Tombstone.
I was writing in front of Kate’s when I looked over and saw Joe stumbling over to me. “You alright, Joe?” I asked him.
He paused and mumbles, “I am, I think.”
“Rough night, huh?”
“I have no idea. I can’t remember.”
“I’m sure that’s regular for you, huh.” I chuckled.
“I find that easier to forget than remember,” he said and nodded solemnly.
“I know…” I sighed.
“What’s wrong with you?” He asked as he put his flask down.
“Nothing. Nothing at all. Just ain’t been a soul around much in days when it’s daylight... Been awfully quiet. And at night I’ve gotta stay home to take care of the children so... I can’t go out and about finding people to talk to.”
“It’s the same for me.” Joe nodded and shrugged.
“And I’ve got this bloody case I can’t solve. Cause there’s no one to talk to about it.”
“Well ya don’t want things too easy do ya?” He snickered and took a swig of his drink.
“Well, it would be a nice change.”
“It’s all the same to me. I wake, I drink, I heal, and B looks after me.”
“Well I think I’m gonna walk around.”
“I shall stand guard,” Joe said and spun around.
I walked down the street and checked the back door to make sure it was secure and it was. I walked over to the city hall and saw some paint on the wall of either side of the door. Speaking out loud I said, “Well that’s odd... Wonder if they’re painting the city hall.... Didn’t do a good job of it though. And an odd spot to be done painting if one was intending it to look pretty…” I looked around and shouted, “Adrian Wise!!! I need you at the City Hall!” I grumbled and looked around for the mayor. “Well that’s awfully odd…” I said as I walked back over to the hotel again. I saw Joe and B sitting in front of the hotel and asked, “Someone’s been painting the City Hall. Either of you know about that?”
“Nope,” Joe said as he leaned forward.
“The Mayor having a mid life crisis? Going around painting everything?” B asked.
“Who knows. I’d like to find out though. Looks kinda terrible if it was an intended thing,” I said and shrugged.
“If I were him I’d just burn the place down.”
“Going to ask around.” I shrugged.
I walked into Paisley and waved to her as she danced on stage. “Curious about some yellow paint I just found on the City Hall,” I told her.
“Yellow paint? Is that lollipop gang at it again?”
“Hadn’t thought about that. Thought the lollipop kids disbanded.”
“I thought so too, but they were ones to do stuff on the buildings.”
“Hmm… Who was all apart of that group? Sabrina, Molly…”
“Ruby. Not sure who else Once in a while I see Sabrina. She goes by that other name. I just won’t use it.”
“Interesting… Yeah, I do too, occasionally. And the others definitely are around. Agreed. She goes by Little Dove.”
“Yeah, that name. What was in yellow paint?”
“The City Hall.... paint on either sides of the door. I need to find Adrian and talk to him about it.”
“Anything in particular or just paint?”
“Just paint. Not in any odd shapes or anything... like they were painting the walls. But stopped, or got stopped. Seems an odd color to willingly paint the city hall, on the mayor’s part.”
“Someone not liking the color City Hall is maybe?”
“The law offices have been targeted... Now the City Hall... What’s next? The courthouse?”
“Maybe.. or the sheriff’s office?”
“Those have already been hit, remember?”
“The sheriff’s got hit?”
“First it was horse manure, then stinking, rotting fish. At the sheriff’s offices in Tombstone and in Black Diamond.”
“Ah…. okay.. They got organically hit. Wonder if they will dare to hit here.”
“There was a sign saying that this town needed cleaning up. With the first manure found.”
“Some feel we need to be cleaned up too you know..”
“I’d be careful…” I nodded. “Who knows who will get targeted next.”
“I will keep an eye out. Some very unhappy people around lately.”
“Indeed. Let me know if you hear any specifics?”
“I shall.”
I waved to her and headed back outside, pulling out my notebook to write.
Bisbee.
An hour later I was sitting at my desk in Bisbee and jumped when Jimmy came over and greeted me. “Jimmy! You scared me half to death! How are you, kiddo?”
Jimmy frowned a bit and came to hug me. “I okie dokie ma. How are you? Feeling better?”
“Oh, I’m doin’ just fine. Going to be singing in a while if you wanna come hear me?”
“Ooooh! You singin at the Stck Exchange?”
“Uh huh. What have you been up to today?”
“You sure do look perty ma in yore blue dress… Oh I was at Miss Angels bakery a while cleaning and bakin.” Jimmy reached into his pocket and took out a paper wrapped object and opened it for me. “Here ya go ma. Our last piggy of the day. I got it just for you.”
I smiled and took the treat. “Well thanks, that might be the energy I need to sing now. Do you want to walk over with me kiddo?” I asked as I stood.
“Sure ma. I protect ya ifn an outlaw try an get us,” Jimmy said and smiled big.
I took his hand and went over to the saloon and started to set up. I played my gig at the Stock Exchange and a couple of people came, but not many were there.
***
Tombstone.
I noticed a girl in front of the orphanage and she told me her name was Kelly Oshea. We talked a bit about how she should meet my daughter since she was about her age.
I walked over to the orphanage and knocked on the door, glad to see Abi there. “Ah good, Abi. You’re here. Can we talk?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“You haven’t seen any of the children come home with... yellow paint on their hands, have ya?”
“No, but I saw a man in town yesterday with it all over him.”
“Oh did you? What man?”
“He was very drunk.”
“Was he…”
“I didn’t recognize him. He had a wagon full of paint.”
“Did he speak?”
“Stumbled by Jeffery and me and all he said was good afternoon and kept on going.”
“Hmm…”
“Jeffery and I were sitting in front of Kate’s.”
“Interesting. Very interesting.”
“Jeffery did not know him either.”
“Hmm… Well the walls on the City Hall building were painted yellow... partially. I grew curious about it. Paisley wondered if the lollipop gang was back since they used to do things to buildings…”
“It was not any of the kids.”
“Well I had to come and ask before I carried on. Was a reasonable suspicion considering what they used to do.”
“I know, that would have been my first guess too had I not seen that man.”
“Well thank you Abi, this helps.”
“Good luck finding him. Oh wait. He was headed toward Black Diamond.”
“Oh? Great,” I muttered.
“Yes. Glad I could help.”
“Was anyone else around that might’ve recognized the man?”
“Just Jeffery.”
“Alright. That’s a shame.”
“Nim cam by but it was way before the guy showed up.”
“I doubt she’d help anyway.”
“Sorry I can’t be more help.”
“I need to speak with the mayor, but he’s busy as you know. Oh, you were a big help, Abi! Thank you so much.”
“When I see Jeffery I’ll tell him to come see you.”
“Sounds great. Anything he can tell me would be good,” I said with a smile and headed out of the orphanage.
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