Black Diamond.
I walked into the cafe this morning and overheard the conversation between Alex and Aly about Lot. “Lot? We’re talking about that biased, over-ego’d judge this morning?” I sat down.
“Yeah and what pray God inspired you to...blow him kisses?” Aly snickered.
“So why are we talking about Lot?” I asked as I took the cup of coffee from Alex.
“He was at the dance last night,” Alex said.
“Good for him,” I poured some sugar in my coffee.
“And for some reason felt the need to push Aly out of the way and dance with me.”
“He what?!” I blinked at Alex.
“Uhm well, I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again he and Alex were engaged pirouettes,” Aly added.
“I’m gonna kill him,” I stood up a bit.
“Trin, relax,” Aly chuckled.
“He even complained I hadn’t shaved,” Alex laughed and shrugged.
I sat back down and sipped my coffee. “Sorry but since that trial with Rikki he’s not my favorite person.”
“I did wonder though..” Aly chuckled, “How easy it would have been to slip handcuffs on him then, he looked nice and distracted. If I had the warrants with me, I would have.”
“You should have. Always carry warrants with you... you never know when you’ll get lucky.”
“Well, next time, Aly, I’ll ask him to dance and distract him some for you,” Alex said.
“Well Trin I was in Tombstone and there was no local law, so I couldn’t. Now if it happened in Black Diamond, I most certainly would have.”
“I pinched his butt,” Alex gave me a mischievous smile. “Hey, if a guy is going to dance with me, he’s going to get his butt pinched.”
“I feel like I should be more upset with this, but I’m not. I think it’s funny,” Aly laughed.
“I think it’s funny too,” Alex agreed and I finally chuckled.
“I might not be as nice if he crawled into my bed,” Alex said.
“Long as he ain’t the one wearing the veil. Uhm or that.”
“Please get that mental image out of my head, Alex,” I begged and they laughed. “Not much happened in Kate’s after you guys headed outside so I figured I’d head home. No point standing around waiting for something to happen, you know? Dang I’m bored... why doesn’t someone shoot someone or rob something? This IS the wild west, ain’t it?”
“Trin, don’t say those things,” Aly said and we laughed.
“It can be outlaws shooting outlaws...” I winked.
“I haven’t done my patrol this morning,” Aly said.
“I’m sure someone will get shot. But not until around 11 or so this morning.”
“When you have to be out of the county?” I looked at Alex.
“Yep,” he nodded and we laughed.
“I haven’t done my patrol this morning. Maybe I’ll find something off,” Aly said.
“That’s the only time anyone gets shot, when ‘m not here,” Alex said and I reached over to pat his hand sympathetically.
“I was gonna say You got something planned you need to tell me about?” Aly said. “Hun really, it’s slow normally.”
“I’m not going to shoot anyone,” Alex laughed.
“I know how you feel... most things never happen when I’m around either.”
“Y’all stop now with this.,” Aly laughed. “Then again, if it gets your mind off Lot. Oh I just brought it up again didn’t I?” she finished her coffee and stood. “And I’m gonna make rounds.”
I shot her a glare and she asked, “What?!”
“Every time that man’s name is mentioned...” I shook my head. “I’m still trying to get the image of him dancing with my best friend out of my head, thank you. Go do your work, woman. One of us should.”
Aly stepped out and when she came back we headed to do the rounds. I joked with her that I was following her here, unlike when we were outside Diamond. We talked as we walked around town and then hugged each other tightly. I told them how I hadn’t seen Marc since the hoedown and that I guessed I wouldn’t be learning how to fish. After a while, I walked over to my office and worked on paperwork for the rest of the morning.
I walked over to the sheriff’s office to finish my note about the charges and work on the docket when I noticed the door was unlocked. I opened the door and walked in, noticing right away the bride and groom cake topper on the main desk and some writing in pink letters. I went around to read the writing and read: “gratz butthead. luv, Ada.”
I recognized Aly’s sister’s name and ran outside calling, “Aly! Sheriff’s office! Now!”
“Dang can’t a girl get a nap!” Aly shouted back.
“Woah,” Trent said as he rode over and tipped his hat.
“Not when your sister’s made a mess of your office!” I called back to Aly.
“Hey Trent,” I smiled at at him.
“Came to check on my friend. How are ya?” he asked.
“What?!” Aly shouted back.
“A little surprised right now actually. Some destruction of property and this lock’s been picked,” I told him.
Trent walked inside as Aly walked over, looking like she just woke up.
“Aly... the door was picked. Go look inside.”
We walked in and I nodded to the desk for Trent’s benefit. Aly walked in and her eyes widened as soon as she saw the desk. “Uhm. she is crazy! Trin, that ain’t even my desk it’s Tye’s.”
“Oh wow,” Trent said and chuckled under his breath.
“Yeah but it’s your sister.,” I looked at her and then turned to Trent. “Never a dull moment around here.”
“Nice,” Aly shook her head. “That’s. Ada.”
“She should be arrested for destruction of property,” I told her.
“You say she picked the door. Great. Trin! I can’t arrest her after this!” she lauged. “It’s like...her way of being nice. And letting me know she’s not dead.”
“Up to you,” I shrugged and smiled at Trent as he walked outside.
“Dang it,” she muttered.
“At least she’s happy for you,” I shrugged.
“I need time. I’m going to at least have to write a report because, i dunno if that is gonna come off, and that desk could be ruined.”
“Let’s go outside,” I suggested and we walked outside to join Trent. “So you came to check on me, Trent?
“You got any sisters sir?” Aly asked him.
“That I do. Two.”
“Younger?” Aly asked.
“One older, one younger.”
“Mhm they ever uhm...prank you?”
“All the time,” he said and looked over at me. I smiled back, touched that he was there for me.
“Well ok then, glad I’m not the only one. She did that kinda stuff all the time. It was real bad when she was 16....she brought a boy in the backyard, told me to ‘cover for her’ and left me there with that boy, and Pa saw me there with him,” Aly said.
“Was in town today, came to check on you.”
“You’ll be happy to know I haven’t been shot in the past week,” I told Trent.
“Good!” he smiled.
“Mmhmm. Is a good thing the way it’s been ‘round here. Trent, this is my best friend Aly.”
“Very nice to meet you,” he held out his hand to her.
“She’s a deputy here in Diamond.”
“Trent Ashland,” he introduced himself.
“That’s right, Trin, careful, don’t wanna jinx it,” Aly looked at me and I chuckled. “Oh an Ashland! Nice to meetcha!”
“Yep he lives over with Lil and them on the ranch.”
“Are there, like, 12 of you over there?” Aly asked. “Or soon to be?”
“Well.. I got my own place now.”
“Oh do you Trent? Where ‘bouts?” I asked him and secretly hoped Diamond though I didn’t say it out loud.
“Across the road from them.”
“Well that’s good, then you don’t have to worry about walking in on people doing naughty things!” Aly said.
“Ohh you moved out of the ranch just to be on your own, huh?”
“Well,” he chuckled. “They having twins and I’m still close.”
“Good time to move out then,” I said.
“Yeah I heard two girls!” Aly exclaimed.
“with Jer working a lot, my brother and I are there to assist with the ranch so I moved closer and so did my brother.”
“Nice you can be around family. Wish my family was closer,” I said.
“Yea. I always try to come check on you whenever I’m in town.”
“I’m so touched that you do,” I smiled. It really means a lot.”
“That depends on the family member,” Aly grumbled. “You know if my brother found out she did this....”
“We can’t help your sister is more outlaw-ish,” I chuckled.
“Uh huh. She’s got screws loose. Still love her though... even if I haven’t seen her in, uhm... A month Trin um...” she blushed. “Alex is going to see that...eventually. He’ll probably laugh,” she chuckled.
“Not if you don’t clean it and get rid of the statues.”
“Waiting for my brother. You don’t mind, do you ladies?” Trent asked.
“Not at all, we like your company. So what is new with you, Trent?”
“Nothing much. Just been helping out at all the ranches. Getting settled in.”
“Sounds great.”
“And you?”
“Just been waiting around for something to happen... Court docket came out today so that gives me something to do. I prepare a prosecutor case for each trial on the docket in case I’m asked.”
“Busy lady.”
“Well... on the weekends yes. Not so much during the week.”
“Things do seem to be quiet round these parts lately,” he nodded.
“Well there’s been stuff in Tombstone I guess or there’d be no docket sent out.”
“Yeah I do have one case, the time Jack and Sommer kidnapped Bree and made her table dance in Ghenna,” Aly said.
“Right that one... which I can’t help with anymore.”
“I heard about that trial,” Trent said.
“Hey now,” Blaq said as he rode over.
“And now, I’m going to have to write up this. I was thinking Trin, and even though it’s my sister, I can’t give out free passes just because. She should be tried, just like everyone else.”
“Unless you wanna deputize me so that I can help you arrest them,” I winked at Aly “Hi there, Blaq.”
“Howdy Sir,” Aly greeted him. “I need the warrant signed by Suzy of a judge first. And THEN I can arrest.”
“Well ladies been a pleasure,” Trent smiled.
“How are ya, Blaq?”
“If he got all that energy to run around with hostages then I’m gonna make him do jumping jacks in a cell,” Aly said and I chuckled.
“I’m good, and you?” Blaq asked.
“I’m doin’ alright,” I smiled. “Touched that your brother wants to come check on me.”
Trent smiled at me and mounted onto his horse as Aly said, “Doin’ good, until I found out my sis decided to uhm, let herself in my office and...have her way in there.”
“Would love to come out and see your place sometime, Trent,” I told him.
“You have an open invitation,” he smiled.
“Have a great day, Trent!” I waved to the brothers.
Bree walked over the and we said hi to her as she headed onto the bank.
“Shall we head into the office and work on that desk, Aly?” I asked Aly when we were alone.
“Gonna have to fix that lock now,” Aly frowned at the door.
“Yep you are.”
“Trin, I dunno yet, I might wanna keep it if this ends up going to court. That’s evidence. But dang now I gotta see it every time I sit down,” she chuckled.
“You’re gonna drag the desk into court as evidence? Wouldn’t it be easier to take a picture?”
“Oh you’re so funny. Yeah, but not getting rid of it until there IS a picture. So then I need to write this report...and lemme just ask... you got here AFTER this happened right? Didn’t see anything?”
“I just saw the stuff when I walked into the office. Prints on the doorknob aren’t gonna help cause a bunch of people have touched that thing in the past 12 hours.”
“Mmmm she’s good like that. Nobody sees her do these things.”
“Prints on the desk though...”
“So these same people that touched the doorknob didn’t touch the desk?”
“Another good point. Prints are out.”
“Trin... her NAME... is on the desk.”
“Probably no witnesses.”
“Unless someone else put it there, which I doubt.”
“Doesn’t mean someone else didn’t write her name, Aly.”
“So check the cake topper. I haven’t touched it, have you? Then again...”
“Nope,” I shook my head.
“No crime in putting THAT there.”
“True. It would have to be the desk or the door but that’s useless at this point. So we have nothing.”
“Well hell... Then fine I’ll just write a report.”
“Still want to arrest her?”
“I can’t, didn’t witness it. It would only go to court.”
“Still want her to go to court?”
“Yeah, she should.”
“Then it’s all you hon, wish I could help you on this one but I’m not sure how.”
“You can’t. It’s a report only at this point. I have no witness statements to go on.”
“Yep.”
“Well maybe me and you for finding it. But that’s it. Write me one about how you found things.”
“Would that really be a witness though?”
“But that’s it. Write me one about how you found things. No,” Aly said.
“I’d just describe the same thing as you would.”
“Hmm... Maybe I should just let it go then. It’s harmless, really, and she’s just telling me grats in her own, weird way.”
“I mean I’d be happy to write a witness statement I just don’t know how much good it’s gonna do.”
“I know. Ok I need to get back to writing my list.”
“I need to get to work on this docket. Let’s head inside.”
We walked inside and took a seat. Aly told me that she and Alex were working through a list for the wedding and as I looked over the docket and sighed, noticing the size. “So Aly... Huge docket this weekend...”
“Oh has there been stuff actually happening?”
“You remember that sabotage thing I was looking into where I talked to Jamie about the orphanage plants? And how Mark said that there was a fire at the bank to destroy the flowers?”
“Yes. Ugh a Tombstone thing.”
“Well... It gets interesting.”
“Why you gotta bring all that up, ugh,” she chuckles.
“Because I need to get a statement from Lot in relation to it.”
“I’m sorry,” she blinked.
“Yep. It’s against Freja.”
“Lot. ugh. wait. You said you need a statement from him?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Well dang,” she grinned. “I got two warrants, and it would be so much easier to fulfill them if he were in town...any way you could, uhm... convince him the most comfortable chairs to write a statement on are the ones in the black diamond sheriff’s office?”
“Lead him to Diamond and ask him for a statement here and then you could arrest him?”
“Yeah! Well I want these things off my board and I wanna be done.”
“Uh huh. I’ll see what I can do.”
“You’re awesome.”
“We both need him for things, just hope Alex ain’t around when that happens.”
“I hope Alex IS around in case one of us needs medical treatment. Or both of us. I’m most comfortable when it’s him treating me.”
“Yeah, that’s true. I am too, otherwise he wouldn’t be my personal doctor.”
“That one guy Walker...he puts his hands in weird places that have nothing to do with the injury. I think. Seriously!” she laughed and I chuckled with her. “Don’t tell anyone I said that though. Trin I’m thinking red. Roses.”
“Aly... were you around when Jack killed Angeles?” I sighed as I was obviously still focused on the docket.
“Is that the time the Calvary was here and Wedge got injured? I was in my house, cooking, and heard gun shots. I ran out and found Wedge. I didn’t SEE the shooting, but I heard it.”
“Was on the 26th... It’s being tried in Tombstone.”
“Yeah a Saturday, right ? That was during payroll. Why?” she blinked. “That happened here.”
“I have no bloody clue.”
“Wedge did that warrant, Jack was arrested by me, and then I dropped the report here.”
“That’s why I’m confused.”
“That should be tried in Black Diamond.”
“Believe me I’m going to talk to someone about it.”
“How come it feels like I’m the only law in Black Diamond?”
“Great question.”
“Nobody else ever seems to be in this office.”
“I have to head home. I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Okay. Have a good one.”
Tombstone.
That night, I walked down Allen Street looking for Lot and found Mac standing with Matthew in the streets. I looked down the street and saw Sniper talking with a man I didn’t know and I looked around the group as Sniper came over.
“Ya’ll haven’t seen Lot have ya?” I asked, looking around.
“No Trin, not yet,” Sniper told me.
“Saw him last night letting some little boy smoke and drink,” Matthew laughed.
“Hmm... If you see him... I need him for a witness statement. He can find me in Black Diamond.”
“You want an outlaw boss, for a witness statement?” Sniper laughed.
“Yep, love the irony huh?”
Matthew fell on the floor laughing and Sniper shook his head. “Very very ironic.”
“I’m gonna head home,” I sighed and shook my head.
I walked down the street and saw Chris with his wife Zannza by the barber’s office. Zannza was giving Chris a haircut and he complained that it had been all shaven off. We talked for a while and then I headed back to Diamond where I worked on reading statements from the docket.
I walked back to Tombstone this evening and walked over to Annie’s, knowing there was a dance on. I saw Mac and the other guy from earlier carrying Angel down the street and shouting for a doctor. I shook my head and walked inside, going straight to the bar. The woman behind the bar told me her name was Khaelli and I asked her for whiskey and lots of it.
Alex and Aly came in and danced but I stayed by the bar, trying to forget about my frustrating week. It was partially because I was upset with the docket and didn’t look forward to talking with Lot for his statement, but I was also annoyed that I hadn’t seen Marc since Sunday. I was beginning to wonder if I should just let it be and not wait around for yet another man that wasn’t going to show up.
Alex looked over at me with concern but I just drank my whiskey, nodding to him. It seemed like everyone else was having a better time tan I was and I decided to head home before I brought the party down more.
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