Tombstone.
I walked into the office on Allen Street for a change this morning and noticed Adrian Wise sitting in one of the brown chairs. “Hi Sir, can I help you with something?” I asked, but he was fast asleep.
Sitting down at my desk, I heard the door open and looked up to see Alex walk in. “Hey Trin, I thought I might find you here,” he smiled at me, then turned to Adrian. “Hello Mayor Wise.”
“Hey there. I think the mayor has fallen asleep in one of the chairs here,” I nodded to him.
“They’re comfy chairs,” he chuckled.
“Have a seat,” I stood and hugged him and then we sat down across from each other at the desk. “So I’ve got a few cases going on... but I’ll start with the most interesting one.”
“I’d be tempted to draw a mustache on him if he didn’t already have one,” he winked at me.
“I’m sure our talk will wake him up. These topics would make anyone interested.”
“Oh what are you working on?”
“Alright the most interesting one and most recent... Do you remember the case of Cym and Kaly’s disappearance? When we first lived in Diamond?”
“Yeah I do remember that. And the dynamite.”
“Well I’ve been kind of spending some time with a certain undertaker named Joe Vyper...” I blushed a bit. “Anyway... found out something interesting. Guess who Joe was married to for two years before...”
He raised an eyebrow, seeing my expression, and smirked a bit. “Who?”
“Cym.”
“Hm... wow, that’s interesting.”
“I told him about our case, everything we’d investigated... I gave him the timeline in case he can maybe fill in some holes.”
“That’s really great you can get more info on that. I figured that case was dead.”
“He brought up his daughter Jo who’d come to town here and I said that she mentioned if any of Cym’s family was still around other than her, we might get some answers. Well... An ex husband might work just as well. I could tell he was surprised at the mention of the case.”
“I bet he was. That’s pretty old now. That would be something if you solved that!”
“I know right! That went cold back in November. Maybe we could finally crack this mystery.”
“You’re a good detective,” he smiled.
“The other revived case is a bit complicated. You remember the kissing bandit?”
“The kissing bandit... Oh yeah, I think so. That started after I stopped working for you, right? Guy would rob a woman then kiss her. Often they liked it.”
“Mmhmm. We all thought it was Dash until Mysti and him told us about the bandit coming to kiss and rob Mysti, with Dash right there...”
“Oh that’s right!”
“Here’s the thing. You know Ben Stolen?”
“Yes, I know Ben.”
“He told me that he worked for the bandit at one point... did deliveries and stuff a while back. Then he moved to Tombstone to retire from that life of being on the run. Alex... Ben said the bandit’s coming back for number 34. He said I should be worried about him, not the James gang.”
“Number 34? And worse than the James gang? They seemed pretty nasty,” he raised an eyebrow.
“Exactly my concern. Thing is I’m nowhere on this case. If it wasn’t Dash I have no idea who it was. And if it’s not Ben... I’m back at square one and have no idea what to do.”
“But Ben knows the guy?” he asked and I nodded. “Hmm...”
“Said he was going to visit him the day we talked about it.”
“Probably not much you can do until he makes himself known again, robs someone else. Otherwise, who knows where he is.”
“Exactly. Talking to Ben is gonna get me nowhere... He’s just gonna keep lying to me. Even if I use my womanly wiles on him I doubt it’d get me very far, you know?”
“Yeah, that’s not going to help, I don’t think... but knowing he knows the guy, you have someone to watch.”
“Yeah I don’t trust him and now I have even more reason not to. Which leads me to the fire in Benson that Mike asked my help on...” I sighed. “There was a whiskey bottle left there and it had the initials B.S. on it. I think I brought this up at the cafe. But I don’t know how to prove it’s him with no fingerprints since the fire ruined that.”
“Yeah you did mention that. Would be hard to prove.”
“So what do I do? Not like there were witnesses... It’s Benson.”
“I have no idea,” he sighed and chuckled.
“Okay then there’s this fire at the town hall...”
“This is why I make a better doctor than detective. Another fire?”
“Interesting thing is it was the same night as when Rikki set the bank on fire in Diamond. I was there when it happened and heard Mark shouting at her then saw him running after her. Then helped him put out the flames. But then later... Angel told me that Rikki had said at the dance that the law was trying to pin the bank and town hall fire on her, but she didn’t do it. But Angel had never mentioned either fire. So how did Rikki know about it if she didn’t do both?”
“Oh that’s interesting. If she didn’t do it, she probably knows who did.”
“Exactly but how do I proceed?”
“Again... I have no idea.”
“Not like I can just go up to her... it’s hard to find evidence with fires..”
“I’m sorry. I’m not much help. That’s why outlaw set fires - to ruin evidence.”
I sighed and leaned forward. “Those are the four cases I have open right now and I can’t do a thing about any of them.”
“That must be frustrating.”
“Extremely. How was your weekend?”
“It was good,” he smiled. “I spent time working on the garden around the wedding site. It was pretty quiet. How was yours, other than picking up frustrating cases?”
“Got to spend some time with Joe which was nice,” I smiled. “We looked at the undertaker’s office in Diamond... I don’t know what it is with me and undertakers lately. I used to avoid their places like the plague.”
“So this Joe guy is an undertaker. That’s not a bad thing - they never run out of work,” he laughed.
“The last one must have,” I looked at him. “Am I crazy?”
“No, you’re not crazy. People have a way of disappearing around here,” he shrugged.
“I hope Joe sticks around this time... He was here for two years before, at least. It could happen again.”
“That would be nice. Hopefully he will.”
“How’s our girl?”
“She’s good,” he smiled. “So busy lately only got a quick kiss hello this morning. But that’s okay. I was happy to get to see her at all.”
“I miss her...” I sighed and he nodded in agreement.
“Yeeeeahhhh!” we heard Jimmi yell then and we both chuckled.
“Crazy cowboys in these parts,” I shook my head.
Alex’s stomach growled and he said, “There I go again. I’m always hungry.”
“Feel like wandering to a saloon or somethin’? I have a couple hours till I sing in Bisbee. I think Adrian’s completely fallen asleep.”
“Sure, that sounds like a good idea. Plus, you never know who you’ll see around - maybe you’ll get some more clues on your cases.”
“Mmhmm, never know,” I smiled and followed him outside.
We walked downstairs and headed outside and then heard Jimmi shouting as he ran through the street. “Mayor Wise!!”
“Speaking of Mr. Wise,” I looked at Alex and he chuckled. “Joe asked me, somewhat ominously, if there were any open cases on him. I told him there weren’t but now I’m curious.”
“Ooo yeah that sounds a bit..um... odd.”
“Right? Let’s see what Jimmi’s on about.”
“Okay.”
“Jimmi, what’s wrong?” I asked as we neared him.
“Trin, do you know where Mayor Wise is?”
“Hi Jimmi,” Alex greeted him.
“He’s fallen asleep in my office, for some reason. Something up?”
Jimmi lifted the skull he was holding which had an Apache arrow in it. “This, Trin! This was on my back steps at home! And Starling is missing!”
“Uh oh,” Alex blinked
“When did you notice it there? This morning?” I looked at him.
“We don’t have horrifying things like skulls at home; I burry those,” he told us.
“When was the last time you saw your wife?”
“About an hour ago, we just went to get some timber for the garden.”
“What happened then?” I asked.
“Came back, Starling has gone. and this is on my back steps where Starling should be!” he pointed to the skull.
“You and Starling went to get timber together?” I asked.
“It’s got Apache flights and the skull is dead! No, Dave and me. Starling was at home in Goldfield,” Jimmi explained. “That’s where we left her.”
“Can I see the skull?” Alex asked and Jimmi lifted the skull by its eye sockets. I was glad that Alex could handle this part better than I could.
“I don’t think it’s fresh, at least,” Alex examined it.
“This skull is dead a long time,” Jimmi said.
“Can you tell by looking at it if it’s a man or a woman skull, Alex?” I asked.
“I used to bury ones like this i found in the wilderness,” Jimmi added.
“I can probably tell, but it’s not Starling’s anyway. Too long dead,” Alex said.
“So what gender is it?” I asked him.
“Oh yes, and the brow is too strong and this has missing teeth too.. look. This looks like a man’s skull. Looks dead for at least two years. This isn’t Starling,” Jimmi insisted.
“It looks like a male skull. I doubt it’s an apache they wouldn’t disrespect their ancestors to do that. Probably one they found somewhere,” Alex surmised.
“One they got for sure, this arrow is shot in and wedged firm,” Jimmi gave the arrow a tug.
“The arrow is for sure Apache?” I asked.
“Yes sure is. I know these feathers are from birds in the White Mountains,” Jimmi insisted. “Starling has a belt with these on it.”
“Looks like we might need to take another ride to the village,” I said to Alex.
“That’s not a good idea after what happened last time. This is a message and I don’t know what it means,” Jimmi insisted.
“Trust me. They respect us enough to not do anything to either of us. We’ve both visited there before,” I looked at him. “They said we are welcome there.”
“I am sure Mayor Wise knows.”
“Why would Mayor wise know?”
“Trin, after what the cavalry did, I think nobody is welcome there at all. Mayor Wise has known the Apache for years.”
“What the cavalry did when?”
“You haven’t heard?”
“Depends on when it happened.”
“It happened on Saturday.”
“No, I hadn’t heard. What happened on Saturday?” I asked with a bit of a sigh.
“I better start at the beginning.”
“That would be best,” I nodded.
“A few weeks back a lone native warrior held up the payroll. He didn’t last long. The cavalry shot him down and arrested him. I summoned this little warrior for trial and the little blighter didn’t come.”
Alex and I both looked at each other and I muttered, “Not surprised.”
“So I instructed the Marshal’s Office to fetch this fugitive for trial.,” Jimmi went on. “They went into the camp with cavalry escort. Well the cavalry was not happy this native wasn’t in the camp. So they confiscated the tribe’s stores and violated the village and returning empty handed. And now Starling is missing and I have this!”
“What happened Saturday?” I asked.
“The cavalry violated the camp. I can understand the natives being insulted.”
“Oh okay I thought that was a few weeks ago. I’m with you.”
“I thought let them cool down. The marshals can go in again with Rangers. The cavalry were hot heads because they were held up by this warrior weeks ago.”
“Who was this warrior?” Alex asked.
“They call him Dougie.”
“I bet that’s him,” Alex looked at me. “We had a little issue with him a few weeks ago in Diamond.”
“He is a bundle of trouble on legs,” Jimmi commented. “But he is good at hiding.”
“Yeah we caught him in the bank.”
“You mean White Hawk?” I remembered the incident clearly. “The one who threatened Diamond?”
“I don’t know his native name, he called himself Douggie when he was arrested. That’s all I had,” Jimmi said.
“His native name is White Hawk,” I said. That’s what I had him as under my cards... That’s how he introduced himself to us. I knew that wasn’t the last we’d see of him.”
“Yeah, I had a bad feeling about him,” Alex agreed.
“I still don’t get the message behind this,” Jimmi shook the skull.
“Alex, do you want to take a closer look at the skull or is there nothing more you can learn from it?” I asked. A piece of parchment fell out of one of the eye socket and we blinked at that. “Just wondering if we should keep it as ...” I started and then looked down. “Jimmi, is that parchment?”
“What the...?” Jimmi blinked.
“I don’t think I could tell a lot, but that parchment might,” Alex suggested.
“Natives don’t write...” I commented.
“Is this bout the Apaches?” Annie, a girl who lived at the orphanage, walked over.
“This skull is Anne, but I’m most worried about my wife! She is missing and this was on my back steps,” Jimmi said to her and picked up the parchment.
“What’s the parchment say?” Alex asked.
“Darn, it’s picture writing,” Jimmi looked at it.
“It’s okay hon,” I reached over and squeezed Annie’s hand as she looked scared. “I can read Apache. Can I see it?”
He handed it to me and I looked it over, blinking at the message. “Jimmi...”
“Yes?”
I took a deep breath before telling him what it said. “They have taken her. They’re holding her hostage. They won’t give her back until they get a crate of rifles...”
“WwwWWWWWhat?!!??!” he stammered.
“There’s more...” I reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Jimmi... You’re going to be a father.”
Jimmi dropped down on the ground in shock and I leaned down beside him. Alex knelt down and waved some smelling salts in front of him. He started to come to and tried to stand up, but his legs were shaking.
“Hey, Jimmi. Slowly,” Alex helped him to his feet, holding him steady.
“They have my Starling?” Jimmi blinked.
“Jimmi I will get to the bottom of this. I promise you.”
“She is with child! We can’t go and get her,” Jimmi shook his head. “My child could be harmed.”
“Alex, maybe we should take the skull as evidence and bring it to my office here,” I suggested. “Maybe you or Joe could figure out who this head belongs to...”
“Yes, I would keep the skull as evidence,” Alex nodded.
“They better not hurt her,” Jimmi said vehemently.
“Jimmi, can I take the skull?” I asked, holding out my gloved hand.
“I don’t like the idea of them holding anyone captive, much less a pregnant woman,” Alex said. “If we do as they ask, do you think they’ll give her back unharmed?”
“Damn those cursed heathens!” Jimmi complained. “Where are we going to get a crate of rifles?”
“Jimmi. Can I please have the skull?”
“Why would we give ‘em a crate of rifles....seeing as they are threatenin’ to raid?” Annie asked.
Jimmi handed me the skull and said, “Don’t you lose that!”
“I will not sir, I promise.”
“Or the parchment.”
“Going to put this in the safe in my office. I’ll be right back,” I said and went to the office where I locked the skull and parchment in the safe and then headed back outside.
“Don’t you be worried Annie, it’s my wife they have kidnapped,” Jimmi was saying to the child as I walked over.
“I’ll get her back, Jimmi.”
“How?” he asked me.
“Trust me.”
“If you go to the camp they will skin you alive Trin.”
“They won’t,” I shook my head.
“They are in an evil mood.”
“Trin, dod you think they’d be open for negotiation?” Alex asked me.
“They already want blood,” Annie pointed out.
“I think after what happened Saturday, they won’t let anyone in,” Jimmi shook his head.
“We’ll give them the rifles. Meet their demand.”
Dave ran up then, looking dusty and dirty. “Where have you been?” I asked him.
“We hit a bump and I fell out of the wagon,” he said, out of breath.
“We?” I looked at him.
“I was riding in with Jimmi earlier,” he told me.
“David, you can corroborate what happened today,” Jimmi looked at him.
“Yes, just didn’t know if this was recent or from that,” I said.
“You find Starling?” Dave asked with concern.
“Dave, you were with Jimmi the whole time? Didn’t see any Natives or anything hanging around their house?” I asked.
“No David, but there was a note in the skull,” Jimmi told him.
“Oh? What it say?” he asked and then turned to me. “And to answer your question, Trin, not that I recall.”
“They have my Starling!” Jimmi exclaimed.
“Alex... let’s ride out to Goldfield? I want to see if anyone saw anything weird... or any Natives hanging about,” I suggested, wanting to do something productive to solve things instead of standing around talking about it.
Ben walked over then and I listened to Jimmi and Dave talk about what to do. “Only one person will know what to do now, and that’s Mayor Wise,” Jimmi said.
“And he’s sleeping in my office. Please Jimmi, have some faith in me?” I looked at him, feeling invisible.
“Where is a bucket? I will wake the sleeping beauty! You still got those salts, Alex?” Jimmi looked at him.
I shook my head, seeing that Jimmi couldn’t care less about her efforts, only Mayor Wise’s.
“Jimmi maybe the natives just took her fishing? Doesn’t she speak Apache?” Dave asked.
“Yeah but he’s snoring like crazy and drooling. don’t think they’ll work,” Alex nodded in answer to Jimmi’s question.
“Just fishing! I wish it was that simple,” Jimmi sighed.
“Alex, should I use my invisibility for good?” I looked at him, getting frustrated.
“Maybe Wise is dead?” Dave asked.
“He’s sleeping,” I looked at him. “In my office. I’m going to Goldfield.”
I rode out to Goldfield but there was no one there. Frustrated, I rode back to town and found Jimmi and Annie talking near the trading post. “The men went to the camp?” I asked worriedly.
“The crazy fools! Get them back, Trin!” Jimmi pleaded.
I rode up over the hill and found Alex, Ben and Dave sitting around a campfire near the village. “Are you guys suicidal?” I asked.
Alex spun around and looked at me. “Geez Trin! You scared the crap out of me!”
“Somebody had to look after crazy Dave,” Ben insisted.
“You’re the ones goin’ into the Native village without a somewhat Native person with you,” I shook my head.
“I couldn’t let them go off alone,” Alex said.
“Well sure... You should have waited,” I looked over at Ben.
Alex looked me over, seeing that I was wearing my Native outfit without a gun, and smiled. “I’m glad to see you.”
“Ya want me to let the fool go off alone... Weren’t no stoppin’ him,” Ben pointed at Dave.
I hopped off my horse and went to give Alex a hug. “Yeah, at least someone is. Jimmi couldn’t have cared less what I did. Though he just told me to go get ya’ll. Feel like I’m talkin’ to a wall with that man.”
“You’re probably our best chance, Trin,” Alex said as I looked in the direction of the camp. “I think you should go in with me right behind you. I’m unarmed so I’m not threatening.”
“And they know us,” I nodded.
“These two can stay behind in the bushes in case we get into trouble and need help,” Alex suggested.
I nodded and looked back. “Got that, Ben?”
“Yeah, yeah... If that’s the way ya want it to go down.”
“You got a better idea?” I asked and he patted his holster, making me roll my eyes. “Typical.”
“When someone got somethin’ I want..I tend to take it back,” Ben said.
“Come on Alex,” I said and started to walk towards the village. We could hear a wolf howling and then I heard Dave come up from behind us. “Stay back, guys. Seriously. They see you’re guns we’re all going down.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Dave nodded.
I called out in Apache and shouted, “Dago Te! It is Trin and Alex. We’re unarmed. We’d like to talk peacefully! Please, we’re friends, remember? We just want to talk!”
“Are we close enough for them to hear?” Alex asked.
“I see someone,” I looked over into the camp.
“Native maybe deaf,” Dave muttered.
“Dave, pipe down,” I ordered but he ventured forward anyway in spite our calling after him.
“David. Get back here. You’re going to get us all killed,” Alex warned.
“Unless you wanna relive getting scalped and caged, get back here,” I added.
Dave stepped closer to the ledge and fell, sliding down the hillside. I sighed as I watched him and Alex looked over. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” he assured. “But damn it stinks down here.”
I called out in Apache again, “We know you’re scared. Alex and I don’t have any weapons. We just want to talk.”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” I looked at Alex. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
“You’re probably right, Trin,” Alex agreed.
“Come on, Dave. Let’s go,” I started to lead the way.
“We are just guards! You must wait till the elders arrive!” a voice called out in Apache.
“Did I hear them say wait for the elders?” I looked back at Alex.
“I don’t know Trin. They said something in Apache,” he shrugged.
“Think that’s what she said. Dave’s suicidal,” I said as I watched Dave go towards the village.
“D.C.!” Dave shouted.
“We can’t just leave David here,” Alex insisted as we were starting to walk away.
“I’m not leaving him,” Ben assured as he walked after us.
I saw him following and was grateful he wasn’t stupid. “Ben... we can’t go in there with guns blazing. We don’t have enough to get him back. Alex and I would be useless.”
“What about Dave?”
“Dave should have listened. Dave wouldn’t listen even if I went in there after him,” I sighed with relief as I saw Dave coming over the hill after us.
“What happened?” Alex asked.
“Ya dang fool, what happened down there?” Ben asked him.
“Screw this. Dancing Cloud is there and acts like she don’t know me,” Dave muttered.
“How many were there? Did you see Starling?” I asked.
“Did you see Starling?” Alex asked at the same time and we chuckled at each other.
“No, didn’t see her but she seemed very certain that I should leave, I mean DC that is,” Dave said.
“Well we were very certain of that too,” I glared at him.
“Well one thing for sure..we can go in now..the element of surprise is gone. They will kill her for sure,” Ben sighed.
“So what NOW?” Dave asked.
“If ya’ll hadn’t advanced with your guns attached.. We could have gone and talked to them without worry. Guns make them very uncomfortable, and rightly so.”
“Well good lets just sit back here then,” Dave muttered.
“Everyone leave or we kill the hostage!” Dancing Cloud shouted then.
“Let’s go,” I blinked.
“What they want Miss Starling for anyways? Hold up,” Ben stopped us.
“She’s the judge’s wife,” I reminded them.
“Um, I guess that confirms it,” Dave sighed. “I wonder if Starling is the hostage. Maybe its someone we don’t care about? Maybe that fella what’s his name Everrett?”
“Alex?” I looked back at my best friend, desperate to get out of there.
“I think we should go and let Trin come back later, alone, to try and talk and see if they’ll negotiate,” Alex said then.
“Let me try something,” Ben said then and started to walk toward the village.
“No Ben, you’ll get her killed!” Alex exclaimed.
“Trust me,” Ben insisted.
“TRUT you?!” I blinked at that and looked at Alex. “He wants me to trust him? Now?”
“Hey down there!” Ben called. “I come to make you an offer! I’m offering myself in trade for the woman Miss Starling!”
“Ah, they probably won’t kill her. Maybe rape, but not kill,” Dave suggested. “They want her for something for sure, or they would just kill her.”
“You’re probably right about that, but still...” Alex said.
“Maybe we should pretend we don’t want her back, like she’s just this pain in the ass, doing us a favor?” Dave suggested.
“I’m going to Bisbee. If you guys are smart you’ll join me and we can do this right when the elders are back,” I said then and looked between them.
“I’ll be there soon, Trin,” Alex promised. “Maybe he’s got a plan.”
I looked at him with concern and said, “I don’t want to lose either of you. Pretty sure Aly and Katie don’t either.”
“I think Ben is just as stupid as that joker who was here before... You know, that Dash moron,” Dave rolled his eyes.
I swallowed hard, knowing the truth about Ben and that his boss was more than likely Dash, though I couldn’t prove it. “I’m going to Bisbee. I hope I see you both there.”
I rode off towards Bisbee and was relieved to hear David and Alex coming behind me.
Bisbee.
I played my gig at the Stock Exchange and quite a few people were there. I walked over to the bar when I finished and Alex smile at me. “Need a drink after that?”
“Would love one.”
“Whiskey?”
“Nice one,” Joe clapped for my singing.
“Thank you Joe, glad you could make it. I see you’ve met Alex,” I smiled as Alex popped the top of the whiskey bottle and poured me a glass without waiting for my response. I took the drink and smiled. “Whiskey sounds great, Alex. Thank you Spank for being here.”
“Loved being here, Trin,” Spank smiled.
“Think I have a job for you hon,” I winked at Joe. “Think you could identify a person from looking at a skull?”
“Well, I’m headed home. Great singing Trin. Nice to see you again, Spank. Great to meet you Joe,” Alex said as he wiped off the bar and cleaned the glasses.
“A job... It depends on the skull and the person,” Joe looked at me.
“We already know it’s a male, thanks to Alex’s examination of it... And at least a couple years old. Right Alex?”
“Adult male. Yep, been dead a few years,” Alex nodded.
“Wondered if an undertaker should look at it,” I said as we said goodbye to Alex.
“Well if there is a distinctive shape...” Joe started.
“Might have to bring you by the office in Tombstone to take a look at it then...”
“Sure, I can examine it upstairs,” he nodded.
“We can maybe do that tomorrow?” I suggested.
“Assuming no other business, tomorrow will be fine,” Joe smiled.
“Really glad you could make it,” I squeezed his hand.
“Glad I was able too. Monday’s are often difficult. You sing well.”
“Thank you hon. I guess you guys have met before, you and Spank.”
“Oh yes, Spank I know from old... Had my first house in Bisbee.”
“My first house was here as well. Love this area. I was a deputy for a bit here too,” I smiled.
“Oh yes. Long time now, Joe,” Spank nodded. “I have not lived anywhere else.”
“Joe and I have gotten along well quickly,” I smiled.
“A few years... Not too many changes,” Joe nodded. “Which I like, and yes, Trin is helping me get back into the swing of things.”
“Well I hope I am...” I smiled.
“I bet it all came flooding back,” Spank nodded to him.
“I have absolutely no idea. Most people avoid us,” Joe laughed.
“A dead end job,” Spank joked.
“I must be crazy,” I chuckled. “Hey Joe you know what I just realized? This is two days in a row you’ve seen me in a dress. That’s awfully rare.”
Spank said goodbye then and Joe and I parted ways as we made plans to meet the next day.
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