Black Diamond.
I hesitantly walked over to Aly’s place and heard a horse come up behind me. I saw Alex riding over and he dismounted as I said, “Hey. I can go home and let you guys greet each other....”
“No, that’s okay,” Alex smiled and I walked over to hug him tightly.
“I’m sorry... just getting used to it and figuring out my place I guess.”
“Your place is here as our friend.”
“And with coffee in my hand?” I stepped back, looking at him.
“Yeah,” he laughed. “Let’s get you that coffee.” We walked over to the house and he called, “Aly!” Looking at me he grinned, “See? I can be loud.”
“Uh huh,” I said simply and waited but Aly didn’t appear. “Get out here woman! Coffee!”
Aly eventually came out and Pet walked over to the house. We asked her if she wanted to join us for coffee and I felt a bit better that it wouldn’t just be me and the two of them. We walked to the cafe and sat down at the table, talking about how good things were going with James and me. Aly told us that she’d been training with Suzy the night before. We talked about the election speeches on Saturday and how Bree had pulled herself out of the running and now it was between Dave, Ger, and Sam... a man who is never around and all he does is make pies. We talked about how Ella had a baby boy and named him John.
We started talking about the dances in town lately and then Ger walked in and joined us. “How was the dance?” I asked eventually.
“It was alright. At first not many people, but lots of new faces. Some really strange people. One person in particular came in, She seemed to know everyone, but I’ve never seen her,” Aly said.
“Who was she?”
“Hrm...if I can remember the name.... She was...a little taller than me I think..maybe she had on heels...long brown hair, really pretty....” Aly started.
“Maybe someone that has done her research on everyone,” Ger suggested.
“Ser.... Serenity? I think?”
I blinked at her and shook my head, “Damn, I thought we were done with her.”
“Done?” Aly asked. “You know her?”
“She led this notorious gang when I first came here a year ago... The Blackbirds,” I shuddered at the memories of Punk holding a gun at me.
“What kind of name for a gang is that?” Aly blinked and Alex chuckled.
“Hey, they were better than the Dead Rabbits. Right Pet?” I looked at her.
“I sincerely hope they’re not bringing those gangs back.... You haven’t seen Punk or Poe or whatever the hell name he’s using now, have you Pet?” I looked over.
“Dead Rabbits was a splinter group,” Pet said.
“As long as they stay out of Black Diamond,” Ger stated.
“Sadly she lived here for a while,” I sighed.
“Girl, I was here before you got to town,” Pet looked at me. “I know Punk and Serenity and all about the Blackbirds.”
“Well Ger if they cause problems in another town it kinda affects everyone,” Aly said.
“I know Pet that’s why I asked you,” I chuckled. “They’ve probably pointed a gun at you more than they did at me. Or sent threatening letters... Or stolen guns...” I sighed.
“Let’s just say if they are floating back to town, the reign of terror will start all over again. I just hope they don’t connect with the James Boys or Mavericks again.”
I shuddered at Pet’s fear and nodded. “Yeah, especially with Anthony James wandering around. I about fell over when I saw him again.”
“You and me both,” Pet nodded.
“Is he still here or has he moved on?” Aly asked.
“You remember yesterday I told you about my case with Clint Houston Pet?”
“Sounds as if we might need more Deputies,” Ger suggested.
“It’s something about his eyes.”
“When Ansar gave me that case, he also asked me to look for the James brothers. And of course Clint being in the Mavericks...”
“We need an army!” Pet exclaimed.
“And of course Clint being in the Mavericks...” I sighed. “What happened to our calvary? I see only three or four of them on payroll runs now.”
“Relocated, probably,” Pet suggested.
“Ger, you could be a soldier,” I looked over.
“Trying to get rid of me already huh Trin?” he laughed.
“No Ger... Just think you’d be good at it.”
“Do you remember when they seized the Fort?” Pet asked.
“How could I forget?” I nodded. “Kris told me to deputize Cole and help us... I thikn I was deputy at the time.”
“Four days! Gah!”
“Little did I know then that Cole was an outlaw... We got all the way to the fort and then were told to turn around and go home ‘cause I couldn’t do anything with Cole’s help.”
“Only thing I’d be good for is taking care of the horses....” Ger said eventually.
“Law needed guns,” Pet said.
“Well yeah that was my point. I didn’t care who it was.”
“They didn’t care.”
“Well they did that’s the problem, Pet. They told me I couldn’t enlist his help.”
“Like I said, I’m gonna have to strap up. Oh wait, I did see Punk in town about a week back. Ya think...”
I blinked and almost fell out of my chair as Aly asked who Punk was.
“Good God...” I tried to gather myself.
“Yes call on God, cause Punk brings the Thunder with him,” Pet said.
“Pet, where was he?”
“Um, by the clock tower for a while.”
“Here we go again,” I sighed. “They better not steal those damn clocks again...”
“Not saying nothin’. Just standin’.”
“Of course. He was good at the hover.”
“I think... nah...” Pet shook her head.
I looked at her and said, “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Ya think... Maybe he was countin’ the number of guns and law in town?”
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” I sighed.
“Lord have mercy,” Pet exclaimed. “In truth, Aly... The Blackbirds appeared to be law abidin’. They really didn’t rob banks or people.”
“Appeared being the opportune words. They just got other people to do it.”
“But they didn’t take gruff neither. They attended church. Made large donations for the orphanage.”
“We quickly got on to them. And I beg to differ on that last point Pet... Punk stole my guns. Granted I had a bunch locked away... but they did send threats.”
“Well that ain’t robbin’ a bank but...” Pet started.
“Ok then I’m really glad I’m getting the heads up on that, because I tend to take people at face value and give them the benefit of the doubt,” Aly said.
“Serenity initiated the hangin’ of BrotherD.”
“I’d forgotten about that...” I sighed. “Think I was deputy in Bisbee at the time.”
“That was the first time I put my guns on,” Pet nodded slowly.
“Serenity shot BrotherD one week. Punk hung him the next.”
“And these people are back in town,” Aly winced.
Ger was chocking on his donut and took a drink of coffee. “You alright, Ger?”
“Yeah... thanks...” he nodded.
“Y’all I Need to figure a few things out at home...like figure out who would pout poop in the sheriff’s office,” Aly sighed.
“Someone pooped in the sheriffs office?” Alex raised an eyebrow.
“Again?” I blinked.
“I remember when I was young...scared of thunderstorms, my Ma told me there was nothin to fear...all the thunder was was a lot of bluster and noise,” Ger said.
“Oh that’s happened before?”
“Jhonny might come with ‘em,” Pet said then.
I blinked at her, “Jhonny Cash? With the Blackbirds?”
“Huh?”
“Jhonny’s coming with who?”
“Nooooo Jhonny Devilshand.”
“Ohhh. Wait, wait wait...” I said and pulled out my files.
“I seen him shave or request a shave cause he though a man’s mustache looked soft,” Pet said. “He’s insane.”
“Yeah I think I heard about Devil Hands in a conversation... But never actually met him.”
Aly headed out to get some work done and Alex walked her home. I sighed, watching them go, but focused on my coffee. Ger left then too and I continued to talk to Pet about how Jhonny had been thrown out of the Mavericks and has held a position with the Wild Bunch since then. I told her about a guy from Colorado who called his guns ‘sermon’ and ‘prayer’ and she thought that was amusing.
When Pet left I found myself alone again so I walked outside and found Alex walking down the street. We rode out to the canyon and he took my picture while I sat on the ledge in front of the waterfall.
I said goodbye to Alex and walked into the undertaker’s office, looking for James but the room was empty. The door opened and I turned to find Ger, with Alex coming close behind.
“Just wanted to say goodbye Trin...I’m leaving,” Ger stated.
“No you’re not,” I blinked at him.
“Yes... I am.”
“Why?”
“I know when I’m not wanted.”
“Ger you are. You know how many times I’ve felt that and stayed?” I sighed.
“Why do you say you’re not wanted?” Alex asked.
“Take care of yourself...might see you around Tombstone.”
“Ger...” I shook my head.
“Alex...take care of things for me,” he said and walked out.
“Where are you going?” Alex asked and walked out after him.
I kicked a chair as they walked out, frustrated. I decided to walk upstairs and see if James had rented the place above the office. I knocked on the door and he invited me inside after asking who was there.
“Hello you,” he smiled.
“Hey there handsome!”
“How’re you today?”
“Moving in huh?” I looked around the apartment.
“Well it’s starting to smell downstairs so thought I better move up here.”
I walked over and hugged him tightly, kissing his shoulder. “Mm.... I love that fireplace. Can feel the warmth already.”
“It’s good eh?”
“Mmhmm,” I leaned my head on his shoulder and smiled. “Very good.”
“It’s so nice to be here with you after a stressful morning.”
“Stressful?” he asked and I nodded.
“Found out a couple of nasty outlaws are back in town. Not exactly thrilled about that. Then Ger announced he’s leaving and I don’t know why.”
“Oh really? Could do the both of us a favor really, bring me the dead and you the case. Ger said he’s leaving?”
“That’s what I thought inwardly but... I have had a bad past with this gang. Who the hell knows..”
“He was being serious?”
“Seemed it,” I held him tighter and gained strength from his embrace.
“How strange.”
“I like the pictures you put up,” I looked around.
“You do?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Just room for one more above the fireplace. I’ll save that space for one of us one day,” he winked.
“Us, huh?” I leaned back and looked in his eyes and he smiled. “So there’s an us...?” I asked hopefully.
“Well, I thought after the past few days and especially yesterday that there could be an ‘us’,” he winked.
I held him close and nodded, “I like the sound of that. You make me so happy, you know that right? I haven’t felt that in a long time.”
“Aww, you’ve made me a happy guy! Happy I came back,” he smiled.
“Makes two of us,” I smiled. “Who would have thought it’d take us fifteen years to get together? So... What do you want to do today?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. Anything going on today?”
“Not that I can think of other than the resurrection of the Blackbirds...” I said and he laughed. “All I know is I want to do is spend time with you.”
“You do?”
“Of course I do,” I tickled him teasingly.
“I missed you, what can I say?” I kissed his lips softly and he kissed me back, rubbing my arms.
Tombstone.
We decided to go for a walk so I showed him my office in Tombstone. We were there for only a short time when there was a knock on the door.
“Who knows we’re here?” I blinked and we looked over to the door before opening it.
“Can I come in?” Ger asked and I shrugged, stepping back.
“Howdy Ger,” Jams stepped back.
“Much nicer than the main office,” Ger looked around. “Howdy James.”
“How you doing?”
“Be lying if I said good,” he replied and I stayed quiet, still upset that he was leaving with barely a word.
“Hmm ok, well I’m gonna go and check some things out in town, I’ll leave you two to chat,” James scratched his head.
“Don’t leave on my account....this concerns you as well,” Ger said.
“It does?” James asked and Ger nodded so we took a seat at the desk.
“Unless something changes, I pulled my name out of the running for Mayor of Black Diamond....this ‘new management’ has gone back on their word and I don’t trust them.... I have moved out of the township as a result... Now, I am tellin my friends this....nothing further, won’t spread word in the county.”
“Your friends?” I blinked at him.
“Yeah... friends.”
“You came into the undertakers, said two words to me, and left.”
“Think I said more than that.”
“So what now? We get to have a mayor that bakes pies? Great, we’ll all get fat,” I muttered.
“Guess I should leave...just wanted you to know what is going on in case you are asked,” Ger said and I sighed, watching him walk out.
James and I sat in quiet after he left and I just leaned forward, processing everything. We eventually kept walking around town and talked to Muriel about Angi being at the undertaker’s office. We walked over to the office to compare the decorations there with James’ office and then headed home.
Black Diamond.
This evening I talked with Suzy about how it had been an emotional day and we went over to see the new cantina. Mysti came over and so did Bree and Mike. We talked a bit about how Mysti was looking for a new place and I felt relieved when I saw Aly walk over. I walked down the street with Aly, knowing we had to talk, and sat down at the gardens.
Aly and I talked about how Ger was wanting to leave Black Diamond and she was completely shocked at the news. I wondered why he wouldn’t have told his sister that he was leaving and she became upset about it. She felt abandoned and I reminded her that she had Alex and me and James. In order to lighten the mood I told her about how James and I had made it official that morning and she was happy for me but I could tell she was upset about Ger leaving town still. I told Aly that I’d taken a ride up north to visit my mother and Joshua and that we’d had a good visit together.
We decided to go to the dance at the saloon and danced with the crowd there. Eventually I walked out to get some fresh air and saw Lilly in the street so we talked for a bit. Aly came out and then we saw a man standing by the cantina with Pet. As we got closer, I recognized Gaide Solo and felt my heart drop.
“Well little miss Trin... just who I was a lookin for.”
“What’s wrong?” I looked from Aly to Gaide.
“Well we need to have a sit down talk. I reckon you know about what.”
I nodded and looked at Aly, bracing myself for the coming conversation. “I’ll keep you posted. Come on with me, Gaide.”
“Trin ya need me holler!” Aly called out as we walked towards my office and I called back that I would.
We sat down across from each other at the table and I looked over at Gaide, waiting for him to start. “Well... have you received any ominous notes since that one that named you?”
“Nothing,” I shook my head.
“I just want you to be safe,” he said and I looked at him with concern. “You got folks around here watching your back I assume.”
“Yeah. My best friend is now a deputy and I’m close with the sheriff here.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. Dutch said he was gonna make the trip.”
I looked at him seriously and said, “Gaide. Talk to me.”
“I don’t know what to say this animal keeps dropping bodies. Last one was skinned and its heart was shoved onto a wooden stake. No possible way to identify the poor soul. Just another body.”
“I thought we were done with this, Gaide.”
“This fella is a mad dog. But damnit to hell he’s smart. Leaves us nothing. I’m worried about every name thats been mentioned.”
“So I’m still a target...” I nodded.
“Darlin’ you must assume so.”
“I thought I was just a tool to throw you all off.”
“Don’t let your guard down. Assume he intends you harm. And if I’ll ride up here so will he.”
“Gaide...”
“Trin.”
“I wrote a damn book. What does he want with me? Dutch and I dated for like a month or two. Fifteen years ago. I’m sure he was seein’ other women.”
“This fella’s brain is writhing with bugs he is not right.”
“I don’t get it.”
“I want you to have a healthy dose of fear in you it will keep you sharp,” he said and I sighed. “You know I’m right, darlin’.”
“It just makes no sense.”
“And as I said Dutch tells me he’s gonna make the ride sometime soon. He been hankerin to see you again.”
I nodded and wondered how that would go now that I was seeing James. I leaned forward and rubbed my temples lightly. “Gaide... Do you remember the Despres?”
“Don’t fret, darlin. Dutch is Dutch. He’s not the settlin’ type.”
“Rings a bell, yes.”
“Do you remember James?”
“Not sure. Enlighten me.”
“Jakob’s brother... They assigned him to protect me when all that Buckshott stuff was happenin’.”
“That Jake was a rat outlaw.”
“James is different. We kinda started um...” I blushed. “Just today, actually.”
Gaide reached over and stroke my cheek lightly. “Little darlin’, it’s been fifteen years. You got nothing to be ashamed of.”
“It’s not that I’m ashamed, Gaide. I just...” I shook my head. “Damn it, Gaide.”
“What is it, Trin? You know you can talk to me.”
“Things are finally good. I was happy. I was feeling relaxed. It was like a weight had been lifted and I felt like I could finally just... be myself again. I was interviewed for an article with the Epitath; people are starting to recognize the Pinkertons as valuable.”
“Well you folks are. US marshals and sheriffs are worn thin out here.”
“Granted there’s been crap goin’ with this election nonsense around here but... I have a feeling that’ll take care of itself. Gaide. Things were good. Not twenty minutes ago. It had been a LONG time since I could say that.”
“Well I’m glad things are pannin’ out for you, beautiful.”
“Yeah, until my damn life’s being threatened again.”
“In my case, it ain’t so good. Jared walked in and caught Dutch and Ascot making out the other night.”
“What the...” I blinked.
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do with ‘em.”
“You and her....” I said and he shook his head. “I thought you and Ascot were...”
“Married, yes. We are.”
“Damn it, Dutch,” I muttered.
“That’s my point. Eh... I don’t blame Dutch near as much as I do Azzie. Dutch is what he is. I accepted that long ago.”
“But he’s your brother. He should have respected...” I started.
“You know Dutch almost as well as I do,” Gaide gave me a lopsided look. “id you really just say that?”
“Right, sorry. Dutch and respect. What was I thinking?”
“He’s a rambler. A scoundrel. I still love the man.”
“He was in the past,” I looked at Gaide. “I’d finally let Dutch Solo go. We had the talk we never had... Said things we had never admitted.”
“Dutch is good at his core... He just don’t let the goodness guide him, sadly.”
“I told him he knows where he can find me. Obviously he’s done with me or he would have ridden out here. And now I have to suffer for being one of the many.”
“Oh Trin, stop that. You weren’t one of the many.”
“It’s true, ain’t it?”
“The man had true feelin’s for ya,” he said and I rolled my eyes. “Most he doesn’t. Most are just quick pleasure to that boy.”
“That’s all I ever was, Gaide. If I was more than we’d have...”
“I don’t believe that for one second. Nor do you, Trin.”
“I wasted my damn time on that book, Gaide. What thanks did I get, huh? What recognition? What gratitude or admiration? He couldn’t even tell me he loved me back.”
“He does, Trin.”
“After all that time I sat there with him under that gazebo and told him he always held a special place in my heart. And all he could say was ‘likewise’.”
“You know the man is handicapped with a natural immaturity.”
“Didn’t even hug me. Or kiss me.”
“He’s my twin brother, darlin’.”
“So now he wants what from me, Gaide?”
“I wanna beat him more than hug him, trust me.”
“How am I supposed to move on if I have to now suffer for being one of the names on his radar and this killer picked up on it?”
“Honey... Has to be the book that peeked this freak’s interest. How he homed in on the Solo’s is beyond me though...”
“The book was hardly about anything Gaide. It was about a murder that didn’t happen.”
“We must know this guy.”
“It was about me lookin’ like an idiot.”
“Trin, darlin’... That was a fine read. A fine, fine read.”
“For thinkin’ that Dutch wasn’t dead and lookin’ into it anyway and then when he came back...” I started to cry then.
Gaide reached over and wiped away my tears. “Angel you’re breaking my heart here.”
“This sucks, Gaide.”
“I didn’t come here to make ya cry.”
“Just to scare me?”
“Yes. To scare you. I want you on the edge, watchin’. Ready at a moments notice to protect yourself.”
I leaned forward, still crying, and heard Aly walk into the office while yelling at running into the door. I hid my head in my hand and cried against my arms, not wanting Aly to see me cry. Gaide squeezed my hand tightly and said, “Didn’t come all the way up here to make you cry, darlin’. You know me too well for that.”
“It ain’t you making me cry, Gaide. It’s all of it. Dutch. My life. That damned book.”
“You just said your life was going so well. Trin,” Aly looked at me.
“I give ya my word on one thing Trin Paige. I’m gonna get this animal, and when I do he wont ever threaten anyone ever again,” he insisted. “Nor do the awful sort of killing he has been doing.”
“Damn it, Gaide. You said Dutch wanted to come see me? Why didn’t he make the trip? Where is he, if he cared so much about me? If I wasn’t just one of the many.”
“I reckon you know where he is.”
“With your wife.”
“Hung over sleepin’ on the porch of the Lonesome Dove in that god awful chair of his. Like I said, I love my brother but he ain’t worth a damn.”
“It’s his fault I’m in this mess.”
“He is and always will be a problem child.”
“It’s his fault the killer found out about me. It’s his fault I wrote that damned book. That never could end.”
“I don’t think its his fault so much as we might like to think it is. I’m thinking the killer due to the book linked you to him. Thinking you two were something more.”
“Then it’s my fault. Great.”
“But I could be wrong. This fella has worms in his brain to be able to do what he does to another human bein’. He’s sick,” he said and I took a deep breath. He squeezed my hand again and said, “Seems nothing is working out lately, not for anyone.”
I felt myself wanting to wrench away from Gaide and anything resembling the Solo’s, but felt familiarity in the fact that Gaide was different. Aly said that she was going to go check on the ducks in the sheriff’s office and I could tell Gaide was fighting back a grin about it as she left the office, saying that our defense attorney was a real piece of work.
When we were alone again I looked seriously at Gaide and asked, “Gaide... Are you ANY closer on figuring out who this idiot is?”
“I’m tryin’ with everything I have. I am the marshal of New Mexico but spending most of my time in Colordao ‘cause I want this guy at the end of my gun.”
“What can you tell me?” I asked, trying to keep it professional.
“Anything you wish to know.”
“The notes. He keeps leaving them with each, yes?”
“Yes. Babbling poetry.”
“I’d like copies of all of them.”
“I’ll see about getting ‘em for you.”
“No holding any back this time,” I looked at him sternly.
“Damn, plastic tub toys,” Aly grumbled as she walked in.
Gaide passed me another note and I read it, looking at Gaide. “He didn’t sign it. You said he always signs it TS.”
“Yep,” Gaide nodded.
“This last paragraph too... ‘You play your part, and aim your dart, I do not depart, with my broken heart’. Darts? Broken hearts? Broken hearts... like the names of women on that note with me in it.”
“I’m not sure the reference really but I do know the heart muscle had many stab wounds then it was removed as if with a saw ragged cuts. Then it was impaled on a stake and left in front of what was left of the body,” he shook his head and I squeezed his hand. “It was awful... and the smell...”
“Gaide can I ask you a serious question? Are you so sure this killer is a man?”
“I’m not sure of anything yet. But you can bet your cute ass I will be.”
“Hear me out here... When I was investigating the first not-murder of Dutch..”
“Yes, I recall.”
“My main suspects were Chelsea and Peep. You remember? Women he’d screwed over.”
“Hell how many times that boy done been killed but not.”
“This whole list of women’s names, broken hearts.... Feels like lover’s revenge.”
“The way these bodies are left... I doubt it to be a woman. Maybe a husband.”
“Then maybe it’s a man doing the woman’s work and the woman is writing the notes.”
“Or a scorned lover.”
“Know what I mean?”
“I do.”
“You can’t be so sure it’s one killer.”
“No, not really.”
“Hrm...people tend to do....crazy things when their emotions take control,” Aly put in then from where she’d been listening in the corner of the office.
“Had anyone brought up that possibility before?”
“Jared has.”
“That it was more than one?”
“We’ve had extensive talks about this beast.”
“That’s exactly my point, Aly,” I nodded over to her then.
“Mmhmm. Heartache hurts,” Aly said.
We talked about the trip to Colorado then and how Gaide had already met Aly there once. Gaide noted that I made a really cute Pinkerton.
“Our trains have been hit a few times,” Gaide said then. “Might have to call on you sometime.”
“I’m not going back there,” I shook my head. “Not if he’s going to be traipsing around with other women and not caring anything about me. If he cared so much...” I shook my head, not wanting to repeat myself.
“Trin how come that matters? You got James now,” Aly pointed out.
“Dutch is a rambler, darlin’,” Gaide reminded me. “Makes ladies fall in love with him then wanders on.”
“It doesn’t, Aly. Not that way. But in a way I’m in this mess because of him and he doesn’t even care enough to want me safe,” I said. “You said I was different.”
“And you are.”
“You said I wasn’t one of the many.”
“He talks differently about you.”
“Then why the hell isn’t he here?”
“My brother was like that. Not Ger....Trin. Bret, the one you never met. Love em and leave em. It’s kinda what he does,” Aly sighed.
Gaide got emotional then and said, “Boy cant help himself but to be what he is... but he loves you. Of that I’m damned sure.”
“Lot of good it does me now, huh?” I shook my head.
“See now this you don’t need,” Aly frowned.
“I’ve moved on, Gaide. I’m happy.”
“Good for you. He ain’t a keeper. Not for any woman.”
“Ain’t that the truth. You know what I told him in that conversation? You know what some of my last words to him were? I told him I didn’t want marriage or a damned ring. All I ever wanted.. All I ever deserved after pouring two months into his story... Was him. And he could barely even give me that.”
“Trin. Dutch at his center is a good man.”
“So now I get to reap the rewards.. I get to have a serial killer after me because I wasted my damn time.”
“He just never got past that awful war. Bars up his feein’s like they’re a disease.”
“This person comin’ here?” Aly asked.
“You think I did?” I looked at Gaide.
“No, I don’t. But we each handle things in our own fashion; he refused to handle it at all. Dutchie is... he’s something.”
“My father died in ‘69. I have his medal because he was in the war. I almost lost my damned life because of that medal in my possession when I moved to Tombstone.”
“To whom?” he frowned.
“Don’t matter. He got killed in front of me because he was protecting me. Happened last year. Point is I had ramifications of that war too. That ain’t no excuse for Dutch to treat me like he did. And then after all that time for me to go there again for answers and he barely...”
Gaide looked me straight in the eye as he fidgeted. “Darlin’... Have I ever lied to you or misled you in any way whatsoever?”
“No Gaide, you haven’t,” I shook my head.
“Just be gentle with him when he works up the nerve to show up here,” Gaide said.
“You’re different.”
“It might take him a minute... he’s a slow learner.”
“Fifteen years, Gaide?” I rolled my eyes.
“I know it, darlin’,” Gaide shrugged. “I know it.”
“That ain’t a slow learner. That’s a man that couldn’t care less anymore. A man who’s written me off.”
“And believe me when I say your not the only one hurting right now. Trin...”
“I know Gaide... I know you’re hurting too.”
“The night Josh and Jared drug him in I sat there whilst he slept, he said your name five times. That isn’t a man that’s written you off. That’s a man that can’t access his feelin’s.”
Aly walked out of the office then and I said, “Gaide...”
“I’m right here, love. What’s the matter?”
I pulled him up to give him a hug and tried to relax in Gaide’s arms. I looked out and saw Lot walking past. He was holding a large box and we walked outside to investigate. Aly asked him to drop the dynamite and he insisted there was no law against carrying dynamite around. Gaide and Lot bantered back and forth for a bit and Aly continued to try and talk Lot into giving up the dynamite but he held onto it. I had had a long night so I headed upstairs.
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