September 8, 1899

Black Diamond. 

This morning I walked into Diamond and greeted Bree and Nim standing in the streets. 

“Hello Trin, how are you today?” 

“Howdy ladies. Good to see you.”

“Nice seeing you as well, been a few days,” Nim nodded to me. 

“Been a hard week or two... just been laying low. Getting stir crazy though and need to get something done.”

Mickey walked over and greeted us. “Morning ladies.” 

“Hey there Deputy,” I smiled at him. 

“Morning Deputy, nice to see you,” Nim said. 

“Been deathly quiet over in Bisbee. Too quiet,” I pointed out. It’s good to be on duty and get case files done but... I gotta do something other than write.”

“Been a bit quiet here too, but I think thats do to the Apache War at the moment, Tombstone gets exciting fast,” Nim said. 

“Apache war?” I looked at her, curious. 

“Yes, last three days, lots of bloodshed. But, I think last night, there was a beginning to an end.” 

“Oh?” 

“A whole bunch of Apache rode into Tombstone and confronted Kris, the Chief laid out some demands, we will see.”

“Apache war?” Mickey clarified. 

“I feel better now that I’m not the only one who doesn’t know about it,” I looked at him. 

“What kind of demands?” I asked Nim. 

“Marshal Kris? He can’t meet demands,” Mickey pointed out. 

“What kind of demands?” I asked. 

“No, but he can pass them on to the Mayor,” Nim said and then looked at me. “I am not totally sure Trin, I got most of my info second hand from my kid sister Xav.” 

“Gives me something to poke around about at least,” I nodded. 

“Just be careful going out anywhere near Ghenna, I really don’t recommend it at the moment.” 

“I avoid Ghenna with a ten foot pole. Don’t have to worry about that one with me,” I winked at Nim. 

“Oh, sheriff, mayor Alicia and I were talking to a man the other day, and Ansar,” Mickey said. “He claimed he was a banker.” 

“Has Ansar settled on a gang yet?” I chuckled. 

“I know Ansar, we are having that verified,” Nim nodded. 

“I’ve been putting money on which one he’ll join,” I chuckled. “Ever since he left law.”

“Mr. Wise has to give us an okay on that before he steps into our bank as an employee,” Nim said. 

“I wouldn’t let him in the bank, and miss Ali got a bank key from him,” Mickey nodded. 

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I muttered. 

“Oh good, he messing around plenty enough,” Bree said. 

“Mr. Ansar loves fooling folks,” Bree said. “He needs fooled. Too cocky but acts sweet.” 

“So what do you think.. Black Birds? Mavericks? Wild Bunch?” I guessed. 

“Almost thought I was going to have to shoot him,” Mickey said. “He kept wanting to unlock the doors.” 

“Trin, Ansar would be deadly working with Miss Serenity,” Nim said. 

“Wild Bunch probably. Oh man,” Bree laughed. 

“Yep, you can picture it, can’t you Bree?” I chuckled. 

“I know for a fact, Mavericks are out, unless he wants to solo, none of them hardly around anymore,” Nim said. 

“I heard a rumor...” Bella started. “He’s interested in joining Rikki’s gang.” 

“Oh was he?” I asked and she nodded. 

“Well, him and Rikki have been working together on some things, so perhaps Young Guns.” 

“Oh, she’d like that,” Rikki said. 

“Rikki’s gang? Isn’t she a sheriff?” Mickey asked. 

“She is Sheriff of Ghenna, but also Boss of the Young Guns,” Nim said. 

“Sheriff of an outlaw town, Mickey,” I told him. 

“Ahh okay.” 

“Rikki a crooked sheriff and a dang nuisance even if I like her,” Bree said.

“Grain of salt, I’d say,” I shrugged. 

“Yes, that badge is an outlaw badge,” Nim said. 

“They get along well, her and Ansar,” Bella pointed out. 

“Yep, they do,” Nim nodded. 

“She robs banks and blows me to pieces,” Bree said.

“She was nuts last night, Bree,” Bella said to her. 

“Blows you to pieces? Dynamite?” I raised an eyebrow. 

“Yeah,” Bella nodded. 

“Geez...” I shook my head. 

“Yep, I got blown up Friday night, at least I shot her and Cathy first,” Nim chuckled. “All of us did, about six. And we lost half the saloon. Poor Gabe had to clean up the mess.

“Gonna have to keep a close eye on her when she comes into town I guess,” Mickey said. 

“Yes, with Rikki, please do that,” Nim nodded. “And Ansar.” 

“She comes when everyone is in court,” Bella said. 

“Probably wise, Mickey,” I nodded to him. 

“Yea, she picks her times wisely,” Nim nodded. 

“She’s smart that way,” I agreed. 

“Micky, so you understand, someone driving a wagon of TnT is just like they have their guns on you, react as such,” Nim looked at him. 

“Hmmm, if she comes into town, and we are all here, seems to me the wise thing to do would to NOT bunch up close to each other, stay a distance so she cant get us all in one shot,” Mickey said. 

“How can you tell what she has in those barrels?” Bella asked. 

“When she drives by screaming she has a delivery of nitro its easy Bell,” Nim said. “Thats what she did on Friday night. I am only saying confirmation of that is like them drawing a weapon on you.” 

“I mighta thought a delivery for the mining company,” Mickey said.

“Would be a good cover though,” I nodded. 

“I was patient, I drew because Cathy had her guns out, I let then circle town once, then I told Rikki to take it out of town, then she plowed through the doors of the saloon, so I had to shoot them at that point,” Nim said. 

“Cathy have a last name?” I asked Nim. 

“Cathy Sinister, Madam at Annie’s,” Nim answered. 

“Don’t reckon I’ve heard of her before,” I tried to remember but it wasn’t familiar. 

“Not very often Cathy comes out of Tombstone. Nice lady, but crazy at times,” Nim explained. 

“One of those hot and cold type folks?” I asked. 

“Must be all that drinkin’ she does in Annie’s, and other things,” Mickey chuckled. 

“Not an immediate switch, if your around her, you will notice the buildup,” Nim explained. 

“And how would you know about them other things, Mickey?” I winked at him. 

“I worked for her and I think it was like, ‘Uh oh, here we go again.’” 

“So she’s been around a while then,” I observed. 

“Miss Alicia told me about them the other day,” Mickey smiled. 

“Uh huh,” I smirked. 

“Yes, a long while,” Nim nodded. “Oh Mickey, you could write a book on the Doves you know them so well.” 

“Maybe that’s what I should start working on...”

“When Matty comes on duty, his first question, is ‘Where’s Mickey, at Annie’s’?” Nim chuckled. 

“All them law meetings we been having in there on thursday nights, Sheriff.” 

“Right,” I chuckled. 

“We have law meetings Thursday nights?” I looked between Nim and Mickey. 

“Well I think every woman in Tombstone should be a Dove for a short period, teaches them a lot,” Nim smiled. “My staff meets at Annie’s for the dance, yes ma’am Miss Trin.” 

“Ohh I see. Not the whole law team in all the areas then. Heck if I held a law meeting in Bisbee it’d be just me,” I chuckled. 

“Oh no, have not control over the other folks,” Nim smiled. 

“So what happens to the town when ya’ll are out at the dance?” I wondered.

“Trin, are you not still part of Tombstone law when in Bisbee?” Nim asked. 

“Yes ma’am,” I nodded. 

“When my sister Tambra was Deputy there, she could also work in Tombstone,” Nim said. 

“I just mean there ain’t any other deputies in Bisbee with me at the moment,” I said. 

“No need except when I got dragged around,” Bree said bitterly. 

“Just hope you’re glad to have me there from time to time, Bree. Been quiet there lately law-wise,” I smiled. 

“Oh Bree, that was so hard that day, trying to shoot someone dragging you when your bouncing up and down behind them,” Nim chuckled. 

“I think the Bisbee punishments keep the crooks out of your town, Trin,” Mickey said to me. 

“Why do you think I chose to work there?” I nodded to him. “No one wants to get hanged. It’s a gateway town more or less...”

“That’s the truth. Don’t Bisbee hang for almost any crime committed?” Mickey asked. 

“Yep most of ‘em. Hang ‘em high as Spank would say,” I nodded. 

“I think anything with a gun,” Nim pointed out. 

“Robbing a bank ain’t a hanging... Trying to think if there’s something else...” 

“Yea, but most often robbing a bank involves shooting at least one person,” Nim said. 

“True enough,” I said, giving up thinking then. “Yep I really can’t think of anything that ain’t a hanging. Shooting law without killing definitely is... Remember that guy Ken who shot me three times in two days... he tried to turn himself in after that but when I told him it was a hanging charge he changed his mind and confessed in Tombstone,” I chuckled. 

“You know though, thats not really good, as if I am an outlaw and they are going to hang me, if I shoot you, why not just kill ya, no witness?” Nim asked. 

“Did someone get hanged today? That court was so long I left,” Bella said then. 

“Oh god, I was bailiff for both cases, it was like being in a movie that was running way to long,” Nim said. 

“Only trial I heard about from the telegrams was Ansar’s and that he was set free,” I said. 

“It was...” Bella nodded. 

“Yesterday we had two outlaws. Both found guilty. Ella won both cases,” Nim said. 

“Oh she did? Wow,” Bella smiled. 

“Be proud of your daughter, I gave her my compliments after,” Nim said to her. 

“That’s good to hear she’s getting some victories,” I smiled. 

We talked for a while about other things going on in town and then a girl came over who seemed shy around us. Her name was French and she said she lived at the orphanage. Cora came over showing a new woman named Flame around town. After talking with them for a bit longer, I headed back home for Bisbee.