April 3, 1900

Black Diamond. 

I walked into the cafe and greeted Alex and Aly who were already sitting. Alex announced that his divorce was officially final and I congratulated him on it, happy that he was able to move on officially now. Aly talked about how she had been helping Myst out with wedding dresses. Alex went to put on an outfit to cheer me up and he put on a Christmas sweater that a little girl had given him once. Aly told us about how she’d seen Jewel kissing someone on the balcony of her house. I joked that it might make her turn herself back on the right path and they agreed, and Aly joked that her leg would be better. 

I decided I needed to go for a ride so Alex came with me and we rode out to the canyon. We found an area by the water and I asked him to help me dye my hair back to brown because it felt more natural. 

Tombstone. 

We rode to Allen Street and saw a man sitting in front of Kate’s. He looked familiar and we walked over to him. “Morning sir, don’t think we’ve met yet,” I greeted him. 

“Morning ma’am,” he nodded to me and Alex greeted him. 

“I’m Trin and this here’s Alex. You new to the area?”

“Nice to meet you Trin, Alex. Well ma’am, I was born and raised here, had a few people after me so I had to leave. But now I’m back.” 

“After you? In some sort of trouble? Or that all in the past?” I looked at him. 

“All in the past,” he squinted at me. 

“Glad to hear that. Sorry, don’t think we caught your name,” I smiled. 

He stood up and offered his hand. “James.” 

“James. There a last name with that?” I winked, shaking his hand. 

“Hell what are you, a detective?!” 

“Kinda,” I chuckled and Alex laughed at that. 

James raised an eyebrow and said, “I’m James Despres.” 

“Despres?” I whispered, almost falling over in shock. 

“Yes ma’am,” he grinned. 

“I knew Jakob quite well...” I shook my head, looking at Alex. “Remember, Alex? Back when we lived in Diamond and were investigating that whole Regulators thing?”

“Yeah Jake was my Brother,” James smiled. 

“He was a good friend.”

“He had a good heart,” James said. 

“Was sorry to hear about his tragic end. Was shocked, actually.”

“But don’t worry, I didn’t follow the family into that ‘industry’,” he flicked his medals. “I was the Lieutenant Colonel at the Fort over there.” 

“Glad to hear that and see it,” I smiled. 

“Yes ma’am.” 

Alex looked between us and said, “I hate to do this but I’ve gotta get over to the next county. I work in a clinic over there two days a week.”

I looked over at him and nodded, “Okay, Alex... Stay safe out there.” He nodded to us both and headed down the street. 

“So you really are a detective eh?” James chuckled. 

“Yeah, you caught me,” I laughed and nodded. “Maybe we could have a drink?”

“Sure,” he said and headed into the saloon with me close behind. He offered to make me a drink and we sat down at the counter beside each other. 

“I never could get over what happened to your brother.”

“Yeah, I never believed it when I heard the news.” 

I reached over to put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry to bring it up again. He was just a good man to me... most of the time..” I recalled the incident with Anron in the hotel and shook my head. 

“Well, shit happens, life goes on,” he downed his whiskey. 

“Ain’t that the truth.”

“So, being a detective, and me still kinda watching my back, is there anything I should know about?” 

“Anything you should know about what, hon?” I chuckled. 

“Well you obviously know whats happening around here.” 

“Most of the time...”

“Whose still about, whose dead, whose gone elsewhere?” 

“To be honest with you things have been kinda quiet lately around here. Hard to tell who’s here and who’s not these days. I haven’t had a good case in a while. Starting to get restless. If you give me a name I can tell ya if they’re around.”

“Hmm. Well what about the mayor at Black Diamond? Pretty lady, she still about?” 

“Krell is the mayor of Diamond now. That’s where I live.”

“Hmm, that wasn’t her name.” 

“Paty Hill is who you’re thinkin’ of.”

“Nope... Kaly.” 

“Ah yes... She retired.” I remembered the cold case of my investigation of her death and shakes my head.” 

“So is it always this quiet?” he asked and I was relieved when we moved on from talking about Kaly. 

“Unfortunately yeah lately... There’s usually a dance every night though in various towns. That brings a lot of people out.”

“I’ll just have to hang about until tonight then! Kaly had a husband didn’t she? Mur?” 

“Uh... maybe. Not that we came across in the investigation.”

“Investigation? Into a retirement? What kind of company are you?” 

“I’d met her in July when she’d retired... she seemed fine and didn’t mention any issues or threats... But then she vanished. Her things were left untouched. We spent a month trying to figure out what happened to her....”

“She just vanished? Didn’t think she’d be the type to just ‘vanish’. You spoke with her husband?” 

“We never found out she had a husband. That part never came up. The Regulators were rumored to be starting up again then and we tried to talk with Lot about it... ‘cause he knows things... found out he was Kaly’s brother. He said that he’d killed one of the Regulator bosses but he wouldn’t reveal the name of who he killed... This was back in history still I guess... Found out that your brother was the one who was killed by Lot. The investigation kinda turned into a case about the Regulator’s history and Cym’s daughter was in town at the time so our attention kinda turned to what happened to Cym...”

“I go away for just a year and all this? Certainly not looking forward to hearing other news!” 

“Thing is... the Regulators started stirring up crap in Diamond again. Jo, Cym’s daughter, said they were family and thought maybe what happened to Cym had to do with them. We never really solved it though ‘cause Kaly’s name was never brought up again and the focus turned on the Regulators, but then they started to disappear again and I haven’t heard from or seen them since. We started the investigation at the end of September... the case went cold beginning of November.”

“Damn.” 

“My sentiments exactly.”

“You know of any jobs going anywhere?” 

“Then the mayor when I was investigating that case left and now we have Krell running Diamond. Not a word’s been spoken about that case since November.” I looked at him and said, “Jobs? Depends what field. We could always use lawmen I’m sure. Especially a man with your experience...”

“Hmm, law huh..” 

“What were you thinking of doing?” I smiled at him. 

“Well I’m not too sure, maybe the fort would take me back... But I couldn’t go in as a private again, need to speak with the colonel.” 

“I believe that’d be Wedge then. Or you could talk to Suzy or Angeles.”

“I think I’d make a pretty nasty outlaw too,” he looked over at me and laughed. 

“We don’t need more of those,” I sighed and then stood, holding out my hand. “Care to dance?”

“You was saying there’s no decent investigations for you at the moment. I could give you some pretty interesting cases,” he laughed. “Yeah, sure.” 

“I bet you could,” I shook my head as we began to dance. “Wonder what your brother would think... me dancing with you.”

“I have no idea, that boy’s opinions and moods changed like the wind.” 

“Don’t I know it,” I nodded and continued to dance with him in the silence. “What are you thinking about so intently?”

“I haven’t danced since Maddy left.” 

“Maddy?”

“The lady I was when I was in Black Diamond.” 

“Oh I see..”

“We had a little ‘disagreement’.” 

“Those happen...” I nodded. 

“So your living in Black Diamond now?” 

“Mmhmm,” I moved expertly in his arms, letting myself relax. 

“Haven’t been there for a long time. Hmm I think I’m starting to get the hang of this now.” 

“You’re not so bad at this.”

We continued to dance and he fell a bit. “Easy there cowboy,” I winked. 

“Yeah maybe I could do with a bit more practice first.” 

“I’m here to practice whenever you like,” I smiled and pulled him closer. 

“Well, maybe I’ll just have to take you up on that offer.” 

“It feels like we already know each other..... Did you ever visit Jake in Colorado?”

“I think so, for a little while. You were there?” 

“I was running the newspaper there for a few months.”

He rested his head on mine and then I blinked, remembering. “Wait a second.... I knew you back in Colorado! I had a gang after me.... Buckshott Bill and his group... You were one of the ones they asked to be like my shadow to make sure nothing bad happened.”

“It’s you? The one Jake asked me to look after?” he looked at me and I smiled, reaching up to touch his cheek. 

He kissed me on my neck and I asked, “What is it?” 

“How could I forget those eyes!” 

“You remember me..?” I smiled, surprised at the kiss. 

“I do,” he laughed. 

“Fifteen years later and here we are...”

“Fifteen years? That long eh?” 

“Mmhmm... Time sure does have a funny way of bringing people back together..” 

“Indeed. What a coincidence, a good one!” 

“You think so?” 

“Of course.” 

I traced my finger down his arm and he asked, “So, Trin....you got a man back in Black Diamond?” 

“Not really... I kind of live in the moment... let things happen as they do.”

“That’s good,” he smiled. 

“You think so?” I asked and he nodded. “How about you? Any lady claiming your heart?”

“No ma’am, not sure if I have anyone here anymore.” 

“You have someone here.... For what it’s worth...”

“I do?” 

I kissed his shoulder and he placed his finger under my chin and raised my head a little. He moved his lips closer and kissed me softly. My heart soared and I kissed him back, holding him closely. 

“We could go somewhere more private...”

“We could?” 

“If you wanted... Or we could always save that for another time if you want me to show you around Diamond later...”

“I’d like that,” he smiled. 

“I couldn’t resist,” I leaned my forehead against his and kissed him again. 

“I’ll see you soon?” 

“Me neither,” he grinned and winked. “I hope so.” 

“It was really good seeing you again, James...”

“I’m here for good now, so as long as your not going anywhere I’m sure I’ll see you again. Going to hold you to me... um.. that,” I winked. 

“It’s been a pleasure, my long lost friend,” he chuckled and headed out of the saloon. 

*** 

Black Diamond. 

Later this morning James came into town and I showed him around, introducing him to Aly. He suggested that he could open an undertaker’s office and then we decided to take a walk. We met a woman named Lucy in Bisbee and then went to spend some alone time in the canyon for the afternoon.