Tombstone.
I walked over to the hotel this morning and greeted Pet. “How’s it goin’?”
“Today I’m judging the tumbleweed spinnin’ contest. It’s fierce! How about you hon?”
I chuckled and asked, “I was wondering if you could help me out with somethin’ actually?”
“Sure. Whatcha need?”
“Do you know Zan well?”
“Married to Chris Lyric. has a son, Leo and lives over in Benson,” she smiled.
“Has she ever talked to you about her life before gettin’ married?” I asked and she offered me a coffee. I accepted the drink and followed her inside.
“Not much really. She, um, said she didn’t know how to bowl, and whooped us but good. Coming right up.”
“Nothin’ about her family, past life before Tombstone, etcetera?” I asked.
“Heck, I can’t even remember where she’s from come to think about it. She was always sorta private. But friendly. Know what I mean?”
“Mmhmm I know what ya mean.... It’s just that she’s done some real weird behavior lately and I wanna see if there’s maybe somethin’ in her past that she’s fallin’ back on... Or if someone from her past could have come back to haunt her into it somehow.”
“Strange in what way?” Pet looked over her cup at me.
“She stole a bunch of art from her and Chris’ home. She doesn’t even remember Chris or Leo.. She also stole a piece of art from the gallery here in Tombstone.”
“Are you sure it was her doing the stealin’?”
“Mmhmm. Checked prints against each of the pictures and then checked them to something that only she touched at their house. Was a perfect match.”
“Hmm, well I know she bumped her head recently. She don’t recognize Chris. Even calls him Paul. Now ain’t that somethin’.”
“I’m concerned about it Pet. What do you know about amnesia? Does it change folks’ behavior as well as make them forget?”
“But stealing art work? Hmm...”
From her home and from the gallery,” I nodded.
“Well I ain’t no physician, but I had the....” she rolled her eyes. “Of knowing someone with amnesia. They was as different acting as night and day.”
“Does it last long always? Or do they sometimes revert back to normal?”
“Now for that, you need to be talking to one of the doctors around town. I don’t directly know.”
“Just thought I’d ask since ya had experience with someone like that,” I nodded. “Chris told me you and Zan were close so I thought I’d see if she confided in you about anythin’.”
Pet tucked a loose hair and shook her head. “Frightful thing to behold. To not be recognized... My heart goes out for Chris and Leo. They must be in agony.”
“It’s absolutely awful. I feel so horrible for them both. Chris was a wreck.”
“That he is! You should have seen him last week while she was lost. He feared something happened or worse. Like she’s forget where she lived. Just out there wandering and being easy pray for varmints. I sure hope that helps, Trin.”
“Well it helps a little... At least we know she weren’t always like this... She used to be friendly,” I sighed.
“Yes she was and always had a smile for everybody.”
“We’ll figure this out. I’ll let ya get back to work. See you soon, Pet.”
“Say, I have a question.”
“Yes?” I looked at her.
“What happened to your partner? Is he out visiting folks or something?”
I sighed and looked down. “That’s a fantastic question. Shoulda known he’d leave like the rest. They all do.”
“I’m sorry, Trin. I really am. Maybe he had some business to finish up or something,” Pet looked down. “But one day, one will come and stick.”
“Who knows. I’m fine on my own. I’ve got Nat now to look after... Though it’s a lot more than I had anticipated it would be. I never thought I’d be carin’ for a child, Miss Pet.”
“Yes, children are,” Pet laughed. “Well, just remember how you were as a child and extend her grace and mercy.”
“Yeah... she’s like me when I was a child. Still don’t think she told me the full story ‘bout how she hurt her arm.”
“Some kids keep their secrets. Maybe one day she’ll tell ya.”
“You know me. I can tell when someone’s hidin’ somethin’,” I winked at her.
“But,” she grinned. “Grace and mercy. She’ll open up to ya.”
“You’re right,” I nodded. “She seems to like ya a lot too.”
“She’s a delightful girl,” Pet grinned.
“Well I should wander about. You stay safe, alright Pet?” I smiled.
“Thanks, and you too Trin.”
I walked over towards the Oriental Saloon and smiled as Doll walked over to me. “Well, just the woman I was lookin’ for!”
“Hi Trin! How are you?”
“I’m just fine hon. Want to join me for a drink?”
“Sure. That would be nice was a long walk into town.”
“Need your help with something and we best be sittin’ down for it.”
“Oh dear!” she walked into the saloon with me and we sat down at the table with our drinks.
“Alright.... I really need your help with somethin’,” I started nervously. “You know Chris and Zan rather well, yes?”
“Yes.”
“How long have you known Zan?”
“Hmm... well I remember when she first came to town she came to my dances... she is a lovely lady..... then for a while I didn’t see her. Then when she came back to them it explained why she had not been coming.... Seems that she had met Chris and fallen for him, and they had gotten married. Chris I have known for several years. He is a great guy and together he and Zannza make a wonderful couple. They are great together!”
“Doll...” I took a deep breath.
“Yes hun?” she held her breath.
“Do you know Miss Zan to do anything.... criminal?”
“No I never known her to do anything criminal.. In fact, I can’t imagine her ever doing something wrong. She is a fine lady, an upstanding citizen with good morals and a strong backbone. I doubt she would ever do anything wrong. Why would you ask that?”
“Doll...” I said again, wishing I didn’t have to be the one to break the news, but I needed to understand.
“Has something happened...?”
“She’s stolen some artwork. From a gallery here in Tombstone and from Chris and her home. She’s fallen off fher horse and doesn’t even recognize Chris or Leo.”
“No! I can’t believe she would do something like that! Someone has to be framing her! What about her horse?”
“Doll... I investigated the fingerprints on all the backboards, thinking the same thing. They all matched the prints found on this candleholder she owns... that Chris says only she has touched.”
“What did you say about her horse?”
“Not sure, Doll...”
“Some kind of accident?”
I nodded and asked, “She a skilled rider?”
“Say it again. I didn’t realize you had meant she fell off a horse and was hurt... Thought you meant she was nuts.”
“Her horse reared her off..”
“And you say she does not know Chris or Leo since then?”
I nodded. “Is she a skilled rider, Doll? She usually knows how to control her horse?”
“Hmm that sounds like she has a bad case of amnesia.”
“That’s what Chris believes. You’re in the medical field as well, right?”
“Yes, I have been a doctor here for the last six years. I usually see her at dances and don’t see her on a horse, but I would assume she is a good rider.. I know she does it a lot. Hmm.... it is possible that the fall may have triggered amnesia. Which would explain her not knowing Chris and Leo.”
“Maybe you could help me understand amnesia.... The symptoms, what to expect, if they ever go away and the person returns to normal...?”
“Okay let me see if I can explain. Amnesia is called by trauma, especially injury to the brain which could happen from a fall off a horse if she hit her head.”
“Okay. Pretty confident to call this amnesia then.”
“Do you know if she lost consciousness when she fell? If she threw up, etcetera?”
I tried to remember from Chris’ journals and said, “He didn’t mention..”
“Okay. Well if the brain injury is severe enough, recent memories may be lost. They have not been thought often enough to really make a lasting impression on the brain. When that happens, a person loses those memories and would revert to older memories, which have been thought of over and over and over and have become almost like second nature.”
“So they might still remember things from distant past then...”
“So.. what this means is that if Zannza had a different lifestyle in the past or growing up, and the fall injured her brain, it is possible that she has reverted to her old behavior, believing it to be her normal daily behavior. She would not remember recent people, events, or other things.”
“That was my thinking... Which is why I’m trying to find people who she may have talked to about her past. But no one seems to know.”
“Unfortunately, if the damage is severe enough to make a person forget their present lifestyle, there is a very good chance she will never remember it. What one would have to do is help her to make new memories.”
“If she’s ever to be found again... There will be a couple of warrants out on her soon.”
“Help her cope with the loss of who she has been now. If the injury is severe enough, she may never remember her recent life, but she could make a new life, fall in love with Chris and Leo again and make a new life for herself.”
“If she chooses to.... This is going to be hard to tell Chris.”
“I am hoping the amnesia is only temporary and that as the brain heals some memory will return... but we have to face the possibility that it may not ever go away.”
“I asked Chris to look for journals or pictures in the house and see if there’s anything there that can shed light to her behavior now.”
“And help her to learn about who she has been and help her to make a new life for herself...”
“Well she seems to already be starting to.... robbery,” I muttered.
“I am hoping that as the swelling of the brain eases, she may get some memory back.”
“Guess there’s nothing more to be done until I can talk to Aly about a warrant against her for the theft in Tombstone, and then talk to the sheriff about the theft in Benson. It just seems so wrong, Doll.”
“It may be the amnesia is just temporary, however, we have to face the possibility that she may never be herself again and help her find her way back to us.”
“Unfortunately a warrant might be the only way to get her attention and force her way back to us, right?”
“Pictures are a good start... Yes...”
“I didn’t want to be right on that one,” I sighed.
“But I think if she has amnesia, she is not doing it to be bad. She is just reliving a past we know nothing about.”
“I can’t imagine facing Zan in court... But she’s still committing crimes, Doll...”
“She is still the woman we all know and love, we just have to help her find herself . Yes she is.... But under extenuating circumstances, I believe you call it. I am not a lawyer so don’t know all those legal terms... but simply put, she is not in her right mind. She is living in her past.”
“Granted.... So what do I do? Just let it go? Let her keep stealing art?”
“No she needs to be found and given medical help.”
“I agree,” I nodded.
“She needs to be examined to see how severe the injury was. She needs to be retrained on how to do things she used to know.”
“And the only way to get her back to us so that we can do that without her running away from it is to have her arrested.”
“She needs to be reintroduced to the Zannza we all knew... Yes, so it would seem. Unless... She loves Chris, he may be able to reach her where no one else may. The bond between a man and a woman in love is strong. If true, even with amnesia, she would feel some kind of kinship with him I would think.”
“But we need to get her to him somehow first...”
“Yes.”
“Through the warrants... Then bring Chris in to see her.”
“Yes... and Leo too.”
“Right, since Leo is her child... Her own flesh an blood.”
“She needs to see her family, have her maternal instincts awakened again. She needs to be shown things she herself wrote about them. She needs to be shown pictures... taken on rides to places she liked to go to... showed clothing she loved.”
“The candleholder she was so fond of...”
“All these things may at some point evoke a feeling of familiarity in her.”
“If she’l trust Chris enough to show her, that is.”
“Once that happens her defenses may go down and she may start to trust folks... but I am hoping the amnesia will go away on its own, as the brain swelling goes down. But... If it is worse, then she will never have her memories back and will have to replace them with new ones.”
“Potentially dangerous ones.”
“At this point, yes, so it would seem. And the longer she has this amnesia, the more likely it is she will never remember.”
“And the harder it will be to revert her from this behavior.”
“I know she never talked to me about her past. So I am surprised she would commit any crimes. The Zannza I know would never do that. But a former Zannza? Who knows what route life took her on to get her to the point of becoming the woman we all know and love?”
“That’s why I’m pretty confident to blame this on amnesia.”
“Yes, I would not hesitate to say that if she were in her right mind she would never do it, but that she has a medical condition and needs treatment to help her adjust to it. And relearn who she is. She may never be the same again... but she can make new memories and start a new life with chris and leo.”
“Alright, well thank you, Doll. I should get some paperwork done before I sing in Bisbee. Wish there was an easier answer here.”
“Me too hon. Please keep me posted. I care. She and Chris are wonderful folks.”
“Of course. I know you are close with Zan that’s why I wanted to tell you what was going on. I talked with Pet as well but she wasn’t all that helpful with information about Zan’s past either.”
“I appreciate that hun. Wish I could do more. I just hope she does not get hurt before we find her.”
“Do you know anyone else who might know her past better?”
“Chris is about the only one I can think of.”
“I’ll be speaking with him more, you can bank on that,” I told her.
“He would know her better than anyone I would assume.”
“I would think. Alright hon, stay safe. I’ll find you if I need more help or hear of anything.”
“Well please let me know if I can help. And do keep me posted. I care.”
“Will do,” I nodded and headed out of the saloon.
Bisbee.
I performed at the Stock Exchange this afternoon and then headed home. In the evening I received a telegram about a fire at the sheriff’s office in Bisbee so I headed back there to find out what was going on.
A man stood in front of the office with Angeles and I walked over to them. “Howdy, folks.”
“Hello ma’am,” the man tipped his hat. “Deputy Williams, Ma’am.”
“Evening Trin,” Angeles greeted me.
“Heard there was a fire. Detective Trin Paige, at your service,” I introduced myself to the deputy.
“Mr Ash is the new Deputy in Town,” Angeles told me.
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Williams. So glad to hear Bisbee has acquired a deputy.”
“Was looking for an investigator to confirm.”
“I just watch for try to help respect who can doing that. Every outlaws have different style to work,” Angeles said.
“Can you check this out for me Ma’am?” Ash asked.
“Indeed. Haven’t had any action in these parts in a while. Who on earth would care enough to set this place on fire?”
“I’m not sure but it seems to me some type of explosive was used. Although I’m not well vested in that area Ma’am.”
“Mind I go inside Deputy? I have long with the robbery to my art collection yesterday.”
“I will get the door for you,” Ash opened the door cautiously for us.
“Careful, Angeles.”
“Well... Wild Bunches....” Angeles said right away.
“What makes ya say that, Ang?” I looked at her.
“Seems to have started right about here,” Ash pointed at the desk.
“Vault open. And when they attack sheriff office or the fort started on the desk the fire. Mac and Snipper stile. I am witness for how they work.”
“Nothing in the vault Ma’am just my coffee mug which someone stole,” Ash complained.
“I try to not make assumptions based on past experience. I work with facts,” I said. “Could have easily been Rikki or Garth or any number of outlaws.”
“But for how show the windows can be Rikki too like one blow up,” Angeles said.
“Exactly. So please don’t jump to conclusions,” I told her.
“Seems like powder marks emanating from the center of the desk Ma’am,” Ash pointed to the desk.
I smiled at him and nodded. “Definitely the point of origin. Deputy, do you have any enemies?”
“Not that I can think of Ma’am.”
“Well, my thinking was ya just became law... Someone may not like that so much.”
“Like a warning?”
“Perhaps... Often when a lawman is new in the area, outlaws will do anything they can to scare them away. Like a hazing, if you will.”
“I did notice something in town rather strange though.”
“I’m listening.”
“Looks like someone slaughtered a pig and left it in front of a building. Seemed odd.”
“A pig, sir?” I looked at him. “Which building?”
“Yes ma’am. A pig. I will show you ladies.”
We walked outside and down the street to a house on a hill where there was a dead pig on the front porch. I stopped walking and shook my head, “Well that’s something you don’t see everyday.”
“Oh yes...” Ang nodded.
“Found this just a bit ago. Seems like the pig was killed then scorched a bit.”
“Deputy, do you mind if I assist you on this case?”
“My pleasure Ma’am,” he nodded.
“Maybe you can assist too about the robbery I have last night in my art gallery,” Ang said.
“I am already working on that case, Angeles,” I assured her thinking she meant the case in Tombstone.
“I made a report about that,” Ash said.
“Yes,” Ang nodded.
“You did, Sir?”
“We have a person of interest right now,” he insisted.
“I almost see and listen a that woman...”
“For the gallery theft?” I looked at Ash.
“Yes.”
“I haven’t even given Aly my report about that yet...” I sighed. “Love to hear that I’m useful.”
“I can give you a copy of my report,” Ash said. “I saved it from the fire.”
“I would love to see it. I investigated prints and whatnot. I have a suspect and need to talk to Alyssa Stone about it.”
“Gonna miss that coffee mug though. I found some evidence which I locked away Ma’am,” Ash told me.
“I’m listening. Just curious why a Bisbee Deputy wrote a report about a case over in Tombstone...?”
“Ya see I dropped my pencil by one of the empty easels which a stolen painting was on. When I picked it up next to it was a few strands of blond hair,” Ash said. “It’s the Bisbee Gallery. Down the road a piece.”
“The Bisbee gallery was robbed now too?” I blinked.
“Yes Ma’am.”
“Good gosh...”
“Last night,” Ang nodded.
“Seems like could be the same person,” Ash said.
“Deputy Williams, could you direct me to the gallery and I could investigate prints to prove that?” I sighed.
“Yes ma’am.”
“I always care my art Indian collection,” Ang said.
We walked over to the gallery and I sighed, seeing Z’s signature on the backboard that was left behind.
“Nothing has been touched,” Ash promised. “Miss Angeles is the victim/owner. Also a witness.”
“Thank you, give me a moment,” I said and took out my equipment to investigate the prints while Ash went to retrieve his report. I matched the prints to the ones found on the other backboards and the candleholder and it was a perfect match.
“I see when her leave...” Ang said then.
As Ash returned I turned to him and said, “Sir, I believe I know who your theft is.”
“Who, ma’am?” he asked and I looked from Ang to Ash, not sure I should say in front of Ang. “She is the victim.”
“Like I said in my witness statement I think know who doing this,” Ang insisted.
“The person robbing artwork is the same person in all three towns thus far,” I told them.
“My person of interest is a lady called Zannza,” Ash said.
“The prints have all matched to the piece of furniture found in the woman’s home,” I went on.”
“Interesting.”
“That’s who I was going to say the theft is,” I nodded. “I matched the prints on all the backboards with prints at Zanzza and Chris’s home.”
“Good to know.”
“I need to inform the sheriff in Tombstone of this development. Consider yourself the first to know. I need to inform the sheriff in Benson as well.”
“Well I have people looking for her telling her she may be in for a reward regarding the thefts and that I need to speak to her,” Ash said.
“Sir,” I nodded. “The problem is that she has suffered amnesia from falling off a horse. This behavior is not natural to her normal state of being from before the accident.”
“That complicates it a bit.”
“Indeed.
“When happens that, Trin?” Ang asked.
“Angeles, she fell off the horse about a week ago. I spoke with a doctor today about the symptoms of amnesia.”
“I fell off a wagon once,” Ash said then.
“Sometimes accidents like that make people surfer trastorns of the personality,” Ang said.
“It’s my hope that by bringing her in for these thefts, she will see her husband and son and hopefully regain memory. But we need to be very careful with this. I’ve been trying to dig into her past but have come up empty.”
“My concern is recovering the art for Bisbee. It’s part of our town heritage,” Ash said.
“As well as the art stolen in Tombstone and the eight pieces stolen from Chris’ home in Benson,” I said.
“I donated the collection a Bisbee when open the art Gallery,” Ang said.
“Hopefully we can resolve this peacefully, don’t really cottin to shootin a hurt woman like that,” Ash said.
“Zannza always was one wonderful friend,” Ang sighed.
“It is very difficult... But the facts don’t lie.”
“When Thomas and I renewal our vows she make one wonderful picture for us,” Ang said.
“Sometimes I reckon the law is gray, and not black and white. Maybe this be one of those gray areas,” Ash said.
“True, Ash,” Ang nodded.
“Indeed. Wha’t ya’ll do with the facts is up to you... All I can do is show you the evidence that proves it was indeed Zan,” I said. “Unfortunately, in spite my efforts, I can’t prove why.”
“Maybe that will come out in the wash as they say,” Ash said.
“Some disorder on her personality,” Ang said.
“Perhaps, but we need to reunite Chris and Zan to maybe remind her who she was before,” I suggested.
“Might take a major event to help fix her up. I’m no doc but maybe...”
“Well I need to get some rest. It has been a long day,” I nodded.
“Me too, in a moment,” Ang nodded.
“Take care Ma’am, and thank you,” Ash said.
“Deputy, could we discuss this fire situation tomorrow perhaps?” I asked.
“Yes Ma’am.”
“Excellent. I’m sorry this has happened, and I wish there was an easy answer to this case other than the one the facts present...”
“I just serve papers and arrest people Ma’am. This is above my callin’.”
“It’s a hard one, I know sir. Is why I’m a detective and not a deputy.”
“Still miss my coffee mug though.”
“I do not have to make the hard decisions, I just follow facts. Perhaps I’ll get you a new one,” I winked at him.
“I loved that mug,” Ash muttered.
“Have a good night, folks. Stay safe,” I said goodnight to them and they waved as I headed home.
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