November 11, 1900

Tombstone. 

This morning I walked over to the hotel where Pet informed me that there was a fresh pot of coffee on the stove. I thanked her and went in while she talked with a woman named Mouse and Ginger about how they wanted to be doctors. 

“Yeah I hang around the Docs office though I got shot for my trouble,” Ginger nodded at one point. 

“Shot!” Mouse exclaimed. “Who shot you?” 

“You were shot?” I looked at him. 

“Them Wild Bunch… I got the loud mouthed hooligan but a pretty gal got me down, I was always a sucker for them gals,” Ginger explained. 

“Did they get arrested, Ginger?” I asked. 

“Does this town have trouble with outlaws?” Mouse asked. 

“Define trouble!” Pet laughed. 

“Only if you get in their way, otherwise they won’t bother ya,” I nodded to her and grinned at Pet. “Now Pet, let’s try not to scare the poor girl off.” 

“Dunno Pet, I was recovering from my wounds, in any case I don’t know the names of who did it,” Ginger shook his head. 

“Anyone else around, Ginger?” I asked. “That might have known who they were?” 

“You can point ’em out tho right?” Pet asked. 

“You should write up a witness statement and hand it in to law, Ginger. If there were witnesses I can help track ’em down and find out who did it,” I told him and handed over a blank statement. “T’is what I do, after all.” 

“Well shots are what I have worked with,” Mouse said. “Was a nurse during the war. Even helped in operations.” 

“You any good with diseases?” Pet looked her over. 

“What kind? Cholera we worked with. Also dysinteray.” 

“How long you been in town?” Pet asked. 

“No Pet she was wearing white, a blonde,” Ginger finally said as he shook his head. “But heck, I ain’t gonna press charges, I like to get even ’swhat I do.” 

“Well that’s your choice, I guess. Just offering my assistance if you did want to get the law involved.” 

“Hmm Ivy or Lisa. hmmm Ivy would have filled up the clinic. Was it one shot that got ya then?” Pet asked. “Mouse, when did you arrive?” 

“Just arrived the other day,” Mouse said. 

“Well I appreciate it Trin I really do, but ya know a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” Ginger told me. 

“ Well sure, just if you’re gonna do it.... you’ll sink to their level and get arrested for the crime they did to you in the first place,” I said. “But like I said, it’s up to you.” 

“Where were you shot Ginger?” Mouse asked. 

“I think one of them called the girl Downy. A strange name for a gal I thought,” Ginger said. 

“Downy?!?!” I blinked. 

“Well Trin I ain’t gonna shoot up the place. I ain’t a trouble maker,” Ginger said. 

“Downy!!!????? Oh dear,” Pet looked over at me. 

“Pet, what’s Downy’s last name…?” I asked shakily. 

“Well that’s what I heard it as, but I was down on the ground bleeding from the chest,” Ginger said. 

“Seems you know the name?” Mouse looked at Ginger. “Do you need medical help?” 

“Undersnoodle. But you didn’t hear it from me. No ma’am not me who told ya. Ya hear?” Pet half-whispered to me. 

“Must have changed last names since livin’ in Georgetown then. And become an outlaw, evidently,” I shook my head, remembering the woman. “Geez, the dead really does rise around here.” 

“Well I’m fine now, a doc named Joe sewed me up. I would say he’s a cobbler rather than a doctor but I takes what I gets,” Ginger said and Mouse chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. 

“She’s known around these parts as only an outlaw for at least six years Trin,” Pet told me. “A damn good one at being bad too.” 

“About fifteen years ago I lived in a town called Georgetown. She was married to the man in charge of the Pinkerton’s. The man who gave me my first badge,” I shook my head. “And now she’s with the Wild Bunch…” 

“Them a crazy bunch o people,” Ginger commented. 

“Been with the Wild Bunch since they arrived in town,” Pet told me. “he woman is..... cunning... beautiful and... deadly.” 

“That’s interesting, Ginger. I work with herbs too,” Mouse said. 

“I am learning more from the Gypsies around these parts in addition to what I learned around Colorado,” Ginger turned to Pet. “You tellin me that blonde hair blinded me as she pumped lead in my chest. And as I said I always been a sucker for the ladies,” he winked at us and we smiled. 

“Ya might wanna tuck that in Ginger,” Pet laughed. 

“Just be careful if you decide to go up against her, Ginger, is all we’re sayin’. You might be putting your life in your own hands,” I said. 

“Oh aims to be a charmer Trin,” Ginger smiled and adjusted her belt. 

“Good luck with that then,” I said and sipped my coffee. 

“Well I’ll be prayin for ya if you use that strategy Ginger,” Pet said and I winked at her, knowing she agreed. 

“Well well Pet if you have have any better ideas I am all ears,” Ginger said and Pet nodded with a slight tiilt of her head. 

“Didn’t wanna hear my ideas,” I muttered and went to wash out my empty coffee cup. 

“Well Trin I heard ya but my statement would be thrown out in a jiffy,” Ginger said. 

“Not if we had some solid names for it,” I said. 

“An’ I don’t.” 

“Ginger, just be careful and watch your back. them Wild Bunch hear you coming to gun down Downy.. they will get you in cross fire,” Pet told him. 

“I don’t aims to gun down nobody Pet,” Ginger said. 

“Whew!” Pet exhaled. 

“No one else was around at the time of the shootin’?” I asked again. 

“Nope,” he shook his head. 

“Doctors rarely shoot?” Mouse asked. “At least what I have seen.”

“Oh?” Pet tilted her head. 

“Doctors ain’t supposed to use their weapons... As far as I know,” I commented. 

“Which is why I don’t aims to shoot them,” Ginger said. 

“No, we’re no one for carrying to,” Mouse said. 

“In any case they outnumber me so I don’t like the odds of having more lead in me,” Ginger said. 

“Smart man,” Pet nodded.

“But when they need my services they gonna pay.” 

“How so?” Pet asked. 

“As one should,” Mouse said. 

“Well let’s say Pet there can be ways of taking out bullets that can make the devil himself scream,” Ginger said. 

“Sounds like he’ll be working with Joe as a sawbones with that attitude,” I said. 

“Only for those that gunned me down. I don’t like to harm nobody,” Ginger said. 

“Then there’s one in particular…” Pet leaned forward and then hushed. 

“Indeed,” I nodded. 

“Depends on the board, I reckon. If it were in my power…” Pet sighed. 

“Well folks, I need to get some writing done. Lots of information learned this morning,” I winked at Pet. 

They said goodbye and I headed back to my office.