,” I shook my head. “Not even for the sheriff of an outlaw town. I’d love to know why she came to you.”
“Thad is innocent based on the evidence that I gathered, but need to find if anybody talked with her and knows more,” he nodded.
“And why she brought up his name,” I agreed. “What does he have to do with any of it, is my other question.”
“Exactly. That could be related to the Regulators... perhaps Eye had a hand in that.. but that is now speculation.”
“Because he was kidnapped by them... Sure,” I nodded. “Doesn’t explain Rikki’s knowledge of it.”
“I think that Rikki was a convenient bystander.. I still see goodness in her.. but need to find out. Now, last case...”
“I’m listening,” I smiled and turned the page in my notebook again.
“This may be sound like drudgery... but do we have a record of how many times the bank of diamonds have been broken in? The Mayor is dealing with the Tombstone Mayor to get the doors fixed.. but need to find out how effective were the previous doors.”
“Uh... Wouldn’t that be in the law records, Sheriff?”
“Right,” he nodded. “First place will be the records room. Need to find if the records are there.. hopefully they still exist.”
“I can do that,” I nodded. “And if they don’t exist...? Hopefully the bankers have good memories?”
“If they do not exist.. it raises the question.. what happened to them? Is our bank so safe that nobody has tried to get in?”
“You want me to work with the bank in Tombstone as well?”
“For comparison perhaps.. do what you think will be better.”
“I was wondering for that reason, yes. If their robberies are lower than ours.. or higher...” I nodded.
“It will help to find if the doors were lock-picked or broken.”
“I will do my best, Sheriff,” I nodded.
“So... three main cases.. the regulators.. Rikki’s story and motivation.. and the bank.”
“Has Jules talked to you at all?” I asked then, having a thought before I headed out. “I asked him to get information from Jo, casually and as a friend she trusts, but I haven’t heard from him in a couple of days...”
“He has talked with us... he is a good Preacher, but I have not approached him on the issue with Miss Jo.”
“Alright, I’ll follow up with him then.” I stood and reached out for his hand, “Thank you, Sheriff. I’ll keep you informed.”
Matt shook my hand and said, “You’re very welcome. And likewise.”
“Stay safe, you two. I’m off to the courthouse,” I smiled and headed out of the office to get to work.
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