November 25, 1900

Tombstone.

This afternoon I walked into Shucks and Doll was playing some music. I told her about the fire at the office and how we needed to bring Ansar into the situation in order to do something about it. I asked how Adrian was doing and Doll said that he was doing well, and would hopefully be coming to the dance later and I told her that Thomas was busy with paperwork as well. We talked about how it had taken some time to adjust to having a child again and how we didn’t want to rush anything in our relationship. 

Irish walked in then and I jumped, hearing him greet us. “Irish, thank God you’re okay!!” I exclaimed and went to hug him. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked, hugging me as I clung to him, not letting go for a moment. “What’s happened?” 

“Irish.... he..... he burned my office down. He left a note. On top of the rubble…” I shakily took the note out of my jacket and showed it to him. 

“He.. what?” Irish said, reading the note. “The note sounds like him but to burn your office…” he shook his head. 

“He admitted to the note when Thomas asked him about it,” I nodded. “But he said he didn’t set the fire. But I don’t know Irish... I wouldn’t put it past him... and now.... only person that can solve this is Ansar. Krell made me that office months ago. Just for me... When I wanted an office out that way. There’s been carpenters over there reconstructing all day.” 

“And he is out of town…” 

“Well I haven’t seen Ansar recently… But it’s only Tuesday. I’m sure he’ll be around this week.”

“So he is doing his normal bullying again…” 

I put up a hand on his shoulder and looked in his eyes. “Be careful, cousin. I mean it.” 

“But I am not going hide Cousin,” Irish nodded.

“Well neither am I.. I wanted to punch him so hard at Annie’s last night when Thomas was talking to him.” 

“That would have been just what he wanted..make you look bad and him the offended party.” 

“Would have goten me arrested by my man,” I nodded. 

People started to arrive for the dance then and when Angel walked in, I asked her to get Ansar to talk to me because I had a case for him. 

“You know he will try and cause me trouble if he can’t find me any other way..” Irish said as the dance continued and we talked at the bar counter. 

“Or he’ll keep causing me trouble,” I said. 

“If he thinks it will make me come to him..yes he will.” 

“Or if he thinks it’ll make me talk. He’s trying to intimidate me.” 

“Trin is he back to wearing his whip?” 

I nodded and said, “I saw him twirling it when he was talking with me in the street.” 

“He threatened to use it on me just before I came here..” Irish said. 

Wordsmith, a man I’d known for a long time but hadn’t seen in a while, came in and we talked about how he’d been doing. 

“Irish, I’m going to be talking to Ansar about this as soon as I see him,” I told Irish after a while. “I almost want Bear to do something in Tombstone so Thomas can arrest him.” 

“He won’t unless he feels it will get him what he wants.” 

“Well we have Sheriff Angel, and then three deputies. Wedge, Eye, and Thomas. Plus the rangers, Kris as the town marshal, and Ansar as the US Marshal. If I’ve got that right.” 

We talked more about Wedge being a deputy and I asked Irish if he was okay. “Yes… Mostly…” he admitted. 

“I’m not sure I am. Last night was a shock.” 

“Am just worried about you and Thomas and your family.” 

“You and me both. Even if we are the unconventional family…” 

“You’re still a family Trin.” 

“Natalie and Jimmy know not to talk to strangers.” 

“Yeah but he is very sneaky…” he said and I sighed and reached for my whiskey, taking a sip or two. “Trin that doesn’t help... besides it makes your aim bad…” he grinned.

I took another sip and shrugged, but he took my flask and put the lid on it, putting it into his hip pocket. “He burned my office down. Then he had the nerve to tell me it was none of my business and.... Hey! You don’t wanna do that,” I glared at him. “I’ll just get another one.” 

“Just looking out for my cousin…” Irish looked at me innocently. 

“Yeah and your cousin’s ticked off right now.” 

“Trin don’t let him get your goat…” 

“Did you not hear what I just said? He had the nerve to say that burning down MY office isn’t my business. It’s exactly my business. Literally and figuratively.” 

“He is good at pushing the right places to piss people off.” 

“I hate people like that. I almost died because of people like that. I won’t let it happen again. And I won’t let him come at my family. And that includes you.” 

“He isn’t after you but he will push you into making the choice between your family and me..” 

“Irish.... YOU are family. Period. There’s no choice there. Irish... I need to get some paperwork done. Please keep me posted with this? And stay safe?” 

“I will and don’t worry…” he said to me and I nodded, heading out as I waved to the others. 

*** 

Black Diamond. 

I started to poke around my office this evening, looking for evidence from the fire. I found a piece of material that matched the duster on the ground near the window, and recognized it as the same fabric from Bear’s duster. I used my coal dust and cloth to lift prints from the window and put the prints onto the counter. 

Bisbee. 

Based on a hunch from the note left behind, I went to Bear’s house and poked around. I made sure no one was nearby as I took out my magnifying glass, poking around the lamps at Bear’s house. I took out my equipment, including my cloth and the bag of coal dust. I covered the area where the print is on the lamp and the dust fell off, leaving markings on the cloth.

Black Diamond. 

Back at the office, I matched the fingerprints I’d lifted from the window with the ones I’d just lifted from the lamp. I found that they matched and found a container of lamp oil by the origin spot of the fire. I wondered if that was what Bear used to start the fire. 

I noticed Thomas walking over and I waved to him, stepping outside. “Hey my love,” Thomas greeted me. 

“I’m locking this case shut right now. Keep an eye out for me love? I need to look inside.” 

“Are you sure you should go inside dear?” he asked and I nodded, climbing in over the rubble as Thomas kept a close eye out. 

I climbed over the rubble and found some spilled oil in the area beside the chair where the note had been left. I found that it was a match to the oil I found in the lamp at Bear’s house and exclaimed, “Ah ha!!” 

“What’s going on?” Thomas asked curiously. 

I went to my backup lab next door and said, “Hold on baby, just need to confirm this is a match.” I went inside and tested the oil in the equipment in the lab. I studied it for a while and then exclaimed, “YES!!” I ran outside with the oil gathered up in a vile. 

“What is it baby?” Thomas asked. 

I took a deep breath and looked at him. “I have proof Bear set this fire. Solid proof. Wanna hear it?” 

“Yes, let me hear what you got dear,” Thomas said, looking at me with confusion. 

“Alright so I found this material from Bear’s duster here by the window... It matched the same colour and material from Bear’s duster that he always wears. Next… I found fingerprints on the window where the window was busted in. See here?” I pointed to the hole in the window and he nodded. “Following the hunch from the note left behind, I went to Bear’s house and poked around. I found fingerprints on the lamp on the front porch of his house and lifted prints from there that matched the ones on the window. But that’s not all!” I said excitedly. 

“What else did you get?” 

“Container of lamp oil by the bonfire at Bear’s house was found. Wondered if that was what was used to start the fire. Went back to the office and found oil spilled on the ground. When I tested it next door... the oil tested positive as a match.” 

“Oh wow, good going love. One little thing though.” 

“What?” 

“Do you know how many people around here probably use that same type of lamp oil?” 

“Well... maybe... but at least it proves arson. We still have the fingerprints and the material and the note as hard evidence.”

“The prints and the material from his duster is a great catch, and so is the note. Now all you have to do, is get someone to arrest him that has jurisdiction over him.” 

“We need to find Ansar. He’s the only one who can arrest him.” 

“Wallace: I haven’t seen Ansar in several days. Where is his main office?” 

“It’s in Pearce. The least we can do is put the report in his office.” 

“Yes, that would be a good idea.”

I took his hand and finally smiled. “I feel good about this case, baby. Reasonable suspicion, solid evidence.” 

“I’m glad baby, we are going to nail him for sure.” 

“Let’s head there,” I said and walked with him, smiling. “How was your day?” 

“I am so proud of you sweetheart.” 

Pearce. 

We headed to the sheriff’s office and went upstairs to put the incident report on Ansar’s desk. I went back outside and hugged Thomas as he kissed me deeply. “We need to celebrate!” I exclaimed. 

“What do you want to do sweetie?” 

“Hmm... Wanna go dance all alone in our own saloon?” I winked at him. “Or.... I could um…” 

“Sure,” he smiled. “Or you could um what?” 

I blushed and said, “I have a better idea.” 

“Oh?!” he grinned and I took his hand, leading him to the house. 

We walked into the house and kissed his lips hard once we were inside. “Nat? Jimmy?” I called out, checking to see if the kids were home. I beamed when I heard nothing and whispered, “Wait right here, dear.” I went upstairs and changed into a dress I used to dance in back in Colorado and came back downstairs. 

Thomas’ eyes grew wide as he saw me and he exclaimed, “Uuuuuuuhhhhhhhh…..WOW!” 

I giggled and spun around. “This is what I used to wear as a saloon dancer. We ready to go dancing now?” I winked at him. 

He blushed bright read and asked, “You use to dance in that?! Why wasn’t I there to see that?” 

I smiled and took his hand, leading the way to the saloon. “Well it’s time to make up for lost time, baby.” I blushed beat red when I saw Cas walk out of his house and hid quickly behind Thomas as he laughed. I coughed as Cas went the other way, hoping he didn’t see anything. 

We walked into the saloon and I led Thomas to the dance floor. “Shall we, dear?” 

He pulled me close and I danced in his arms as he held me. “You look amazing love. Wow, I can’t seem to put my eyes back in my head.” 

I giggled, dancing in his arms. I finally felt at peace and happy. “I found it in the boxes that had all my memoirs. Thought I would pull it out and surprise you.” 

“Well you definitely surprised me. In a good way,” Thomas smiled and kissed my neck and lips, holding me close as we danced.