June 19, 1900

Black Diamond. 

This morning I walked into the cafe and greeted Sugar and Alex who were having breakfast there. Sugar had to leave to deal with something, though I wanted to talk to her about the cantina fire. She promised we would talk soon and headed out of the cafe. 

Alex and I heard Ben shouting for a doctor from the direction of Allen Street so we ran out that way to find out what was going on. 

Tombstone. 

Ben was kneeling down over Sabi near the river and was trying to give her mouth-to-mouth. Alex ran over to them and asked what happened and I ran after him. 

“She was in the water face down, doc,” Ben told Alex. “I gave her mouth to mouth after clearing her lungs of the water.” 

“Help me pull her up on dry land,” he instructed and they carried Sabi up on the shore. 

Adri ran over and I reached to put my hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Adri, let’s let the men get her out.” 

“What happened?” she asked with fear in her voice. “Sabi!” 

“She’ll be okay... We have to believe that,” I insisted, trying to put my arm around her but she backed away from me. 

Alex pulled Sabi up on her back and he leaned down, breathing into her mouth and then compressing her chest to help her breathe. 

Amara rode over then and helped Sabi up on her horse then, without saying a word except for, “Let’s get her to the docs.” 

“Amara, Alex is a doctor,” I insisted. “Let him help her.”

“I am a doctor!” Alex exclaimed. 

“Where do you want her?” Amara asked him. 

“Well, I wanted her on the ground so I could administer help,” Alex looked at her seriously as Amara rode Sabi over to the clinic. 

“I’m guessing where she was, so Alex can...” I started then blinked. “Did they just... ride away?”

“Yep,” he nodded. “I guess if you’r going somewhere, take her to the clinic,” he said to Amara and we followed them to the clinic. 

“So help her, doc!” Adri was shaking, looking at Alex and screaming. 

“I was helping her!” Alex exclaimed and walked into the clinic to take care of Sabi. 

I sat down outside and waited until everything was okay. I wondered where Ben ran off to  and heard Adri scold her daughter for going near the water. Ben walked over then, looking worn out. 

“Have a seat... we’ll be here when they’re done,” I patted the bench and looked at him. “Alex is a good doctor.”

“Seems like I didn’t do anything... Yeah... she’s in good hands now,” Ben nodded. 

“You didn’t do anything?” I looked at him. “What do you mean?”

Adriana thanked Alex for helping them inside the clinic and we could hear Sabi coughing and crying, breathing at least. Ben was obviously relieved and I could hear Adri scolding her daughter for being so stupid as her own emotions took over. Ben walked away and I continued to wait outside. 

Ty walked over then and I told him what had happened with Sabi. He thought it was convenient that Ben was the one around when Sabi almost drowned and I nodded, having had the same thought. I was merely relieved that she would be okay. 

“How’s your day going, Ty?” I asked him as we waited. 

“Going as well as can be. You, ma’am?” 

“Worried about Sab... confused about the rangers in this town... confused about Ben... and Adri... Proud of Alex.... Lots of emotions.”

I nodded to Jimmy who walked over then and a woman named Mai Mischief introduced herself to me. She told me she lived in Bisbee and we talked for a while as we waited for Sabi. I greeted Trent Laureate and told him what had happened. 

Alex walked out and Ben thanked him for being there. I asked Alex if it was time to head home but I did notice a look between Jimmy and Ben that was curious. 

Black Diamond. 

We walked back to town and climbed up to the branches in our beloved tree. I smiled over at him and asked, “Feel good to be home?”

“Yeah it does. This is definitely home now.” 

“Missed you guys around here... sure could have used Aly last night. There was a fire at the cantina on Tuesday during the dance.”

“Oh wow.” 

“Yeah I’ve got a ton of people to find.”

“I heard Bree say something about that at the Stock Exchange yesterday, but I wasn’t really paying much attention.” 

“Sounds like a man was seen leaving the cantina as it was going up in flames. Got a good description of him. Just ain’t sure who it could be. Honeymoon was good? You can spare me the um.... salacious details,” I chuckled. 

“Yeah it was great,” he laughed. “And I wasn’t going to give any details anyway.” 

“Just glad ya’ll are happy... Even more glad ya’ll are back,” I chuckled. 

“It is nice to be back,” he smiled. 

“Was gettin’ pretty quiet out here... Joe’s been working on his house over in Tombstone by the fort... Seems though all we do when we get together is talk about Ben and Adri and Sabi... since all cases were revolved around them... but those cases have either become null or cold.”

“You work too much,” he winked at me playfully. 

“Hey, I try to spend some other types of time with him but he doesn’t seem interested. He’s a hard one to read.”

“Undertakers have to be,” Alex chuckled. 

“I was in a saloon drinkin’ with two men last night, does that count?” 

“Yeah, that’s a start. Who were you drinking with?”

“See, I try,” I chuckled. “Jackson Menkes and some preacher named Thomas who’s hopin’ to become the preacher in Diamond. I’m trying to convince Jackson to come back to be a deputy here.”

“Don’t know either,” Alex nodded. 

“We had fun... they were both kind of flirting with me but it was hard to tell. But I didn’t know if I should flirt back cause I have no idea what Joe and I are.”

“Does it have to be about flirting anyway?” 

“Well no but that’s how things are supposed to be when you can’t keep your hands off someone ‘cause you like ‘em so much, isn’t it?” I asked and he chuckled. “Well...” 

“Does that mean you can’t keep your hands off all of them, or just Joe?” 

“Joe barely responds when I hug him or try to hold his hand.”

“Maybe he’s um... well, you know. Um... more ladylike.” 

“Or maybe he’s just not interested,” I sighed. 

“Well, I can’t say what anyone else is thinking,” Alex yawned and stretched. 

“Anyway... I’ve got this fire to figure out I guess. And this morning was just weird with Ben and Adri. She didn’t even want my help.”

“She was upset. Her kid almost died.” 

“I know,” I nodded. “I’m just glad you were there.”

“Yeah, me too. If that had been yesterday, I wouldn’t have been.”

*** 

Later in the afternoon, I went to knock on Ger’s door. Sugar invited me inside and I walked in, seeing Sabi sitting with Ger and Sugar around the fireplace. 

“Hey Trin, come on in,” Ger greeted me. 

“Hi everyone, sorry to interrupt but I was just looking for Sugar... well, and Ger too ‘cause I haven’t seen you in a while.” I looked over at Sabi and asked, “Sabi? Everything okay, sweetie?”

“No ma’am. Very bad. 

“Miss Sabi has had quite the day Trin...” Ger started. “But Mr Ger and Miss Sugar are so nice...” 

“Well I was there when she almost drowned...” I nodded to Ger. “You feeling better hon?”

“I think so Miss Trin...” she blinked. 

“What’s going on?” I looked between them. 

“Sorry I had to leave this morning I had to pick up an order...” Sugar apologized. 

“It’s alright,” I nodded and looked over at Ger with concern as Sabi looked to be close to tears. 

“If you want, I can tell you about eh fire and let Sabi compose herself,” Sugar suggested. 

“Whatever’s easiest,” I nodded. 

“Well I was at the saloon bartending,” Sugar started and I began to write notes and took her statement. “Folks began smelling smoke and I went to the front of the saloon.. From there I saw a blaze inside the Cantina.. and others gathered at the entry.. we all ran to the fire.. I immediately went to the horse trough.. and grabbed a bucket full of water. I ran tot he doorway and tossed water on the fire. three times I did this and it finally went out. It was blazing on the half of the room closest to the tables. So I immediately didn’t think it was from the fireplace.” 

“Strange... not near the oven or other cooking devices,” Ger pointed out. 

“No... Others there were the new preacher man Thomas.. and Rikki, and Angeles and little Hayden.” 

“Did you see anyone suspicious?” I asked as Ger had to head out and deal with something at the office then. “Other than Rikki, of course.”

“Little Hayden was wandering around town a bit.. she might have seen something.” 

“I’ve spoken with her,” I nodded. 

“Earlier in the day.. I had noticed something strange.” 

“Oh?” 

“White Owl was at the Cantina.. and miss Halo was in the doorway.. I spoke to him but he didn’t seem to walk to talk to me.. I don’t know.. was something odd about him that day.” 

“That’s the second time his name’s been brought up..” I blinked. 

“Usually he’s really nice and friendly.” 

“But not that day... Has there been disagreement with Bree and him?”

“I don’t know about that.. you’d have to ask her. Have you talked to Halo?” 

“Not on her own, no. She’s on my list.”

“Well maybe she knows something about White Owl’s behavior that day.”> 

“She seemed to know him well,” I nodded. “Can I give you this statement to sign?”

“Sure,” she nodded and I handed her the statement for her to sign and she did so, giving it back to me. “Now Sabi, if you want to tell Trin what happened you can.. maybe it will make you feel better to unload it again.” 

“I can write while you talk, Sabi,” I nodded. 

“Well Miss Trin... You saw what happened this morning,” she started. 

“You fell in the water... Ben saved you.”

“I jumped... So he would save me.” 

“You jumped in the water on purpose?”

“Uh huh.” 

“So that Ben would look good saving you?”

“Right. But... I guess there was stuff I don’t know.. Cause instead of helping mommy and Mr Ben back together it made it worse. And... mommy got upset with me... and she left town...” 

“Left town?!” I blinked at that and shook my head.

Sabi nodded sadly and looked at me. “I cried all day... ‘till I found Miss Sugar... Then I cried more.”

“I can imagine, hon... Does Ben know that she’s gone?”

“But she was really nice to me and she and Mr Ger helped me. Uh huh. I told him I hated him.” 

“What can I do?” I looked at Sugar. 

“Well we are hoping she can be found, to find out why she left suddenly... and maybe fix it.” 

“Everybody matters,” Sabi nodded. 

“I will see what I can do. I wrote down on this statement that because you’re a child, you don’t have to testify in court.”

“Court, miss Trin?” Sabi looked at me. 

“I doubt it’ll come to that. It sounds like it’s as simple as we just need answers from your mommy,” I said and wondered if Ben were involved in something criminal but didn’t say it in front of Sabi. 

“Oh please don’t put her in jail Miss Trin! She is just hurtin!” Sabi cried. 

“Of course not, sweetie. She did nothing wrong. Can you read this over and write your name on it though? Just in case...”

“No we just don’t know what made her leave,” Sugar said. 

“It’s all my fault, if anyone should go to jail I should,” Sabi cried. 

“No sweetie...” I shook my head. 

“Definitely not your fault..” Sugar insisted. “Something between your mama and Ben.. somehow we’ll find out what caused it.” 

“Okay well... I’m going to get going. I have a lot of work to do,” I said then. 

“Thank you, Miss Trin.” 

“Is Sabi staying with you, Sugar?” I asked. 

“Yes, she is.” 

“Good. I’ll see you ladies later then,” I reached down to give Sabi a hug before heading out. 

“When her Aunt Autumn comes by we can talk,” Sugar said then. “Bye Trin, you be careful.” 

“Ok, let me know when she’s in town. I look forward to meeting her,” I shrugged at her warning. “I’ll just worry about finding the truth. Might not mean me being safe. I just want to know what’s going on.”

I walked down the street and found Bree talking with Aly. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly, happy to have her back. We talked about her honeymoon and I told her about the case I was working on with the cantina fire. I told her I was looking into a lead and then headed out to find people on my list of witnesses.