September 26, 1899

Bisbee. 

I walked out of my office this afternoon and saw Ruby sitting in front of the clinic with someone I hadn’t met yet. “Howdy there, Dep!” she greeted me. “Good to see you.” 

“Hello there,” the man smiled and waved. 

“Who’s your friend, Ruby? Don’t think we’ve met.” 

“This is Dallas,” Ruby introduced. “He is new to the area. We have just met too.” 

“Dallas, welcome to Bisbee! I’m Deputy Trin Paige.”

He walked over and extended his calloused hand to shake mine and I shook his firmly as he said, “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Paige.” 

As he returned to his seat Ruby said, “We all really enjoyed you musical concert the other day Trin. You have a beautiful voice.” 

“Oh thank you,” I smiled. “I always enjoy singing here in Bisbee.”

“Dallas you gotta come to Trin’s next concert. She is great.” 

“A musician? That’s wonderful. I’ve been known to play a little music myself,” Dallas perked a brow. 

“You lookin’ for work around here, Dallas?” I asked, blushing a bit. 

“I’m an aspiring Medical Student... I’ll be looking for a job in that field soon. I’ve also a little experience in your line of work,” he said, tipping his head towards my badge. “I worked back east as a Lawman to get through Medical School.”

“Well it’d be great to have some more folks around here, eh Ruby?” I smiled. 

“Yes indeedy it sure would. It would be great to have you around. I am sure that would be fine.” 

“Well thanks. That means a lot to me,” Dallas smiled. 

“Folks like me need folks like you to take bullets out of us,” I nodded to him and chuckled. “Or perhaps folks like you to keep us from getting more bullets.” 

“Yes,” Ruby laughed. 

“Well I’ll do my best,” Dallas smiled. 

“How’s that husband of yours, Ruby?”

“He is doing great thanks Trin. He will be back in town soon ... he had to travel today on business... It’s been a long old day.” 

“Yeah, I hope my man will be around town soon enough too but I ain’t sure. I’m heading up north to visit family this weekend... Hope to catch him before I leave.”

“Hope you have a nice time... Long journey?” 

“Well... It’s been a rough couple of months... And now they’re selling the ranch so that Ma and my brother can move into something smaller... Away from all the memories,” I looked down. 

“I am sure it will be a great comfort to them to have you with them,” Ruby listened with interest. 

“It will be good to be back home... It’s up north, on a ranch in Canada.”

“That’s quite a ways north for only a weekend stay. You’ll probably kill your horse just trying to get there that fast,” Dallas laughed. 

I nodded and said, “I’ve done it a few times enough. Take the train most of the time.”

“Train is probably safer,” Ruby pointed out. 

“Also true...” I sighed a bit, hoping the danger was in the past now that Sunset had been murdered. I looked at Dallas and changed the subject, “Where are you from originally, Dallas?”

“Well I’ve spent the most time in Boston. That’s where I went to University.”

“Please excuse me... I have to attend to something...” Ruby said then and we waved goodbye. Before she walked away she said, “Hope to see you in the barbers?” 

“Yes ma’am,” Dallas smiled and nodded. 

“In the barbers?” I looked between them in confusion as Ruby headed home. 

“I’m about to take over the Town Barber Shop,” Dallas told me. 

“Oh are you?” I smiled. 

“I was about to head over there if you wanted to join me.”

“Quite a change from the medical and law experience,” I smiled. “Sure I should wander over there and do some rounds anyway.”

“Many Surgeons run barber shops... Something to do with the knives or something like that,” he laughed. 

“I suppose that makes sense,” I chuckled. 

We met with Spank in the barber shop and as the men talked business, I went into Chezz and poured myself a cup of coffee. I sipped it as I walked through town, doing the rounds, and then headed back to the office.