July 24, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked into town this afternoon and waved to the crowd in front of the bank. I blinked when I saw Serenity sitting there, a woman I hadn’t seen in forever. 

“Well hell, ain’t seen you in a while Trin,” she greeted me. 

“Look who’s back from the grave!” I blinked. 

Serenity reached up and wiggled her hat. “Nah, just been travellin’ a heck of a lot.” 

“Good to see ya. You been keepin’ busy then?” I chuckled. 

“Mhm, got married while I was away too.” 

“Congratulations,” I said with a smile. “Got me a steady man and two kids myself. Never thought I’d see that day.” 

“Let’s not talk about my kids. They are brats, too much like me and their father.” 

I laughed and looked around the group gathered there. “Wonderin’ if I could get some information from ya’ll perchance.” 

“You still a pinky, Trin?” Serenity tilted her head. 

“You bet.” 

She shook her head with a smirk and said, “Some things never change... what ya need to know?” 

“Why change a good thing, eh?” I chuckled. “Well... first case is over in Black Diamond. Couple horses been stolen from the blacksmith office.” 

“I ain’t been to Black Diamond in about year and a half now...so can’t help ya there,” Serenity said. 

“How bout more in town... ya hear about the general store fire? Or you, Starling?” 

Serenity looked to Millard and said, “He pointed it out to me... says might be the natives gettin’ outta hand.” 

“What happened?” Starling asked. 

“The Natives?” I clarified, sensing a theme in my questioning. 

“Yeah,” Millard said. “I’ve seen the Apache chief nosin’ around lately. I seen him with matches too the day before.” 

“Oh really?” I nodded. 

“Trin… isn’t it usual for the natives to leave arrows if they set something on fire?” Randy asked. 

“You’d think, Randy, yes. Though they’re also very careful.” 

“Not if they smart natives, and if I know the chief, he’s a smart man. Been a long time friend of mine from many years ago…” Serenity pointed out. 

“How about the train station fire?” 

“Well I know they wouldn’t use matches as they don’t know what to do with them,” Starling said. 

“I didn’t do it,” Serenity said with a shrug. “Much as I hate that conductor….” I chuckled at Serenity, knowing that much was true.

“They usually have a reason for wanting something burned. and they leave the arrows to take credit for it,” Randy said. 

“Sure wish I could find someone who actually witnessed these fires,” I said, nodding to Starling and Randy. “So far all I’ve got is a lot of circumstantial evidence.” 

“If they wanted to set fire to anything they would use stones and a flint,” Starling said. 

“Circum what evidence?” Serenity asked, confused. 

“Pointing in one direction, but still not enough for a warrant or a specific person,” I clarified. “As in several incidents leading up to the main incident that hint towards who could have done it.”  

“Can’t help you Trin. I didn’t even smell smoke,” Randy said. 

“Ya’ll didn’t see the train station fire either then, huh?” I looked around and they hadn’t. Serenity said she had spent most of her time in Ghenna. Randy headed off and Serenity said she had only been in town a couple of weeks so she wasn’t getting her hands dirty yet. 

“Well I am glad to see you. Nice to see a familiar face again,” I told her honestly. 

“I’ll be around again some more, brought a few friends with me this time too.” 

“Even better. I’m sure you’ll see Natalie and Jimmy runnin’ around. They’re mine and Tom’s. Well, adopted.” I chuckled. 

“I’ll have to keep an eye out.” 

“Nat will more than likely have her nose in a book. How are you doing, Millard? I see you’ve got yourself a new job,” I looked at him, seeing the bugle in his hands and the cavalry uniform he was wearing. 

“Yessum! I’m doin’ fine. I’m on the lookout for injuns. I can blow this here bugle if’n i see em causing trouble.” 

“That’s a great job. Been lots of trouble on payrolls lately?” 

Starling held up her hands, giggling, and said, “Luckily I don’t cause trouble.” 

“I don’t think you can cause much trouble with a belly full of baby,” Serenity said. “You’d be waddling down the street instead of running.” 

“I seen the injun chief watching the payroll run,” Millard said. 

“Starling you’re one of the most peaceful people I know.” I laughed.

“Babies keep me out of trouble.” Starling grinned. 

“I’ll bet they do. Mine get me into trouble,” I said with a chuckle. 

“They cost a lot,” Starling pointed out. 

“Ma!!! Where are you???” Natalie shouted then. 

“By the bank sweetie!” I shouted over to her and chuckled. “Case in point.” Seeing Natalie running over, I saw she was panicked about something. “What’s wrong, kiddo?” 

“Ma! I can’t find Shira!” Nat exclaimed. 

I sighed and looked over to Serenity. “Welcome to my new life.” 

“Millard, have you seen Shira??” Nat asked him. 

“No, Nat,” Millard said and shook his head. 

“Shira, is that her pony?” Starling asked. 

“Dog,” I said with a chuckle. “Sweetie, are you sure she isn’t just out with your father or brother?” 

“Or it could be hiding from you,” Starling suggested. 

“Um…” 

“What were you doing when you noticed she was missing?” I asked her.

“Well uh... I think I heard Jimmy come in and the door opened and someone talked…” Nat said as she thought about it. 

“I bet her nose was in her book,” Starling suggested. 

“It mighta been… But the case was gettin’ real good ma and Sherlock was about to solve it!” 

Millard headed out then and Starling giggled. “Typical.” 

“Mmhmm. Always reading Sherlock and forgetting about the world around you,” I said and shook my head. 

Nat looked over at Serenity and said, “I don’t know you.” 

“She is like you Trin in to detective stuff all ready,” Starling observed. 

“She’s curious, that’s for sure.” I chuckled. 

“No, many forgot about me. I was here long before ya got adopted by Trin here. Name’s Serenity,” she introduced herself. 

“I’m gonna be a writer,” Nat said proudly. “Hi Miss Serenity.” Looking at me she asked, “Ma, is she the one who was with those bird people? And and um.... the rabbits?” 

“We’ve been uh... working through my memoirs from the past few years. Natalie’s helping me edit them.” I shifted on my feet. 

“Bird people, yes....but those days are long gone. I’m just an undertaker now, makin’ my money by burin’ folks proper,” Serenity snorted. 

“So you WAS one??” Serenity giggled. 

“Unless yer ma has some unsolved cases regardin’ them, I suppose I’ll leave that quiet fer now.” Serenity snickered. 

“Those cases are solved kiddo. We don’t hold the past against people.” I laughed. 

“Fer real? Ya’ll gave up on the black birds already?” Serenity looked at me. 

“Believe I solved those.” I laughed. 

“Well since the gang is pretty much dead and gone now, may as well let ya know I was the head runner fer it for a few years.” Serenity smiled. 

“Yeah, I knew.” I chuckled. “You, Punk, Jade… Wow, there’s a man I don’t miss. Punk. Or whatever name he chose to call himself.” 

“Don’t forget Alicia and Gabe too. Until they left. Punk...he’s still around. he got wind I came back and has been sneaking around.” 

“Ah yes, I did know that too. Especially when they suddenly left Black Diamond. Oh is he? What’s he goin’ by these days?” 

“Wasn’t that the guy in the wheelchair who pretended to be the marshal and Mr. Tye, ma?” Nat asked. “Did you know mister Tye?” 

“Still a pain in my as... behind. I still call him Punk,” Serenity said with a nod. 

“He seemed like a real character. I wish he were still around from what I been readin’ of him,” Nat said. 

“Name sounds familiar, but can’t say I recall interacting with him much,” Serenity said and shook her head. 

“Tye Durden was the sheriff here and in Black Diamond for a while. Good friend of mine. Taught me how to shoot better,” I told her. 

“Ahh, yes, that Tye. I remember him.” 

“His wife seemed real weird though,” Nat commented.

“Now Natalie…” I looked over at her. 

“Well ma she did!” 

“Least the kid is honest,” Serenity commented. 

“That she is.” I chuckled. 

“And and and the mayor who dressed up in a dress!” Nat remembered. 

I put a hand on her shoulder and said, “Nat, I think that’s enough reminiscing for today.” 

Wyette came over then and Starling headed off as Natalie introduced Serenity to Wyette, saying she buried daed people. Chris came over to join us and Natalie frowned a bit, making me wonder what I’d missed. 

“Last time I saw you you said I could be eaten by the Native lady,” Nat said to Chris and I blinked at her. 

“No. I was saying you need to mind your mouth a little bit sometimes before you get yourself or someone else hurt,” Chris told her.

“Well she was goin’ on about eatin’ my friends!” Nat complained. 

“And she was armed and you are a child.” 

“Never a dull moment.” I looked over at Serenity with a sigh. 

“You could have been really hurt, Natalie.” 

“Well then she shouldn’t have been telling me she’d eat me,” Nat protested. “I knew what she was sayin’. I studied Apache with ma.” 

“Sweetie, if Chris thinks that you were in danger, you should have listened to him,” I told my daughter. 

“Still. You mouthed off to an armed Apache warrior. You think you could have taken her?” Chris asked her. 

“I didn’t mouth off... I jes... Wyette, tell him!” Nat said and Wyette blinked. 

“Natalie Grace…” I warned. 

“I was there... I heard. She’s a bit crazy, but you were speaking words you couldn’t back up…” Chris held up his hand. 

“Natalie what did I tell you about how to deal with the Apache?” I asked, looking at her. “Have you learned NOTHING from my memoirs, child?” 

Serenity stood then and said goodbye as Chris mumbled, “Next time I’ll let her eat you…” 

Natalie sighed and  walked over to him. “I’m... I’m sorry mister Chris… You were right, Sir... I was wrong.” 

“You don’t owe me an apology, Natalie. I was just trying to help you, kid,” Chris said to her. 

“I know Mister Chris, but I was still rude to you and I sorry bout that.” 

“It’s okay,” Chris said with a smile. 

“Hey Chris… I haven’t talked to you yet. I’m workin’ a few cases... You mighta seen or heard somethin’,” I said as Nat and Wyette talked with Aspen who came over then. 

“I been away for a few days. What’s up?” Chris looked at me. 

“Well there’s been a couple fires in town..” 

“I heard about that. I have seen nothing.” 

“And a couple horses stolen in Black Diamond.” 

“Sorry. I got nothing.” 

“No worries Chris, had to ask.” 

“Reading the paper trying to catch up on what I’ve missed. Sorry I’m not much help.” 

“It’s alright, no one seems to be. Just got a bunch of circumstantial evidence.” 

I watched as the others talked and greeted Bianca as she came over to join us. I asked her if she’d been around town much and she said she hadn’t. “Alright. Just have a few cases on the go,” I told her. 

“Well I can tell you Joe didn’t do them… the bastard run off to Mexico,” Bianca said. 

“He what?!” I blinked. 

“Mexico?” Chris asked. 

“Mr. Joe is gone?” Nat asked with worry. 

“Left me a note sayin he went to Mexico.....might be back in a week,” Bianca said. 

“Oh... so he didn’t run off on you... thank God. I woulda sent someone to kill him,” I muttered. 

“Ma!” Nat exclaimed. 

“If he’s not back in a week I’m going down there to find him myself… all I might bring back is his….” She stopped then and looked around at the kids present. “Is his family jewels.” 

I nodded to her and said, “Don’t blame you there.” 

“He couldn’t even say good by to me,” Bianca said and I sighed, since I’d been there before with Joe too. “He’s got a week Trin… then I’m going to blow up that damn stile of his and go after him.” 

Natalie asked Bianca for some cookies in the hotel and then greeted Jeff as he walked over. We all continued to talk as Abi joined us and Bianca walked down towards Ghenna, feeling a bit too dazed to be in the crowd then. Some others came over and we continued to talk as Chris headed to the orphanage. Eventually, Nat and I headed home together.