October 11, 1900

Tombstone. 

This afternoon I wandered around town, doing the rounds, and waved to Jimmy and Starling Rubble and Zeth talking in front of the sheriff’s office. 

“Oh my goodness! Talk of the Devil... err.. angel!” Jimmy exclaimed. 

“Nice to see you too, Jimmi!” I chuckled. “Everything alright?” 

“I rather hate having to find something,” Zeth said. 

“We think you have a nice little job here. Ranger had to be dusted down,” Jimmy said. 

“Yup,” Zeth nodded. 

“I’m listening. Could use something to do,” I said. 

“Stay up wind, he will make you sneeze,” Jimmy warned. 

“Yes sir,” I chuckled. 

“Hey, I dusted myself off already. It’s just the spot that needed to be dusted isn’t,” Zeth said. 

“He was standing here he says, leaning on the wall,” Jimmi explained. “And he was all itchy.” 

“Go have a look miss Trin,” Starling told me. 

“My back was itching,” Zeth said. 

“Then he was covered in these critters here. Ants,” Zeth said. 

“My wife dusted him down with powder,” Jimmy said. “Well we hope they are ants. Could be termites. The ranger and my wife heard strange noises from the office.” 

I looked at the ants and back at Jimmi. “Really…” 

“Was a mix of a falling tree and a very loud hog squeel,” Zeth said and I raised an eyebrow. 

“Now if this building is infested with termites, it needs fixing before the whole town turns to dust and rubble,” Jimmi said. 

“I figure that those ants were planted there but no idea on who would do it,” Zeth said. 

"The outlaws would have a field day,” Starling put in. 

“So you want me to determine if they’re ants or termites?” I asked. 

“Since they love burning the sheriff’s office down, would give a good idea on why,” Zeth said. 

“Yup Miss Trin. If they are termites then the Mayor needs to know so another jail can be set up,” Jimmi explained. 

“Jimmi… I don’t know the first thing about deciphering bugs. I’m not an exterminator.” 

“But you know a few vets?” he looked at me. 

“I can decipher between outlaws... people… Sure I do. Cole would be the man you’d need to talk to for this.” 

“Could you not find out if they were planted there,” Starling said. 

“Planted on the rangers bac?” Jimmi said. “Or did the ranger put them there?” 

“I know nothing about insects,” I told him. 

“Too many questions. I only cope with answers.” 

“And I only cope with outlaws and people, Jimmi,” I looked at him. 

“Now Jimmi…” Zeth folded his arms. “I’ll never do such a thing. Had to save that sheriff office enough times with fires.” 

“Of course you wouldn’t, Ranger. Not knowingly,” Jimmi nodded. 

“Weren’t you shot by Miss Nimbrel earlier?” Starling asked. 

“I don’t think it was nim that got me last time,” Zeth said. “A man in black that was bugging Bree.” 

“I don’t think Miss Nimbrel is that smart to infest the Ranger with termites,” Jimmi said. 

“Think she has the hots for me,” Zeth chuckled. 

“Alright let me think here…” I took out my magnifying glass and went to examine, since I had nothing better to do. 

“Don’t get to close miss Trin or they still might be alive,” Starling warned. 

“Miss Nimbrel? Fancy you Ranger? You poor thing,” Jimmi shook his head. 

“Though I got them well… I’d think Nim would have problems knowing my wife could scalp her,” Zeth said. 

I studied the bugs on the wall while they continued to talk about Miss Mouse and how she ate bugs, so she wouldn’t be the one to put the bugs on the sheriff’s office. Amara walked over then and they greeted her as I continued to work. 

“Jimmi, you might have a problem here,” I said finally.” 

“My problem?” Jimmi looked at me. “I got many of those.” 

“Well it’s not really my problem... My problem are people but you seem insistent on my helping you so I’m looking this over,” I told him. 

“Don’t get to close Amara there has been some bugs put down there,” Starling said. 

“What do you think Trin?” Jimmi asked.  

“Look see... on the floor, there’s ants... but on the wall... termites. See how the ones on the floor have wings in the front are larger than the back ones? ON termites there... they’re the same size,” I pointed out. 

“Uuuuurgh. Have you got a jar or something Trin?” Jimmi groaned. 

“I’m not done... There’s more…” I looked at him as Starling got a small empty jar out of her bag. “The waist... on the ants there it’s more constricted. On the termites... see how they’re more broad?” 

“Good gravy, I’ll have to head on home and take a bath,” Zeth moaned. 

“Yes. That or the Russ house,” Jimmi nodded. 

“Heard they got a nice one,” Zeth said. 

“Closer also, Zeth,” Starling put in. 

“ Also the antenae…” I went on, remembering some information from a book I had read in the library one day when I’d been bored. “See through the magnifying glass... The ones on the ants are elbowed. The ones on the termite are more beaded. Also the termites on the wall are more of a light brown to brown color... where the ants are more black and red.” 

“I have to put my glasses on,” Jimmi said. 

“Made me itch,” Zeth complained. 

“Also.... the termites are bigger than the ants. Also see on the wall? The termites there have more wings. Ants only the queen has wings.” 

“They have royalty?” Jimmi asked. 

“Remember Jimmi? The queen ant, the one in charge... kinda like bees,” I explained. 

“Ok, sounds like an organized gang of insects to me, Miss Trin.” 

“Starling could you bring over that jar please?” I asked and she walked over with the jar at arms length. 

“Either way... this building is gonna be infested with a bunch of termites before it’s too long,” I looked at Jimmi. 

“The Mayor will not be happy, he is kind of short on budgets this year,” Jimmi shook his head. 

“Well he might not have a choice. Here... let’s try a test. Starling, do you have a sweet food of some sort? Maybe at the hotel?” I asked, taking the jar and putting the termite in it with gloved hands. 

“It has to be sorted or the whole street will be infested,” Jimmi said. 

“Starling why don’t you get me something sweet from the hotel? A donut or something maybe?” I asked her again. 

“You hungry, Trin?” Jimmi looked at me. 

“Ok,” Starling said and walked over to the hotel. 

“Termites aren’t as attracted to human sweet foods as ants are,” I told him. “That’ll be my final test. You better give these results and this jar back to Adrian. He’ll need to take care of this soon.” 

“Why me?” Jimmi asked. 

Starling came back over and held out a syrup cake and donuts to me as I said, “As the main judge... you’re the one who would benefit most from having the jail replaced, no?” 

“I’m always giving him bad news,” he complained. 

I took the cake and donut and smiled at Starling with a “thanks” as I put it on the floor. I watched as the ants swarmed on it and not the termites. “See? The termites couldn’t care less.” 

“Oh dear. We have a termite here….” Jimmi concluded. 

“They just want the wood,” I nodded. 

“They likes the wood and most of the street is made of wood. We have a problem,” Jimmi observed. 

“We sure do,” I nodded. 

“Well jar up the little critter and I suppose one more ill wind from me won’t harm,” Jimmi sighed. 

I handed him the jar and winked, “There’s little Termy for ya.” 

“Got to take out the bad wood, close that nest down and put in good wood,” Jimmi took the jar carefully. “That’s going to take some pretty pennies. “Can I just leave this in his office and run away?” 

“I would strongly advise against it.” 

“Some mornings I wish I stayed in Goldfield,” Jimmi muttered. “Better find the man, I suppose.” 

“I hear that. Glad I was able to help. Wish I had better news for you.” 

“I glad you were passing,” Starling smiled at me. 

“It’s always the same, want a Pinkerton and poof, one appears,” Jimmi smiled. 

“Jimmi wait… There’s more. Look down on the ground,” I told him.

“More termites?” Jimmi asked. 

“There’s some round hard bits of wood-like material scattered around. Like an anthill. The termites build it up kinda like an anthill and then eat the wood. That means... this problem is in its advanced state.”

“How the heck are we going to deal with this?” Jimmi groaned. 

“Um.. Well… We can’t just arrest termites can we?” I winked at Starling. 

“No, but we can go to war on them. I better find the Mayor and show him his problem.” 

“The powder it no good on the termites only ants affected by powder,” Starling said. 

“Yeah, probably a good idea. And don’t let Termy out of that jar,” I told Jimmi. 

“It’s shut fast Trin. If only the jar was bigger.” 

“Get some eucalyptus... It’s a good bug repellent,” I told him. 

“They might like the taste of that wood.” 

“Leaves from the California Bay Laurel plant or Eucalyptus. That would be your best solution I think. But do it fast.” 

“Or Miss Rikki and a stick of dynamite.” 

“Are you condoning an act of arson, Mr. Judge?” I chuckled and winked at him. 

“It’s not arson if it’s intended,” he grinned. 

“Either way you’ll need a construction crew to build a new office,” I said. 

“Gather all the carpenters, get that wood replaced after that nest is closed down,” Jimmi said. 

“And make it with bricks so no termites can get in,” Starling added. 

“Right,” I nodded. 

“Might be an idea to line the inside with brick,” Jimmi suggested. 

“Get some Eucalyptus to drive them off though. Its aromatic properties and vapors will drive the termites off,” I explained. 

“Do that for the buildings next door on both sides. That way the termites keep eating this jail,” Jimmi said. 

“Well I’ll leave you to it,” I nodded. “Good luck with Adrian. You’re gonna need it, I fear.” 

“Thank you miss Trin,” Starling smiled. 

“We have to get this sad news to Adrian. I don’t know where he will get the money for this,” Jimmi shook his head. 

“Guess we’ll have to have a fundraiser,” I nodded. 

“Honey, have you seen his clothes recently? They are almost threads,” Jimmi shook his head. 

“I’ll see you both later,” I chuckled. “Wish we could get a good trial in…” I sighed and looked over at the courthouse. 

“That way! Mayor’s office!” Jimmi pointed. 

“I might as well join you,” I said and followed them off towards the mayor’s office. “So this is where he hides,” I said when we got to the city hall. 

Jimmi knocked on the door and sighed, “Blasted termites must have cleaned out all of Adrian’s furniture in here.” 

“Maybe they ate Adrian too,” I cringed and joked. 

“They don’t like oil paintings,” Jimmi said and Starling tried not to laugh. 

“Well if Adrian ain’t gonna be here I should get back to my office,” I said then.

“We will let him know Miss Trin,” Starling promised. 

“Stay safe, you two.” 

“And you also,” Starling said as I waved and headed back to my office.