November 3, 1900

Bisbee. 

This afternoon I played and sang at the Stock Exchange to a good group of people who really liked the music. I thanked everyone for their compliments and for being there. 

“Feel like taking a walk, Irish?” I asked him after a few minutes of general conversation. 

“Was just going to offer my service as an escort,” Irish grinned. 

“Could use the protection since I’m unarmed for now.” 

Tombstone. 

Irish escorted me back to Allen Street and we greeted Angel in front of the sheriff’s office. “Hey there sheriff. Any progress on that tp case? Was going to start asking around.” 

“Vell Thomas said miz Angeles found out vho it vas and punished the boys,” Angel said. 

“Oh?” I leaned against the pole. “Good for them…” 

“Says Jeffery admitted it during school.” 

“Ah, I see.” 

“So she made the boys go clean thingz up and do some chorez for miz Ivy.” 

“I wondered if it was him. Told him at the dance I wanted to talk to him. That’s great.” 

“I think he knew ve ver catching on.” 

“So my prodding him may have led to his confession then,” I said and looked over at Irish. “At least I can still do some things around here.” 

“Danky for your help miz Trin,” Angel chuckled. “Know it vasn’t much, but vas something!” 

“I always thought you could…” Irish smiled. 

“Anything else going on?” I asked. 

“Not vreally juzt got to town. Oh… Ansar and I got a new home together. Should come over sometime and visit,” Angel announced. 

“Oh did you? Congratulations!” I smiled. 

“Antelope Canyon,” Angel nodded. 

“Thomas has been spending a lot of time with me at mine,” I blushed. 

“Also miz Trin am going to be opening mine bakery in Pearce soon. Turning mine old home into a bakery.” 

“Oh great! Fantastic idea.” 

“But am going to need to hire some help. Somevone to vork and vatch things vhile am here on duty and all. Maybe a kid or somevone can truzt.” 

“I have heard the children are good at that sort of thing… and Miss Trin I can’t even cook water without burning it..” Irish grinned. 

“Burning water... that’s impressive,” I chuckled. 

We continued to talk and I debated bartending again as Prudy and Reb came over to chat. I talked to Angel about maybe working in the bakery when I wasn’t busy with cases and Angel, Irish and I headed out to see the place. 

Pearce. 

The bakery was a cute little building with two floors. The downstairs had a counter at the back with cakes on display. There were tables in the room spread out and a big fireplace to the right. The kitchen was in the front of the building. The smell of freshly baked foods filled the place, and there were pictures on the walls of cakes Angel had made. Angel told us that the bakery had moved around and we talked about what I could do if I worked there. We talked for a while and then I headed home to check on Natalie. 

*** 

This afternoon I went over to Dutch Annie’s where a crowd had gathered, and drank some Whiskey. It still felt strange being around Irish and I talked to Pet and Angel about possibly bartending somewhere. As Paisley danced for the men that came in, Irish sat down beside me and finally asked, “Miss Trin have I done something to make you uncomfortable around me…?” 

“I just... I feel like I remember you from somewhere and I can’t quite... place it. Which is bugging me because usually my memory is like a steel trap.” 

“I just don’t want you to be worrying about me…” 

“Worry isn’t the right word. More like... perplexeed.” 

“Wish I could help…” 

“Where were you before you came to Tombstone…?” 

“I thought you two mentioned knowing each other from some ponies or something.. Irish moved them,” Paisley commented as she danced. “Minnesota or something. Thought you had that figured.” 

“Up around the Wyoming..the north east section,” Irish said. 

“Yeah…” I cringed, remembering. “But I can’t figure out why.” 

“You okay Trin? Not like you to forget things,” Paisley commented. 

“That’s where I came from before there. Yes, Minnesota,” Irish said. 

“Right... I remember now... There was an article about some horse theft from a child... He was with the Blackfoot natives at the time…” I said and he blushed. “You know you kind of... look like the guy in the picture... like what the kid would look like.. as an adult…” I said and he nodded, turning more red, and cleared his throat. 

“The kid was never brought to court. Cause he was like, ten. It was you….” I turned and put an elbow on the counter, looking at him harder. 

“They never proved it was me,” Irish stuttered, looking down. 

“Do you want me to trust you?” I looked at him. 

“I haven’t relocated any ponies since, Miss Trin.” 

“That’s close enough to a confession for me. At least I can put that old case to bed. There’s more though... the Blackfoot Natives... Something about that name…” 

“It was my manhood test… and I did let you take them back…” 

“he horses... yeah.” 

“My mother said my father was Irish with red hair and was a rogue so thats what she named me..and I took his last name when I was grown.” 

“Who was the chief... at that time? Of your tribe?” 

“Running Horse..ma’am.” 

I blinked at that name, tears coming to my eyes. I gripped the tighter and started. “He was… He was a friend of my father’s..” 

“He was my uncle,” Irish nodded. 

“I need... I need to go look something up,” I said, looking at Irish. My mind was spinning and I needed to think. I waved to everyone and headed home. 

*** 

Black Diamond. 

A couple of hours later, I was reading through my journals from Minnesota and remembered Running Horse and my father being close friends. I shook my head, not remembering much about Irish other than as a passing name in conversation until that whole horse theft case. I shook my head more, surprised. 

Thomas walked into town then, whistling and looking into windows. He walked up to the Pinkerton Office and pressed his face to the window, smiling big. “Hey you in there! Need some company!” he laughed. I chuckled and waved him in, standing to meet him and he said, “Hey there dear. You workin hard or hardly working?” 

I went to give him a hug and held him closely, leaning my head on his shoulder. “I missed you.” 

“I missed you too sweetie,” he kissed me deeply, hugging me tight. 

“So you want to talk here or head to the saloon and cuddle while we talk?” I asked, kissing him back. 

“It’s up to you love. I got some new to tell you about the toilet paper crime and a possible bank robbery coming up maybe.” 

“All I know is I want to be in your arms right now,” I held him tightly. 

“Well let’s go somewhere comfy so I can hold my sweetheart and we can discuss business.” 

“Sounds perfect.” 

Pearce. 

“Tea dear?” I asked. When he said yes, I took the cup over to him and sat on the couch beside him. “So, do you want to go first, hon?” 

“I can,” he smiled. “I did learn who toilet papered the Russ and Sheriffs offices and Lots house.” 

“Right, Angel told me that Angeles got Jeffrey to confess during school. I guess my prodding him at the dance had made him think we were onto him. See... even when I get a case, they solve it without me.” 

“Probably so, but someone else painted the front of City Hall and the Bank in Tombstone,” he smiled. 

“Oh? Someone vandalized the city hall and the bank now too?" I sat up with interest. 

“Yes, someone painted Happy Boo Day on the city hall, and I didn’t see what they painted on the bank.” 

“Happy boo day?” I frowned. “When was this? Do they know?”

“Yep, that’s what is said, in big letters. I saw this yesterday morning.” 

“Wow…” 

“Angel and Ansar know yes.” 

“Wonder why Angel didn’t mention it this afternoon,” I said as I sipped my tea pensively. 

“Maybe she wasn’t thinking about it. Did she mention the other?” 

“She mentioned Jeffry confessing. That was it.” 

“Oh, well I had a very interesting conversation with a Mr. Dutch and Mr. Grant yesterday also.” 

I shot up and almost spilled my tea. “Dutch?!?! Dutch Solo is here???” 

“Dutch Solo? No I don’t think it was him. He went by Bubba, or so he said, but Grant Cole called him Dutch.” 

I exhaled with great relief and said, “Thank God... Bubba, yeah he used to be a Deputy. Came to my gig today.” 

“Oh so he was a deputy in Tombstone at one time? Well as far as Angel goes, he ain’t no more. He made the comment, ‘At least I’m not wanted in this state.’ Also he talked about robbing banks.” 

“Bubba, robbing banks... Now that would be interesting. Guess we’ll have to keep an extra eye out on the banks then, huh?” I smirked a bit. 

“Yeah I think so. I told Chase about it at the bank yesterday too. It was just too weird, he mentioned he was waiting on certain contacts before he and Grant made their next move. He said he found quicker easier ways to make a living other than being a lawman.” 

“Going to have to keep an eye on both of them. I just didn’t want to go to town tonight... I have too much on my mind right now. Have you ever met Irish Rogue..?” 

“Irish Rogue? Hmmm, I did meet a Irish yesterday. Said he knew you, and that Cole had told him about me.” 

“Yeah... I figured out why today. I’d been racking my brain but when I was in Minnesota in ’71... I’d looked into this horse theft that had happened. We never figured out who did it but then I found this article in the paper about a ten year old kid named Irish who’d been accused of it. He let us return the horses and everything but never had to go to court or get punished for it. I didn’t even think about him after that until I saw the man Irish in town the other day. I recognized him but couldn’t figure out how.” 

“Oh really? So thats what he meant yesterday about relocating horses.” 

“Same guy. Just... a few years later,” I nodded. “Thing is… He was part of this Blackfoot Native tribe. And the chief... he said his name and I remembered it. He was a friend of my father’s. The chief.” I set my empty cup on the table. 

“Do you remember anything else about him?” 

“He said that the horse stealing was some way of proving he was a man or something. But he confessed to it. After all these years…” 

“That’s odd. Guess there’s nothing that can be done about it now though is there?” 

“It’s just... brought up a lot of memories. I feel like there’s more that I’m missing but I want to talk to him again and figure it out. Nope of course not... Way out of jurisdiction.” 

“Well, let’s just hope he don’t try the same thing here. I mentioned something about him not doing that here, and he said of course not, I am passed that now.” 

“Yeah... just keep an eye out baby. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to my favorite deputy,” I said and reached up to caress his clean-shaven cheek. “Oh and also... I might be helping out Angel at her bakery here in Pearce. Not so convinced it’ll go well though. Not really a lot of traffic around here in Pearce.” 

“You are so beautiful, did I tell you that today?” he smiled, brushing the hair out of my face. 

“Did I tell you I love you today?” I smiled and shifted closer to him as we relaxed after a long day.