January 12, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked into town to check my mailbox and found the office in ashes, and the wood still burned. I couldn’t believe someone had burned down my office and kicked at something nearby crying, “Dang it!! Who did this?!??!” I looked around for any piece of evidence, but there was nothing. All I could see was that the oil lamp that used to be hanging by the door was now gone and I could smell oil still. I found a piece of a dynamite box that was blown up inside and saw the word ‘dynamite’ from the maker, labeled on the piece of a burnt wood. 

“Joe???? Are you here?????” I called, knowing he was usually around at this time of day. 

“Yes, I think so,” Joe called back. 

“I need you! Pinkerton office!” I cried. When he came over I pointed to my burned down office and cried, “Look!” with anger in my voice. 

Joe looked at me and then at the office, tilting his head. “Ya decorating?” 

“Yeah, I decided to decorate my office in ashes and oil from the lamp that’s now missing.” I growled, pissed off to no end. “Good thing I don’t keep my paperwork in that office, is all I’m sayin’.” 

“So somebody been a burning then.” Joe wrinkled his nose. 

“Clearly. Found a piece of wood from a dynamite box in there too. Musta blown the whole damned box.” 

“Well ya wont be working there for a while, now will you.” Joe looked at me and the building. 

“You’re still a carpenter, right?” I sighed and shook my head. 

“Well can do, he looks at the building, but thats a major rebuilding.” Joe mumbled. 

“I know Joe but... This is my office. I have one in Black Diamond as well but I’d really rather not have to walk or ride all the way out there all the time. But I’ll start if they’re gonna keep this up.” 

“This will take me days to do, and I don’t have lumber. It’s not the sort of thing we keep in Ghenna.” Joe squinted at the building. 

“I know... Well, me and the family have been talking about a trip to Canada to see my mother and brother. Maybe it’s a good idea to do that sooner rather than later.” 

“Well you sort out the lumber and have it here, and I’ll do the work,” Joe scratched his head. “And will be sorted when ya back.” 

“Where’s the best place to get lumber around here?” I nodded to him. 

“Well if I was an outlaw I would take it off another building.” Joe laughed. “But must be a shipment coming in on the train.” 

“Yeah, I’ll look into it. You’ll have all the lumber you need by the end of this week I’m sure. And I’ll pay you, Joe. Handsomely.” 

“Ya better. I don’t work for charity. I’ll get a sign made up, saying ‘under repair’. Ya had better do your forensics I guess and look for clues.” 

“I’ve looked for clues... There’s nothing. Other than the fact that there’s oil spilled all over the place and there’s a box with the dynamite’s maker in pieces on the floor... No prints. Nothing. All I can pray for is witnesses.” 

“Amazed any of the place is standing at all.” Joe muttered. 

“I need to find out when this happened. I’m guessing sometime last night because I didn’t notice it yesterday. I went to the office after church here to check the mailbox.” 

“Well I doubt ya got mail!” Joe chuckled. 

“Clearly I got something delivered to me after I checked though.” I pointed to my burned-down building. 

“Well I’ll have to get some ladders and then make the place safe and then take it form there until then needs boarding up,” Joe said. 

“Okay. I’ll ask around and see if I can find any witnesses that were around last night. Thanks Joe.” I stepped closer to him, overwhelmed by the frustration. 

“I’ll use the remnants to border up the doors and such. Until then it’s out of action. Ya will have to use the Black Diamond office.” 

I nodded to Joe and saw Bianca walking over, looking a little confused. “Were you around last night at all, Bianca?” 

“What on earth happened?” Bianca asked. 

“Someone burned down my office is what happened. That’s all I know.” 

“Ya don’t want kids here Trin. This place is dangerous,” Joe said as he found some nails and a hammer. 

“Yeah, the kids spend more time outside of Tombstone lately anyway. I checked the mail after church here yesterday… It was fine. So it must have happened last night sometime.” 

Joe hammered away, blocking off the stair well, and Bianca looked over at me. “Sorry Trin I took a trip a into Tuscon and ended up staying the night cause I missed the train home.” 

“I’ve convinced Joe to help me in the remodel.” 

“Good… he’s been complaining that he doesn’t have any work.” 

“Well, now he’s got lots to do.” I nodded. “I’m thinking about taking Thomas and the kids to Canada next week for a couple weeks…” I waved to the man riding over on his horse and asked, “Hi Sir. You weren’t in town last night by any chance, were you?” 

“Now I am complaining I have too much work,” Joe swore as he hit his thumb. 

“Evening ladies,” the man tipped his hat. “No ma’am, I just rode in today.” 

“Alright. Just trying to figure out who used my office as a bonfire last night. Trin Paige, welcome to Tombstone, sir.” 

“Ya’ll wouldn’t know how to get to the canyons, would ya?” The man asked. 

“How are you feeling Sir?” Bianca asked him. 

“Ya gotta ride south through Bisbee and Black Diamond to get to the Canyon. Don’t believe we’ve met, sir?” I looked at him. 

“Sorry where are my manners? Name’s Conner Lee,” he replied. 

“Howdy there…” A woman said as she came over. 

“Nice to meet you sir. Hey there. Lots of new faces today,” I said, trying to focus on them instead of the building in ashes behind me. 

“I couldn’t say why some one would burn down your office, but in my ride if I run into anyone out there I’ll ask around,” Conner offered. 

“Thanks sir. I need to figure out who did this.” I nodded to him. 

“That’s gonner have to do for now, only scrap wood around here,” Joe said eventually. 

“hanks Joe. It’s a good start. At least people will avoid going up there.” I looked over at him. 

“Hey doc, the arm’s doing a lot better. Thank you,” Conner said to Joe. 

“I’m Trin. You new to Tombstone, ma’am?” I asked the woman.

“Yes I am.” She nodded. 

“Well Adios, if I hear anything ill come a runnin.” Conner tipped his hat. 

“Much appreciated, Conner.” I nodded to him and looked over at the woman. “Good to have you here. What’s your name, ma’am?” 

“My name is Saga,” the woman said. 

“Well that’s a few week’s work,” Joe said as he looked up at the building. 

“Pleasure to meet you.” I looked over at Joe and nodded. “I know it’s a lot of work but I don’t trust anyone else with this job.” 

“Ya trust an old soak like me?” Joe snorted and laughed. 

“More than I trust anyone else, yep.” 

“Ya must be desperate then.” 

I nodded to him, knowing he knew how desperate I was. “Alright I need to keep asking around. Thank you for your help Joe. I’ll let you know when the wood’s in.” 

“Well if everyone will excuse me I need to get going,” Bianca said and walked off. 

“See you soon, Bianca. See you both soon,” I said and headed down the street.

I walked into Annie’s to see if anyone was there, but Paisley was dancing for a man at the bar. I decided not to interrupt as I backed out and went to sit in front of the sheriff’s office. 

***

A few hours later, I found Kris and Glicea talking in front of the sheriff’s office. “Hi Kris,” I greeted him. “Had an interesting morning today you should know about. Someone set my office on fire. I’m looking around for witnesses to find out who did it. Was sometime last night.” 

Glicea chuckled and I spun around. “Something funny, ma’am?” 

“Who me?? Oh no, I was just chucklin cause someone torched yer office is all,” she said and I recognized her as the Young Guns boss. 

“Well I don’t find it all that funny.” 

“Well, everyones sense o’ humor is different I reckon.” 

“Would you be happy about someone setting your gang’s hideout on fire?” 

“Probably not, but I’m not even sure we even have a hideout anymore, so that’s kinda a moot point an all.” 

“My point still works even hypothetically.” 

“I reckon... so you got any leads?” 

“Leads, that’s funny.” I rolled my eyes. 

“Yeah leads, you know… suspects.” 

“I know what ya meant. In this town that’s a humorous idea though. That would have to involve people leaving clues behind.” 

“So all yer files burnt up?” She chuckled. 

Kris woke back up then and asked, “What’s up?” 

“If you hear anything about who burned my office down, I want to know about it,” I told him. 

“Probably Lot,” Glicea guessed and then waved as I started to walk down the street. “Bye Trin! Was good seein’ you!” 

I rolled my eyes and she followed me down the street. “Boy they did a number on your office,” she commented. 

“Yeah they did.” 

“That was a heck of a fire, make’s me kinda jealous and all.” 

“Yeah…” I waved to Jade and Frances and asked if they were around last night, but they weren’t. I waved to them and headed back home to think.