September 23, 1899

Bisbee. 

This morning as I sat at my desk, Ryker walked into the office. “Morning Ryker! How are you?”

“I’m doing ok, how are you today. Quiet morning around here today.” 

“I’m alright. Just starting my morning shift and all. How are things over in Diamond?” 

“Normal, for the moment anyway. I was just out making the rounds.” 

“Any more word on that feather they found at Ali and Gabe’s?” I asked. 

“Not yet but the mayor is still looking into it I think,” he shook his head. 

“You mean Adrian?”

“No ma’am, Bill. He is searchin’ for something hard but I’m not sure what.” 

“Bill? The retired marshal Bill is the mayor of Diamond now?!”

“Yes ma’am. Got the job this past weekend.” 

“Wow...” I shook my head. 

“He’s still tryin’ to settle in but he’s workin’ his tail off to try and get Diamond back on the map.” 

“I thought it was rather frustrating that when I tried to bring up the subject with your girl, she shrugged it off, and the second Matt brought it up with Freja, she was all ears.”

“Which subject, Miss Trin?” 

“It was like I didn’t even exist and there was no way I could possibly have known anything, even though Alex and I already knew that Ali and Gabe’s house had been cleaned out.”

“She can be stubborn sometimes,” he nodded. 

“I mean yeah, we didn’t see the feather when we were searching but we weren’t gonna stick around long without anyone there watching our backs. Something felt wrong so we came back to Bisbee.”

“I haven’t seen or heard anymore about it,” Ryker nodded again. 

“At least here, if there are people about they respect my position and let me share what I know without snubbing me.”

“Maybe that’s why, Miss Trin,” he said. “It’s a Black Diamond matter. I don’t know... Like I said I’m nobody around here.” 

“Maybe but Ryker... I’ve followed this for months over on Allen Street... I know this group.”

“Well, maybe you should request a meeting with Marshal and the sheriff and share what you know.” 

“I did, eventually, that night. Once they actually let me talk. Just didn’t appreciate having to claw my way in.”

“I see your point,” he nodded. 

“Glad somebody does,” I sighed. “Alex is gonna be surprised to hear about the feather though...”

“Something you missed when you went in it?” 

“Like I said... We looked around the empty living room, then went upstairs and found it just as empty. We didn’t want to take the chance of being found so we didn’t look much further. Our goal at that point was to confirm that Ali and Gabe were really gone.” I shook my head and leaned against the desk. “Something’s not right over there, Ryker. We could feel that when we were over there. Just... watch your back, please?”

“I will ma’am,” he nodded. “Miss Trin, if you will excuse me I need to go check on the safe I hung for Miss Libby the other morning. Make sure its still on the walls.” 

“Should be seen my man around here any minute now. Usually rides back into town about this time. Sure,” I chuckled at him. “You be safe.” 

“You too, Miss Trin,” Ryker tipped his hat and headed out of the office. 

As I did my rounds a few minutes later, I saw a man I didn’t recognize. He said that his friends called him Bob but I was sure that wasn’t his real name. He didn’t stay to chat so I headed back to my office. 

Black Diamond

Half an hour later, I walked into town and waved to Abby standing in front of the bank. I asked about the new mayor and she said that she was headed over to his house for the morning meeting. She said that I should come along and I followed her, hoping to find more information about the town as I was still a lawyer. The meeting was a very productive one, talking about plans for the town and getting to know the main residents of the area. 

Bisbee. 

After relaxing at home for a while I walked outside and smiled when I saw Alex dismounting his horse. “Well hey there!” 

“It’s so good to see you,” he took me in his arms and hugged me tightly. 

I kissed his neck and said, “Come inside? I just put on a pot of coffee but needed some fresh air.”

“Coffee sounds great.” 

I took his hand and he squeezed it, following me inside and upstairs. I poured a couple of mugs of coffee and set them on the table, then got comfortable on the couch. “Coffee’s on the table there, darling.” 

He picked up the mug and leaned back with me ad I said, “I’ve missed this... Beginning to really hate weekends.”

“I miss this too when I’m out alone in the desert.”

“Then stay with me darling... Don’t sleep out in the cold. Stay here...”

“You know, I snore,” he kissed my lips.

“Do you think I care, darling?” I asked, kissing him back firmly. “I have news on our investigation front...” I looked at him seriously then.

“Oh yeah?”

“We missed something when we were looking around the house... Granted, we didn’t stay long but... There was a black feather under the stairs.”

“A black feather?”

I nodded and said, “The Blackbirds’ mark... Thing is we don’t know who left it. Could have been Ali and Gabe leaving it behind for us to find. Could have been someone else leaving it there as a threat to the town..”

“It’s definitely a sign, we just have to find out whom it was meant for,” Alex said, confused. 

“Mmhmm. I want to poke around Diamond... They have a new mayor now, a retired marshal. Bill something or other.”

“That sounds like a good plan. It would be a good idea to get to know the new mayor in any case.”

“Yeah... I’ve never actually met him... Just heard of him... back in August Matty told me about how he had been exploring in a mine in Pierce and had been tied up and left there for two days.”

“Wow! He’s lucky someone found him.” 

“Yeah. I never got any further than that information though. I kinda want to see how much he remembers.”

“I’d be happy to go with you anytime if you’d like company.”

“For now... I just want to relax in your arms...”

“Good, cause that’s just where I want you,” he smiled. 

I kissed him and relaxed in his arms. “That coffee’s probably cold by now...”

“I don’t think anything in here could get cold,” he chuckled. 

I chuckled and kissed his shoulder. “Every time you go away I realize how much I’m falling for you.”

“That feeling is mutual,” he smiled. 

“So stay with me... Stop sleeping in the desert.”

“That sounds so nice,” he kissed me again. 

“So if I didn’t have to play piano at the saloon in an hour I’d say let’s go to Diamond.. But I don’t think we’ll get there and back in time if we want to have a productive discussion.”

“Yeah, we don’t want to rush it. Maybe tomorrow?” he asked and I nodded. 

“I was talking with Nim and Matt when he and I found the feather in the house...” I started. 

“Oh yeah?” 

“They both kind of ignored me and didn’t want to talk about it. But then Freja came over and they were talking about opium something or other... Then things connected with Ali and Gabe and I told them what I knew. Had to practically claw my way into the conversation.”

“Hmmm, that’s suspicious they didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Well they did... once I pushed my way into the conversation. Was awfully frustrating though.”

“I bet,” he nodded and took a swig of coffee. 

“I should go change for my gig... I’ll be right back out,” I said eventually and kissed him before walking into the bedroom. I slowly took off my clothes, laying my gun and badge by the bed, suddenly wishing I’d asked him to follow. I slipped the red dress over my head and pulled my hair back into a pony tail and headed out to the living room. 

Alex looked at me and gave a low whistle. “Looking beautiful!” 

I smiled and walked over to him, “Let’s go to the saloon, shall we?”

“Always happy to go anywhere with you.” 

I smiled, kissing him, and walked with him over to the saloon where I did my gig at the Stock Exchange. When I was finished, they applauded and I walked over to where Alex was sitting at the bar. 

“Got a whiskey there, darlin’?” 

“There you are, sweetheart,” he said, pouring me the drink. 

“Thank you all for being here!”

“Awesome, Trin,” Spank smiled. 

“Thank you for singing for us,” Alex smiled. 

“Thank you Trin, really enjoyed your playing,” Jimmi said. 

“Those love songs were really hitting me today...” I squeezed Alex’s shoulder. 

He patted my hand and smiled then blushed. “Maybe me too.”

I introduced Alex to those he hadn’t met yet and then we headed home where we relaxed on the couch after a busy day.