May 30, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked out of the office this morning and saw a woman about to knock on my door, waiting for me with her hand raised to knock. I could see her bruises and burns on her arms and I greeted her. “Oh, hello!” 

“Why, hello!” The woman gave me a quick, anxious looking smile as she glanced down. 

“Can I help you ma’am?” 

“You’re Ms. Trin...is that correct?” 

“Yes indeed I am.” 

“I was told to file a report with you regarding the courthouse bombing… I left a copy in your mailbox here and was checking to see if you had received it.” 

“You must be Mer Kuiper? I did receive that and was just going to pass the completed incident report on to the Sheriff,” I said with a smile. “We have more than enough for a warrant against Rikki for what she did to you. I am sorry that you had to go through that.” 

Mer smiled with relief and said, “Oh! Well… I just couldn’t let her… I mean… a place of law…” 

I sighed and nodded to her. “I understand, ma’am. It is awful.” 

“I fear a meek librarian was no match for that wretch.” 

“I hope you are healing well?” I asked, looking her over. 

“I only wish I could have done well.” 

“You did do very well, hon. You survived. Now you can testify against her.” 

“Oh, the burns will heal, and I am confident that my own anxieties will fade as I see justice served,” Mer said with a gracious smile. 

“Yes, they will. I have been through similar circumstances. Time really does heal all wounds.” 

“It is an absolute pity that we must first get acquainted over such an unfortunate situation.” 

“It is scary for a while but eventually... Those ghosts will pass. Unfortunately in my case justice wasn’t served. But I had no choice other than to move on.” 

“I have no illusions that a trial will right all the wrongs of that wretched woman, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.” 

I shook my head and said, “It is fine. Like I said... Time heals all. Unfortunately the Natives thought they could do whatever they wanted to me.” 

Natalie walked down the street towards us then and came over. “Ma!!” 

I smiled seeing Natalie and looked at Mer. “I have someone you should meet. My daughter down there... she is in love with books. She’s been wanting to meet the new librarian.” 

“Ma! Is Pa awake yet? We got school soon!!” Nat exclaimed. 

“Oh! How splendid!” Mer exclaimed and followed me downstairs as I gave Nat a hug and introduced her to Mer. Awen came over then too and I smiled as Bill Badfinger came over to join us. 

“Mister Poe!” Nat exclaimed as she greeted him. 

“Mr. Poe?” I chuckled and looked between Nat and Bill. 

“Yeah ma! When me and Jimmy met him he had a raven and looked a lit like mister Poe!” Nat grinned. 

“I told you she reads,” I said with a laugh, looking over at Mer. 

“Are you coming to school today Natalie?” Awen asked her. 

“Hey there’s nothin’ wrong with readin’!” Nat insisted. 

“Nothing at all, my dear! Why, it is to be encouraged and embraced!” Mer agreed. 

“I do believe I said ... and I quote... I live it and he just writes about it,” Bill stated. 

“Yeah Awen I am! Pa’s gonna teach if he wakes up sooon enough!” Nat said. 

“And I do hope you come find me anytime you are in search of your next literary adventure!” Mer told Nat. 

“I think you and my daughter will get along just fine, Mer,” I said with a smile. “How are things, Bill? Still kickin’ about, I see?” 

“Ma, his name’s mister Poe. At first he said he was ‘Another Time’ but then I thought Mister Poe sounded better,” Nat told me. 

“Still keepin an EYE on things,” Bill said, lifting his eyelid slightly and making Nat giggle. 

“A fine imagination is a thing to treasure, indeed. Your Natalie has quite a gift!” Mer said with a glance at me. 

“Indeed. She is quite imaginative. You should join the children at school, Mer,” I said as I nodded to Mer.

We continued to talk about school and it was wonderful to catch up. I decided to join them at school and followed them to the schoolhouse where I waited outside for Thomas to arrive. When he did, I went over to kiss him in greeting. 

“I wanted to come and listen to your class. I hope that’s alright?” 

Thomas kissed me firmly and hugged me tight. “Of course dear. Not sure what I am teaching this morning just yet. Teaching a bunch of girls is different from teaching boys.” 

“That it is. Natalie made the point that there needs to be boys. How did you sleep, love?” 

“Ma! Pa! Stop kissin’ and come inside to meet the new librarian!!!” Nat called outside then. 

“I slept like a rock. Those late night town patrols is kicking my rear. I finally got to bed around 3 am this morning.

I blushed and looked at Tom. “I do believe we’re being summoned.”

Tom laughed and we walked into the schoolhouse together. Tom met the librarian and said that she could call him Thomas or Tom if she liked. I had begun calling him Tom lately and I sat in the back as Mer started to talk with him about the library. 

“I had hoped to ask… do you have a topic for your lecture today? I’d like to run to the library and pull some books that might be related. You know, should the children wish to read more…” 

“Well I am running sort of late ma’am. I haven’t got to that point just yet. It’s been a bit different with all girls in class lately,” Tom told her. 

“Oh I assure you… I know how that goes.” 

We waited as kids continued to come into school and Mer joined me in the back of the schoolhouse. We talked about how Jeff runs the Bee and Nat wrote for him on occasion. Natalie asked Zandra if her mean uncle and aunt were coming and I told her not to call adults mean, even if they did yell. I told her to smarten up and she went on to talk to Jeff about a place called Fairbank. 

“We will start in just a moment everybody,” Tom said as the children discussed whether or not they had homework. 

“Good morning everyone! We are going to learn about something interesting today. Anyone in here who has ever heard of Buffalo Bill Cody or the Wild West Show?” 

“I heard summin about him once but not much,” Jeff said. “I heard he was a outlaw.” 

“How about Calamity Jane, or Annie Oakley?” 

“Yeah!! I heard those names! I dunno what they did though. How come I never wrote ’bout them yet?” Nat exclaimed. 

“I heard about Annie, yes. Nora told me that story many times,” Jeff said. 

“No. I haven’t but I lived in Canada,” Awen said. 

“So did ma!” Nat exclaimed. 

“I am sure you have heard about the famous lawman Wild Bill Hickock also right?” Tom asked but they shook their heads. 

“Yeah that wild Bill is the outlaw so then naw not heard of buffalo one,” Jeff said. 

“Well kids, those people all have been a part of Buffalo Bills Wild West Show. Which is a traveling show of sharpshooters, Indians and people from around the world.” 

“Wow! I wanna see them!” Nat exclaimed. 

“A show? Like a theater?” Jeff asked. 

“Like a circus? With animals and costumes and stuff?” 

“And clowns and food.” 

“I hate clowns,” Nat said with a shudder and I gave her a look to quiet down while Tom taught. 

“No Jeffery, like out in public, on the streets, and sometimes in a theatre. But they would do trick shots, and trick horse riding and have indian fights. Not real of course. One of the most famous indians of this century, Sitting Bull was even a part of the show.” 

Zandra raised her hand as Jeff and Nat said they wanted to see it and when Tom called on her, Zandra said, “Sir, how can there be shooting, Without anyone dying?” 

“Yeah do they use fake bullets or somethin’?” Nat asked. 

“Well Zandra, they would shoot at playing cards, or targets,” Tom said. 

“Ain’t so such thang as a fake bullet, is it Mr. Thomas?” Jeff asked. 

“Wild Bill Hickcock is said to have shot the glass off the top of a dogs head using a mirror and his rifle and shooting from over his shoulder once,” Tom said. 

“I bet that dog was not happy,” Awen said. 

“Well I not think thats a bit funny cause he mighta even blasted that dog,” Jeff said. “Yay but the dog didn’t kilt over.” 

“But how many times did he kill the dog practicing?” Awen asked. “Doggies don’t sit still ya know.” 

“I am sure he wasn’t. But Hickock was said to be the fastest deadliest man with his two Army Colt Revolvers. But that’s a story for another time. They also would light a match by shooting it with their pistols or rifles. Can anyone in here do that?” 

“Maybe he used a fake dog,” Zandra suggested. 

“Hmm a fake dog. Mr Wallace where do you get a fake dog?” Awen asked. 

“Probably the same place you get unicorns and pink elephants Awen,” Tom smiled at her. 

“I can’t cause I’m not allowed to use nuttin but my BB Gun and it not shoots fire,” Jeff said. 

“I’m not allowed to use a gun Sir,” Awen said. 

“Yeah Jimmy’s not ’llowed either,” Nat said. 

“Well of course not. Children shouldn’t be running around shooting guns. BB Guns are different. But can still be harmful if not careful.” 

Millard came into the schoolhouse then and I noticed Nat blushing as she threw a piece of paper over towards Jeff. Jeff picked up the piece of paper and Tom said, “Ok, back to our class. Children!” I glared at Nat for throwing the paper. 

“Pa, does the Wild West show ever come to Tombstone?” Nat asked, and then corrected herself. “I mean uh, Mister Thomas?” 

“I don’t think so Natalie. They travel all over the world though. To places like Germany, England, France and even Canada.” 

“Aw man. I wanna see it. Maybe when we go visit Grandma in Canada we can see it.” 

“It’s a possibility,” Tom said and I smiled at my daughter, nodding. I remembered then the telegram Josh had sent me about my mother and looked down, not wanting Natalie to worry. “Of course you have other traveling wild west shows, but Mr. Cody’s is the most famous. He got famous from being an indian scout and fighting in the Civil War.” 

“Wow! Like Grandpa!” Nat exclaimed and I started to get emotional as I thought about my father. 

“Yes,” Tom said and asked, “Anyone in here know who Sitting Bull is?” 

“Mr. Thomas, was Mr. Cody an Apache or a Cherokee or a Cheyenne?” Nat asked. 

“He was neither Natalie. He was a white man just like we are.” 

“But we ain’t seen many injuns around here in a while,” Jeff said. “I wonder if they went to French. I heard folks say that before.” 

“Sitting Bull sounds more Indian,” Nat said and giggled at Jeff. “Why would they go there? They don’t talk French.” 

“Cause I heard a woman say once when she was mad she was just gonna go to France,” Jeff said. 

“France is beautiful in the springtime,” Aspen said. 

“How do you know Aspen? Have you been *everywhere*?” Nat asked, emphasizing the last word to show her jealousy. 

“How else would I know if I hadn’t been there?” Aspen asked. 

“Yes he was. He was a medicine man and a Sioux warrior in the Dakota Territory,” Tom explained. 

“Ooooh. Sioux is a new one I not heard ’bout. So he was like a doctor,” Nat said. 

“I heard of ‘em,” Millard said. 

“Do we got Sioux here, Mill?” Nat asked. 

“Injuns all look the same to me,” Millard said with a shrug. 

“That name is new to me. I ain’t ever heard such Injuns,” Jeff said. 

“Yes sort of, you could say. He was most famous for his part at the Little Big Horn and the fight and last stand of General Custer,” Tom said. 

“How come he was named after a pie?” Millard asked. “Or was the pie named after him.. hm…” 

“You are thinking of Custard Millard.” 

“Oh.” 

“But now you can see why all these people were in the Wild West Show. Wild Bill Hickock because he was a famous lawman and indian fighter, Sitting Bull because he as a famous Sioux indian, Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane because they were famous for their shooting.” 

“And shootin’,” Jeff said. 

“Is this a history class?” Awen asked. 

“Yes Awen, this is a history class,” Tom said with a nod and then finally said, “Ok. Calm down children! “ Tom said in a firm voice, and I could tell that he was getting frustrated with the kids getting a bit out of control today. “I want us all to have fun and enjoy my class, but we all need to get ourselves under control. Understood? I would hate to have to assign writing assignments of how to act in class to all of you.” 

Awen raised her hand and when Tom looked at her she said she was only 6. Natalie, I noticed, was also avoiding her father’s gaze. 

“I am not saying anyone did anything. But the speaking out and talking over the teacher must quiet down. Otherwise I might as well sit down and let you all just do whatever you want. Right?” 

They all nodded and apologized as Jeff asked if he could still talk a little. 

“I don’t mind a little chatter, but when I get up here and try to teach, I would like you all to pay attention to me as much as you can. I know you all want to play, and learn and have fun, but that all happens outside of the classroom.” 

“Yes sir,” they all said and Awen sniffed a little. 

“Now I am going to dismiss class early this morning. Cause I have a headache and well, I run out of material it seems. The next couple of weeks I won’t be teaching but I expect all my student to show the other teachers the same respect you show me. Ok?” Tom looked around and I looked up at him, sensing his patience was running thin. “You are all a great bunch of children, and I am so happy to have you in my class. Maybe next time I teach, we can take a field trip.” 

“On the train??” Jeff asked. 

“Now class is dismissed. Shoo all you kiddos!” Tom said and handed out candy to everyone.

Nat stood shakily, looking from Tom to me as the others headed out. Tom told her to come to him and she walked over to the front of the room. Tom hugged her tightly and told her he loved her. She apologized for making him mad and he said it was alright and that he’d just needed to get control of the class. 

When it was just the three of us in the classroom, I looked from Tom and Natalie and said, “Natalie, I want to tell you something too. I’ve received a telegram from my brother Josh…” 

“What’s wrong ma?” Nat asked with worry. 

“Well kiddo.. It looks like... Like you and I have something else in common now,” I said, wiping a tear from my eye. 

“What do you mean, ma?” Nat asked, looking at us with confusion. 

Tom looked at me and frowned with understanding, holding me close as he put his arms around me. “Oh I am so sorry…” 

I choked up and leaned into Tom while drawing Natalie close. “Grandma’s gone, sweetie. She was getting old and she... She’s gone.” I hugged them both and hold them to me as Nat cried against us. “Josh and Leslie... They want me to help with the funeral. I’m not sure when it’ll be but... it will be soon.” 

“We can all go if you want dear. I don’t like you and Natalie going that far alone. Plus Jimmy will want to go to be with you and Natalie too,” Tom said. 

“Yes... It might be sometime throughout the week, I’m not sure when yet,” I said with a nod to him. 

“Is Uncle Josh okay?” Nat looked up at me. 

“As well as I am. We’re just glad she’s not hurting anymore,” I said with a nod. 

“I don’t wanna go to the cantina today,” Nat said and hugged us tight. 

“You don’t have to go today, sweetie. You can come home with us,” I told her. “I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out... It’s hard because they’re so far away... And I knew it would happen soon ’cause she’s well... she was getting old…” I said as we headed back to Bisbee. 

May 27, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked down the street this afternoon and saw Angel and Bree by the bank. I greeted them and heard Bree saying, “Well… I heard Gli and Shy and Rikki discussing this, but I did not see it.” 

“I miss something?” I asked, looking between them. 

“Oh Trin, iz good to see you,” Angel said and looked at me. 

“That’s always nicer then ’oh great, you again,’” I said and winked at Bree. 

“So yezterday I had a voman come to me and tell me somevone blew up the sheriff’s office and the courthouse.” 

“Oh and Kellee was there. Have not seen them in aa long time her and Gli,” Bree said. 

“Oh really?” I blinked. 

“And then the vwoman said somevone vas claiming she shot her. Now I didn’t catch this vwoman’s name and didn’t know the lady making the claim. And no vone’s made a statement. But Miz Bree just said she heard Rikki, Gli and Shy talking about it.” 

“Not sure… you know shy? I forget rest of her name,” Bree said. “Oh wait… Miss Bella. Ask her. She got shot.” 

“Miz Bella?” Angel asked and looked at me. “Villing to help me out with this vone Miz Trin?” 

“She was made and she did say Mis Mer almost got burned alive. I do remember this,” Bree said. “I never saw Miss Mer though. Better write this all down as it come to my mind.” 

“Yes ma’am, just wrapping my head around the information,” I said. 

“So let me get this straight… A woman came to you yesterday and said someone blew up the sheriff’s office and the courthouse. Then the woman said someone was claiming that she shot her. But you ain’t sure what either person’s names were?” I asked. 

“Miss Bella was healed by Jess and Jess may know more,” Bree added. 

“Semz the miztery vwoman shot vaz miz Bella,” Angel guessed. “Thank you Bree, you’ve been a big help so far in getting all this started.” 

“Bella as in... The one that ran the wells fargo?” I asked. 

“Miss Bella was mad as heck and I told her stop hollering at the women outlaws as I know they could get mean,” Bree said. “No no Trin, a new little lady.” 

“Oh okay. And Bella was healed by Jess.” 

“She sometimes sweep at Russ and she helps at the orphanage. Pretty young I think,” Bree said. 

“Oh does she?” 

“Miss Bella needed food, I fed her. There’s Kelly… maybe she can tell you more,” Bree said and pointed to a woman coming over. 

“Ok so.. Bella, a newcomer, was shot. Jess healed her. And this is connected with the two fires?” I asked. 

“Yes Trin,” Bree nodded. 

“What have I done now?” Kelly asked as she came over. 

“Hello ma’am. I’m Detective Trin Paige. Don’t believe we’ve met,” I said and turned to her. 

“Tell them what Miss Bella was so mad about last night Kelly,” Bree told her. 

“Ah yes thiz iz the vwoman vho told me about it,” Angel said. 

“Well that’s awfully convenient. Nice to meet you ma’am,” I said with a smile. 

“Whatever it is, I did not do it,” Kelly insisted. 

“So Kelly ,you told the sheriff about the fire at the courthouse and the sheriff’s office?” I asked. “And then you said someone was claiming that you shot them?” 

“Oh yes. The crazy woman.” 

“Crazy woman? Bella?” I confirmed. 

“Bella was mad Trin,” Bree said. 

“Yes, I was really close to shooting her ‘cause someone with no evidence,” Kelly told me. 

“What was Bella mad about?” I asked. 

“About being shot and her friend getting almost burned alive,” Bree said. 

“Her friend…?” I looked over, confused. 

“Miz Mer, right?” Angel asked. 

“I will testify to it,” Bree promised and nodded to Angel. “Yes.” 

“I don’t know names,” Kelly said. 

“I took photoz of her yesterday so I do know zer close how I met miz Bella,” Angel said. 

“Mer?” I blinked, getting lost in the details. 

“Gosh Trin, you getting mixed up with this,” Bree stated. 

“Kelly... if you could write a statement. Exactly of what you witnessed. Then I’ll have that in your perspective. Right now I’m getting three perspectives and a bunch of names I don’t know. So yes, I’m getting a tad confused.” 

“Well, I was not there when fire started,” Kelly told me. 

“Alright... from the beginning. Kelly. What did you witness? Let’s do this one at a time.” 

“I suggest you ask doc Jess,” Bree advised. 

“Well, I was in Ghenna,” Kelly said. “I hear a boom… And me and Rikki fall off our chairs.” 

“I’m listening,” I prompted her. 

“We looked at Tombstone… see smoke… So me and Rikki got in to investigate and saw sheriff office and court house was blown up. We went to the docs office and one lady there accused me of shooting her.” 

“That’d be Bella,” I said with a nod, understanding finally. 

“She would not give up. She threaten me and I tried to explain. She got even more mad. I was ready to defend myself but I know the law does not like guns drawn in town and I did not want to get in jail. I mean, I have seen it many times. It was my home before.” 

“Of course…” I nodded and chuckled. “So then what happened?” 

“So then you just... left? Or is there more?” 

“One lady was wounded in courthouse I believe.” 

“That would be Bella’s friend. Right Angel?” 

“Correct,” Angel said with a nod. 

“I went inside to see if it was more wounded,” Kelly said. “But too much smoke.” 

“Well where did Mer go?” Bree asked. 

“Bella’s statement will be crucial in this case. And Mer’s,” I said. 

“Did she make it?” Kelly asked Bree. 

“I don’t know,” Bree replied. 

“I saw her at the saloon before I came here,” Kelly said. 

“Must not been burned then,” Bree observed.

“Alright, I think I have a better grasp on the story now. Let me make sure I have this right for my notes then… And correct me if I’m wrong on names. Okay?” I looked at Kelly and Angel and they nodded. “So yesterday Kelly tells Sheriff Angel about how the sheriff’s office and the courthouse were blown up. Then, Kelly says that someone, Bella, was claiming that she, Kelly, shot her, Bella. Correct?” 

“Yes,” Kelly said with a nod. 

“Bella, meanwhile, was getting healed by Doc Jess in the clinic. Bella had been in the fire, I’m assuming?” 

“Yes, I think so,” Kelly and Angel agreed. 

“In which fire? the courthouse or the sheriff’s office?” I asked. 

“I am not sure. I do not know someone got burned,” Kelly said. 

“Alright, either way… Bella, as Bree’s informed me, helps out at the orphanage and the Russ. So then... Kelly comes into the doc’s office and Bella accuses Kelly of shooting her?” 

“There she is. Bella,” Kelly said as Bella walked over. 

“I want to get this right first,” I said with a bit of a sigh. 

Kelly and Angel went out to tell Bella to join us at the sheriff’s office and I ran a hand through my hair, trying to finish my notes. Aspen came over and Angel told her we had to work as Angel, Bella and I headed into the office and Kelly stayed outside with Aspen.

“You want to talk about what happened yesterday, don’t ya?” Bella asked as we all sat down at the desk. 

“We sure do. I’d like it in the form of a witness statement, if we could,” I said and got out a blank statement to fill out while she talked. “Why don’t you start at the beginning… What did you witness, from the start of it all?” 

“I promise I will not lie on this then. You have my word,” Bella insisted.

“I know you’re new to town, Miz Bella,” Angel said, “But ven something like this happens iz important to come tell the law.” 

“Well, there really isn’t much to it,” Bella said with a sad look on her face. “Mer was hurt, and there was nothing I could do about it. And I let my anger get the best of me.” 

“If your too scared to speak in person I keep a witness statement in my mailbox you can take and fill out anonymously,” Angel told her. 

I nodded to that and said, “But if we have your name, it would be very useful if it goes to trial.” 

“Thank you two,” Bella said with a nod. “I am scared. Rikki and her friend just threatened me at the library. Bella Stones,” she said and introduced herself. 

I sighed and looked at Angel and then back to Bella. “Thank you ma’am. Can you tell us what happened yesterday? From the beginning?” 

“Iz going to be alvright, miz. The more I know, the sooner I can handle Miz Rikki and her friends,” Angel said to her. 

“Well, me and Mer had just came from the library. I had helped her restock her books. We had went to Breezes and noticed that Rikki was unloading something at the courthouse. We went to help and Rikki was all secretive,” Bella told us and I wrote while I listened. “And Mer was the first to notice it was dynamite. We tried moving to wagon but it was too heavy, and we tried destroying but Rikki had came out.” 

I sighed, knowing there was something about Kelly’s story. Angel grabbed a warrant to fill out as she listened to Bella talk. 

“And I had went to get help but no one came. When I came back…” Bella said and looked like she was about to cry. “Mer was tied, and sat on the box with Rikki pointing a gun. She begged, BEGGED, me to leave.” I looked over at Angel, knowing she had more than enough for a warrant. 

Angel nodded and gave Bella a sympathetic look. “Continue, Miz Bella. I need to know it all.” 

Bella started crying as she said, “She was going to help me. She was going to give me a job at the library so I could get a home and become a teacher. I was going to try to help. Now she’s in pain and there’s nothing I could do about it.” 

I looked straight at Bella and Angel leaned over to put a hand on her shoulder. “Thingz vill be alvright miz. I know this iz hard, but vat happened after Rikki tied up miz Mer?” 

“And what’s worse is that I had left her. And when I came back… boom,” Bella said. 

“And miz Mer?” Angel asked. 

“Burnt. She was inside when Rikki blew the detonator.” 

“Did she pass?” 

“Damn it…” I swore, shaking my head. 

“Alive, but burnt like bacon. The good Lord must’ve been watching her.” 

“Well Angel, sounds like you have this case locked up in a nice little destructive bow,” I told her. 

“She’ll be alvright I’m sure of it miz Bella and don’t you go blaming yourself for zis,” Angel said. 

“I am sorry that you had to go through this, Bella. I need to head home to the kids, but I will try and gather Jess and Mer’s statements for you later, Sheriff,” I said then. 

Bella took a second to dry her eyes and said, “Thank you Miss Trin. Sarah’s told me all about you in her letters.” 

“Alvright I’ll let you know if I see them first,” Angel said. 

“I hope we can talk again under better circumstances,” I said with a smile to Bella. “Sounds good, Sheriff. Take care ladies,” I said to Angel.

“By the way, Sarah made this for Nat and Jimmy,” Bella said and held out two little paper flowers. 

“Sarah who lives over at the orphanage? How do you know her?” I asked with interest. 

“That’s her. I’m one of her mother’s friends from the orphanage.” 

I took the flowers and smiled widely. “They will be delighted to receive this. Thank you so much. We will have you and Sarah over soon. Take care ladies.” 

“We’ll be delighted!” Bella smiled. 

“Take care, Trin. Thank you for helping,” Angel said. 

“My pleasure, Angel. Glad I could stand there and act like a magnet for witnesses to come to us,” I said and winked at her as she chuckled. 

As I was walking away, Angel asked for Mer’s full name and she said it was Mer Kuiper. I filed the information in my mind and headed home to update my files. 

May 24, 1901

Bisbee. 

I was writing by the fireplace tonight at home when Jimmy ran in and greeted me. He told me how Thomas taught him about automobiles and how it was confusing to him. I assured him that if his father couldn’t explain it, then I certainly couldn’t.

“Have you been ridin’ the train?” I asked him. 

“I did once… it was fun… I like riding buckshot my horse more though,” Jimmy said. 

“What did you just say?” I blinked. 

“What?” 

“What’d you call your horse?” 

“Buckshot?” he said and I went pale, reaching for the couch to steady myself. “Is there something wrong with that name ma?” 

I looked at him, feeling my world spin, but tried to control myself.

“Ma are you ok?” Jimmy grabbed my hand and helped me sit down. 

I knelt down and looked Jimmy in the eyes, then sat on the couch, taking a few deep breaths. “Back when I first... moved west... after living in Texas… There was a real bad man. Who had lots of friends. Very bad friends. They were mean bullies to me. They hurt me... A lot... and I don’t really ever talk about it because I try to leave it in the past now, but I think you’re old enough to know. What happened was that they were bullies. And always tried to scare me. I went out riding one day see... And I heard some noises in this cave nearby. I thought it sounded like my friends, who were marshals.. And it sounded like they were in trouble so I asked this one man who was outside about it and he brought me into the cave… Well... they were there, locked up in a cell in the cave. Bill and his friends were holding them hostage. Then Bill told me that I had to write in the paper that they hadn’t set a fire that I knew they’d done... and to burn all the warrants against them.. And he’d let me go.” 

I looked over at Jimmy, taking a moment to gather myself as I told him, “Well, what happened was... I told ’em I’d burn the warrants. Just to get myself out of there. Then.. He took my wrist and cut a small slit in my skin with his knife…” I showed him the faded scar on my wrist and said, “See that there?” 

“He did what? Ma!!!” Jimmy exclaimed as he touched the spot on my wrist. 

“After that... it got worse. He kept tryin’ to scare me. He and his friends did lots of other bad things.. he even shot me after that.. All I’d ever done was try to move on. I didn’t wanna fight him back with more violence, but he kept going until I finally left that town.” I reached over and put my hand on Jimmy’s. “Jimmy... That’s why I never like fighting bad guys with more violence. With more gunfights. All it does is make things worse.” 

“Is that why you came to Tombstone?” 

“Well there’s lots that happened between that and Tombstone. But… Eventually I did find my way here and became a Pinkerton here. I guess... I’m tryin’ to change how people look at Pinkerton Agents. Most people think we’re rough and tough but... we’re really just the brains where people like your pa are the strength of fighting the bad guys.” 

“But ma...can I ask you sumtin?” 

“Sure Jimmy, you can ask me anything.” 

“I understand why pa is a deputy...and I know you help people being a Pinkerton...but why do you gotta carry a gun? Why you gotta be where the bad is like pa? Can’t you help people without them shootin at you to?” 

“That’s a good question kiddo…” I smiled at him proudly. “I fought about that in my mind for a lot of years. There was a time where I didn’t wear a gun… But you know what?” 

“What?” 

“When people see other bad people without a weapon they think that’s an easy target. When you wear a gun... people tend to leave you alone. Just think about your bb gun… Animals leave you alone, don’t they?” 

“Yeah sometimes.” 

“Not other times?” 

“Well ummm this ummm BIG cat didn’t run from me outside the orphanage one night I was out huntin bear. It looked like it wanted to eat me.” 

“But... how did you get it to go away?” I chuckled. 

“Mildew run out and hollered and skeered it so I could run and make it inside. I think he might have even throwed a rock at it.” 

“There see… And that made the cat go away right?” 

“Yeah.” 

“So sometimes... the gun doesn’t always work. And we gotta use things like our brain, or rocks. To get the bad thing to go away. But I don’t want you to throw rocks to hurt people or buildings…” 

“So if I cant think of something to make a bad person go away, I can hit them with a rock?” Jimmy scratched his head. 

“Not the point, kiddo,” I said with a sigh. “When Mildew threw the rock... Did it hit the cat?” 

“I don’t think so...he threw it near the cat… like at his feet.” 

“Well… Then that’s my point. He didn’t hurt the cat, but he scared it away. Cause he used his brain. See?” 

“Yeah I get it!” Jimmy exclaimed, his eyes getting big. 

“Now the problem is.... Your pa... sometimes he’s gotta use his gun. Cause sometimes the bad guys he needs to lock up are really bad. And they won’t come any other way. But you know what he does when he shoots them? If he HAS to?” 

“What?” 

“He doesn’t kill them. He’ll shoot an arm or a leg... Even just graze it... So it doesn’t completely hurt them.” 

“Ma?” 

“But it stops them. But that’s for grownups only to do. Cause your pa knows what to do. And how to use his gun right?” 

“Right!” 

“When you use your BB gun… You shoot it near things. Not at them. Got it?” 

“Yes ma’am!” 

“Now, I have an idea… Unless you got more questions?” 

“I got one more question ma.” 

“Sure.” 

“Why do people gotta hurt other people?” 

“Cause they think that it’s the only way to solve the problem. When that mean man shot me… I could have shot back. I could have gotten my friend the sheriff to arrest him for shooting me. I could have stayed and fought back and made him more happy that he’d frustrated me and scared me. But you know what I did?” 

“Why not just take up all the guns in the world ma? Then people couldn’’t shoot nobody.”

“You know... if I didn’t know Thomas adopted you, I’d say you’re just like your pa,” I said with a chuckle. “When he first came to town... He thought that too. He was insistent on getting rid of all the guns in town. You talk to him some day... ask him how that went,” I said and smirked at him. 

“Really? What was your idea ma?” 

“Let’s go to church. Mister Wulf is preachin’ over in Black Diamond. I gotta change into a dress first though.” 

“Oh wow… okay, I change too.” 

We went up to our rooms and changed for church and then headed to Black Diamond. 

Black Diamond. 

We walked into the church and sat down, greeting those who were there already. It was good to see both Wulf and Bree and the others. Wulf began with an opening prayer and then we started singing hymns of praise. It felt so good to lift our voices and sing praise to God. 

Wulf opened to Romans 1 and read verses 18-23 and then he began his message: “In the preceding verses, Paul has already spoken of the Son of God -- the key and the heart of the gospel. He declared the power of God that is released among men by believing the gospel; he declared the righteousness of God which is granted to us as a gift which we cannot earn or ever deserve, but which is ours, nevertheless, by faith.  But now Paul speaks of the wrath of God. This is the first negative note that has been sounded in this letter, yet it is a very necessary note because it introduces this passage that tells us why we need the gospel of God. We need it because men everywhere are suffering from the wrath of God. What do you think of when you hear that phrase, ‘the wrath of God’? Most people think of the wrath of God as something that is yet to come, something that follows death -- the judgment of God. It is true that hell and all that may follow are an expression of the wrath of God. But that is not what it means at this point. Most people think of the wrath of God as thunder and lightning and judgment, fire and brimstone and the sudden destruction and catastrophes that come upon obviously guilty sinners. And these are all manifestations of the wrath of God. But actually, the wrath of God is not something to come, it is present now. As the text says, it is ‘being revealed from heaven’ -- that is, it is going on right now. When something is revealed from heaven, it doesn’t pour down from the skies upon us. No, it is everywhere present because it is coming from invisible forces at work in our lives. Therefore, it is absolutely inescapable; everyone is confronted with, and suffers from, the wrath of God -- without exception. His wrath is everywhere present, it is being manifested by the invisible resistance of God to the evil of men. And that is what is meant here by ‘the wrath of God.’ We are continually confronted with this tragic sense of life. It is the wrath of God.”

Continuing with his message, Wulf said, “Why is it that tragedy is so close to the surface? Even in the moments of joy and gladness, we experience it. We’ve all felt this bitter-sweet character of life, when, in the midst of all the warmth and joy of the home circle, there is an underlying sense of fear, of the probability of the whole thing suddenly being turned into tragedy and sorrow. Why is that? We see it at Christmas time, the season of the year when men are traditionally more glad and joyful, more mellow, perhaps, than at any other time of the year, and yet statisticians tell us that the suicide rate mounts alarmingly at Christmas time. Anyone who has experienced it knows that the loneliness which can be borne throughout the year can be deeply etched in bitter symbols upon our hearts during Christmas. hat sorrow and grief seem to be more dark and gloomy and foreboding than at any other time. Now why is that? It is because of the wrath of God. God’s resistance against human evil is creating this sense of tragedy and darkness that we live with. I think Moses, in the 90th Psalm, expresses this perfectly. He says: For all our days pass away under thy wrath,  our years come to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength four-score;yet their span is but toil and trouble;  they are soon gone, and we fly away. The shortness of life, the brevity of it, the sorrow of it, the tragedy of it -- this is all part of what Paul captures here under this phrase ‘the wrath of God being revealed from heaven.’ No one escapes God’s wrath; it is revealed, and we have to face it. The rest of Verse 18 reveals the cause of this wrath. The apostle explains that it is "the godlessness and the wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness" that cause God’s wrath. The tragic aspect of life is caused by the attitudes men have and the subsequent actions that follow. Notice the order of this -- godlessness and then wickedness. The order is never reversed. It is the godless attitude that produces the wicked actions, and that is why the wrath of God is being revealed constantly from heaven against man. #What is godlessness? Godlessness isn’t necessarily atheism, the belief that God doesn’t exist.Godlessness is acting as though he doesn’t exist, disregarding God.  That attitude is widespread in our society today; it is what we call the ‘secular’ attitude. It doesn’t necessarily deny that there is a God, but it never takes any account of him; it doesn’t expect him to be active. That is the attitude of godlessness which the apostle speaks of here.” 

I leaned down and whispered to Jimmy, “That’s why mean people like Buckshot did bad things to your ma.” Jimmy looked at me and frowned, but seemed like he understood. 

“As a result of godlessness, there is unrighteousness or wickedness, selfish and hurtful acts of men toward one another. Why do we act selfishly?  Why do we hurt each other? Because we disregard God. That is Paul’s analysis. By means of these hurtful and selfish acts, the truth is suppressed. Now that is the problem! Here we are in a world in which truth from God is breaking out all around us, but we are busy covering it up, hiding it, suppressing it, keeping it from being prominent and dominant in our thinking.  That’s the picture. Against that attitude of hiding truth, suppressing the truth, the wrath of God burns among the human family. The reason why life has turned tragic in so many cases is because the world is deprived of the truth that is necessary for life and liberty and freedom and godliness, and it is hidden by men and suppressed by them. Verses 19-20 set before us the nature of the truth that is suppressed: ...since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20) The truth that men labor to suppress is the existence of a God of eternal power and majesty; they suppress the greatness of God.  This is the very truth Job 9 so eloquently expounds, the truth the world hides. There is, as you know, an evident conspiracy not to mention God. “ 

Looking around at us, Wulf said, “Don’t talk about him; don’t act as though God has anything to do with our common affairs in life; admit that there is a God if you want to, but don’t expect him to interfere or to do anything with us.  Don’t, above all else, mention his name. Isn’t that strange? Somebody has put it this way in a little poem entitled, The Humanist: He exists because he was created. He’s here because he was placed here. He’s well and comfortable because divine power keeps him so. He dines at God’s table. He’s sheltered by the roof that God gave him. He’s clothed by God’s bounty. He lives by breathing God’s air which keeps him strong and vocal to go about persuading people that whether God is or not, only man matters. Man, in his puniness and weakness, struts about acting as though there were no God. That is the truth that men suppress.  But there are times when men cannot evade the fact of God; and when those times come, when they just have to speak of God, people resort to euphemism. They don’t use the name of God, they call him something else. They may call him ‘nature.’ ‘Nature’ is responsible for the way we are.” 

Looking up at me, Jimmy whispered, “Ma. Why do men deny God?” 

“Cause they don’t believe the truth, kiddo,” I whispered back to him. “Cause men want to be in control instead of let God be in control.” 

“Well this, of course, is because nature is what we are; nature is the sum total of all the phenomena of the natural world,” Wulf went on. “To say that the sum total of the phenomena of the natural world accomplishes what is the phenomena of the natural world is nonsense. Yet everywhere this is the way men talk. That is simply a way to avoid mentioning that God is at work in human affairs. How can we say that only by intelligence and wisdom and skill can a watch be built, but hearts beat and babies grow and roses smell simply by chance. Isn’t that ridiculous? You only have to put it that way to see how foolish, how absurd, a statement like that can be. This argument from design and order has never been answered. Those who disregard God cannot explain it because truth about God is breaking out everywhere around us. I makes me angry when some say they don’t believe. I will let them know in no uncertain terms. Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush aflame with God. But only those who see take off their shoes;the rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.” 

Jimmy leaned up and whispered to me, “If the truth about God is breaking out all around us, wouldn’t more people want to believe? God is awesome.” I smiled and hugged my son close, kissing his head proudly. 

“Thus, says the Scripture, men are without excuse. No one who really wants to find God need miss him. One of the great verses that confronts the problem of what happens to those who never hear the gospel is,” Wulf was saying. “Hebrews 11:6. It says: ‘He that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him.’ Just two things are necessary: First, he must believe that God is there. Everything in his life is telling him that. Everything about himself is yelling at him, shrieking at him, that God has planned all these things. The easiest thing in the universe to believe is that God is there. You must work hard at convincing yourself that he is not there, and only the very intelligent are able to do it.  The rest of us, who simply see facts and believe them, will accept the fact that God is there. Those who never hear the gospel first must believe God is. Then, they must diligently seek him. If men don’t find God, it is because they don’t seek him. The Scriptures promise us that if we seek after him, he will give further light on himself, and that light will eventually lead,” 

Jimmy raised his hand then and I chuckled, whispering to him, “This isn’t school, kiddo.” 

“As other Scriptures tell us, to the knowledge of Jesus Christ; for without the Son, no man can come to the Father,” Wulf said. 

“But ma, if they don’t believe in God, they’re not very intelligent then are they?” Jimmy asked and I chuckled, ruffling his hair and winking up to Wulf. 

“There is no other ‘name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12b KJV), but the name of Jesus. It starts with where you are and the revelation that is in nature and in yourself about the majesty and the power and the greatness of God. In Verses 21-23, the apostle tells us in detail how men suppress the truth about God: Glory to Our Father. For although they knew God they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they clamed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23 NIV)” 

We stood then and prayed in closing and I squeezed Jimmy’s hand tightly. When church was over, I told Jimmy that he could ask Reverend Wulf a question if he wanted to stay after. We walked outside and found him standing in front of the church, greeting people as they left. 

Jimmy walked over to Reverend Wulf and asked, “Reverend Wulf...if the word of God and his truth is coming out, then those who deny him aren’t very intelligent then right?” 

“Sadly they are not Jimmy, but they thing they are,” Rev. Wulf told him. “And many are very smart in book learning. But they do not know what is true.” 

“If they are smart in book learning, why can’t they be smart in learning the Bible?” he asked and I chuckled. 

“Because, kiddo. They don’t think the book is true,” I told him. 

“Did that help Jimmy?” Rev. Wulf asked. 

“Yes it did Reverend Wulf...it just makes no sense how anyone could not believe..I mean I never met God or Jesus, but I believe in them both.” 

“Sad but true. Jimmy they are blind just as I once was” 

“But God made you see right Reverend?” 

“Yes Jimmy I saw the Light,” Rev. Wulf said, referring to the song that we’d sung together. 

“I am glad you saw the light Reverend Wulf..and that you’re here in Diamond,” Jimmy told him. 

“Thank you Jimmy.” 

We said goodbye to Rev. Wulf and then headed home. 

May 20, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked over to the coral hearing voices over there and smiled when I saw Sam, Jenna and Bill Badfinger. We talked about how he was back in town and they asked how I was doing. 

“Pinkerton biz is good. I’m on a case at the moment actually. Mmhmm. Anyone know of a woman who’s got long black hair, is tall and thin, and has a southern accent…?” 

“I hope it’s better than the one you had me help you with over in Black Diamond…” Jenna laughed. 

“Well that was a fun one... couldn’t make an arrest out of it, unfortunately,” I said and chuckled at Jenna. 

“Sifting through ‘road apples’ on a hot day isn’t much fun... but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.” 

“I ain’t sure what her name is, that’s the tricky part. The woman I’m lookin’ for.” 

Bill headed off and I looked over at the others, but they didn’t know who I was talking about. “The woman who asked me is named Lucy Wallick. Said she’s lookin’ for her sister.” 

“I’ve never met her,” Jenna said. “Bein from the South myself I tend to remember the Southern speech.” 

“Indeed,” I said and nodded. “Well if ya meet anyone of that description, you’ll let me know?” 

“Of course.” 

“I will if I don’t forget,” Sam said. 

We talked about the stables and then I headed back to the office. 

May 18, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked into Annie’s this morning and greeted Paisley and Mel who were dancing on stage. When they asked me how I was doing I told them, “I’m lookin’ for a woman actually, wanted to see if she stopped through here.” 

“Oh? Who?” They asked. 

“She’s a tall and thin woman... long black hair. Has a southern accent. I ain’t sure her name.” 

“Well a few do stop in here,” Paisley said. 

“Anyone by that description though?” 

“I can keep an eye out for her. I am trying to recall who has stopped by. A few have recently. Just trying to recall if one was southern.” 

“Thanks, Paisley. I’d appreciate it. Glad to see business is pickin’ up ’round here.” I took out a sketch and showed the girls. “This is what she looked like a few years back, if that helps…” 

“Oh? She is returning?” 

“Well... her sister’s out lookin’ for her. But she said that this picture was taken when her sister was sixteen. She ain’t seen her sister since they were little though.” 

“A woman did return. She is the librarian though.” 

“Who’s that now?” I asked, returning the sketch to my pocket. 

“Miss Mer. She was in class last week.” 

“Don’t know anyone by that name.” 

“Don’t recall her circumstances.” 

“Glad we’ve got a librarian again though. Natalie will be happy about that.” 

“She sure will.” 

I said goodbye to them then and headed out into the street again. 

May 16, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked down Allen Street this morning and waved to Angel and a woman she was talking to. “Vell speak of the devil,” Angel said as I walked over to her. 

“I didn’t do it,” I said with a grin. 

“Sure yha did this time, Miz Trin. Miz Lucy here, she needs your help it seemz.” 

“Hi there Lucy. How can I help you?” 

“Hi there,” Lucy said. “I need to employ the help of a detective. I’m trying to track someone down.” 

“Well I just so happen to be an expert at findin’ people,” I said with a wink to Angel, who chuckled. “Who are ya trackin’ down?” 

“My sister, but the difficult thing is I don’t know her name. Just what she looks like. And that she is a big trouble maker,” Lucy said with a smirk. 

“Miz Trin’s about the bezt detective yha get in this territory,” Angel said. 

“Well that describes ’bout half the people in Tombstone,” I said with a chuckle to Lucy and then looked at Angel. “More like the only detective, Sherif.” 

“Shh…” she chuckled and then headed down the street for a drink. 

“What’s your last name, Miss Lucy?” I asked her. 

“She also has a thick southern accent, and my last name is Wallick,” Lucy said. 

“Hmm…” I said and invited her to join me at Kate’s. We sat down and got a couple of whiskeys and I looked over at her. “So... you’re lookin’ for your sister but ya don’t know her name?” 

“Yes, my parents were ashamed of her and would never tell me her name. They tried destroying all pictures of her even but I saved one.” 

Joe and a woman walked in then and we greeted them as I asked Lucy, “Can I see the picture of your sister, Miss Lucy?” 

Lucy pulled out a picture and handed it to me. The picture showed a young woman who was tall and thin with long black hair. “We have different mothers also.”

“Hmm…” I said and pulled out my notebook. “I’m going to draw out a copy of this picture for my records. I gather that photo is special to you.” 

“Yes, it is very special, the last thing I have of her,” she said with a nod. 

I drew out the sketch while I listened to Joe and the woman named Alexandria talking about drinks and said, “Good thing I paid attention in art class.” 

“That has to come in handy at times.” 

“So... when was the last time you saw your sister?” 

“She left home when I was two, so not since then. We had received a letter saying where she was a few years back.” 

“And where was she then?” 

“She was here.” 

“So why take a few years to come look for her?” 

“Because I did not have a way here till recently. My family did not want me to go and I fear they will never speak to me again because I have gone looking for her.” 

“I understand, it was just a question I had to ask.” 

“I will answer any questions you have if it’ll help find her.” 

“So your sister has a southern accent, was a big trouble maker, and it looks like she has long black hair and is tall and thin. Anything else you can tell me about her? I s’pose not much since the last time you saw her was when she was two,” I asked, summarizing what I knew. I turned the picture over curiously and asked, “How long ago was this picture taken? Is there a date on it?” 

“That’s about all I know,” Lucy said with a nod. “I know it’s almost a hopeless search, but I have to try. This picture was when she was about 16, just a bit before she left.” 

“I s’pose she could have changed her appearance quite a bit by now… How old would she be now?” I asked. 

“It’s very possible. She left home because she was a thief., and they suspected her of murder. She would be in her 30’s now.” 

“Who was she suspected of murdering?” I asked. 

“A man who lived a few miles from us, he was found drowned in a small stream, and a piece of one of her dresses was there where they found him,” Lucy said. 

“Don’t mean she killed him though,” I said as I got a refill of whiskey from Joe. 

“No, it doesn’t but the sheriff thought she did. She was always trouble, stealing things, and just causing general problems for everyone, so he thought she did it because of the dress piece found there. They always thought of her first when something happened,” Lucy said. 

“Sounds like a popular gal, your sister,” I said to her. 

“She was, just not in the way she should be.” 

“Mmhmm… Was she married? Kids?” 

“She had many suitors, but was not married and did not have any children.” 

“Well I’ll do my best to find your sister, Lucy.” 

“Thank you. I just really do hope it isn’t a pointless search, since i know so little. I will send a letter home, trying to get anymore information that I can. I do have one older sister who was near her age who may be willing to tell me something.” 

“Alright, any information will help. Who is your older sister?” 

“Her names June, she lives back at home in South Carolina.” 

“June... That sounds familiar. Oh, she doesn’t live here then?” 

“She does not.” 

“That won’t help me much then. Unless you can get something out of her,” I said with a chuckle. 

“Hopefully she will tell me something.” 

“Indeed. Anything she can tell you will be helpful, I’m sure.” 

I then was introduced to Alexandria and greeted Bianca as she came to join us. Amara and Snow walked in too and Lucy made her leave, thanking me for my help. I only hoped that I’d have something to tell her. I finished my drink and headed out of the saloon. 

May 9, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked down the street this morning and met a man named Diego who was new to the area. We talked about how there was a lot of jobs that he could do in town and Angel walked over so I introduced them. We talked about Wild Fox getting hit by the train the night before and about how she caused a lot of trouble in town. We talked about how there had been a lot of attacks on the fort lately and I commented how the soldiers hadn’t even asked me for my help. 

Seeing Jan near the Oriental I walked over to her and said, “Well, well, well… She does live..” 

“Can I help ya with somethin?” Jan looked up. 

“I hope so. I was wondering if I could talk to you about something.” 

“You’re that Pinkerton, aren’t ya?” She looked at me closer. 

“Yes... I was approached by a young girl... she claimed she was looking around for her mother. She’s about twelve, I believe. Or thirteen. Her name’s Wyett Urp…” I stepped closer to her since she gave me a puzzled look, and got out the sketch I’d done of Jan, thinking I’d done a fairly good job. 

Jan blinked and looked at the picture. “Wyette.. that’s an odd name.” 

“Indeed… However… She said her father’s passed and she’s been lookin’ around for someone by an odd name as well. But oddly enough, the name sounds a lot like your name.” 

“Well that’s some coincidence,” she said and shifted a bit. 

“Yes well... the name she told me was Janna Lee Moonie. Sounds an awful lot like your name, don’t it?” 

“That it does.. but it’s not impossible for someone to have a name that sounds like mine.” 

“So you never had a daughter named Wyett... that was separated from you for some reason when she was young?” 

She glanced up at the clock tower and then looked back at me. “I’m not the motherin kind.” 

“You see... she told me that she was from Kansas... and her father and mother met in some saloon but then the woman took off with some bad people she was running with. About eight months later she came back saying she was pregnant and that he was the father. Apparently Wyett believes that her mother is in the area here.” 

Jan gave a slight sigh and said, “Uh.. well that’s an awful sad story.. losin her father and all.” 

“So you don’t have any recollection of these events happening to yourself?” I asked her. “Jan... After Wyette left my office last night I drew a sketch of her. In case I ran into you. Would you be willing to take a look at it? See if there’s anything... familiar?” 

“Over there,” Jan said as she pointed to the Crystal Palace. We walked towards the saloon and went inside where Jan poured herself a drink and downed it quickly. 

I got out my sketch of Wyette and the one I’d drawn of Jan and set them on the counter. “Now Jan... there are only so many ways we can determine if two people are related.” 

“Let me see it,” Jan said with a sigh and stepped over to look. 

“One of the ways we can determine that is actually by ear and facial structure. You’ll notice... both you and Wyette have similar structures. And the ears... Almost identical.” 

Jan bent closer to look at the picture and shook her head, staring at the drawing. “It can’t be,” she whispered. Turning back to me she asked, “How’d she get here from Kansas?” 

“That part I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “You’d have to talk to her..” 

“Must be a pretty resourceful kid.” 

“My daughter and her are close friends. They are both very bright young girls. Natalie talks very highly of her.” 

Jan shook her head, looking away. “I never expected to see her again.. at least not till after she was grown.” 

“Judging by your reaction... we’ve confirmed that this is indeed your daughter?” 

“I did have a little girl and named her Wyette.. I left her with her father, Henry, because I knew I couldn’t drag a kid around with me.” 

“Yes... She said her father’s name was Henry.” 

“Must be her then.. that drawing looks a lot like I did at her age.. she’s 13?” 

I nodded and said, “She lives over at the orphanage.. I can tell her then... that you’re indeed her mother? Would you... like to meet her sometime?” 

“I don’t know.. I need some time to process this,” Jan said and looked over her shoulder, then back at me. 

I nodded, taking the sketches back and put them in my pocket. “I understand... It’s a lot to process. Shall I have a talk with Wyette then? I’ll leave the meeting up to you but as far as I’m concerned, I think we’ve solved this mystery.” 

“I’ve never told anyone that I had a baby, in all these years.” 

“That’s a big secret to keep to yourself.” 

“It was easier,” she said with a nod. 

“Understandable… I never thought I would be a mother either. Now I find myself with two children. I’m not sure how it happened.” I chuckled. 

“And, well.. I don’t care much for kids anyway…. Oh I remember how it happened. You know why I insisted on naming her Wyette?” Jan asked and I shook my head. “Her father tried to convince me he was Wyatt Earp.” 

“Really…” I chuckled. 

“I’d heard rumors that Earp was in Kansas at the time, and he looked a lot like him.. and I was pretty drunk, so I fell for it.. and would up pregnant.” 

“Well, I’m glad I was able to solve this mystery for her... a daughter deserves to know her parents, I believe. I’ll let you go, Jan. You have a lot to process.” 

Jan shook her head and nodded, looking at the bottle in her hand. “I might need a bit more of this.” 

I chuckled and nodded. “Take care, Jan. I’ll have a conversation with Wyette and tell her we’ve solved this case and leave the rest in your hands.” 

“Ok… I ain’t  even sure what I’d say to her.” 

“Well you can take all the time you need. See you around, Jan.” I headed out of the saloon, proud of myself for solving another case so quickly.