Tombstone.
I walked towards the courthouse and found the mayor upstairs in his office, reading something. He was too busy to talk so I headed out and went to Annie’s to see who was there. Reb was dancing on stage so I waved to her and said, “Hey Reb, how are you?”
“Hi Trin I’m good, how are you?”
“I’m alright. Been hoping to connect with the mayor but he seems often busy.”
“Oh okay. I can imagine.”
“Yeah... I just really need to talk with him. Reb, have you seen a woman by the name of Sushi around these parts?”
“Well hopefully you can catch him now.”
“The implications of things I’ve discovered do not look well for him. I want to clear some things up.”
“Oh?”
“Is there an event here soon or something?”
“Later tonight is bowling.”
“Oh right. I’ll be singing over in Bisbee in three hours or so. More like two hours now I suppose.”
“Oh great! Will see if I can come over. If there aren’t any clients.”
“Will be nice to sing normal songs again. No more Frosty and Rudolph.”
“Yes it can get a bit stale.”
“Think I’m going to wander around. See you in a while, Reb.” I smiled and waved as I headed out. Seeing Joe in front of the courthouse sign, I chuckled and asked, “Comfy?”
“Yup, good for my back.” Joe lifted his head and grunted.
“Whatever works for you.” I chuckled.
“As little work as possible works for me.”
“I’m the opposite... I need to be doing... something. I figured out who may own that top hat at my house and I’m not happy about either option.”
“Aye, well I have stocked the still, but nobody is bleeding… So resting. Ya figured who then?”
“I have a couple of ideas... People have seen two men wearing top hats like that one in town. Two of the worst possible options it could be.”
“Thought only the mayor wore a top hat.” Joe chuckled.
“Yeah that’s one.. Though why the mayor’s hat would be in my kitchen is still the mystery.”
“Well that different, and the other one.” Joe scratched his head.
“The other option makes a bit more sense... but I don’t like it either. Apparently Lot has worn a hat similar to that one. And with ‘WB’ being sketched on the cabinet in blood, I can see him leaving it as a signature.”
“Aye maybe Lot, but hell I see nothing and remember even less. WB could be welcome back.” He joked.
“Just don’t like the idea of either of them being in my house for no reason. Welcome back huh…? I was gone from Bisbee a long time… Then moved back to it….”
“Well who knows with those two, and you guess can see why ya would be uncomfortable.” Joe nodded.
“We finally had to tell Natalie that sometimes there were people who didn’t like her ma’s work. She knew something was wrong and could sense we were worried about things.”
“Well maybe she won’t be so inquisitive now then. Girl is gonna get in trouble some day. I mean she used to follow the payroll, when though it’s always gets attacked.”
“I know... She stopped doin’ that though thank goodness. She’s got enough material to work with for the paper that she doesn’t need to put herself in harm’s way.”
“So have I,” Joe muttered. “Folks don’t tend to want my services there and call other docs in, so leaving it to them.”
“Well enough outlaws get shot up that they need a doc too. You’ll be plenty busy.”
“Ya would think so wouldn’t ya?” He rubbed his chin. “Don’t think I have treated anybody for maybe three weeks now.”
“Gee…” I shook my head.
“Yep, had a chance but they telegraphed for other docs so I walked out.” He chuckled. “Folks maybe don’t appreciate a sawbones.”
“If it makes you feel any better, not many appreciate a Pinkerton either.”
“True, and I can understand why.” He chuckled again.
“Thanks,” I said and rolled my eyes.
“Well folks don’t like other folks prying into their business, now do they?”
“I don’t pry into others’ business unless they ask me to help them solve something.”
“True, but depends who is asking, I guess.”
“If they ask, they want me to pry. If not.. I stay out of it.”
“Aye well I stay out of most things, just do my research and get by.”
I watched as Amara was giving a tour to someone and Joe grinned as he looked over. “Ah, fresh pickings.”
We welcomed the woman to Tombstone and found out her name was Trisha. Angel came over and greeted us as well as Amara introduced us to the new woman. We talked about how she was staying at the hotel and I told her that Joe was the local town colour. I asked Angel about the store and she said it was very busy over the holidays. I headed back to the sheriff’s office and leaned back against the post, too restless to sit.
***
Bisbee.
This afternoon I did my gig at the Stock Exchange and then I asked Jimmy if we should head home. He said he wanted to talk to me about something so we headed home and sat down in the living room.
“So what’s up buddy?” I asked when we were comfortable.
“Ma, is everything ok?”
I looked at him, thinking this was like de ja vu from the night before, and leaned forward. “You been talking to your sister?”
“No, but I overheard you and pa talking to her last night. Also, I found pieces of that stuff torn up that must have been under our tree.”
I narrowed my eyebrows and looked at him, thinking he meant something outside, but then realized he meant the Christmas tree. “Jimmy, I’m gonna tell you what I told Natalie last night.. You know how your ma is a detective, right?”
“Uh huh.”
“And you know how your ma is sometimes a lawyer too…?” I asked and he nodded. “And your pa is a deputy… Well Jimmy... these are very important jobs… But sometimes... we have to do stuff that other people don’t like. Bad people don’t always like that we make them get arrested... or they don’t like when their friends get…” I tried to figure out how to put it delicately. “Tied to a pole. You know what I mean?”
“Is that why there was a note stuck to our icebox?”
“You saw that, huh?”
“Well, I saw the knife, but I heard you and pa talking about the note. I stayed away from it, and didn’t say anything to Nat.”
“Yes kiddo, that’s why there was a note there with a knife. I made some people mad at that last trial I won... But listen.. Even when bad people try to scare us... do you know what we gotta do?”
“Run and hide?” He shook his head.
“What we do first is tell your pa. Cause he has the power to arrest that bad guy if we can prove it’s them. And I help him with that provin’. Then… We don’t run and hide. We just live our lives normally. Like nothin’ happened. You know why?”
“So the bad guys don’t win?”
“You’re right.” I nodded proudly. “When they thing they’re in charge of stuff,, when they think they made us scared so we run and hide, then they win. So if we tell your pa and then your pa and I work together to prove it was them and arrest them... Who wins?”
“Well you know ma, now I gots my bb gun...if anybody bother me and Natalie, I could shoot ’em. I don’t know ifn it do good, but maybe scare ’em off.”
“Kiddo... promise me something? If you use that gun..”
“Sure ma.”
“Don’t shot at the person themselves. Shoot around the area where they are, to scare em off, but don’t shoot them. Got it? Even if you shoot a building next to where they are.. they’re gonna hear that bullet and run.”
“Ok ma… I promise.” Jimmy nodded, but he had a confused look on his face.
“Does that make any sense buddy? Don’t shoot them. Just shoot near them or in the sky or somethin’. Cause you know why?”
“Cause it make ’em mad to shoot ’em?”
“Well there is that, yes... Then they fight back more... but there’s another reason. Wanna take another guess?”
“What’s that ma? Cause kids ain’t s’posed to shoot adults?”
“If you shoot someone... without the badge that pa has... Whether a kid or a big person like me… That’s a crime, kiddo. And people go to jail for it. And if a kid gets caught doin’ it... they get punished. Just like any adult would.”
“But how if the person is a bad person trying to hurt someone else?”
“Well kiddo if that person draws their gun first and goes to shoot you or me or someone who doesn’t have pa’s badge... then it’s called self defence and it’s okay.”
“But… I promise you, buddy… No one would draw their gun at a kid in this town.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I know so, buddy. I’ve lived here almost three years and I’ve not seen that happen once. Or even hear about it. It just doesn’t happen.”
“What do I do if me and Nat are home, and someone were to break in or try to hurt the house?”
“Then you get Shira to attack them till they go away. You call for help. Once they know there’s kids in the house, they’ll go away.”
“Ok ma. I just worried cause I know you an pa work so hard, and do so much for me and Natalie, that we gotta do our part too..I just not wanna lose my family now I got one.”
“Don’t worry kiddo... we love you both so much and are proud of you both. You look out for your big sister and are gonna make a good deputy someday or whatever else you wanna be.” I smiled to him. “I know it’s scary sometimes but... just remember that there are people like your pa that you can go to.. that have badges like he does… You can go to them whenever you don’t feel safe, okay?”
“Oh no, I not gonna be a deputy..I not wanna get shot...I be a vetnarian like Mr. Cole. Then I help heal horses.” Jimmy chuckled.
“We should go see your uncle Cole sometime soon. I miss that guy... and cousin Irish... and Irish’s new lady Enola.”
“Ok ma. Do I have to go to Mr. Ansar? I don’t like him too much… he try selling me a free donut at the bank once.”
“You don’t have to but you can. Angel’s another good option.” I chuckled.
“I like Miss Angel… she got a funny voice… sometimes hard to understand her.”
“She’s from Germany.” I smiled.
“Oh wow, really? Thats like on the other side of the world ain’t it?”
“Well kiddo I’m gonna go have a nap. Maybe that’ll help your ma’s cold. Mmhmm, it’s across a lake and everything.”
“Oh gosh...she a long way from home then huh? Ok ma, you want me make you some tea for when you wake up?”
“That sounds perfect, buddy,” I said and went over to hug him tightly. “I love you, Jimmy.”
“I love you too momma. Have a good nap.”
I smiled and headed upstairs to lay down for a while.
***
Tombstone.
A couple of hours later I walked into Tombstone and greeted Zan and Bree in front of the bank. We talked about how I needed to get in touch with the mayor and I filled Zan in on what had been going on at the house. I told them about our suspicions of Adrian and Lot being involved and Zan wondering if someone was trying to set it up to look like one of the Wild Bunch. I told them how hard it had been with the kids asking about what was going on and we talked about the trial and how it felt like the outlaws were taunting me, giving me nothing to work on. Bree suggested to let it drop and not think about it all, but I just felt myself going crazy over it. I told them it was different when it was my family they were involving, and I was glad that both Bree and Zan understood my frustration. I told them I didn’t want to move and uproot them again, but Zan said that she and Chris would keep an eye out on them while we’re working, to keep them safe.
“You are both wonderful... I will tell them both to come visit you ladies. It will be good distraction for them.” I looked between them and smiled. “I don’t know what I would do without friends like you two.”
“I know you would do the same.. if it were reversed,” Zan said.
“Of course we would. I did save your life once,” I said with a wink.
“You most certainly did at that.”
“And I’d do it again... Though perhaps with not as much paperwork.” I grinned.
“I just hope we can help in some way..”
“I hope so too... I just want answers. But for now... I think I’m going to head home and check on the kids.”
“Yes,” Bree said.
“Alright.. it was great seeing you.. Let me know if there is anything else I can do,” Zan said.
“Will do. See you ladies!” I waved to Chris as he came over and to the ladies before heading home.
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