June 26, 1901

Tombstone. 

I walked down the street and nodded to Lex and Abi. When they greeted me I asked them, “Either of you witness the fire over in Black Diamond? At the campaign office?” 

“No, I haven’t,” Lex said. 

“Who’s campaign office?” Abi asked. 

“Jackson Menkes.” 

“Haven’t been to Diamond, but half the town would be happy about that,” Abi commented. 

“I s’pose they would. He’s not well liked from what I hear. I’ve no problems with the man myself though.” 

“Well I have a problem with him but I don’t like fires.” 

“Don’t know him,” Lex said. 

“Well I’ll keep walkin’ then. You two have a good evening,” I said and waved. 

I walked down the street and found Chris in front of Kate’s. “Evening Chris. Mind some company?” 

“Sure. Have a seat. I’m afraid I might not be very good company, though.” 

“Somethin’ on your mind?” I asked as we greeted Paisley who came over. 

“Too much.” 

“I know the feeling. I’m lookin’ into a couple fires over in Black Diamond. Campaign office and the ranger station.” 

“I heard. Menkes office,” Chris said. 

“Oh? Fires?” Paisley asked.

“Know much about it, Chris?” I asked. 

“Serves him right, but fires?” Paisley asked. 

“Not a thing, Detective,” Chris told me. 

“Office was burned down,” I explained. “Pretty sure I know who did it, but I’d love witnesses on top of evidence.” 

“Am I a suspect?” Chris asked. 

“I have not been in Black Diamond much,” Paisley admitted. 

“And we know nothing about the ranger station fire... Suzy barely stayed around for two sentences about it.” Looking at Chris I said, “Nope Chris. Just lookin’ for witnesses.” 

“Good. I figured I might be, considering.” 

“Why on earth would I suspect a preacher, Chris? “ I grinned and winked at him. 

“Did you toss your hat in Chris?” 

“It should be official tomorrow,” Chris said with a smile. 

“Wonderful!” Paisley exclaimed. 

“Excuse me?” I looked between the two. “You ain’t gonna be a preacher no more?”

“Why for Governor Trin!” Paisley said. 

“Oooh!” I grinned. “That’s much better.” 

“He can do both and he is a much better candidate than the others,” Paisley said. 

“I thought he was throwing his hat in as in... throwing in the towel,” I admitted. 

“Well, thank you. I’ll consider that your vote, Trin,” Chris said to me. 

“You got it, Chris. When are elections?” 

“I see a landslide in the future…” Paisley commented. 

“Miss Paisley, I’m counting on you to bring me all of the Dove’s votes.” Chris smiled at her. 

“I will spread the word of course..” 

“Chris... you’re a charming, single man..” I grinned. “I hardly think you’ll have a problem with the dove’s votes. Am I right, Paisley?” 

“Well… I wouldn’t go that far. I’m an alright fella, I guess,” Chris said humbly. 

“Pfft.. You are more than alright Chris,” Paisley said. 

“Just cart that little boy of yours around.. You’ll have all the town’s votes.” I winked at him. 

“Hey! Grand idea!” 

“Leo will surely win votes!” Paisley agreed. 

“That boy is a vote magnet, Chris.” 

Paisley spun a penny on the ground and picked it up and handed it to Chris with a grin. Chris took the penny and smiled. “One penny closer, huh?” 

“Of course! You need campaign funds Chris.. Every penny helps.” Paisley grinned. 

“Right. Campaign funds…” Chris laughed. 

“You know the Pinkertons will back you, Chris... We’ve got funds too…” I winked at him. 

“I appreciate that, Detective.” 

“ou’ve been there for me and my family on more than one occasion, Chris. It’s the least I can do. My daughter adores you.” 

“So, I have the Doves and the Pinkertons backing. Hmm Rev. Wulf is my campaign manager, so I’ll have the clergy’s support, of course.” 

“I think all the kids will sway voters to Chris..” Paisley said. 

“Mmhmm. Definitely. Landslide sounds just about accurate, Paisley.” 

“I do love those kids,” Chris said. “Oh, by the way... Paisley, how is Miss Kenzie?” 

“Yep… landslide.” Paisley looked over at Chris and said, “I have not seen her in a while.” 

“I spoke with her the other night. She was a little upset.” 

“Oh? She say why?” 

“Upset?” I put in. 

“Something about letting you down because of her schedule. Does that mean anything to you? I think she was confiding in her pastor,” Chris said. 

“I do not feel let down…” Paisley shook her head. 

“She is a mystery. One minute she’s a shy little thing and the next, she’s like a bunny rabbit with her tail on fire.” 

“I will let her approach me on it.” 

“She’s awful pretty…” he smiled and I smirked a bit. 

“Yes. And single…” 

“I seem to have a weakness lately.” 

I leaned back and sighed a bit and Paisley looked over at me. “Everything ok Trin?” 

“It’s been a long month..” 

“Don’t I know it…” Paisley said. 

“My mother died a few weeks back… So I’ve taken... some time off.” 

“Oh, I am so sorry Trin!” Paisley expressed her condolences. 

“She was very old... she had a good long life,” I told them. 

“Condolences. I noticed you haven’t been in town,” Chris said. 

“Still…” Paisley nodded. 

“Now both my parents are gone…” 

“I lost mine a while back. And my father more recently…”

“It’s brought up a lot of memories about my father’s death twenty years ago…” I admitted.

“I know how you feel. Me and Deb lost our parents when we were young.” 

“Took me a bit to get my head back on straight and into investigating again. : Now I’ve got two cases. One which I’ve got pretty much figured... The other…” 

“Well, we all have a new family here, right?” Chris smiled. 

“We sure do Chris,” Paisley said with a nod. 

“Suzy was all gungho for me to help her figure out who set the fires... It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out the campaign fire one… I’m not sure we have enough for a warrant without witnesses though…” 

“I bet Will. His biggest contender,” Paisley guessed. “Until Chris enters.” 

“I think Menkes set it himself,” Chris guessed. “Or paid them to.” 

“All the evidence points at him and Rikki. I even have boot prints. And the sign Will left on the window of the office. But Rikki was there too.” 

“And Rikki loves to play with setting fires or did,” Paisley commented. 

“I went on the train and got the print from the conductor car… Got her print from there since no one else drives that train.” I winked. “It was a definite match.” 

“They are almost joined at the hip,” Paisley said. 

“I had Will’s prints on file already. So that was a match.” 

“Well, Jeffery is a trained conductor, believe it or not,” Chris said. 

“Will and Rikki,” Paisley said. “Jeffery does so many things.” 

“Well... his prints would have been smaller…” I pointed out. 

“True.” 

“At any rate… Witnesses would put that case to bed.” 

“He’s gonna be driving the new Church Train,” Chris said. 

“But yeah... witnesses is gonna hurt it. No one witnesses anything around here anymore. Suzy barely stayed around to give me anything about the ranger fire. She just wandered off. I don’t even know where the damn station is. For the rangers out there. She mentioned the Canyon but... That’s all I know.” 

“I just hope all that dang shooting has stopped.” 

“Do either of you know where that station is?” 

“Ranger station? Yes,” Paisley said. 

“Where is it, Paisley? Is it too far into the canyon?” I asked. 

“If you go East at the Cantina and up the hill it is there.” 

“Thanks. I’ll have to wander out there.” 

“Very low on the border of Arizona Territory.” 

“Thanks, Paisley. I shall see you folks later. And Chris let me know if I can help with the campaign.” 

“Have fun wandering,” Paisley said. 

“Thanks Trin. I will,” Chris said with a smile.

I smiled at them and headed down the street to find the fort.