Bisbee.
This morning I saw Thomas standing in the street and went up behind him, sliding my hands around his waist. “You’re under arrest for being so danged handsome,” I whispered.
“Hey now! Watchit!” Thomas jumped and laughed, turning around to kiss me and hug me close.
“Morning love. Getting an early start today?” I giggled and kissed him.
“Yeah, decided to get going early. How are you this morning baby?”
“Will be better once we get some coffee. Our house needs more of it.” I smiled and nudged him.
“Well yes I forgot to go to the general store and buy some coffee. I forget how you drink it like water,” Thomas laughed and nodded.
“Shall we?” I giggled and took his hand. He walked with me over to the cafe and we sat down at the table. “I love this place. I’m so glad we decided to move back to Bisbee. The snow is just gorgeous.”
“Yes it always beautiful this time of year. I hope Jimmy and Nat are loving it here too. They seem to be.”
“Natalie said they stared in awe at the tree. She also told me about her interview with Suzy and how she doesn’t want to put it in the Bee.”
“Oh really? What happened with that interview?”
“She said that Suzy had told her about the Carnegies killing her father and how they were just as bad as the Pinkertons. I remember in court once she let in on me as the prosecutor because she was the defense attorney. She basically listed all the sins of the Pinkertons trying to discredit me.”
Thomas rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Everyone has problems with the Pinkertons. Why do they think that all Pinkerton detectives are crooked? My baby is the best detective there is.”
“Yeah…” I sighed. “I’m trying to fix people’s perspectives of Pinkertons. I get that in the past they had to be hard-headed but... these days we just try and help people as much as we can, not cause more trouble. People need to stop identifying one person based on the sins of their predecessors.”
“Yes true dear. But Alan Pinkerton carries a long shadow that people dont forget. It will just take tike and people like you to show people there are good detectives out there trying to help people the right way.”
“I know but I’ve been here for two years. Suzy should know I’m different than that but she won’t even give me a chance. That’s why we’re not living in Diamond.” I sighed and leaned back against the chair.
“Yeah well she needs to get over herself. From the sounds of it, she ain’t the best sheriff for Diamond either.”
“Don’t get me started,” I said and nodded to him.
Thomas poured coffee for us both and grabbed a danish, taking a bite. He mumbled through his danish and said, “I mwuv mwewew bwaby!”
I chuckled and reached over to interlace my fingers with his, eating my danish. He smiled and held my hand, kissing me with sugary lips as I licked off the sugar.
“You know, this is probably the best cafe in these parts. It’s quiet, not gun fights, and we are close to home too.”
“Now you know why I love this town.” I smiled and rubbed my hand through my hair.
“Yeah, and with the town all decorated up, and the snow, its almost magical ain’t it.”
“It really is. And just think, we’ve already got our Christmas shopping done with the new house and the puppy Natalie found.”
“Yes for sure, though that little rascal almost eat me alive the other night. I came home after you had gone to bed, and she went cookoo.”
“Good to know she’s protective though,” I laughed at that. “Want to walk over to Tombstone, dear?”
“Sure, we can head over there and see if anything is happening.”
“Oh, hallo Miz Trin, hallo Thomas,” Angel said as she came over.
“Howdy Miss Angel,” Thomas greeted her.
“She does exist!” I blinked and teased.
“Been buzy time of year,” she said.
“Mmhmm. You’ve got a lot of jobs.”
“I do!”
“Vich by the vay if your both interezted in the photos ve should talk about sometime.”
“Don’t s’pose your man is around? We could have you both over for tea and chat about cases,” I told her.
“But I ave something for you miz Trinity,” Angel told me.
“Yeah, we been busy too… Trin and I moved to Bisbee, much better here especially now we got two little ones to take care of,” Thomas said.
“You have something for me?” I smiled. “Is it a Christmas present?”
“He vas about, not sure vat hez doing now… Oh no, better. A case.”
“Add that to the other mammoth case I’m workin’,” I grinned.
“Seemz somevone robbed the Russ hotel,” she told me.
“Oh? When did that happen?”
“Day before yezterday. They believe vas Rikki but no vone knows for sure, since Pet hasn’t payed her ‘money’ to Rikki and ve caught her on extortion.”
“You know there’s not a part of that I don’t need elaboration on?” I blinked.
“Vell,” she chuckled. “Miz Pet came to me the other day saying she vas robbed, and how she suspected vas Rikki since Rikki comes around demanding a tax for the mayor or Mayor Vise vould shut her hotel down. I explained to Miz Pet how Rikki vas extorting her, that there was no such tax. I made a varrant for the extortion and fraud, but az for the robbery… Miz Pet haz a hunch it vas Rikki since Pet hasn’t payed Rikki.”
“I’ll be sure to get a witness statement from Pet... anyone else I should talk to?”
“Not sure. Have to ask Pet, she knows it all. I only know vat I told you.”
“Alright. I’ll see what else I can dig up.” I nodded.
“I looked more into the extortion and fraud and told her I’d get you for zeh robbery. Danky, Miz Trin.”
“Well... I hope I can get some more things cleared up. Maybe some evidence will show up. So we were thinking Angel…”
“Hmm? Iz that vat that smoke iz?” Angel and I chuckled.
“We want to do a family Christmas card. With the four of us. Just not sure where to do it.”
“Oooh, vell can help you vith that.”
“Are you busy now?” I smiled.
“Nope, but ve’d ave to go back to mine house.”
“We can’t do the picture in our house? We were gonna do it around the Christmas tree.”
“I got a tree and everything ve vould need.”
“What do you think, dear?” I looked over at him.
“Sounds good to me if she has time for it,” Thomas smiled.
“Shall we?” I smiled and we headed over to Angel’s house after gathering up the children.
***
Tombstone.
Later this afternoon I ran into Cole and he greeted me. “Hey Trin… glad you weren’t town awhile back.”
“Hey there Cole. Been some excitement? We were off getting our Christmas card done.”
“Try eight wounded. Bree here until a storm hit and then I was on my own.”
“Wow…” I blinked. “Let me guess... James brothers?”
“Yeah… but Dom and William are in jail.”
“Good. You okay? Or do you need a drink?”
“Was just headed that way.” He laughed.
I nodded and led the way into Kate’s. I headed over to the bar and got the whiskey bottle. “What you drinkin’, Cole?”
“Citizens of town, since we’ve had two citizens murdered today, I invite you all to come witness the justice as their murderers are hung by the neck till dead!” Angel shouted then.
I blinked, shaking my head. “More murder... Unbelievable.” I started to pour some whiskey in a bunch of shot glasses and took one for myself.
“We lost one in the clinic.” Cole nodded.
“I have no desire to watch another hanging. Don’t they need a trial first?” I looked over at him as Angel continued to shout about the hangings. “I won that trial against Steven Itano and got him hanged.”
“I have enough of death today..” Cole said and took another shot of whiskey.
“Even though I know it’s part of the job... I don’t think I’ll ever understand hanging.”
We continued to talk but as the shouting went on, we decided to head home.
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