Wednesday, December 2, 2015

November 16, 1900

Tombstone. 

This evening I went over to the sheriff’s office and knocked on the door. Wedge and Angel invited me in and I blinked. “Angel you’re... in a dress,” I blinked with amazement. 

“I iz not a drezz iz a durndel! Vas showing Vedge about the office. He’z mine new deputy.” 

“Well it’s a skirt,” I chuckled and she threw her hands up in frustration. When she announced Wedge was her new deputy I blinked and looked over at him. “Really?!?!” I ran over and hugged him tightly. 

“Yes, really,” he blinked and hugged me. 

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all month!!!” I grinned wide. 

“So now instead of juzt being shot in zeh back, he can be paid to be shot in zeh back,” Angel smiled. 

“What’s this for?” Wedge looked at me in confusion. 

“You’ve finally come over to the good side!” 

“Oh um… thanks. I have been…” 

“Well you know how I feel about the soldiers.” 

“No, how do you feel?” Wedge eyed me.

“They never do anything but give me paperwork. hat they should be doing themselves,” I smirked. “Other than that, they’re great.” 

“Really?” 

“Don’t make me list the cases, Wedge.” 

“Hmm… guess I better talk to them then,” Wedge chuckled. “Yes ma’am.” 

“Just... keep an eye on em, is all I’m sayin’.” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Also, all papervork you need Vedgie iz right here in zis box.” 

“The skull, that I was supposed to magically figure out with no evidence whatsoever?” I went on, giving examples and they chuckled. “The amount of times they’ve told me ‘hey, the bank is open’. As if I’m supposed to figure out why. I can’t even count the times on my hands. I go there and say yep, that’s nice. Lots of prints. What do you want me to do about it?” I chuckled. 

“Nice,” Wedge said and Angel shook her head. 

“Angel, you hired a good one here,” I smiled. 

“Oh, I know. Vhy I made him join,” she grinned. 

“I’m very proud,” I giggled. “You made him huh?” 

“Made is right,” Wedge chuckled. 

“He tell you how I forced him?” Angel asked. 

“Should have known there was coercion involved,” I smirked. 

“Uh oh,” Wedge chuckled. 

“Put him in zeh pie booth at mine bakery and me and eye pied him till he agreed to apply,” Angel said. “He even half azzed his application. And still got approved.” 

“I’m so proud!” I laughed. “I’ll bet. Okay, this is what I needed to put me in a better mood!” 

“Bet the mayor didn’t even read it!” Angel said and we chuckled. 

“Nope, he knows Wedge is a straight arrow,” I said. 

“It’s why it was half ass,” Wedge shrugged. 

“Just saw Vedges name and said, ‘yup’,” Angel said. 

“Or uh... straight bullet,” I added and chuckled. “Ok so now it’s Wedge, Thomas and who as deputies?” 

“If you still have the app… she can give it a look see,” Wedge said and answered, “Eye.” 

“Eye Abbye,” Angel nodded. 

“Thomas hopes to be around this week by the way. He’s been caught up with some things. Oh right, Eye. The ex-Regulator now reformed lawman,” I winked at them. 

“He’z a good man,” Angel said. 

“He is now,” I nodded. 

“Hey, I’m ex-Hells Belle made sheriff,” Angel pointed out. 

“True, but you were law before that too,” Wedge said. “So there.” 

“I vas,” Angel nodded. 

“And by looking over my journals from before Tombstone, I had blocked out a part where I was uh… Anyway,” I coughed nervously. 

“Then I shot Mur in zeh ass and vent outlaw. Vant to know something scary, Trin? You know Mizter Lot? He use to be a ranger.” 

“Wha?” I almost fell over and gripped for Wedge’s arm. 

“Mmhmm, I hear he was law once,” Wedge nodded. 

“He vas! And a good lawman too.” 

“How the mighty have fallen, huh?” I shook my head. “I’ll bet he was. I’ve seen him in court,” I sighed longingly at the word ‘court’. “I woulda thought that trial for that John Marsten guy last week woulda been held this weekend. From the shooting in Pearce last Saturday.” 

“Law seems to move slow here,” Wedge said. 

“Jimmi told me he’d contact me about being the prosecutor cause he said I was the best in the area but I’ve heard nothing. It’s driving me batty,” I sighed. 

“Now let uz go outside. Hate sitting in here long vith all the time i have to to vatch outlawz,” Angel said. 

“Yes ma’am,” Wedge nodded. 

“Mmhmm. And don’t forget to close that door Wedge or she’ll hang ya,” I reminded him. 

“Psh. Damn thing always closed on my nose,” Wedge rolled his eyes as we walked out. 

“Hey I almost got my head bit off by a few sheriff’s in the past for that. Just lookin’ out for ya, Deputy,” I winked. 

“Yes ma’am,” he saluted me and we laughed. 

“And you know if you ever need mysteries solve to come to me. But then you knew that as a ranger already.” 

“Yeah, I do and will, thanks,” he nodded. 

We watched the street from our post in front of the office and Wedge tried to whistle, but he had his pipe in his mouth so it didn’t quite work. We joked about how men can’t multitask. 

Grant walked over and looked at Wedge’s new badge and I looked over at him and said, “Oh Grant, I’ve been meaning to tell you. I talked with my authorities and they said that Rock’s case was being handled. It’s out of my hand.” When I noticed he was ignoring me, I went back to my writing and they talked about Wedge’s responsibilities as both a ranger and a deputy. I informed them that I’d be available if they needed to deputize me. 

Prudence went on about someone being hateful in French and I looked over at her, asking what she meant, but she was misinterpreting that Angel was talking about the outlaws. Grant teased Wedge about getting shot more as a lawman and he said that he was fine with that because he got shot down enough as a ranger. 

Ansar walked over after a while and I joked, “Now we gotta behave. Ansar’s here.” 

We continued to joke around and Ansar asked Angel, “You um… doing law duties in a dress, Angel?” 

“Iz not a dress iz a durndel!” Angel threw her hands up. 

“Hah! See! It’s a dress! Thank you, Ansar.” I grinned. 

“A what in your what?” Ansar raised an eyebrow. 

“Iz a durndel!” 

“Looks like a dress to me,” I shrugged. 

“It’s a durn del dress,” Ansar said. 

“To me too,” Wedge nodded. 

“You’re outnumbered, Angel,” I said and she huffed and pursed her lips. 

“Iz ok vait till Ansar seez zeh lederhosen I got for him,” Angel grinned. 

“So.. a marshal and a sheriff and a deputy and a detective all walk into a saloon… Oh good gosh, can I please be there when he puts that on?” I looked between them. 

“A lerderwhatsen?” Ansar blinked and we laughed hard. 

“Long John’s, man,” Wedge chuckled. 

“Oh don’t vorry on it Schatz. You’ll see ven ve get home,” Angel grinned at him. 

“If I can’t spell it, I ain’t wearing it. I can spell hat, coat, jeans, boots, gloves, vest, shirt. but not that so your outta luck,” Ansar argued and we laughed. 

“Oh good. Then you’ll like your lederhosen,” Angel smiled. 

We continued to joke and Purdy asked someone to help her and Grant went over to help while Angel went in to change into pants and we laughed at her. Ansar complained about her changing and they bantered back and forth as Wedge wandered around to do the rounds. I listened to Prudence, Angel and Grant talk as I got more writing done. 

“Trin what was that you was saying about Rock Janic a bit ago? See, I am in the mist of composing a ballad about him.” 

“Don’t you go singing it, Grant,” Angel said. “He’z dead and gone. That’s it.” 

“My authorities told me that it’s being handled,” I sighed. “It’s out of my hands and I’m not to pursue it. Or maybe I need to say it a third time so you’ll hear me?” 

“Oooh I see, to find out how he died, you mean?” Grant asked as Grant chuckled at me. 

“It happened over two months ago. Not one person has come forward with a witness statement,” I said. “Not one person haas come to tell us what they know. Not one person has handed in evidence based on this case that could lead to an answer. It would seem the family doesn’t want to know as badly as you do, sir, who barely just strolled into town and works for them. So I would suggest you let the higher authorities handle it. Otherwise I’m going to be mighty suspicious of you being involved.” When Grant didn’t reply I asked, “Not so talkative now are you Grant?” 

“Why miss Trin… why be that way about it? I am only putting the lyrics as to the way I heard about his short life here,” Grant said. 
“And while I applaud that, you have nothing to do with the case. If the family, being his widowed wife and her sister, wanted me to help in any sort of way, they would have come to me weeks ago. Which neither of them did. Had they brought evidence for me to investigate, something to look into, leads to follow, I would have done so. But I was not hired onto the case until an OUTLAW mayor asked me to investigate it. Which, of course, I did not accept as we don’t do cases for outlaws.” 

“Of course not..what good would ballad be about a person still living… It’s the mystery of his demise that makes the Ballad ‘work’,  don’t you agree?” Grant went on. 

I stared at him blankly and looked over at Ansar. “Help me out here??” 

“Hear about that fella who died? Think he was playing the guitar when ye was beaten with it..” Ansar said and we laughed hard. 

“Fact iz grant no vone vants to hear about Rock no carez he’z dead and gone. It’s to be left at zaty iz vat miz Trin iz saying,” Angel said. 

“Including his own widow and her sister. So please, let’s drop this?” I begged him. 

“Yes, okay. Consider it dropped,” Grant said and strolled away to play his guitar. 

“Well I’ll be,” I blinked and looked over at Angel and the others. 

“Iz a miracle!” Angel gasped and laughed. 

I shook my head and chuckled as I continued to write. Paisley and Tony came over to greet us and we talked about a dance that was happening and about the current lawmen we had in Tombstone. 

“I got a job for you Wedge... mister Deputy,” Tony said then. “Seems word has got to me about a certain feller has been mouthin' off about killin’ me.” 

“Oh? Hmm…” Wedge said as Angel and Ansar headed off. 

“Seems the man wants me, so he wants to kill Tony,” Paisley said. 

“Which is why I ain’t wearin a gun. Hopin I don’t get called out by this feller, if I ain’t heeled,” Tony said. 

“Good idea. So who is this man?” 

Steven Itano,” Paisley said and I cringed, hearing that name. I knew it had been too easy for him to have been killed in that shootout. 

“I did not know Tony would be in town today, but he asked when he would be in next,” Paisley said. “Wanting to shoot him.” 

“Wow,” Wedge shook his head and I listened carefully, though it looked like I was just writing. 

“He asked this morning while I was doing rounds in Black Diamond,” Paisley said. 

“Now, I can’t be having some outlaw threatening me with murder and then kidnapping Paisley... so I am hoping the law might have something to say, about this anti-social behaviour,” Tony said. 

“Yeah… not tellin’ him your business is the first and smart thing,” Wedge nodded. 

“Got angry when I told him I would not leave Tony,” Paisley told him. 

“Hmm well… we will keep our eyes on him then,” Wedge nodded. “If he is heard threatening… we’ll move in.” 

Amara came over then and commented on Wedge’s new badge and Tony said, “Just one thing, I want in the open… If’n he is found on the road somewhere with a bullet hole in him… it was self defense on my part... you heard it from me first.” 

“He did ask Grant something before he called me a whore darling,” Paisley said. “On how much ransom one might get for a madame.” 

“Hey Wedge?” I looked over at him. “Might want them to write a witness statement or two.” 

“Okay Trin,” Wedge nodded. 

“Paperwork is the bread and butter of trials. Especially if this guy is harassing them now,” I said. 

“He just wants to have me for free and not pay,” Paisley said. 

“If and when he decides to shoot them, or Tony, we’ll have background to explain it,” I said. 

“Well I would not dance with him anymore Paisley,” Amara advised. “He was rude then.” 

“Hasn’t been an opportunity,” Paisley said. “Wnats Tony dead first.” 

“You saw how he was with me, Paisley,” I reminded her. 

“I know,” she nodded. 

“H left her and said he would not pay for a dance,” Amara said. 

“I won’t trust him as far as I can throw him,” I said. 

“Well not to worry he has been seeing Lisa,” Amara said. 

“Steve?” Paisley looked over at her. 

“Yes.” 

“Well, good for her.” 

“Even so, I do agree with Trin...just in case he gets a bee in his bonnet,” Wedge advised. 

“I live right next door to him and her I saw. Out in the canyon,” Amara said. “They were um… well together.” 

“It’s OK, Wedge, I got a pencil and some paper... let me make a statement. I will hand it right to you,” Tony said and got to work on a statement. 

“I don’t think he will bother you, but we will watch out for him,” Amara said. 

“Maybe so Amara… but better safe than sorry,” Wedge told her. 

“Thank you kindly, Wedge,” Tony said. 

“At the very least it sounds like harassment. If he continues we can press charges for that. If he does more, we can add more charges. You know me and paperwork, Wedge,” I winked at him. 

“We will talk to him,” Amara said. 

“Yes….” Wedge shivered and I giggled. 

“Hey, he’s writing it for ya. All you gotta do is file, Wedge,” I winked. 

“True. Well...I hope Amara is correct, but we will play it on the safe side.” 

“I am,” Amara laughed. 

“I am betting you are,” Wedge said to her. 
“I have been watching. Two guys came and stole my horse. Then went over to Lisa’s. Right off of my land.” 

“Stole your horse?” I looked over at Amara. “Did you file reports against them? That’s hanging offence.” 

“No it’s out in the canyon.” 

“Don’t marshals have jurisdiction out there?” 

“And they were not from here.” 

“Well...I am counting on you to tell me if Lisa leaves him...he’ll be utterly pissed then,” Wedge said. 

“Just saying," Amara shrugged. 

“He is already angry I had words with him,” Paisley said. “So, yes he will be madder still.” 

“Yes ma’am,” Wedge nodded. 

“Wedge? Don’t marshals have jurisdiction over in the canyon?” I asked Wedge. 

“No,” Amara said. 

“Just trying to help, Amara,” I said to her. 

“He goes in to towns...they can get him there if need be,” Wedge said and took the statement from Tony. 

“I trust this matter will be handled by the law. I’d hate to have to take it in my own hands.. who knows how that could end?” Tony looked at Wedge. 

“I will make sure to get the word out, just in case,” Wedge promised. 

“We’re glad you came to us, Tony,” I smiled at him. 

“Thank you Wedge, Trin, good to see we have such capable law officers here in town,” Tony smiled. 

“Giving Vedgie his first case here,” I winked at Wedge. 

“We do our best sir,” Wedge chuckled. 
“Proud of you takin’ on the badge, son!” Tony slapped Wedge hard on the shoulder. 

“Thank you,” Wedge chuckled. 

We joked about how the dance was on now and they just shuffle locations. Tony and Paisley headed to the dance and I looked over at Wedge. “He followed me, you know,” I told him. 

“Why?” 

“I was over at Annie’s one day and he was there. He asked me all about my body and what was underneath the clothes and I was like Paisley’s right over there undressing, what do you want me for? But he was insistent so I told him I had a man. He wanted to know all about Thomas and where he lived and what he did.” 

“Damn.” 

“I left to do my gig in Bisbee and he followed me there too. Stayed a while and then left when my brother showed up.” 

“Whatta …umm…weenie.” 

“Kind of lurks around when he sees me now but doesn’t really do anything. Oddly though no one seems to care that I go snooping around for information for the law. I thought there might be more opposition but it’s been dead quiet for months.” 

“Agreed. Good thing there ain’t.” 

“Mmhmm,” I nodded and he looked up and down the street again and checked his weapons as I continued to write. 

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