Tombstone.
This morning I walked over to the hotel and found Pet, Sabi and Alex getting ready to have breakfast. I was embarrassed about how I acted yesterday with the raven but I tried to hide it when we started to have breakfast. Sabi looked at her then and said, “Some guy wants ta take me away!”
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
“I dunno, that’s what Uncle Alex said.”
“Well, Nat, you should know about this too, since you have red hair,” Alex said and I looked at him, confused. “There was some man this morning asking around for a little girl with red hair. He wanted to take her away. We think he means Sabi, but you should watch out just in case.”
“Did he... was it... raven?” I blinked.
“No, Nat.”
“Raven? The Apache girl?” Sabi asked.
“The guy with the raven…” I said.
“Ohh him. He is a bit crazy.”
“No, it wasn’t the man with the raven,” Alex said and I looked at him, afraid. “I don’t mean to scare you, Nat. I just want you to be on the lookout.”
“Mr. Alex…” I started.
“It is a bit skeery to think about,” Sabi nodded.
“Yes?” he asked. “It is, Sabi. But we’ll watch out for you. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I told everyone about the ravens feeding Elijah in the Bible but then.. It made me remember… About the ravens eating.... my…. And I thought they were gonna… So Mr ben brought me back to the orphanij. The other mr Ben. Jimmy said he’s got a slingshot.”
“I’ll have breakfast out directly,” Pet promised.
“Take your time, Pet,” Alex said and looked at me. “Nat, that bird isn’t going to hurt you.”
“You don’t get it,” I shook my head and looked at Pet, knowing she figured out my secret. “If big people go around without guns or stuff…”
“I’m not sure what Elijah and the raven did, but I’ve read Poe and that raven didn’t do anything bad, just sat there looking creepy. And well, they do eat things that aren’t so nice, but not little girls,” Alex said.
“But Mr Alex... they do!!!” I cried again. “She was gonna be... and then they. and then the ravens… and now the man wants…” I looked over when I saw Jimmy walking in. “You have your slingshot Jimmy?”
“Never leave without it,” he chuckled and pulled it out to show me, and I relaxed.
“Well, you eatin’, Jimmy?” Pet asked and brought over the plates of bacon, eggs, and biscuits.
“Come sit, Jimmy!” I invited him. “Miss Pet? I have a question.”
“Sure.”
“Who’s this man? That wants to take away a little red haired girl?”
“Yessum Miss Pet, my tummy cud smell yore cooking all the way down at the stables,” Jimmy said.
“Stables?” I looked over at him. “It’s okay, Jimmy has his slingshot. We’ll be okay if that man comes,” I told Sabi.
“Don’t you dare shoot him with a slingshot,” Alex looked at us. “I do not want any of you interacting with him.”
“But… What if…”
“I you see him, run and find an adult.”
“But who is he?” I cried.
“I don’t know who he is!” Alex said.
“We don’t know darlin’. But…”
“Well that don’t help,” I pouted.
“Just stay away from him, okay?” Alex told me.
“How we s’posed to know who to run from?”
“Stay away from any strange men you don’t know. You shouldn’t be around strange men you don’t know anyway.”
“It will be okies Nat, folks will pertect us,” sabi promised.
“You have the whole town to protect you from strangers,” Pet said and we thanked her for a great breakfast.
“I am sorry if this fella is causin trouble cause of me,” Sabi nodded.
“Cause of you?” I asked.
“It’s not because of you, Sabi. If some adult wants to make trouble, it’s his own fault,” Alex shook his head.
I looked over at Jimmy and said, “You were at the stables?”
“Miss Pet lets me take care of the horses now,” Jimmy nodded with a mouthful of food.
“Really?!” I asked, getting more excited.
“Miss Pet has the most beautiful horse, ad her name is Daisey.”
“I wanna see!” I said as I ate my breakfast. I had a thought and asked, “Mr Alex.... can I trust Mr Ben? Either one of them?”
“I don’t really know the one with the raven,” Alex said.
“But the other one? He was real pertective of me. Even hugged me when I was upset.”
“As far as the other one goes, I don’t think he’d hurt a kid. Just don’t do any odd jobs he asks you to do.”
“Okay. He did say he would shoot bad people.”
“He is a nice guy mostly,” Sabi said.
“I’m sure he would. He’ll also shoot good people… but like I said, he won’t shoot a kid,” Alex said. “You still reading sherlock, Nat?”
“Uh huh,” I nodded as I ate my eggs. “He found the treasure in the attic. So I’m on a different story now.”
“Those are entertaining stories.”
“I wonder if I could get a horse…”
“Wait, didn’t you used to have a horse named raven?” Alex asked.
“Nu uh,” I shook my head.
“The first day you met me you told me you had a horse once.”
“Oh yeah. Not raven though. Hey Jimmy…” I said as Pet filled our cups again. “Maybe after breakfast we can go to the horses?”
“We sure can if Miss Pet don’t mind..I think you will like Daisey,” Jimmy nodded as Pet cleaned up our plates. “Miss Pet is it ok is Natalie visits with me at the stables?”
“I wanna meet daisy.”
“scuse me a moment,” Sabi said and stepped out of the hotel.
“Of course she can, so long as she doesn’t soil her beautiful garment,” Pet smiled.
“Oh of course not Miss Pet, I wont let Natalie get all dirty,” Jimmy promised.
“You two have fun,” Pet grinned.
We thanked Pet for the breakfast and ran out to the stables. He introduced me to Daisy and we fed her and cleaned up her stall. I was amazed that he knew what to do so well. He told me that he helped take care of horses back on pa’s farm and his pa always said he was a natural.
“Hey Jimmy….?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think your pa would come back for you?”
Jimmy frowned, shaking his head. “e is serving life in prison, I don’t think so, unless he were to break out.”
“Oh…” I said, hearing a horse outside, and peaked out to look.
“Nat, Jimmi! Have you seen Sabi?” Alex asked frantically.
“Nu uh,” I shook my head. “She ok?”
“No sir,” Jimmy said.
“I don’t know,” Alex said and spun around to ride off.
“Something’s wrong,” I looked at Jimmy.
“Oh no!”
“Let’s go find Sabi!”
“Do you think we should?” he asked and I ran out of the stables. “Sabi!!” I shouted, seeing her down the street. “Sabi! Mr. Alex was looking for you!”
“Hiiii Nat!” she called to me.
“Mr. Alex!” I shouted for him.
“I go find him,” Jimmy said.
“Sabi what’s goin on?” I asked and nodded to Jimmy.
“Is that man back?” she asked.
“Mr Alex was scared for you. He couldn’t find you.”
“I dunno Nat, you heard what I did. Some guy is lookin fer me I guess.”
“But… Did you see him?”
“I ain’t seen anyone but tha folks at breakfast and Aunt Aly. I don’t think even my mommy is awake yet.”
Alex rode over and I called, “Mr. Alex we found her!”
“Hi Uncle Alex,” Sabi said to him. Alex let out a big sigh of relief and jumped off his horse to give her a big hug. “What’s goin on Uncle Alex??””
I saw two people I didn’t know and backed into the stable a bit as Alex said, “Sabi, your Aunt Aeryne was just shot. She’s going to be okay, but it was that bad man who did it.”
“Whaaa? Auntie Aeryne??” Sabi gasped and her eyes went wide.
“Hello folks this is our newest member.” Muriel introduced the woman. “This is Alystin, folks.”
I heard them talking about Sabi’s aunt getting shot and looked down, remembering that even people who wear guns get shot.
“Why Uncle Alex? She is nice aint she?” Sabi began to cry.
I ducked into the stables, hiding behind the horses and Jimmy came back to make sure I was okay.
***
Later this afternoon I went back to the hotel and nodded to Miss Paisley and Miss Pet and the other man who I didn’t know. I was still quiet, reflecting nervously on the morning’s events. I asked Mr. Ben who the man was and Ben said that he was the grave digger. I told them about the bad man coming after girls with red hair that might look like Sabi. I told them I had met Daisey and we talked about the horse. I wondered if I could help out at the library and then got some more cookies from miss Pet.
“You don’t wear guns, Mister,” I said to Mr. Joe, the grave digger.
“That’s a pretty dress ya wearing," Ben said to me.
“Nope, only for hunting game, old habits die hard,” Joe shook his head.
“Mr. Ben…” I looked at him.
“Yes Nat?”
“You’re the only one who can pertect us.”
“Oh, I’m sure Miss Pet has her gun handy too,” Ben chuckled.
“Psst, Nat,” Pet crooked her finger in a ‘come here’ gesture. “He’s not the only one.”
“You have a…” I looked at her with wide eyes. “But where?”
“Ya don’t wanna get her blood boiling ya know,” Ben said. “Touch a child and there ain’t no stoppin’ her.”
“Look over the way by the counter sweetie, just inside the door,” Pet said and I looked over at the desk. “Now open my Bible on my desk over there.” I walked over and opened the Bible, finding the gun inside it. I ran over and gave her a hug and she laughed. “You are very safe here, sweetie.”
“I feel better now,” I smiled. I saw a man walking by and they told me his name was Ansar Tater. We talked with him for a while and then I went over to the library to read.
***
Tonight I went to the hotel and Pet asked if I’d talked to Sabi, but I told her I hadn’t. I asked what was wrong but she said that she was just curious. I caught a look between Ben and Pet, getting more worried. They assured she was just eating dinner with her parents.
Bisbee.
I walked over to Bisbee and asked a man with a badge if he’d seen Sabi. I asked if she was okay but he hadn’t seen her. He told me his name was Mick and I wandered off to find her. I saw Jimmy and runned to him, practically running him over.
“Jimmy!!”
“Hey Natalie.”
“Jimmy something... happened... to Sabi.”
“What’s up?”
“Mr Ben and Miss Pet won’t tell me. But I could tell somethin’s wrong.”
“Oh no! Was it that man?”
“I dunno. I’m scared Jimmy. Wanna help me find her?”
“Did you hear her aunt got shot today?” He asked and I nodded. “Sure, we gotta look, I got my slingshot,” he said and took it out, along with some marbles.
“Come on Jimmy. I saw her aunt in this town before. Past that gate.”
Black Diamond.
“It’s spooky here,” Jimmy looked around.
“I don’t see her anywhere.”
“Me neither, this feels weird.”
“That’s the place we had breakfast once. Me and Mr Alex and Miss Trin and Miss Paisley,” I showed him the cafe.
“Let’s see if Miss Trin is home,” I said and knocked on the door. “I’m gonna write her a note. She should know something’s happening with Sabi.”
“Okay,” he looked around nervously.
I scribbled a note to her and left it in her mailbox. “She’ll solve it. She’s the greatest detective ever.”
“I think we better get back.”
“I think you’re right,” I nodded and we walked back towards the orphanage.
Tombstone.
“Let’s not tell anyone we went there ok?” Jimmy suggested.
“But they know I help Miss Trin. So I think it’s okay But you’re right. Something’s not right.”
“Yeah, but that is different. If something did happen to Sabi, they wont want us going off alone.”
“But Miss Trin had to know!”
“You’re right, jus you shouldn’t go off by yorsef. I go wit you when I can.”
“Jimmy, what if…” I held my arms across my chest, scared.
Jimmy reached in his pocket and took out his last piece of candy. “Here, you can have it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I know where to get more.”
Adriana came over and we told her about seeing the horses. Jimmy asked her if she’d seen Sabi and she hadn’t, so we told her about what we knew. I hugged Adriana and she asked, “Anything you want to tell me, Nat?”
“I umm went over to Bisbee to look for Sabi, cause someone said they thought she was missin.”
“They won’t tell me! No one’ll tell me anything Miss Adri!” I finally cried.
“Bisbee? Sabi does not live there…” Adriana said.
“That mean man today is lookin fer her,” Jimmy said.
“Mr Ben and Miss Pet looked at each other weird and I knew something was wrong!”
“Looking for who?” Angi asked as she walked over.
“The kids say….” Adriana sighed. “The kids say that Sabi was.. missing?”
“He say he lookin for red hair girl, somebody took from him, he do what it take to get back,” Jimmy said.
“I told them I saw her last in the early afternoon, over at the hotel,” Adriana said.
“Jimmy where’d you hear that?” I looked over at him.
“I have a really important letter to write. I’m sure if you tell the law, or her parents they can help you,” Angi said and walked into the orphanage.
“I told Mr Ranger Mick and he didn’t care!! He just walked away and said he hoped I found her!” I told them.
“Today..outside the Russ...Miss Sheriff, and Mr Alex, and Miss Pet were there,” Jimmy said.
“But maybe she is just out in the hills playing ... she did that before,” Adriana smiled.
I cried hearing Jimmy and reached out for him. He went over to me and said, “I wont let ’im get ya Natalie...I use my slingshot.”
“I’m scared for Sabi,” I told him.
“Not get who? Which man were you talking about earlier?” Adriana asked.
“You lef Mis Trin a note, she will get it,” Jimmy said and I nodded. “I don no his name Miss Adri..he strange man in town...no give name, or girl name..he mention autumn and airee somtim.”
“Oh… Maybe a friend of them?” Adriana suggested.
“Sabi was scared. I could tell,” I said.
“Sabi said she not no him..she say he pa die caus blue coats shoot hin,” Jimmi said.
“Sabi tends to… Never mind,” Adriana shook her head and I hugged Jimmy tightly.
“Well, why don’t you ask her parents then? Maybe they know more about it?”
“Don’t know who they are,” I said.
“As far as I know she has a big family,” Adriana smiled.
“It be okay Nat. We will find her… We get Miss Trin to track him,” Jimmy insisted.
“Did you all find Marshal Kris and tell him about Sabrina?” Angi asked. “Sitting here waiting means more time for something bad to happen.”
“He’ll just run off like that other ranger,” I shrugged.
“Who?” Jimmy asked.
“Kris!” Angi shouted.
“I am not sure if she is missing Ma’am. maybe she is just playing somewhere,” Adri said.
“Yes?” Kris walked over and I looked away from him.
“These kids said Sabrina is missing. I don’t know if they have checked her house or asked her parents,” Angi told him. “I need to mail this letter to the Stine’s. You are much more prepared to handle this.”
“Sabrina is with her parents ma’am,” Kris insisted. “Last I checked.”
“See, I told you kids,” Adriana said and I shook my head, not believing.
“But Miss Pet and Mr Ben….”
“What about them, Nat?”
“What happened now?” Kris asked.
“When last time you check Mr. Kris?” Jimmi asked.
“They were lookin all funny like they didn’t wanna tell me somethin’,” I told Adriana.
“A few hours ago, Jimmy,” Kris said.
“Maybe they were talking about something different, Nat,” Adriana suggested.
“Nu uh,” I shook my head.
“You weren’t der Miss Adri, that man was meeeen!” Jimmy insisted.
“Look, I saw her in the afternoon, the marshal saw her with her parents. She is fine, I’m sure.”
“I ain’t crazy or makin’ it up!” I cried.
“How did the man look like if you don’t know his name?” Adriana asked.
“Don’t worry, we find her,” Jimmy held me.
“Black Diamond Law is gonna be looking into the strange man, okay Natalie?” Kris smiled.
“Well, well, young lady, nobody said you were,” Adriana insisted.
“I see him, I look right at em!” Jimmy said.
“The marshall, Jimmy?” Adriana asked.
“That meen man...I lisin to him say he get the red hair girl back, no matter wat!” Jimmi insisted. “No him...he strange man I no see fore...I meen other man.”
“That story really is confusing me now….” Adriana murmured. “I would recommend you search for her parents. They can probably tell you more.”
“Mr Kris...I not make tis up..he was angry...ask Mr Alex..he know..we jus wanna make sore Sabi ok,” Jimmy said.
“Well in case I see the girl, I will tell her you are looking for her and are worried…” Adriana nodded.
“She is alright. Black Diamond law is gonna handle it,” Kris promised.
“See, so you agree. Somethin’s wrong. I told you, Jimmy.”
“Yes sir,” Jimmy said to Kris and looked to me. “Don’t worry. We go fine her witout aduls.”
“Maybe it’s bedtime first. Maybe they’ll find her by tomorrow and it’ll be okay,” I said and we walked into the orphanage to go to bed.
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