December 2020 Challenge story - The Killing - PG-13
Dec 31, 2020 10:38:01 GMT -8
Post by dakent on Dec 31, 2020 10:38:01 GMT -8
The Killing by DA Kent
Gunsmoke. M/K. PG-13.
(This would take place between Seasons 15 and 16.)
The story:
Ross Hanley, an arrogant man with no conscience, no empathy and no remorse, rides into Dodge City. He is here to kill a certain marshal who took his brother in to hang six years ago. He is a sharp shooter, who plans to shoot Matt down and then flee, but the moment he sees Kitty Russell, his plans change.
NOTES: I sometimes write in multiple POVs so it’s more cinematic.
I do not write the dialect for the characters, because we all know how they sound, and written dialect often makes a story harder to read. (The only exception is Festus’s dialect, because he is so eclectic.)
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The man rode quietly into town. He looked at the storefronts as he passed them, and noted the U.S. Marshal’s office across the way. He found the livery stable further down, and dismounted his horse as an older man came out to meet him.
“Howdy, Mister,” said Hank, reaching up to take the horse’s reins.
“Good evening to you, Sir,” said the man, untying his carpetbag from the saddle. “My horse could use some feed and water, and a good night’s rest.”
Hank nodded. “I’ll see to it. He’ll be here when you need him.”
“Thank you, Mister….”
“I’m Hank.”
“Thank you, Hank. Might you direct me to your best hotel in town?” asked the man.
“We only got one, Mister, but I ain’t never heard any complaints about it,” said Hank. “It’s the Dodge House, right over yonder.” He pointed the way.
The man tipped his hat. “Good evening to you.” He took off in the direction of the Dodge House.
Hank watched the man go. This new man in town was a fancy man, that was for sure. But he didn’t look like he’d be any trouble.
Hank took the horse inside the stable, not knowing how very wrong he was.
The man checked into the Dodge House. He signed in as Ross Hanley, which was his real name. He had no reason to use another. He wasn’t wanted by the law. His brother, Jess, had gone by a different last name – Wilson. Wilson had been their mother’s name before she and their father were married. Jess hadn’t wanted to dirty the family name of Hanley from the beginning, from the time he knew he was going bad.
But none of that mattered now. No one knew Ross Hanley, and no one knew he was in Dodge City to kill a certain marshal, the man who had taken his brother in to hang. Matt Dillon was the last man who had to die. The others who had taken a hand in his brother’s killing were already dead. It had taken six years, but it was done. Ross Hanley would get this final justice for his brother here in Dodge City, the end of the line. And then he would be done with everything he owed anybody.
Jess had been his brother, good or bad, and as soon as Dillon was dead, it would all be over. Ross would finally be able to make a life just for himself, with all debts paid in full.
Ross had heard Dillon was a fast gun. Well, that was all right. He didn’t intend to draw against Dillon. Ross was a sharpshooter, a trade he had learned well in the U.S. Army. He knew guns, how to handle them, and what they could and couldn’t do. He had a steady hand and a quick mind. He was methodical, steady, and accurate. He had never missed his target. But he wasn’t a fast gun, and he knew it. He didn’t have to be to accomplish what he was here to do.
Ross was tired of the trail, tired of traveling from one town to another for the sole purpose of vindicating his brother’s death.
After checking into the Dodge House, Ross went back down the stairs to the front desk.
“Where can a man get a drink?” he asked the desk clerk. “What’s the best saloon in town?”
“Why, the Long Branch,” said the clerk. “And it’s right down the street,” he said, pointing in the general direction.
“Thanks,” Ross said, heading for the door.
Outside, Ross stopped and lighted his cigar. He inhaled. Cow town. No question about it. Dodge City was a cow town. And he hated cow towns. Prairie cowboys who spent too much time on the range came to cow towns to spend their month’s wages in a day. They drank and gambled, then worked hard for another full month just to do it again. They didn’t know any better, but they were a tiresome lot, and Ross was more than tired of them.
Finishing his cigar, Ross tossed it into the street, and crossed over to the Long Branch. He pushed through the swinging doors and looked around. It seemed like all the Saturday night cowboys found this place eventually. Ross headed over to the bar and found a spot near the far end. The saloon was busy, that was for sure. But he was very good at standing around, nursing a drink, and listening. It was something he’d learned to do a long time ago. A bar was the best place to find out information.
“Whiskey,” he said to the barkeep the man next to him had called Sam.
Sam poured a generous amount of the liquid into a glass. Ross threw two dollars on the bar. “I’d like the bottle, if you don’t mind, Sam,” he said.
Sam nodded, left the bottle and took the money, before moving to the other end of the bar.
Ross took a sip. This was better whiskey than he was used to getting at most saloons. He hadn’t asked for the best, so this was the house whiskey. Not bad at all.
Suddenly, the door to his left opened, a door marked PRIVATE, and the most beautiful woman he had ever seen came out to the bar.
“Sam,” she called to the bartender.
Sam came over to her right away.
“Everything okay tonight?” she asked.
Ross watched as Sam nodded. Evidently these two had their own language.
“Just fine, Miss Kitty,” said Sam. “Everything is fine.”
“Good,” she said.
“Whiskey, Miss Kitty?” asked Sam, evidently also knowing when the lady would or wouldn’t want a drink.
“Fine, Sam,” she said, looking around for herself, as Sam poured her a drink.
Ross had never in his life been so intrigued. And she was a redhead. That alone nearly brought him to his knees. He had always loved redheads, though they weren’t all that common. They were smart and stubborn, and usually passionate as hell. But even with all that, this one seemed special, and she was full of class.
Sam moved away, and the lady took a sip of her whiskey. She didn’t flinch. Ross grinned. This was not only a real lady, but one who was used to her own whiskey.
Suddenly, a group of cowboys near the back got noisier. Some were laughing, and some sounded threatening.
“Sam,” said Kitty. “Give me a couple of bottles.”
Sam handed Kitty two bottles of whiskey, and she took off for the cowboys in back.
Ross watched as the men settled down once Kitty got back to them with the whiskey. She joked with them and they laughed. She told them they had to keep it down to a reasonable level, and someone said something about the marshal. The men laughed some more, and one of them made another remark Ross couldn’t make out. She told him she liked to take care of things herself if she could. After all, it was her saloon. The men bantered with her some more, and she let them enjoy looking her over as they talked to her. None of the men treated her with anything less than respect, though, Ross noted.
Kitty had a way of settling the men down, and by the time she left them, they were back to playing cards and laughing. But they were also quieter. Kitty put some coins in the till, then went back to her whiskey.
Not much impressed Ross Hanley these days, but this lady sure did. She had handled that situation like a pro. She sure knew her clientele. He moved a foot closer to her end of the bar, and removed his hat. He placed it on the bar.
“Good evening, Miss Kitty,” he said.
The lady quickly glanced at him. “Do I know you?” she asked.
He smiled. “No, ma’am. I’m new to Dodge City. But I heard the barkeep call you ‘Miss Kitty.’”
He saw her relax.
“Welcome to Dodge, Mr….”
He smiled. “Hanley. Ross Hanley.”
“Mr. Hanley,” she finished. “You have business in town?”
He smiled. She was used to learning all about the men who frequented her saloon. He didn’t blame her. A woman couldn’t be too careful these days, especially in rough towns like Dodge City. He just couldn’t figure out why a refined, beautiful woman like this would settle in a miserable cow town in the first place.
“I do, that I do, Miss Kitty,” he said. “But it shouldn’t take more than a few days. Soon I’ll be nothing more than a figment of someone’s imagination.”
She smiled at that. “Well, now, that’s if your business is done quietly and you sneak out of town, Mr. Hanley. Folks around these parts have long memories otherwise.”
He laughed. He loved the sound of her voice. “We’ll see which way it goes then,” he said. Ross couldn’t remember the last time he had enjoyed a conversation with a woman. Then he realized he hadn’t enjoyed any conversation in longer than he could remember. “This is obviously your place, Miss Kitty. You own it, and run it?”
“I do,” she said.
Ross waited for more, but the lady wasn’t forthcoming. “And how long have you owned this fine establishment, Kitty? You don’t mind my calling you ‘Kitty,’ do you?”
Kitty looked into his eyes, and he knew she was assessing his character. Well, that was fine with Ross. She would see just what kind of gentleman he was. His father had raised him right.
She didn’t answer the last part of his question. “I’ve owned the Long Branch for fifteen years,” she said.
He nodded. “I knew it was awhile.” He took a sip of his whiskey.
“How did you figure that?” she asked.
He looked into her eyes. “The place has class, Kitty, just like you. And a saloon doesn’t pick that up overnight. It takes care, and time. It takes a lady who serves a better grade of whiskey as her house brand than the other saloons. That means she cares about her reputation, and doing more than just enough to get by.”
He smiled, but she didn’t return the smile.
“I apologize if I‘ve said too much, Kitty. Sometimes my mouth starts running and doesn’t know when to quit. Too often, I say what I think when I should have kept quiet.”
Kitty looked into her glass a moment. “That’s all right, Mr. Hanley. Thanks for the compliment.” She finished her whiskey without a flinch and put the glass down.
He wanted more than anything to hear her call him, ‘Ross,’ but he stopped himself from asking her to. He had already made her wary.
“You’re welcome.”
“If you’re a gambling man, Mr. Hanley, the poker tables will start up soon,” she said.
“I’ve been known to gamble a little, Kitty, but I don’t feel like Lady Luck is with me tonight.” He met her eye and she didn’t look away.
He touched his bottle. “May I refill your glass?” he asked.
“No thanks, Mr. Hanley,” she said. “I have work to do. Good luck with your business.”
He nodded at her, and Kitty left through the door behind her, that door marked PRIVATE.
Ross Hanley had never been so taken with anyone in his life. He took his bottle to an empty table across the way and filled his glass. He wasn’t a man who drank heavily, but he knew men who drank alone in a saloon were usually left on their own, and so he sometimes hid behind a bottle. He sipped his whiskey, and thought about things.
Maybe it was timed just right that he was soon going to finish up his family business. He had wanted to get it done so he could move on, even though he didn’t know what direction he wanted to go in alone. He had no one left now – no family, and no woman. He had spent the last six years tracking down every man who had in any way taken part in his brother’s killing. The jailer and the hangman had been easy, but he had also backtracked and killed the four men responsible for his brother turning to a life of killing and horse stealing. They had split up, and he had to track them one at a time, but now they were dead, too. Everyone got what he deserved eventually. And sometimes they just had to be helped along getting there. But now, the last one was Dillon. Ross had intentionally saved him for last. Killing Dillon would mark the end of it all.
And wasn’t it fitting that Ross would find the woman he’d been waiting for his whole life In the same town where he was finishing his old business?
He would take her away from all this. Kitty was a class act, and he had the money to take her to St. Louis, or San Francisco – wherever she wanted to go. She deserved to live in a fancy town, and look beautiful walking around wearing fancy clothes, and coming home to Ross Hanley.
He couldn’t figure why she wasn’t a married woman, but maybe she was just choosy. It had to take quite a man to please a woman like Kitty, but Ross Hanley would do everything in his power to take her away from Dodge City and make her happy. She may not know it yet, but Ross Hanley was the man she had been waiting for all her life.
It suddenly occurred to Ross that he didn’t even know Kitty’s last name. He took the remainder of his bottle up to the bar and refilled his glass. Maybe he would learn it here.
A few minutes later, three men came in through the swinging doors and found a place at the bar. They were talking and bragging, and Sam filled three glasses with whiskey and left the bottle. The men continued with their big talk, and Ross determined this was their usual monthly visit. That’s the way it often was in a cow town.
One of the men called “Joe” by the others, yelled over at Sam, “Hey Sam, where’s Miss Kitty tonight?”
Sam was cleaning glasses a few steps away from them. “She was here earlier, Joe, but she’s working in her office right now. I’m sure she’ll be out again shortly.”
Joe laughed. “Well, we sure can’t leave until we see her, Sam. A trip to Dodge, and a bottle in the Long Branch, just isn’t the same without taking in the scenery. And I mean all of the scenery!”
Joe laughed, and the other two men laughed, but they all three seemed harmless enough.
Sam continued with his chore. “You boys just behave yourselves.”
“Now, Sam,” said another of the three, “You know we just like to show our appreciation for Miss Russell. She’s awful nice to look at after a month on the trail, if you know what I mean.”
Sam just shook his head. “All in all, I don’t know how Miss Kitty puts up with you three a-gawkin’ at her all the time.”
“Well, she don’t complain any, Sam, and we sure don’t, either!” said the third man.
So, thought Ross, it was Kitty Russell. He decided to stay around and see how things played out.
It wasn’t more than twenty minutes before Kitty came out of her office and into the saloon. She went behind the bar to get something, but glanced up and noticed the three men. “Well, look who finally made their way to town. ‘Evening, boys.”
The three of them called out to her, pleased to see her, and also pleased that she noticed them.
She moved down to where they stood on the other side of the bar, and refilled their glasses with the bottle sitting in front of them. They obviously loved being waited on by Kitty.
“Has it been a month already?” she asked, as she poured.
“That’s right, Miss Kitty, a whole month,” said Joe.
She smiled at them. “Well, it’s good to see you boys.” She turned to go, but stopped. “Oh, and if you decide to start a poker game after you’re drunk, be sure to keep it a nice friendly game, all right?”
The men laughed and agreed. They said they would see her later and watched in appreciation as she moved away.
Kitty pulled a ledger out from under the bar and straightened. She looked right at Ross Hanley. “Are you still here, Mr. Hanley?” she asked, with a smile.
He smiled back. “Well, I sat over there for awhile,” he said, nodding towards the table, “but then I decided to come back to the bar. A man can learn a lot more from standing at a bar than sitting at a table alone.”
Kitty nodded. “Are you looking to learn something special, Mr. Hanley, or just don’t have anything else to do at the moment?”
Ross took a sip of his drink. “Maybe a little of both,” he said. “For example, now I know your full name is Kitty Russell. I just learned that a few minutes ago.”
“And was that information you were looking for, or did it just happen to come your way?” she asked.
Ross wanted to make sure she knew he had no wrong reason for wanting to know. As beautiful as Kitty was, he was sure she had to be on her guard at all times when it came to men. And he didn’t mean her any ill intentions. She was the woman he was going to marry, after all.
“A man gets lonely, Kitty. I travel a lot, roam from town to town, and so I set up in bars like this for entertainment sometimes. I never stay in town long, so it doesn’t do me any good to make friendships that won’t last but a few days. So I drink, and I listen, and if I’m lucky I go to bed a little smarter than I was the day before.”
“That sounds like a real lonely way to live, Mr. Hanley.”
He opened his mouth to ask her to call him “Ross,” but decided to wait on that. Instead he said, “Not always, Kitty. It’s just a way of life for a simple man.”
She chuckled. “Some may believe that, but something tells me you’re anything but a simple man.” She picked up her ledger. “Good night, Mr. Hanley.” Kitty left for her office again.
Ross figured Kitty Russell knew men pretty well. She had taken care of the men in the back just fine, and also the ones at the bar just down from him, and she had scoped Ross out to see if he would be any trouble.
He also knew he had to leave the Long Branch soon. If she were to come out again and see him still hanging around, he would be overstaying his welcome.
“Sam,” he called to the barkeep.
Sam walked over. He glanced at Ross’s bottle that still had plenty of whiskey left in it. “Can I help you?”
Ross Hanley picked his hat up off the bar. “Thank you for your hospitality this evening, Sam. But I do have a question. Does Miss Russell have a particular suitor?”
Sam stared at Ross.
The three cowboys who had talked with Kitty earlier turned toward Ross. He was expecting that, had spoken loudly enough for them to hear, in fact.
Joe spoke first. “Now why would you be interested in knowing that about Miss Kitty, Mister?”
Ross smiled disarmingly. “Just curious, Sir. Just curious. A man comes to town, buys a bottle in a saloon he’s never been in before, and sees the most beautiful woman in the world there. She owns the saloon, wears no wedding ring, and he has to wonder, that’s all.”
Kitty’s protector, Sam, spoke up. “And you can just leave it at wondering, Mister,” said Sam.
“Now, it’s okay if he gets an answer to his question, Sam. After all, he can find it out anywhere in town, and knowing the answer might keep him outta trouble,” said Joe, then took a sip of his whiskey. He was a big man now, with all the answers. “Miss Kitty is taken, Mister. She’s been taken a long time. And you sure wouldn’t want to mess with her man, that’s for sure.”
Ross slowly moved his hat around in his hands. “Is that a fact, Joe?”
Joe flinched slightly when Ross called him by name, but then quickly figured Ross had heard it earlier. “It’s a solid fact, Mister, so you need to ferget about her.”
Ross smiled. “As I said, Joe, I was just curious. But I’m also curious to know what kind of man would hold onto her a long time, as you say, without marrying her.”
“That don’t matter none. It’s their business,” said Joe, leaning back on the counter.
“Sure it is,” said Ross. He noticed Sam hadn’t moved away. “Gentlemen, I’m just in town on business. I caught sight of something I’d like to know a little more about is all. I always find it interesting when a beautiful woman isn’t married, and now I see the loveliest of them all is single. But curiosity is all it is, I assure you. I’ll be leaving town in a few days.” He moved his half-empty bottle of whiskey over to Joe. “Perhaps you can finish that for me, Joe,” he said. “I need a clear head for my business tomorrow.”
Joe’s eyes lit up at the amount of whiskey left in the bottle. Suddenly, he was more talkative and less suspecting. “What kind of business you here about, Mister?”
Ross smiled again. He knew how to disarm people with just the right smile for the occasion. Half a bottle of whiskey didn’t hurt, either. He saw Sam and the other two cowboys pay close attention.
“Joe, I have some business with the town marshal in the morning. I didn’t get to town until late afternoon, so I haven’t had time to look him up yet.”
“Mister, Marshal Dillon is out of town. He won’t be back until the day after tomorrow,” said Sam.
“Ah, well now, that’s what I get for not wiring ahead to make sure he’d be in town,” said Ross.
“Is the marshal expecting you?” one of the other men asked. His tone said he didn’t think so.
“No, Marshal Dillon isn’t expecting me,” said Ross. “I thought I’d pay him a surprise visit, so now I’ll just have to wait until he returns.”
“You must not know him too well,” said Joe. He was starting to wonder what kind of business this fancy man had with Marshal Dillon.
“No, no I don’t, Joe,” said Ross. He was intrigued. How did this Joe figure Ross didn’t know Dillon well? “But I’m curious as to how you were able to ascertain that?”
Joe looked at him blankly.
Ross tried again. “How did you determine I didn’t know the marshal well, when I hadn’t said much about him at all?”
Joe grinned, feeling important. “Because if you knew him at all, Mister, you’d a known Miss Kitty is his woman.”
Ross felt his stomach tighten, and his heart begin to race. “Is that so?” Dillon again. Ross put his hat carefully on his head.
“Sure is,” said Joe. “Anybody who knows the marshal at all knows that.”
“Well, Joe,” said Ross, “I just said I have business with him. I didn’t say I actually know him. Now, Gentlemen, I have to get some sleep. The ride into town today was a long one. Good night,” he said, tipping his hat and making his way out the front door.
After Ross was gone, Sam moved closer to the three men at the bar and topped off their glasses with the remainder of the bottle Ross had left.
“I wonder what kind a business he could have with the marshal?” asked Joe.
The looks on the faces of the three other men showed they were thinking the exact same thing.
Ross entered his room at the Dodge House and removed his jacket. He poured himself a brandy from the bottle he always carried with him. He wasn’t much of a whiskey drinker, but he was a man who liked his brandy at the end of the day.
He sat and put his feet up, and sipped his brandy.
Kitty Russell.
He had never been so smitten, and he knew it. He had fallen for her, head over heels. She was everything a man could want in a woman. She was beautiful, classy, and smart. And she wasn’t some kid. She was a seasoned woman, with a body that could stop a man dead in his tracks, and one that had probably been the subject of many men’s dreams over the years. He could tell by the way the cowboys stared at her this evening that she was one of the main attractions in town.
And she was Dillon’s.
Ross got up and moved about the room, carrying his brandy glass with him. It was unsettling that she belonged not only to a lawman, but to the very one he had come here to kill. It didn’t matter that Dillon was a dead man, but it mattered that Dillon had been holding onto the woman Ross wanted more than anything in the world.
His business with the town marshal just might take a little longer now.
Ross had intended to keep an eye on Dillon for a day or two to see what kind of man this marshal was, the man who took his kid brother in to hang, but now he had an even bigger reason to watch him. When Matt Dillon got back to town, Ross was going to see what was so special about him that a woman like Kitty Russell would let him hang his hat inside her door.
As soon as he had that figured out, he would deal with Dillon, and then take Kitty Russell for his own. He would show her what a real man was made of.
Ross was very good at watching people. He had done little else in the past six years. But he also knew he had a lot to offer the right woman. He was good-looking – many women had been attracted to him over the years, even without knowing he had money. He caught the stares of women every day when he walked the street of any town he visited. Kitty’s interest in him had been different, though. She just wanted to gauge what kind of man he was. But she would pay attention to him as a man soon. Very soon.
He had plenty of money, plenty of charm, and good looks. He was also smart. He would be a good match for Kitty Russell. She would soon get used to being treated special.
But this only made Ross wonder even more what made a man like Dillon allow Kitty to run a saloon, spend time around the type of men who frequented those places, and not be at home with him at night. Whatever the reason, Ross would be the better off for it. When Kitty came to him, as she would soon, Ross would make her every dream come true. She wouldn’t have to run a saloon or put up with the stares of the men there. She would belong only to Ross, and he would pamper her and make her proud to be his.
Ross went to sleep that night with a smile on his face, and dreams of taking Kitty Russell to bed and loving her the way she deserved to be loved.
Soon, very soon, Ross Hanley would have Kitty Russell for his very own.
The following morning, Ross pushed through the doors of the Long Branch Saloon. A couple of cowboys with beer and a deck of cards sat in the back corner, and the most beautiful woman in the world sat at another table, looking over her ledger and drinking a cup of coffee. A coffee service was set up on her table.
Ross smiled. Kitty was even more beautiful this morning with a cup of coffee in her hand rather than a glass of whiskey. The blouse she wore was lovely, and it highlighted her cleavage. Her beautiful red hair fell soft around her face. Ross wanted to stand and stare at her for awhile, to commit this moment to his memory forever, but he knew that wouldn’t sit well with Sam, who was busy behind the bar already this morning. And it wouldn’t sit well with Kitty, either, and she mattered more.
Kitty looked up as Ross walked over to her table. “Good morning, Mr. Hanley,” she said, not seeming in the least surprised that he had resurfaced this morning.
Ross tipped his hat. “Good morning, Kitty,” he said. “Do you mind if I join you? I was on my way to the local delicatessen for my morning coffee, but as I passed by, I noticed you have coffee service right here in the Long Branch.”
Kitty looked at him a moment longer, then relented. “Please,” she said, motioning him to a chair. She poured a cup of coffee and put it in front of him.
Ross put both sugar and milk in his coffee and stirred it slowly. He could feel Kitty watching him.
Looking up, Ross smiled at Kitty. “A business owner’s work is never done, I suppose,” he said, nodding towards the ledger.
“Unfortunately, that’s correct,” she said. She closed the ledger and poured more coffee into her own cup.
Ross noticed she didn’t add either milk or sugar to her coffee. He smiled. This lady liked strong whiskey and strong coffee. She would like a strong man, too. Ross could handle that part, but he was also now forewarned not to underestimate Marshal Dillon in that category.
“I saw how you handled the drinking men in back last night,” said Ross, taking a sip of his coffee. “You settled them right down. It was impressive.”
“Oh?”
He smiled. “You know your way around men, Kitty.”
“I’ve been around ‘em a long time,” she said.
“That may be, but you know things most people never learn,” he said.
“I’ve made it my business to know men, Mr. Hanley. I can’t imagine running a saloon without a little advantage.”
Ross only got more impressed with this lady the more he knew about her, and the more he saw how she handled herself. Most women couldn’t take care of themselves half as well as he figured Kitty could. And she didn’t pretend to need help. As she told the cowboys in back last night, she preferred to handle things herself. Whereas so many women liked to pay helpless, Kitty Russell was strong and didn’t mind people knowing it.
This morning, Kitty wore more subtle clothing for daytime, but it was just as elegant as what she wore last evening to serve drinks to the cowboys when Sam had needed help. Her jewelry was flashy in a way, but she also wore nice pieces. Ross wondered if the larger rings were to make up for the fact she didn’t wear a wedding band.
“Mr. Hanley…” Kitty said.
“Please. It’s Ross.” He couldn’t stand for her to be so formal with him. She already belonged to Ross, even though she didn’t realize it yet. He had to be careful, and lead her to him slowly. This incredible woman would take some time to come around, and he understood that. He couldn’t get overly anxious. He had to take comfort in the fact she would belong to him in time, when things were settled in Dodge, when the marshal was dead and he could take her away from all this.
Kitty Russell would be worth the wait.
Kitty looked hard at Ross. She didn’t repeat his name. “I have work to do,” she said, standing. She picked up her ledger. “Stay as long as you want. The coffee is on the house,” she said, moving away before Ross could even speak.
Kitty shared a glance with Sam as she went through the door to her office. And Ross noticed Sam was paying special attention to him this morning, as he sipped his coffee.
Ross smiled to himself. That was good.
Sam would continue to watch over Kitty, and care for her, until Ross could claim her for his own.
Kitty put the ledger on her desk, and poured herself a brandy. She didn’t usually drink this early, but she needed some time to think, and brandy always soothed her. She sat in her chair and settled back. Ross Hanley. The name meant nothing to her.
Sam told her this morning that Hanley had left soon after Kitty went back to her office late last night. Sam also said Hanley was very interested in her personal matters, and mentioned he had business with the marshal. Kitty couldn’t figure whether the two things had anything to do with each other, but she would mention it to Matt tomorrow when he got back to Dodge.
Kitty searched her memory. She was sure Matt had never mentioned anyone named Hanley, and she was also sure the man wouldn’t be on a Wanted poster. Men on Wanted posters weren’t so open to talking with just anyone.
She sighed. There were so many years behind her in Dodge now, and so many cowboys and gunslingers had come through town that it was hard to keep up with them all. Still, Ross Hanley didn’t look familiar and his name wasn’t familiar. He was a fancy man, though, not the gunslinger type, and something about him didn’t seem like a businessman, either. Kitty didn’t know what kind of business he could have with Matt, but something about that just seemed off to her, as well.
She would be glad when she could talk with Matt about all this tomorrow.
Kitty finished her brandy. She had to get back to work. The whiskey vendor would be here soon, and she had a large order to place. The end of the month was just around the corner, and the drovers would be in town. Kitty sighed. It was a busy time, and the days were exhausting. But, it was also her best time for making a little extra money for her bank account, and for having a couple of new dresses made that her cowboy would never notice.
She smiled. It had taken time, but she had made peace with the fact that Matt Dillon never noticed her new clothes, or how she wore her hair.
One day, about ten or so years ago, when she had been upset that Matt once again didn’t notice her new dress, Doc had taken her aside. “Kitty,” he’d said, “I thought by now you’d figure this out for yourself, but I see you need a little help.”
Kitty hadn’t smiled, and she’d stood with her arms crossed and an angry expression on her face.
No, Kitty hadn’t smiled then, but she smiled now at the thought of how Doc had handled the situation.
“Kitty,” Doc had rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’m not sure how you’ll take this, but I’ll just be truthful and tell you how it is. Matt Dillon doesn’t notice what you wear, and he doesn’t notice how you do your hair, and he doesn’t notice all those other things you do to make him notice you, because he’s just not interested in all that. He’s already noticed you. You know he’s a black and white kind of man, Kitty. Matt Dillon knows what’s in your heart, and he knows about your kindness, and how you think and feel about things. And that’s what’s important to him, Kitty – not what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside.”
Kitty had just stared at Doc, saying nothing.
“Kitty, do you understand what I’m saying?” asked Doc.
Suddenly, the tears had spilled out of her eyes and ran down her face. Matt Dillon wanted her because of who she was, and not just how she looked. Doc had been surprised at her reaction, but he had taken her by the shoulders and pulled her into his arms and held her while she cried.
That was the last time she had literally cried on Doc’s shoulder, although she had done so figuratively many times since.
But that was also the day she accepted that her new dresses had to be for her, and not to impress Matt Dillon. And somehow, that did make life a little bit easier. She didn’t have to do anything special to impress Matt. He was hers, and she was his. That’s just the way it was.
And that was all right with Kitty Russell.
Kitty smiled just the same. Even though Matt Dillon was with her because of what was on the inside, she knew of many times he appreciated what was on the outside, too. She had to agree with Doc, though – the dress didn’t really matter. Matt was pretty darn good at taking any one of them off her.
So, Kitty wore new dresses to make herself feel more attractive, and when she felt more attractive, she flirted more with Matt Dillon, and she made more innuendos, and she even flat-out told him what she had in mind if he wanted to visit her up in her room after hours.
And Matt Dillon never complained about any of it.
Later that evening, Kitty changed into her dark green dress and checked over her hair and makeup. It was time to go downstairs to help Sam out. She had noticed earlier that the saloon was getting busier. She knew Matt would be back in town tomorrow morning and there was no better way to make the time pass than to wait on drunken cowboys.
Kitty sighed. If she was lucky, her girls could handle most of the cowboys this evening and she could just help when she was needed. She had really missed Matt the last couple of days. Sometimes it happened like this, and she could never put her finger on the times she would miss him a little and the times she would miss him a lot. She just knew that sometimes she felt like a schoolgirl the evening before he was due back in town. Even after all these years, the attraction she felt for that man was overwhelming. It was physical, yes, but so much more.
Leaving her room, Kitty walked out to the stairs. Business was picking up. She smiled and started down. As she made her way to the bar, she noticed Ross Hanley sitting at a table in the corner with a bottle of whiskey. There was something unsettling about that man. Kitty couldn’t put her finger on it exactly, but she always trusted her instincts where men were concerned.
Doc was standing at the far end of the bar, but turned as he saw Kitty walking towards him.
“Good evening, beautiful lady,” said Doc, smiling and tossing back the rest of his whiskey.
“Well! Thank you for that. And just how many of those have you had?” she asked, smiling back at her best friend.
Doc shook his head. “Not nearly enough! Mavis Lewis gave birth to two healthy baby boys just this afternoon!” Doc’s eyes were bright.
Kitty laughed. “Well, that calls for another. Sam, two whiskeys.”
“All right, you talked me into it,” said Doc.
“It sure didn’t take much,” she said. “I wish I could talk everyone else into things so easily.”
“You’re thinking of one man in particular, Kitty, and you just happen to be the only one who can talk him into anything at all, so be glad.”
Kitty laughed. “You are in a good mood!”
Sam poured two whiskeys and Kitty raised her glass. “To Mavis!” she said.
Doc touched her glass with his. “Here, here!”
They both took a sip of whiskey.
“So, she pulled it off, Doc. I know you were worried about both of the babies coming through all right. But you said they’re both healthy?”
“Healthy, and with well-developed sets of lungs!” said Doc.
Kitty laughed. “That’s wonderful news, Doc,” she said. “I know you’ve really taken good care of Mavis through all this. And it looks like it was well worth it.”
Doc shook his head and scratched his ear. “I was worried, Kitty. But Mavis did everything I told her to, and she did her best to stay off her feet these last couple of weeks. And it worked out for the best.” Doc took a deep breath. “I’m going back out there tomorrow to see how the boys made it on their first night in the brand new world. You want to go with me?”
Kitty shook her head. “Next time, Doc.”
“Oh, that’s right, the marshal is coming back tomorrow, isn’t he?” asked Doc, with a knowing look in his eye.
Kitty nodded. “He sure is,” she said.
“One would think that after what, oh fifteen or sixteen years, something like that, you could do without seeing him for an extra few hours here and there,” he said, just to see what Kitty would say.
Kitty smiled. When Doc started talking fancy talk, he was feeling mighty good. “One would think it, wouldn’t one?”
“I just can’t get you riled, can I?” he asked, noting how especially lovely she looked tonight, particularly with all those stars in her eyes when talking about Matt Dillon.
“No, you can’t, Doc. Just a few more hours and Matt’ll be home.”
Doc grinned. “Well, you two will no doubt need some time to catch up.”
“And I hope we get that time, Doc – alone,” she finished, giving Doc a wink.
Doc shook his head and took another sip of his whiskey. “After all these years, I don’t know where you two still get the energy, Kitty,” he said.
Kitty laughed. “That isn’t the problem, Doc,” she said. “It’s finding some time alone that’s the real problem – always has been.”
“I know, I know – it’s often difficult for you two to get some time together, with the marshal being such a popular man,” he said.
Kitty leaned in closer to Doc. “Doc, don’t look around now, but there is a man in a dark suit in the far corner with a bottle. He keeps to himself, but has been watching us ever since I came down. His name’s Ross Hanley. Does that name mean anything to you, or maybe the man himself?”
Doc glanced around when he could and saw the man Kitty was talking about. He turned back to Kitty. “No, never saw him before tonight,” he said. “You know him?”
“Yes, well, just since last night,” she said.
Doc could hear the concern in her voice. “What is it, Kitty?” he asked.
She looked down. “I’m not sure, Doc. He was in here quite awhile last evening. He says he has business with Matt, but he sure doesn’t look like a man Matt would have any kind of business with.”
Doc nodded. “He didn’t say what it was?”
“No,” she said. She took a sip of her whiskey.
“Well, you sure seem bothered by it,” said Doc.
“I can’t put my finger on it, Doc, but the man doesn’t sit well with me.”
“He sure watched you walk down the stairs like a man who was waiting for you,” said Doc.
Kitty looked at Doc. “What do you mean?” she asked, frowning.
“How can I explain… you see, when you and I are going to have supper together, and you come down those stairs looking the way you do, well… there’s a sense of pride a man has in knowing he’s the one you’re coming down to see.”
Kitty looked at Doc. “Is that right?” Her voice said she didn’t quite get that.
“You bet that’s right. It’s a look that Matt Dillon usually has on his face when you walk down, and one I get to have occasionally.”
“A look?” she asked, uncertainly. “What kind of look?”
“A look of pure… well, delight! A look that says you belong to me for the next little while.” Doc brushed his moustache with his hand.
“And that’s good?” she asked, but her eyes danced and she couldn’t hide a smile.
“Of course that’s good!” said Doc. “It’s pride, Kitty, pure pride that a woman like you is coming down to meet a man like me – or, well, usually Matt.”
Kitty smiled slyly. “That’s awful nice to hear, Doc,” she said, and squeezed his hand.
Doc glanced at her. “Well, you got it out of me, didn’t you?”
“Sometimes a woman has to be clever,” she said, with a lilt in her voice.
“Oh, you’re clever all right,” said Doc. “That’s for sure!”
Kitty leaned in again. “But I’m serious about Ross Hanley. You sure you don’t know him?”
“Never saw him before, Kitty,” said Doc. “You evidently don’t like him much, though.”
“I don’t know, Doc. Maybe I’m just being overly-cautious. Or, maybe I’m just anxious because of that business with Matt that I can’t figure out.”
“It could be anything, Kitty,” said Doc.
“Yeah, I know, Doc, but…”
“But what?”
“Well, he stares at me a lot, like he’s thinking about something that concerns me. It’s a little unnerving. And yesterday, he was here all evening. He is a little too familiar, but that’s nothing new with some of the men who come to town. And then this morning, he came in for coffee.”
“Oh?” asked Doc.
“He said was headed to Delmonico’s for coffee, but happened to notice a coffee service here at the Long Branch when he was on his way. And, Doc, you know Delmonico’s is in the other direction from the Dodge House.”
“Which means he came this way specifically,” said Doc.
Kitty nodded. “I just can’t figure him out, and that’s probably why he bothers me.”
“Well, I’m going to leave here in a couple of minutes. I’ll stop over and ask Festus to look in a little more often tonight,” said Doc.
“Oh, I’m not sure that’s necessary, Doc,” said Kitty.
“Well, I think it is, because I’ve sure learned to trust your instincts. I’ll stop over and see Festus,” he said.
Kitty smiled at him and nodded. “Thanks, Doc.”
Doc winked at her, and left the saloon.
Kitty watched Doc leave, and sighed. She didn’t want to be a bother, and she didn’t want to seem like a woman who couldn’t take care of things on her own, but there was just something about Ross Hanley that bothered her.
It bothered her a lot.
The evening was busy, and Kitty had more than enough to keep her mind occupied until well after midnight, when things began to settle down. She wanted nothing more than to slip upstairs and rest awhile. But she knew there could easily be another bunch of restless cowboys coming through the doors before the night was over.
Kitty went to the far end of the bar and looked the place over. Everyone was drinking and talking, or drinking and playing poker, but things were relatively tame overall. She had noticed Ross Hanley watching her for a couple of hours in the early part of the evening, and then he left the saloon. She was glad to see him go. He hadn’t been anything but polite and gentlemanly around her, but he was a man she didn’t trust.
“Whiskey, Miss Kitty?” asked Sam.
Kitty looked at Sam and smiled. “Why not? I’ll drink it just to stand here awhile.”
Sam laughed and poured her a whiskey, and as she took her first sip, Ross Hanley walked through the swinging doors. Frankly, Kitty would have been more surprised not to see him again this evening. He sure had an interest in the Long Branch, or things that went on inside it.
Ross Hanley walked right over to where Kitty stood at the bar.
“Well, Kitty, I’m too late again,” he said.
“Late?” she asked.
“You had to buy your own drink again this evening,” he said, motioning to Sam for a bottle.
“I usually buy my own drink, Mr. Hanley,” she said.
Ross opened his mouth to correct her, but maybe she was the kind of lady who took her time calling a man by his given name. Instead, he said, “I can understand being careful, Kitty, but surely you’ve seen that you can trust me.”
Kitty smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m not sure of much of anything about you, Mr. Hanley. I haven’t figured you out yet.”
Ross laughed heartily. “What is it you would like to know, Kitty? I’ll happily set your mind at ease.”
“I doubt that.”
“Try me,” he said, taking a sip of his whiskey. He wanted to ask Kitty to sit at a table with him, but he thought she might not want to do that just yet, either. This lady was cautious.
“All right.” She looked him in the eye. “You’ve told others you have business with Marshal Dillon, but you aren’t the usual kind to have business with him. You’re not a cowboy or a rancher. You’re not a gunslinger or an outlaw. You’re not on any Wanted poster. You’re slick, but not a dandy. You’re not a riverboat gambler, and even though you say you play poker, I’ve yet to see you show any interest in it. You spend a lot of time in the Long Branch, but you’re not a heavy whiskey drinker. You sip your whiskey, and then give the rest of the bottle away to some cowboy before you leave. You probably prefer brandy to whiskey, but it would look out of place to sip brandy all evening in a saloon. And you don’t want to appear out of place. You watch me from afar as though you’re trying to figure me out, even though I have nothing to hide and don’t pretend to. My story’s easy to find out around this town, which I’m sure you’ve already done, and yet you stay around and sip whiskey you don’t want, and try to strike up a conversation with me whenever you can. I’m unavailable, Mr. Hanley, which you know by now, and just plain not interested in you, but you haven’t taken the hint. So, whether you have business with Matt Dillon, or have any real interest in me, you just seem out of place hanging around the Long Branch. And Dodge City doesn’t seem like your kind of town, either, Mr. Hanley.”
Ross held Kitty’s gaze, but he wasn’t as amused anymore. He wasn’t upset, or angry, but she had figured him out long before he wanted her to know that much. He shouldn’t be surprised, though. He had given her a lot of credit where men are concerned, but he’d still underestimated her. He hadn’t expected it to come back around to him. And that was strictly his fault for not seeing it coming. Still, she didn’t know it all. Not yet.
Finally, Ross laughed. “Kitty Russell, as much credit as I’ve already given you for knowing men, you still surprise me.” He took a sip of his whiskey. “My business with the marshal is private. It’s not what I would call unusual, it’s just not something I want to share with anyone else before I meet him.” He took another sip. “But you’re right that my interest in you is another thing entirely. When you first walked through that door yesterday,” he said, nodding toward the door marked PRIVATE, “I saw the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. And since then, you’ve just gotten prettier.” He paused, but she didn’t react. “You’re also smart and full of class. I’ve spent some time wondering what grounds you in Dodge City, a town that you outclass by far. But then, you’re right, I found out you’re the marshal’s woman – a position you’ve held for a good number of years, and yet you’re not married to him. That seems odd to me, that a man, any man, would actually claim you as his own, but not marry you. An outsider has to wonder about that, is all. And yes, I’ve tried flirting with you, and showing you what a gentleman I am, all in hopes of getting your attention, as any man would want to catch a beautiful woman’s eye. But you’re all business, Kitty. I can’t get a foot in the door.”
“And you’re not used to being ignored, are you, Mr. Hanley?” she asked quietly.
Ross looked her in the eye. “Not when I’m trying to be taken seriously,” he said. “Kitty, I’m not the kind of man who takes a woman for a night and then leaves her. I enter into any relationship seriously, and for a reason. I haven’t looked at a woman in over six years, because in all my travels, none have been worthy. Not until now.”
Kitty continued to hold his gaze. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Hanley, but my only interest in you is as a customer.”
Ross nodded. That’s how it had to be then.
For now.
Ross took a last sip of whiskey and put his glass on the bar. “Give this to some deserving cowboy, Sam,” he said, pushing his half-empty whiskey bottle towards Sam.
Ross put on his hat, and turned back to Kitty. “He must be some man,” he said, looking straight into her eyes.
Kitty didn’t hesitate, and she didn’t look away. “He is.”
Ross tipped his hat to her, and left the Long Branch.
He had some thinking to do, and some planning, as well.
One thing was for sure. Matt Dillon was a dead man.
Kitty came downstairs the following morning, and headed for the coffee service Sam had already put out for her.
“Good morning, Sam,” she murmured.
Sam beamed at her. “Good morning, Miss Kitty.”
Kitty shook her head as she poured out a cup of coffee. “I don’t know how you can be so cheerful this early,” she said.
“Miss Kitty, it’s nearly 9:00,” he said.
Kitty sighed. “It’s the middle of the night, and you know it.”
Sam laughed. All the boys loved to laugh at the fact Kitty wasn’t a morning person.
When Matt was in town, he was always out and about so early that sometimes the sun hadn’t even thought about rising. Kitty smiled just thinking about it. She couldn’t remember the last time her cowboy was still in bed with her when she woke the next morning. On those nights he came to her and they made love, she fell asleep in his arms, but always woke to an empty bed. She didn’t know how he sneaked out like that, and she never remembered him getting ready to leave. Whenever she asked Matt about it later, he told her he wasn’t all that quiet about leaving, she was just used to going to bed late and sleeping in later. And he was used to getting dressed, kissing her goodbye, and locking the door behind him.
Kitty sighed. She sure hoped for some lovemaking tonight. She couldn’t remember the last time she had missed him so much. He’d only been gone a week, but it felt like longer.
“Miss Kitty, I’m going in back for a case of whiskey, but I’ll not be gone long,” said Sam.
“It’s okay, Sam, take your time. I doubt Mr. Hanley will be back this morning.” She knew Sam was keeping close to her, especially after her conversation with Ross Hanley last evening. It just didn’t sit right with either of them.
“I just want to be here if he does come in, Miss Kitty.”
“I know, Sam,” she said.
“I don’t like the way he looks at you.”
Kitty heard the edge in Sam’s voice.
“Sam, if I got upset at every man just for looking, I wouldn’t be able to stay in business,” she said, taking a sip of her coffee.
“He looks at you differently, Miss Kitty. He’s not just admiring you. He looks at you like you’re… well, like you belong to him,” said Sam. He didn’t like having to say it straight out to Miss Kitty, but he did want her to understand that Ross Hanley had a very specific interest in her, and he didn’t even try to cover it up. What Sam would like to have said was, “he looks at you like he wants to undress you,” but Sam would never get through saying those words to Miss Kitty without turning red and choking up. But what he did say conveyed that thought enough.
Kitty glanced up at Sam, and smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here, Sam,” she said simply, then picked up the newspaper on the table. She’d forgotten her lorgnette for reading the paper, but her eyes weren’t so bad she couldn’t make out most of the print.
Sam left for the whiskey, but was back soon after.
Kitty was on her second cup of coffee, and had started looking over the figures from yesterday, when she heard the familiar sound of Buck’s hooves outside. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was Buck bringing her man home, all right. She knew the sound of that gait anywhere.
Matt would head straight for his office, and Festus or Newly would take his horse over to Moss’s. He always checked in at the office before coming over to the Long Branch. He had to know if he’d missed anything, or if there was something needing his immediate attention. But Dodge had been pretty quiet while Matt was away this time, so Kitty expected him to stop in within an hour or so.
She would be waiting.
Matt walked into the Long Branch and headed for the bar. Things looked to be quiet inside the saloon this morning. In fact, the entire town was quiet.
“’Morning, Sam,” said Matt.
Sam grinned. “’Morning, Marshal. It’s good to have you back.”
Matt nodded. “I haven’t missed anything, have I?”
Sam was wondering what to say, and how much of it he wanted to talk to the marshal about right now, when Kitty came out of her office.
Kitty’s eyes lit up when she saw him. He was still the biggest man she’d ever seen, and the only one who could make her heart beat twice as fast from the moment she saw him. Even now, after all these years, she had to take a deep breath to still her heart.
“Morning, Matt,” she said, walking over to him.
“Kitty,” he said calmly, but the grin on his face said it all.
“It’s good to have you home.” She looked deep into his eyes, and that alone would have told him just how good it was to have him home.
Matt didn’t pull away from her gaze. “It’s good to be home, Kitty.”
“How about a cup of coffee?” she asked, finally pulling away. She figured he had just come in since he didn’t have a drink of any kind in front of him.
“Sounds good,” he said, and they moved over to the table Kitty had left the coffee service on earlier.
“Coffee should still be fairly hot,” she said, taking a second cup and pouring Matt’s coffee.
Matt sat. “It’ll taste mighty good to me,” he said.
Matt pulled Kitty’s chair out for her and she sat beside him. She noticed he had also moved her chair a little closer to his. She smiled. Whenever he did that, it was a sure sign he had missed her.
She topped off her own coffee and turned slightly so she could see Matt better. He had his hand on the back of her chair – another sign he had missed her.
Kitty smiled at Matt. “How was the trip?”
He nodded. “Fine, but I’m glad it’s over.”
Kitty could make a list of all the things Matt might do or say upon returning to Dodge that told her he had missed her. So far, she was crossing off several items on that list. “You just get in?” she asked.
“About half an hour ago. The town sure seems quiet,” he said.
“It has been, and I hope it stays that way.” She took a sip of coffee.
Matt grinned and looked her in the eye. “So do I,” he said, his eyes speaking volumes.
Kitty felt a tremor go through her. When he looked at her like that, she knew what he was thinking. She smiled back and gave him a look that said she was thinking the same thing.
They held the gaze for a moment, until Matt took a deep breath and sat up straighter in his chair, and moved his arms to the table.
Kitty turned to her coffee cup and took a sip, just as Matt did the same.
Sometimes the chemistry between them worked overtime, and they just had to cool it off a little.
Temporarily.
“Kitty, I need to go back to the office and start on that stack of mail on my desk,” said Matt, taking another deep breath.
Kitty’s heartrate was finally slowing down. “Yeah, I have work to do, too. But I want to talk to you about something first.”
“Oh?”
“Do you know a man named Ross Hanley?” she asked.
Matt thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No. Why?” He looked at her.
“He came to town a couple of days ago. He says he has business with you,” she said.
“Well, maybe he’ll stop in at the office later,” he said, dismissing the subject.
“That’s not all, Matt.”
Matt turned to Kitty. He had noticed an edge in her voice. “What is it?”
She shook her head. “I can’t put my finger on it. No one knows him, but he’s been hanging around the Long Branch an awful lot. He watches me, strikes up a conversation whenever he can, and yet he says he’s here to do some kind of business with you.”
“Well, you’re a beautiful woman, Kitty. It’s not unusual for men to become fixated on you,” said Matt simply.
Kitty grinned. “Thanks for the compliment – I think,” she said, adding a bit of sarcasm to the last part.
Matt grimaced. “I didn’t mean it like that….”
She chuckled. “I know, Cowboy.” She touched his arm briefly. Taking a deep breath, Kitty knew she needed to get back on track. “The thing is he’s an odd one, Matt. He’s… unsettling. I just can’t figure him out. Even Sam is wary of him.”
“Well, if this Hanley is paying special attention to you, Sam would automatically be wary of him.”
Kitty shook her head. “Yeah, I know, but this is different. Hanley is different.”
Matt nodded. “All right, I’ll keep an eye out,” he said seriously. “I’ve come to trust your instinct on these things.”
Kitty smiled. “That’s what Doc said. Last night.”
“Oh? What was Doc trusting your instinct about last night?” he asked.
“The same thing – I told Doc about Ross Hanley and he said he trusted my instinct. He asked Festus to stop in here more often when he was out making rounds, just to make sure everything was all right.”
“Good,” said Matt. “I’m going to head back to the office so I’m there if Hanley shows up. Maybe we’ll get to the bottom of things soon.” He stood.
Kitty stood too, and put her hand on his arm. “Be careful, Matt.”
Matt looked down at her. It wasn’t like Kitty to react this way.
Kitty realized she was behaving uncharacteristically, as well. “It just slipped out,” she said.
Matt nodded.
She looked Matt straight in the eye. “I don’t trust the man, Matt.”
Matt squeezed her hand. “I’ll be careful,” he said, then turned and walked out the swinging doors and onto Front Street.
Ross Hanley paced his room at the Dodge House. He had watched the marshal ride into town, and saw him go down to the Long Branch soon after. He must have missed Kitty quite a lot, to go see her practically the moment he got back in town. Ross understood that. Any man worth a grain of salt would miss that woman.
Their meeting was brief, though, so he knew they hadn’t had time to do more than have a quick cup of coffee or a beer together. Dillon hadn’t taken Kitty to bed and loved her, that was for sure. He had walked back down the street to his office just minutes ago.
Ross wondered if Kitty had mentioned Ross Hanley to Dillon. Maybe. But maybe not. She would have been happy to see Dillon, and so maybe they had just talked about his trip or something topical.
But Ross didn’t kid himself. He knew he didn’t have Kitty’s trust yet. He would have it before long, though. As soon as Dillon was dead, Kitty would need a man to help her through her grief. After all, she had been with Dillon a long time. And Ross Hanley would step in, take her in his arms and love her the way she deserved to be loved, and treat her the way a lady should be treated. He would make her forget she ever knew a marshal in Dodge City.
Eventually, he’d even make her forget Dodge City.
Ross had dreamed about Kitty all last night. He took her in his arms and stripped all that clothing from her body, and made love to her for hours. He had taken down her beautiful red hair, too, and ran his hands through it. It felt like silk in his hands. He had gotten to know her body, how it reacted and what made her cry out his name. When he moved inside her, she had moaned and pulled him closer. Her kisses were the sweetest he had ever known. He had satisfied Kitty completely – far better than the man wearing the badge had ever done.
It wouldn’t be long before he made love to Kitty Russell the same way he had in his dreams. Soon, it would all be a reality.
He’d looked Dillon over as he walked down the street. He was just a big cowboy with a badge.
But something in the back of his mind warned Ross Hanley not to misjudge Dillon. A simple man wouldn’t keep Kitty Russell’s interest, and certainly not for a long haul. There had to be more to this man than met the eye.
Even though he had only seen Dillon from a distance, Ross knew the type. Still, he was going to see Dillon this afternoon. He had business with him, after all.
But his business was now a little different than what it had set out to be.
Last night, Ross Hanley had watched Festus, the deputy, stalk the streets of Dodge City. It was laughable to think this man had enough backbone to handle things while the marshal was away. When it was all over and Dillon was dead, Ross knew he didn’t have to worry about this deputy figuring out he was the one who shot Dillon. Festus would probably not be able to get out of his own way.
Still, Ross made a mental note not to misjudge the man. After all, he was a deputy marshal. There had to have been something impressive about him to get Dillon’s attention. The man had to take care of the town in the marshal’s absence.
And Ross had seen how Kitty treated the deputy when he stopped in last night, too. She had given him a drink on the house and always had time for him. That wasn’t to be dismissed lightly.
He had noticed, too, how the deputy seemed to look out for Kitty in an extra special way, just like the bartender, Sam – and just like the town doctor. Everyone seemed to look out for Kitty. She was special, but he got the impression the men were also looking out for her because she belonged to the marshal. They all wanted to keep her safe.
Well, they wouldn’t need to look out for her much longer.
Ross wouldn’t need anyone else’s help in looking out for Kitty. She would be his, and he would take care of her.
Matt Dillon sat at his desk and looked at the new Wanted posters that had come in while he was away. First, he looked for the name “Ross Hanley,” just in case Hanley was a wanted man that Kansas hadn’t gotten word about yet. That had been known to happen more times than it should. But there wasn’t a poster on him.
Matt got up and poured a cup of the old coffee Festus had left on the stove this morning. He made a face, but drank it anyway. Having had a cup of Kitty’s coffee earlier made this stuff taste even worse than it probably was.
Looking out the window over the stove, Matt could see down a part of Front Street. He didn’t notice any strangers. If this Hanley had business with the town marshal, why hadn’t he shown up yet? Matt had been in his office for the past several hours. He wasn’t normally bothered about something like this, but he’d seen the look on Kitty’s face earlier, and heard the concern in her voice when she talked about Hanley. Kitty was used to all kinds of men, and she knew a lot of them. When a certain one concerned her, then it concerned Matt, too.
Matt sighed. There was still a long afternoon and evening ahead before night fell and he made his last rounds of the day. He normally didn’t think about that much, either. Matt took things as they came, and didn’t look too far ahead. But now, he just wanted the day to pass, the shops to shut down, and nighttime to close in so the saloons could shut down, too. He wanted to climb Kitty’s back stairs and have her let him into her room. He knew she would be waiting for him. She would have let down her hair, and he would fold his hands into it as she wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted her face to meet him. He would press his lips to hers and let her scent engulf him.
Matt inhaled deeply. He took another drink from his coffee mug. This stuff was bad, but it jolted his mind away from Kitty, even if it was only temporary.
He had missed Kitty a whole lot this time. He’d only been away a week, but it felt like two, or more. Sometimes time away seemed longer than it used to, and one thing Matt had come to notice was that, as he got older and spent more years on this job, he missed Kitty even more when he was away from her for too long.
Matt turned away from the window and sat back down. He would just have to turn his mind back to his work. He knew that continuing to think about seeing Kitty this evening would only make the day crawl by.
Sometime a little after 2:00 p.m., Ross Hanley walked out the front door of the Dodge House. He had spent the better part of the day thinking, because everything had changed.
Now that Kitty had come into his life, he needed a new plan. No longer would he shoot Dillon and run. But he still had to kill Dillon without anyone knowing he was the one who had done it. He had to claim he was somewhere else when it happened, somewhere no one would be the wiser, because he had to be handy to help Kitty pick up the pieces of her life after Dillon was gone. He had to rescue her, take her away from Dodge City and all her memories of this place, and the man she had known here.
But first, it was time to officially meet Marshal Matt Dillon.
Ross threw his cigar into the street and crossed to the other side. He looked at the people walking up and down the boardwalks, going about their business, believing nothing would change their simple way of life. He walked past them, and they were forgotten.
Ross knocked on the marshal’s door, then pushed it open. He saw the big man behind the desk. “Marshal?” he asked.
Matt Dillon stood from his chair and walked toward Ross. “Mr. Hanley?” he asked, as he extended his hand.
Ross was momentarily taken aback, but he soon recovered. Either Kitty had mentioned him to Dillon, or someone else had since morning. He had watched several people come in and out of the marshal’s office throughout the day. He had mentioned having business with the marshal all over town, so it could be anyone.
“For a moment there, I thought you knew me, Marshal,” he said, shaking Dillon’s hand.
“No, no, I don’t, Hanley. But you’re the only man I’ve seen today that I don’t know, so it was a good guess,” said Matt.
Ross smiled. “And you heard I was in town talking about how I had business with you,” he said.
“Something like that,” said Matt. “Coffee?” He pointed to the pot on the stove.
“No thanks, Marshal,” said Ross.
“That’s a smart call,” said Matt. “It’s not nearly as good as Kitty’s coffee.”
Ah, so it had been Kitty who’d mentioned Ross to Dillon. He wondered if she had mentioned Ross having coffee with her, or if what Dillon had said was simply a way to bring Kitty’s name into the fold.
“Sit down,” said Matt, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk.
Matt returned to his own chair, and Ross sat, as well.
“Now, what can I do for you, Mr. Hanley?” asked Matt.
Ross looked Dillon over. He was an even bigger man in person than he had seemed from the window earlier. He had rugged good looks, and eyes that didn’t look away, and they didn’t lie. He was entirely straight-forward, which Kitty probably appreciated. Dillon had broad shoulders and big hands, and an easy manner. Ross had no doubt Dillon knew how to handle a gun. That Colt .45 he wore on his hip seemed right at home there.
Ross also had no doubt Dillon could pleasure Kitty in bed, but he didn’t want to think about that. He already thought of Kitty as his.
Ross crossed his legs casually, and pulled a piece of paper from his inside pocket. He handed it to Matt. “Does this look familiar to you, Marshal?”
Matt unfolded an old Wanted poster. He nodded. “Jess Wilson. He killed two men on the prairie and took their horses. He eventually hung for it. But that was about six years ago.” Matt handed the poster back to Hanley.
“That’s correct, Marshal. I represent a private party, someone who only recently discovered that her relative, one of the two men who were killed on the prairie, was vindicated. You see, this party is quite wealthy and she would like to add $500 to the bounty money that was offered for the capture of this Jess Wilson. So, either you can let me know who to pay this money to, Marshal, or I will happily hand it over to you so you can pay it out yourself. Either way is fine on behalf of the private party. We realize there is often silence regarding the individual or individuals who actually bring in a wanted man – for privacy, and safety reasons, of course.” Ross casually refolded the paper and put it back in his pocket.
Matt took a breath. “Well, in this case, Hanley, there’s no need. You can tell this ‘private party’ that a U.S. Marshal apprehended the man who murdered her relative. No bounty money was collected, nor will it be.” Matt stood.
“I see,” said Ross Hanley, also standing. “So, if you apprehend a killer, Marshal, you don’t collect any bounty money that might be offered?”
“That’s right,” said Matt.
“Surely you could use it for things needed around… here,” he said, looking around the marshal’s office.
“The United States government sends me money for running the jail,” said Matt, moving out from behind his desk. “If that’s all, Hanley, I have work to do.”
Ross Hanley smiled at Matt Dillon. “Fair enough, Marshal. I’ll be on my way in the morning, and I’ll share this information with my interested party.” He reached out to shake the marshal’s hand. Matt obliged.
Ross started for the door.
“Hanley?” asked Matt.
Ross turned.
“You didn’t tell me who you are in relation to this ‘interested party.’ Are you a legal representative?”
Ross smiled. “Not exactly, Marshal. But it is of no consequence now that no money will be exchanging hands. Isn’t that right?”
Matt didn’t answer. He didn’t like Ross Hanley one bit.
Hanley opened the door. “Perhaps I’ll see you at the Long Branch this evening, Marshal. I’ve been trying to convince Kitty to let me buy her a drink, but she doesn’t seem to trust me just yet.”
“Kitty’s careful about who she trusts,” said Matt.
Hanley laughed. “Oh, I’ve noticed that. Good bye, Marshal,” said Ross, closing the door behind him.
Matt moved to the window and watched Ross Hanley walk back to the hotel. At the last minute, Hanley stopped and looked at the Long Branch, but decided against going inside. Matt continued to watch him until he entered the Dodge House, and the door closed behind him.
Matt took a deep breath. No, he sure didn’t like Hanley one little bit. Kitty was right about him. There was something unsettling about the man.
Matt also figured that was an understatement.
After Ross Hanley left the marshal’s office, he got the bottle of expensive brandy from his room, then rode his horse out to the prairie. He needed to think a bit, and enjoy the fresh air away from that cow town. He sat comfortably on a large rock in the shade, with his bottle of brandy and a glass.
He had already set a plan in motion.
Earlier, well before seeing Marshal Dillon, he had asked to move his room at the Dodge House to the one next door. It had a balcony. Ross told the clerk that the view from that window was a better view, and he enjoyed watching people move around town as he relaxed. The clerk seemed pleased that his guest was enjoying Dodge and staying longer than he had originally intended. The second room had been vacated earlier in the day, and Ross was moved into it by noon. Ross had tipped the clerk well. He always liked to leave a good impression.
That balcony actually faced the marshal’s office. Ross would be able to kill Dillon from there, then go back through his room and downstairs before anyone even knew where the bullet had come from. A single bullet’s direction was hard to trace, and Ross Hanley was a marksman. He would only need one bullet to kill Matt Dillon, and he would see to it that the sole bullet did its job. People would be waiting for more gunfire to determine the location of the shooter, but there would be no more.
After it was done, he would leave his room, run down the stairs and out of the Dodge House and into the street. He would pretend to look for the killer, or in some way help out. The whole town would be in shock, wondering who had killed their marshal in broad daylight, and right in front of everyone. Ross knew that at times like this, people panicked. He would move around the crowd and ask what had happened. He would say he had concluded his business with the town marshal just this afternoon, but now the marshal was dead. How did it happen? And why? Did anyone know who the perpetrator was? Had he been apprehended?
More importantly, how was Kitty Russell faring? He would have to check on her.
Ross grinned. No one would be thinking about Kitty yet. Or maybe she would be out on the street by then, having heard the commotion. She would be frantic, running to get to her marshal, or perhaps she would already be there, leaning over his body. Either way, she would see that he was dead. That is what mattered.
And then, Ross would take her from the crowd and walk her back to the Long Branch. She would allow him to buy her a drink this time, and he would console her. He would tell her all the things she needed to hear – that time would heal her pain, and that she needed to get some rest. He would even help her upstairs to her room, if she would allow it.
Mostly, he would be patient. She may not allow him to love her yet, but she would come to him in time. That’s all that mattered.
And once she had been loved by Ross Hanley, she would forget she had ever known a man named Dillon.
That’s how it would work.
No one would suspect Ross Hanley of killing the marshal. He just wasn’t the type to kill a man without calling him out. He had come to town to conduct business with the marshal, and any number of people had seen him come and go from the marshal’s office earlier today. Many had also seen him return to the Dodge House. A man who moved about in daylight hours that way had nothing to hide.
Ross finished his brandy and started on his way back to town.
He had a job to do before he could claim his prize.
When Festus came back to the office a couple of hours later, Matt folded a note in half, then handed it to Festus to take to the telegraph office. “Take this over to Barney, Festus,” said Matt. “Tell him I’ll be expecting an answer.”
“Sure will, Matthew,” said Festus. “Do ya want me to wait fer the answer?”
“No, it might take awhile, Festus. Barney’ll let us know when he has something.”
Festus opened the office door just as Kitty was about to push the door open from the other side.
“Miss Kitty! Come on in!” He moved aside so she could enter.
“Thank you, Festus,” said Kitty, stepping inside.
“I was jist about to go send this here telegram fer Matthew.” He tipped his hat to her, and she smiled. Festus left, closing the door behind him.
Matt sat on the edge of his desk, and Kitty walked over to him.
“I just wondered if you’ve heard from our Mr. Hanley yet,” she said.
“Matter of fact, Kitty, he left here a couple of hours ago. I was going to come see you after I got that telegram ready to send, but it seems like I was missed while I was gone. Half a dozen people have been in and out of here since Hanley left.”
She smiled at him. “I’m not surprised,” she said. “A lot of people miss you when you’re away.” Her look said she was definitely one of those people. She took a breath and pushed away thoughts of what she’d like to do about that right now. “So, what happened with Hanley?” she asked. “Did he have some all-important business with the town marshal, after all?” she asked sarcastically.
Matt grinned and crossed his arms. “Now, Kitty, you just don’t seem to believe there’s anything legitimate about the man.”
“I don’t,” she said. “And neither do you.”
“Oh?”
“If you did, you wouldn’t be sending a telegram to some other lawman, asking about him,” she said. She smiled, and her eyes held that hint of mischief Matt loved so much.
Matt took a deep breath, then grinned at her. “I just can’t get anything by you, can I?” he said, in that flirty voice he reserved only for Kitty. She sure was beautiful, but today there was something special about her that nearly took his breath away. But he knew he was just missing her, and when he got to feeling like this, everything about her just made him want her more.
She laughed. “I sure hope not.”
He grew serious again. “Hanley gave me some story about an ‘interested party’ wanting to pay reward money to the person who captured the killer of one of her relatives.”
Kitty frowned. “That sounds odd.”
“Sure does, and what’s even more odd is that it’s for a killing that happened six years ago. Two men were killed on the prairie and their horses were stolen. The man responsible was Jess Wilson.”
“Jess Wilson…” she said slowly. “Didn’t you bring him in and then take him to Hayes to stand trial for murder?” she asked.
“Yeah, that’s right. The jury voted unanimously to hang him,” he said. “I told Hanley it was over and to return the reward money to the ‘interested party.’”
“You don’t think there is an interested party?” she asked.
“No, I don’t, Kitty.”
“What reason would he have to come up with a story like that?” she asked.
“I don’t know, Kitty, and I’m not going to spend any more time thinking about it. We’ll see if anything comes from the telegram I just sent.”
“So, you don’t think that’s the end of it, Matt?” she asked.
“I hope it is, Kitty. He claims he’s leaving town in the morning. Let’s see if he does.”
Kitty took a deep breath and nodded. Then she took a step towards him and tried to look serious. “By the way, on a completely unrelated matter…”
“Uh huh…,” he said, unfolding his arms. She had stepped so close Matt could smell the lavender scent she used on her body after she had a bath. His heart beat a little faster.
“Your birthday is coming up soon,” she said, in that voice he loved.
“Yeah, couple of weeks,” he said.
“Well, I’m surprised you remember!”
“Well, it’s my birthday, Kitty,” he said.
“You usually forget your own birthday,” she said. “And you barely remember mine.”
“Now Kitty, I’ve been awful good at remembering your birthday in recent years.”
“That’s because Doc and Sam and Newly, and even Festus, remind you of it.”
Matt grimaced.
Kitty laughed. “But that’s all right, it keeps all you men on your toes,” she said. “But back to your birthday. I wondered if you’ve given any thought to what you’d like this year. Or, is it the same as usual – a couple bottles of whiskey to stock up your supply here at the jail.” She said the last bit sarcastically.
Matt looked at her appreciatively. “As a matter of fact, I have given it some thought,” he said.
“Oh?” She frowned, and he knew she wasn’t sure if she believed him.
“Yeah, and I’ve decided I’d like something else entirely from you this year.”
Kitty frowned deeper, and Matt laughed.
“Remember that time, oh maybe four years back, when my back started locking up on me and you gave me that nice long massage?”
Kitty thought about it. “That time Doc took a bullet out of you and you were up at his place for a few days?” she asked. After she said it, she realized that could describe any number of times throughout the years.
Matt nodded. “Yeah. You told Doc to go over to your room at the Long Branch and take a nap, and you’d take care of me while he was gone.”
Kitty grinned. “Well, I took care of you, didn’t I?”
Matt nodded, and took a deep breath. “You sure did. You gave me that massage, and you used that nice-smelling stuff that didn’t smell like a bunch of flowers….”
Kitty laughed. “Yeah, it was made with sage and thyme.”
“Well, that’s what I’d like for my birthday,” he said, proud to have come up with something other than the two bottles of whiskey he usually asked Kitty for.
Kitty stared at him. “A massage?”
“A massage exactly like that one,” he said.
“Is your back locking up on you again, Matt?” she asked as sincerely as she could muster, knowing it wasn’t.
“No,” he said. “But maybe that’ll prevent it from happening again.” He looked into those beautiful blue eyes that told him everything Kitty would like to do to him right now. It made his heart skip a beat. When she got that look in her eyes…. He took a deep breath.
Kitty looked all the way into his soul. “Well, if I remember correctly, Cowboy, not only did your back quit locking up on you afterwards,” she said. “But we checked out a few other things to make sure they were working properly, as well…and everything seemed… well, just perfect.”
Matt noticed the word ‘perfect’ had just the right emphasis.
“I’d like to know one thing, though – is it just the massage you want?” she asked. “Or, would you like the package deal, with everything else we checked out that day included?”
It was getting harder to breathe, and he couldn’t pull his eyes away from hers. “Well, Kitty, everything that happened that day seemed kind of like a part of that massage to me, so I guess it’s the whole thing I’m asking for,” he said.
“Well, I’m glad I asked, because I want you get everything you want for your birthday,” she said, flirting with him, and knowing exactly what she was doing. “So that’s what you want then? The package deal?”
Matt could scarcely get a breath with her standing so close. “That’s right, the package deal,” he said. His voice felt scratchy all of a sudden. He could practically feel her hands on his body right now.
Kitty’s smile told him she would love to take care of that this very minute. “I can certainly do that for you, Cowboy,” she said in her husky voice. “In fact, we can have supper in my room first. You think about the meal you’d like me to prepare, since it’s your birthday and all. Then… I’ll give you an even better package deal than the one you had last time.”
“Oh? You mean that one wasn’t the best you had to offer?” He grinned and held her gaze. It wasn’t easy to keep up with Kitty, but he was sure going to try.
She smiled, and her eyes were dark with desire. “We were at Doc’s place, remember? We had to be careful. Anyone could have walked right in.” She moved another step closer, and Matt swallowed hard. He could feel her thigh against his, even through all the clothing that was between them. “It’ll be much better at my place. In fact, it might even turn out to be a package deal you’ll never forget.”
“I see,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. What this woman could do to him, even after all these years of being with her. “Well, that was several years ago, too, and I’ve noticed that some things get even better with time.”
“I guarantee this will be one of those times,” she whispered, without missing a beat.
He had no doubt about that. Matt’s heart was thundering in his chest, and he felt some other things happening, as well. They were going to have to stop this… in a minute.
“I don’t doubt that massages are better at your place, Kitty, but I do have one suggestion,” he said. His voice was giving out on him.
“Hmmmm? What’s that, Cowboy?” She asked, leaning a little closer.
Matt saw she had on one of those low-cut blouses today. Once his eyes went there, it was hard to pull them away.
She was now so close he could feel her breath on his neck.
Matt swallowed hard. “You might want to remove some of your clothing first – you know, so you can have better access, and not have it get… tangled up in the sheets.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Remove some of my clothing?” she asked, in a low voice.
He swallowed again. “Yeah, well, maybe all of it,” he managed to get out.
“I will be happy to do that for you, Cowboy,” she whispered, turning her head so that her mouth was only a couple of inches from his.
Just as he lowered his head to kiss her, they heard the jingle of Festus’s spurs outside. Kitty moved away quickly, but her heart was beating fast, and she had to take a big, deep breath to bring her mind back to the present.
Matt moved behind his desk and sat. He picked up a pencil, but his hand was shaking so he put it back down.
Festus Haggen opened the door to the marshal’s office and stepped inside.
As Matt and Kitty were flirted with each other inside the marshal’s office, Ross Hanley rode back to Dodge.
Ross left his horse with Hank at the stable and headed for his room at the Dodge House. He wanted more than ever to see Kitty, but the daylight hours were waning and he had a job to do. His heart ached to see her, to look at her and think about how he had made love to her in his mind all night long. He wanted to undress her with his eyes, but he had to remind himself there would be all kinds of time for that later.
In fact, there would be time to undress her in person later.
Right now, Ross had to take his rifle from the room and get into position on the balcony. The foot traffic into and out of the marshal’s office had already started to slow down when he rode out to the prairie for some time to think.
He knew the marshal would soon call it a day, and venture outside. He might even head towards the Long Branch to see Kitty, but he would never make love to her again. Ross would see to that.
It was time to finish this.
Ross crawled out onto the balcony with his rifle, the special one with the scope he used at times like this. He stayed well below the dense boards that made up the walls and the railing. He had noted earlier how perfect this balcony and its location were for what he had in mind.
He lay flat, and began his wait. It wouldn’t be long now.
Ross Hanley had no way of knowing that his plans were once again about to change.
Festus stood stock still in the door of the marshal’s office. He immediately knew he had interrupted something. Even though both Matthew and Miss Kitty were awful good at covering their little flirtations, they weren’t as good as they thought they were. And their attraction to each other seemed to hang in the air for a spell after they finished flirting. Festus was also pretty sure the six or so feet separating them now wasn’t between them before he’d opened the door. And the fact that neither of them were looking his way, or at each other, told him they were trying to get their minds on something other than what they’d just been thinking about.
One thing they were awful good at, though, was not getting caught outright.
Festus grinned. “Barney sent the telegram through, Matthew.”
Matt mumbled something, then looked over at Kitty. She turned towards him slowly, and grinned.
Matt took a deep breath. “Let’s go for a walk, Kitty. I’ll even buy you a drink,” he said, heading for the door and taking his hat from the peg beside it.
“Well, now, that sounds like a good idea.” Kitty moved to the door, and Matt opened it for her. “’Bye, Festus,” said Kitty.
“’Bye, Miss Kitty, Matthew…” said Festus.
Matt put on his hat and closed the door behind them.
Festus went to the window and watched Matthew and Miss Kitty look at each other some more outside. They had known their share of ups and downs over the years, but it usually had to do with the badge Matthew wore, and Miss Kitty not liking the restrictions it put on their relationship. But in recent years, both of them seemed more settled. Miss Kitty seemed to do better with how things were, and it probably had some to do with Matthew paying her more attention than he used to. Doc had noticed it, too, but he didn’t talk about it much. He never liked to talk about Matthew and Miss Kitty’s relationship to others. But he sure did like it when things were good between them, like they were right now.
Of course, Doc had been in Dodge way back when the two of them first got together. He’d told Festus once that when he first met her, he’d known right away that if there ever was a woman who could put up with Matt Dillon and his stubbornness, it was Kitty Russell. She was strong, and just as stubborn as the marshal, and she knew her way around men. She would be a good match for Matt Dillon.
Well, ever since Festus had known ‘em, they were sure a good match for each other. Matthew could get on his high horse now and then about that badge he wore, but Miss Kitty, being a redhead and all, didn’t let him get away with much. Matthew treated her like the lady she was, though, and Miss Kitty appreciated him, too. He was a good man, and she knew it. And when they looked at each other with stars in their eyes like they were doing out there right now, well, he knew before long nobody would be able to find ‘em for a spell.
Festus grinned and poured himself a cup of coffee, shaking his head. He took a sip and grimaced. This was the worst coffee he’d ever made. No wonder there was so much of it left in the pot.
While Matt and Kitty flirted with each other some more outside the marshal’s office and Ross Hanley was getting into position on the balcony, and Festus was making faces about the bad coffee he’d just poured, Doc Adams was readying his medical bag for heading out to the Peterson place, just outside of town. He put some pain pills and laudanum in his bag and looked around to see if he’d forgotten anything else he might need.
Lou Peterson had fallen off his horse three days ago, and was on the mend. Half the problem was keeping him in bed, and the other half was seeing to it he took the pain pills so his body could rest and heal.
Finally, Doc figured he had everything he needed, and closed his bag, He put on his jacket and hat, picked up his bag, and headed out the door.
Just before descending his stairs, Doc noticed Matt and Kitty across the way. They were staring into each other’s eyes and smiling, right there in front of the marshal’s office!
Doc grinned and brushed his hand over his moustache. If that didn’t beat all. It wasn’t like them to look at each other like that out on the street, but then, he figured they didn’t realize how they looked to others right now. He knew Kitty had missed Matt last week while he was away, but it sure seemed Matt had missed her, too.
As Doc started down his stairs, and Festus turned away from the window inside the marshal’s office with his coffee cup, Matt put his hand on Kitty’s back, and guided her towards the Long Branch. Doc stopped halfway down and looked at his watch. He could be out to the Peterson place and back in a little over an hour, since they weren’t far from town, and then he would see if either Matt or Kitty – or maybe both of them – would want to have supper with him. He hoped they both would. He’d even buy. He wanted to kid them about the looks they were giving each other out on Front Street just now. Kitty would smile and laugh, and Matt would look a little sheepish. But already knowing how they would react was half the fun.
Doc put his watch back in his pocket and continued down the stairs.
After Ross Hanley got into position on his balcony, he looked through the slat between two boards. There was just the right amount of room for the barrel of his rifle to fit through. He kept his eye on the scope’s crosshairs and put his finger near the trigger.
He absentmindedly noticed Doc Adams coming down the stairs across the way.
Ross slowly maneuvered his rifle into the perfect spot and turned it towards the marshal’s office – but then he nearly gasped, and his heart skipped a beat! Kitty was standing right in front of the marshal’s office, and Dillon was standing right behind her! When had she gone in to see him?
Ross couldn’t believe he had left so much to chance! He should have made certain Kitty was safe inside her saloon before he set off to kill Matt Dillon!
But he hadn’t thought about her going to the marshal’s office, and now there was nothing he could do about it. There might never be a better time than now to accomplish what he had set out to do.
He would just have to prove how good of a sharpshooter he really was, and kill Dillon right in front of her. There were also more people on the street than he would have liked, but no killing was perfect.
It would be all right, though. Kitty was strong, and she would come through this unscathed. Owning a saloon for fifteen years meant she had probably seen a man killed before, and probably more than one. Even though this time it would be different, she would come to Ross when it was all over, when her grieving was done and she was a free woman.
If he had any say in it, and he planned to, she would be ready to move on sooner rather than later.
Ross put his eye to the scope, and lined up the crosshairs just right.
The marshal and Kitty had stopped by a lamppost, and were talking. They were doing more than just talking, though. He could see the smiles on their faces, and the flirtation that passed between them. The scope on his rifle brought things well into focus.
Ross felt his blood pressure rise, but he held himself in check. He contented himself with knowing that Dillon would never make love to Kitty Russell again.
Kitty would be his before sundown, and she would look at Ross this very same way. He would make sure she soon forgot about any marshal she had known before.
After Festus turned away from the window, he tried another sip of his coffee, and grimaced. The second sip wasn’t any better than the first.
Doc continued down the steps.
Sam walked out the front doors of the Long Branch, wiping his hands on his apron. It was sure a nice day, the nicest in a long time, and he intended to take a few minutes to enjoy it before the Long Branch got busier.
Matt and Kitty turned and continued down the boardwalk towards the Long Branch. Matt guided Kitty around the clusters of townsfolk who stood around talking. There seemed to be more people out than usual, but it was a nice day, and people found all kinds of reasons for taking advantage of it.
Newly O’Brien left his horse at Moss’s, and headed for the marshal’s office. He had taken a few hours off to go fishing, but the fish sure weren’t biting today. Before he opened up his shop, he wanted to see if the marshal had anything that needed doing.
And Ross Hanley watched the couple move down the boardwalk through his scope, waiting for that perfect moment when Dillon would be an extra step or two away from Kitty Russell.
He had to be careful not to kill the woman he was going to marry.
Matt stepped off the boardwalk with Kitty to escort her around a group of cowboys who were laughing and talking in front of the general store.
“You would think they’d have enough sense to clear the boardwalk,” said Kitty, under her breath.
Matt grinned. “You would think so, Kitty. But cut them some slack. After all, when the sun goes down, they’ll probably be spending all their hard-earned money at the Long Branch.”
Kitty gave him an amused look, and they continued on their way.
Suddenly, Matt stopped. Something didn’t feel right, not right at all. He instinctively moved Kitty aside, and pushed her away from him, just as a gunshot rang out. Kitty grabbed onto the post in front of her to keep from falling, and Matt Dillon pulled his pistol from its holster, but it was too late. He grabbed his side and fell to the ground.
People on the boardwalk ran in every direction.
Kitty yelled, “Matt!” and ran towards him. He wasn’t dead, at least not yet. He was clutching his side and trying to get up, but he couldn’t.
Festus put down his coffee mug and ran out the door, with his pistol in hand.
Kitty glanced up just in time to see the sun glance off the barrel of a rifle on a balcony across the street. She fell to her knees beside Matt, instinctively shielding his body with her own, just as the second shot rang out. Kitty fell onto the ground beside Matt.
Doc continued down the stairs as quickly as he could, seeing what was happening just a little ways away, and not being able to do a thing in the world about it.
Sam watched Miss Kitty fall, and raced towards where she and the marshal lay beside each other on the ground. He prayed to God they were both still alive.
“Kitty!” Matt wasn’t sure whether he had actually called her name, or just thought it. He had drawn his gun as he went down, and now he pushed himself up beside Kitty and leaned over her to shield her from any more bullets coming from that direction. He didn’t know if she was alive or dead, but she wasn’t moving.
Newly heard the shots down the boardwalk, grabbed his gun from the holster, and ran in that direction.
Ross Hanley couldn’t believe it! He not only hadn’t killed Dillon, but he had shot the woman he loved more than anything else in the world! Well, he might not have had time to win Kitty over entirely, but he would see to it that Dillon died. He owed that to his brother, to himself, and to Kitty, whether she knew it or not.
Hanley stood up from the balcony and aimed his rifle straight down at Dillon. If Kitty Russell lived, she wouldn’t know what she was missing with Ross Hanley, but she would have to live without Dillon, too.
Matt saw Hanley stand and shot him square in the chest, just as Hanley pulled the trigger. Matt took a second bullet, this time in the shoulder. Hanley fell from the balcony, taking a section of it with him. He hit the ground at the same time Matt Dillon fell beside Kitty.
Kitty fought hard not to pass out completely. She hadn’t been able to move, and all she could see was a gray shadow – her vision was going, but she was not going to black out –she was not going to let go – she had to make sure Matt was still alive. He had just fallen beside her, and he wasn’t moving.
“Matt…?” She tried to scream his name, but wasn’t sure if he heard her at all. She crawled the few inches between her and Matt, biting back the pain. She touched his face. His eyes were shut and he wasn’t responding. She pressed her hand against his neck to see if she could feel a pulse. But Kitty’s arm began to tingle and she was suddenly cold, so cold… Kitty lost her battle with consciousness and fell beside Matt, passing out. Her hand lay on his chest.
Festus ran over to Hanley to make sure he was dead. He picked up Hanley’s rifle, and checked the body. “A couple a’ you men take ‘im over to Percy’s, will ya?” he yelled over his shoulder, as he ran to where Doc was already checking over Matt and Kitty.
Doc was kneeling next to Kitty. “Kitty! Kitty, can you hear me?” Doc gently rolled her onto her back. Her light colored clothing showed blood stains on her left side. Doc tore the fabric away from the wound the best he could. It didn’t look good. She was losing blood. Doc did the best he could to staunch the bleeding. “Kitty! Talk to me now!” Doc pressed his hand onto her neck, and finally, finally found a pulse. “Thank God…” he whispered.
Doc looked up to see Newly running towards him. “Newly, take Kitty up to my office. Careful, here – she’s shot right here.”
Newly nodded, and picked Kitty up gently. He started towards Doc’s office, as Festus ran ahead of him to get the door.
“Doc?” asked Sam. “Is she gonna make it?”
Doc shook his head. “I just don’t know, Sam,” he said, as he looked at Matt’s wounds and felt for a pulse. He blinked back the tears in his eyes, and focused on the doctoring at hand.
“Some of you,” said Doc, pointing to Sam and Burke, and Mr. Lathrop and Festus, just as Festus came running back towards them. “Get Matt upstairs.”
Doc saw Festus look at him, with the same old question in his eyes.
“I don’t know, Festus, I just don’t know.”
Doc took a deep breath and watched the men carry Matt Dillon up the stairs to his office. He started in behind them, wariness showing in his walk.
Doc’s medical bag had never felt so heavy.
What in the world would he do now to keep both of them alive? Neither was in good shape. But, God willing just one more time, he would do what he could, and pray God would help him save their lives.
Doc shook his head, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, as he trudged up the stairs to his office.
He already knew what he had to deal with: two people who were battling to stay alive. For the first time in all the years he’d been around them both, he was glad they were the two most stubborn people he’d ever known. Maybe that stubbornness would help get them through this.
Doc went inside his office, and asked the group of people in there to leave, save Newly and Festus. He might need them. When he saw the look on Sam’s face, he relented and let Sam stay, as well. Sam was Kitty’s protector and friend. He deserved to stay, and if Kitty didn’t survive, he would want to say good-bye to her in his own way.
After the others filed out, Doc took a deep breath and closed the door behind them.
Doc asked Newly to put on some hot water, and began to check over his patients. Kitty was on the bed nearest the window, and Matt had been placed only a few feet away from her on the second bed. Doc had added a second medical bed to this room on the off-chance he’d ever have to use both. He sure didn’t know at the time that he’d need both beds less than two weeks later.
Doc checked his patients’ pulses again and, thankfully, they were both still alive. Kitty’s pulse was a little stronger, but that didn’t mean much at this point.
Kitty began to move and her eyelids fluttered open. “Matt…” she murmured.
Doc stood over her. “Kitty, it’s Doc. Kitty, you’ve been hurt, and I want you to help me here. I’m going to…”
Kitty turned her head toward him. “Matt…?”
Doc took a deep breath. “He’s alive, Kitty.”
He saw the tears in her eyes and it broke his heart. He knew she saw the truth on his face when she looked at him, but he couldn’t lie to her.
Doc couldn’t let his personal feelings get to him, not now. He would cry later, when she was well, and after he’d given her a piece of his mind about running out in front of a bullet. But he knew even now that it wouldn’t help in the end. Kitty would do anything in the world to save Matt Dillon’s life. She had put her own life at risk more times than he could remember, more than just now. But he wanted nothing more than for her to live to hear his lecture anyway.
“Take care of him, Doc,” she whispered, and Doc heard the strain in her voice. “Please take care of him first.”
Doc’s heart broke. “You listen to me, young lady, I’m the doctor here, and I’ll make the decision about who to take care of first.” It was his call, and his responsibility, if one of them didn’t make it.
“Doc…” but Kitty closed her eyes and was out again before she could finish her argument. Doc was almost glad.
He moved over to Matt to check both of his wounds. They weren’t good, either, but both bullets had missed key arteries and even key muscle groups. Still… one of the wounds was bleeding worse than the other.
“Newly, come over here and staunch this bleeding,” said Doc. “Festus, you bring the hot water over when it’s ready. And Sam, you put on more water to heat after Festus brings that pan over here.”
“Sure thang, Doc,” said Festus.
“All right, Doc,” said Sam.
Newly moved over and started to work on Matt’s bleeding. Doc was glad Newly had at least had some medical schooling, and didn’t need to be told how to do everything. “Clean up both of those wounds, Newly, and see if you can stop them from bleeding, or at least slow them down,” said Doc.
“I will, Doc,” said Newly, already hard at work.
Doc went back to Kitty, and tore her clothing a little further away from the wound. He laid out his instruments. This bullet had to come out first, no matter what Kitty thought. She was losing too much blood. He rolled up his shirt sleeves, and took the pan of hot water from Festus. He got to work trying to stop the bleeding so he could remove the bullet.
Soon after, Matt moaned and tried to move. Doc walked the couple of steps over to Matt. “Matt, this is Doc. You’re hurt, and I want you to try to be still….”
“Kitty,” said Matt, trying to sit up.
Doc pushed Matt right back down. “She’s here, Matt, now you just lie back down and stay still.”
“How is she, Doc?” asked Matt, his voice coming out a rasp.
“She’s alive, Matt. Now you just let Newly work on you here….”
“Work on Kitty, Doc. Make sure she’s all right….”
“I’ll tell you what I told her – I’ll be the one to decide what happens here!” Doc turned away, too upset to deal with Matt and Kitty’s nonsense about who to save first.
But then, Doc shook his head and sighed. Both of them were just trying to do the best they could.
Doc turned back to Matt. “Matt, I’m going to do everything I can for Kitty, you know that. You just let Newly work on you while I get that bullet out of her.”
Matt seemed content with that, and closed his eyes and drifted off again.
Doc turned back to Kitty and got to work.
A couple of hours later, Doc put down his stethoscope and took a deep breath. He turned to the three men near the stove. “Well, so far they’re both still alive,” he said. “And barring any complications, I believe they’ll both be all right.”
He saw and heard the other three men breathe a sigh of relief.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, though. The first twenty-four hours are the most important. When they get through that, I’ll feel a whole lot better.”
Doc sat down in his chair, feeling more drained than he’d ever been in his life. And it wasn’t just the actual doctoring that had worn him out, it was that he had needed to make life or death decisions about his two best friends at the same time.
“Do you want me to stay awhile, Doc? You could use some rest,” said Newly.
“No, no, you go on – all of you go on home. I’ll be here with them. Let’s get through the night and then we’ll see what we have tomorrow.”
“Doc, there’s a whole lot of people outside waiting to hear about the marshal and Miss Kitty,” said Sam.
Doc nodded. Of course there were. Matt Dillon was a man this town loved, and some feared. It was a good mix. And Kitty, well, she was Matt’s woman. But on her own, she was loved by nearly as many people as their marshal, and rejected by only those few who didn’t like the profession she was in. Over the years, she had won nearly everyone over, though, and Matt Dillon didn’t take kindly to anyone badmouthing Kitty.
Doc walked over to the door and opened it. He walked outside and went halfway down the stairs. He looked over the crowd that had gathered. There were townsfolk as far as the eye could see, huddling in small groups, or standing silently alone. How many times had he seen this very thing when pulling bullets out of Matt Dillon over the years? Doc nearly choked up, and he knew his emotions weren’t in check yet.
“Everyone, it’s time to go on home. Both the marshal and Miss Kitty are still alive. I’ve removed the bullets, but we need to give both of them time to heal. I won’t know much more until sometime tomorrow, but I’m hoping for the best, for both of them. They’re both strong, and I’m going to pray they pull through this. I hope you pray for them, too, because right now, well, they could use your prayers more than anything else.”
People started moving away, and Doc saw the relieved looks on their faces. He knew how they felt. He went back up the stairs, and inside his office. The night was getting a little cooler, and he checked the stove to make sure the fire was good and strong. It was warm inside, though, and Doc was grateful for that.
“Good night, Doc,” said Sam.
Doc nodded at Sam. “Good night, Sam,” said Doc.
“You come get me, Doc, if you feel like getting a little rest yourself,” said Newly.
Doc nodded.
“I’ll be back in the morning, either way,” said Newly.
Doc nodded again. “Get some rest yourself, Newly. I might just rely on you a bit more tomorrow.”
“I hope you do, Doc. I’m available to do whatever I can to help.”
“I know, Newly, go on now.”
Doc sat in his chair, as Newly closed the door behind him.
Festus stood by the stove, his hat in his hand. He walked over to Doc and knelt beside him so he could look more closely at Doc. “Doc…?”
“What is it, Festus?”
“They’re a-gonna be awright, ain’t they, Doc?” asked Festus.
“Like I said, Festus, I have every hope they will be fine. We just have to get through the next few hours before I can say that for sure. They are still weak, both of them, but their pulses are holding steady. After what they’ve gone through, that’s a good thing.”
Festus nodded, and stood. He walked over between the two beds and looked first at Matt, and then Kitty. “They shore are a sight, Doc,” he said quietly. “They jist look like they’re a-sleepin’ peaceably.”
Doc nodded. The laudanum had helped with that.
“It t’weren’t all that long ago they was a-flirtin’ with each other right thar in the marshal’s office,” said Festus.
Doc gave a small grin. “I saw them outside Matt’s office, looking at each other like… well, like…”
“Like they’re in love with one another, Doc?” asked Festus.
Doc swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Yeah, something like that, Festus.” He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes.
Festus walked slowly towards the door. “I’ll be over in the marshal’s office, a-gettin’ me some shuteye, if ya’ need me, Doc,” he said softly.
Doc nodded.
Festus opened the door.
“Festus?”
“Yeah, Doc?”
“He’s dead, isn’t he, the man who shot them?”
Festus nodded. “Shore ‘nuf is, Doc. Matthew got him with one bullet.”
“Good,” said Doc, and looked away.
Festus left Doc and walked back to the marshal’s office. He took off his boots and lay back on the cot in one of the empty jail cells.
It sure was lonesome around here without Matthew.
Newly opened the door to Doc’s office at 7:00 the next morning. Doc was taking the pulses of his two patients.
“Morning, Newly,” said Doc.
“Doc.” Newly closed the door behind him. “How are they?”
“Both of them are doing better, Newly. Thank God they’re doing better.”
Newly walked over to Doc. “That sure is good news, Doc. I know a lot of us didn’t get much sleep last night, from the worry.”
Doc nodded. He knew how that was.
“You want me to spell you awhile, Doc? You can go in back and take a nap.”
“No, I’m fine, Newly. I managed to get some rest,” said Doc.
Newly wasn’t too sure of that, but he also knew better than to argue with Doc. “I heard that Miss Kitty ran right out in front of that bullet yesterday, Doc,” said Newly.
Doc nodded again. “I watched her do it, Newly.”
There wasn’t anything else left to say, but Newly said it anyway. “She sure loves him, Doc.”
Doc turned away. “She sure does, but as soon as she’s awake and healthy, she’s going to get a piece of my mind! And that marshal over there is, too! Just… just running out in front of bullets like that!”
“But Doc, you can’t tell them not to do something that was probably instinctual. You know those two go out of their way to protect each other.”
“You just watch me!” said Doc.
Newly didn’t know what to say to that, so he said nothing.
“And then Matt, crawling around her, just so he could take another bullet – because one wasn’t enough!” said Doc.
“You saw it all happen, then?” asked Newly.
Doc nodded.
“Doc…” Newly didn’t quite know how to say it, but he had to try. He’d known both Miss Kitty and the marshal for awhile now, and he had an opinion on the matter. “I’m not sure there’s anything you can say to either one of them that would keep them from doing the same thing again, if it came to that.”
Doc turned and looked at Newly. “Don’t you think I know that?”
“Well, then, why would you give them a piece of your mind about it?” It seemed to Newly that they were just going in circles about this.
“Because it will make me feel better!” said Doc, turning away.
“Oh.” That was it then. There was certainly nothing at all to say to that, thought Newly.
Suddenly, Kitty took a deep breath and gasped. Doc ran right over to her. “Kitty? Kitty, it’s Doc. Can you hear me?” he asked, squeezing her hand.
Kitty’s eyes fluttered open. “Doc?” she whispered.
“Well, hello there, young lady! You going to sleep all day?” asked Doc, in a kind voice and with a smile on his face, taking her pulse as he spoke.
Newly grinned. Doc sure could be surly when he wanted to be, but a lot of it was for show. Besides, he cared so much about Miss Kitty, and Newly had watched him hurt from it all evening while they were working on her and the marshal.
Kitty made a face, then closed her eyes and held her breath.
“Pain?” asked Doc.
Kitty nodded.
Doc picked up a bottle of laudanum. “Here, take a sip of this, Kitty.” He put his hand behind her head to raise her up a little.
Kitty shook her head. “Matt…?”
“Just take a sip, Kitty. It’ll help with the pain for now.”
Kitty did as she was told.
Doc lay her back down gently. “Matt is still unconscious, but his pulse is steady.” Doc saw the fear on Kitty’s face. “His body is healing, Kitty, that’s all. Give him a little more time, and he’ll come back to us.”
Kitty looked deeper into Doc’s eyes, and he knew she was trying to determine if he was lying to her just to keep her satisfied. But then she nodded, and sighed softly.
“He’ll be all right, Kitty, and so will you,” said Doc, gently. “You just have to be patient.”
Kitty’s eyes were closed, but she nodded. “Doc?”
“What is it?” asked Doc.
“It was Hanley, wasn’t it?” she asked softly, opening her eyes again.
Doc nodded. “Sure was, and Matt took care of him. He’s dead, Kitty.”
Kitty sighed. “Good. There was just something wrong with him, Doc.”
“I know,” said Doc, patting her hand. “But that’s all over now. You get some rest.”
Kitty closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Doc took a deep breath. At least she was just sleeping this time.
Doc looked at Newly. “She’s stronger, and her color is better, too, Newly,” he said, putting the laudanum back on the shelf.
Newly nodded. Things were looking up. Now if the marshal would just open his eyes.
Doc seemed to know what Newly was thinking. He moved over to Matt. “His pulse is stronger. He’ll wake up as soon as his body says it’s time.”
Newly nodded again. He had been through some medical school, but Newly knew he would never have been the doctor Doc was. He just hadn’t been cut out for it in the same way. Doc was a true medicine man, plus there wasn’t a more caring individual in the world. Doc just didn’t want many people to know that part.
Just then, Festus came through the door. “Newly, Doc…” he said in greeting. “Newly,” said Festus, holding out a piece of paper, “This here’s from Barney over at the telegraph office. He was awful busy and couldn’t tell me what it says.” Even though Festus couldn’t read, no one rubbed it in.
Newly took the paper from Festus. “This says the man the marshal was interested in is the brother of Jess Wilson, the man who was hung six years ago for murder and stealing horses.”
“Well now,” said Festus, “if that don’t beat all.”
“It also says the hangman and the jailer on that case are both dead,” said Newly. “They believed Hanley to be responsible, but they couldn’t prove it.”
Doc brushed his moustache with his hand. “Kitty knew there was something more than met the eye about that man. She didn’t trust him one bit.”
Festus moved closer to Doc. “How are they a doin’, Doc?” he asked.
“Better, Festus,” said Doc. “Better.”
Suddenly, Matt groaned and tried to sit up. Doc moved over quickly, and restrained him. “Matt, Matt it’s Doc. Now you just lie back down there and rest. Just lie back.”
Matt’s breathing was heavy, and he was anxious.
“Newly, bring me that laudanum,” said Doc.
“Kitty…” said Matt, gritting his teeth.
“Here now,” said Doc, taking the bottle from Newly. “Take some of this for the pain, Matt.”
But Matt turned his head away. “Where’s Kitty?”
“Kitty’s right over on the other bed, Matt. She’s gonna be all right,” said Doc.
That made all the difference. Matt lay back on his bed and stopped moving around. He allowed Doc to give him the laudanum.
Matt finally breathed easier, then turned his head to the right and saw Kitty lying just a few feet away. Her face was turned slightly toward him, but she was asleep and breathing easy.
Matt took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “She sure is pretty, Doc,” he said softly.
Doc nodded. “Yes, yes, she is, Matt. She sure is,” said Doc. Matt didn’t usually talk that way about Kitty, not in front of others – but it sure didn’t hurt any. The look on Matt’s face said it all.
“As soon as she’s up to it, and I’m up to it…,” Matt gritted his teeth as a wave of pain washed over him. “I’m gonna give her a talking to about what she did out there on the street,” said Matt. But his tone was gentle, and he already knew talking to this particular redhead wouldn’t amount to much. She went her own way, and did what she wanted. Matt wouldn’t change that for anything, but she still confounded him sometimes.
“You be sure and do that, Matt,” said Doc easily. “Just make sure I’m as far away as possible when you bring the subject up to her.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean, Doc. She’s some redhead,” said Matt, and grinned. Then he grimaced when a bolt of pain ran through him.
Newly didn’t remind Doc that he had just said the same thing about giving Miss Kitty a piece of his mind, and for the same reason.
Doc shook his head. Sometimes he just didn’t understand Matt. Or Kitty. But that was okay. He wouldn’t trade ‘em for anything in the world.
“Is he dead, Doc?” asked Matt.
“He’s dead,” said Doc, knowing exactly who Matt was asking about.
Matt took a deep breath, closed his eyes and drifted off, and Doc tugged at his ear and put the laudanum away. He looked at Newly and Festus, who were both grinning.
“Now, don’t that beat all, Doc,” said Festus. “Matthew a-talkin’ ‘bout Miss Kitty bein’ perty when theys a-both layin’ thar with bullet holes in ‘em.”
Doc grinned. “Well, there’s no accounting for some things, Festus. And you know Matt – as long as Kitty’s okay, he’ll be fine, too.”
“Well, I’m going to head over to the Long Branch, Doc,” said Newly. “I know Sam would like an update on these two, and at least I can tell him a good story.”
“That ya’ shore can, Newly,” said Festus. “Fact is, I’ll go on over thar with ye. A cold beer would shore taste good.”
Newly made a face. He knew who would end up paying for that beer, too.
As both men left Doc’s office, Doc pulled the covers up a little higher over Kitty, then checked on Matt again. Both of his patients seemed to be resting just fine.
Doc took a deep breath. Maybe he would drag out that cot he had in back and set it up here under the window. That way, he’d just be a few feet away from the two most stubborn people in the world – in case they needed something.
Later that afternoon, Doc asked Newly to move Kitty to the bed in the back room. She would rest better there. Ma Smalley came and combed out Kitty’s hair, and got her cleaned up. Ma said the dress Kitty had on when she was shot was practically brand-new, and it had cost her a pretty penny to have it made the way she wanted. But Ma also knew Kitty wouldn’t say a word about it, not ever. The price of a dress was nothing, after what she and the marshal had gone through, and survived.
By early evening, things had settled down, but the town was still talking about what had happened the day before. Everyone was happy that both the marshal and Miss Kitty had lived through that crazy man’s bullets.
Doc helped Matt to relocate to the cot by the window. It was just a few feet away, and better for resting and healing, now that Matt was out of danger of dying.
Matt asked about Kitty, and Doc assured him she was doing well, too. Matt made a comment about how it was easier to tell on his own, without having to ask Doc, when they had been in the same room together and he could look over and see for himself that she was breathing, and resting fine.
Doc just smiled and nodded.
An hour later, when he was checking Kitty’s wound, she also complained about not being in the same room as Matt anymore.
Doc figured if all they had to think about was not being a few feet away from each other, then everything was just fine.
That evening, Doc went into the side room to get some sleep. He hadn’t gotten much rest at all in the last thirty or so hours. Now that both his patients were past the point of worry, he was finally going to lie down for a bit. He had just checked on them. They were doing fine, and were both asleep.
A few hours later, Doc started awake. He sat up and looked at his pocket watch. He felt better, and had gotten four hours of uninterrupted sleep. He shook his head. The fogginess was practically gone.
Doc opened the door and went into the front room to check on Matt, but he stopped short. Matt wasn’t on the cot, and he wasn’t in the room at all. Now, where in the devil….
But before he could finish the thought, he turned and looked at the door to his left, the one leading to the back room, and Kitty. Doc walked over and carefully opened the door so as not to wake her, but when he stepped inside, he took a deep breath and shook his head. A grin slowly spread across his face.
Matt Dillon lay in Kitty’s bed with her, nearest the window. Her head was on his shoulder, and she was curled up next to him. Both of them were sound asleep, with a peaceful look on both their faces. Matt’s arm was wrapped around her, and his hand had found its way to her breast, and was cupping it gently.
Doc shook his head again, and brushed his moustache with his hand. He should have figured they’d find each other one way or another. And who was he to keep them apart? He should have known better than to think that would work out.
Doc quietly left the room and went back to his own bed. He figured everything would be just fine for now.
The next morning, Kitty sighed and started to turn over, but was immediately hit with a bolt of pain. She cried out, forgetting where she was, and even what had happened. Moving around had pulled at her stitches, and her side hurt. She felt Matt’s breath on her forehead and opened her eyes, just as he also started to move, grimacing from pain.
Doc was sitting in the chair next to the bed. “Well now, it’s time you two sleepyheads woke up! Let’s just hope you didn’t start to bleed again, young lady,” he said to Kitty, standing. He placed his left hand on Kitty’s wrist, while looking at his pocket watch with his right. He nodded. “Good.” Then he helped Kitty turn over just enough to take the pressure off the stitches. He pulled back the covers and moved some fabric aside to take a look at her incision. “This looks pretty good,” he said. “I’m going to clean it out again anyway so we can make sure to stay ahead of any infection.”
Doc took the cap off a bottle and started to work. Kitty gasped. “Ohhhhh, that hurts, Doc.”
“Yes, I’m sure it does. And it’ll hurt even worse if it gets infected,” he said, continuing without mercy.
Matt started to move his legs off the bed.
“Now, now, you just lie still, Matt!” said Doc. “I don’t want you bleeding all over the place, either!”
Matt stopped and lay back on the bed. He understood Doc’s tone better than anyone else when it came to his doctoring.
“At least I didn’t have to follow a trail of blood to find you in here – so hopefully you’ve not done any damage to those stitches… yet,” said Doc.
Matt sighed. He hadn’t missed that last part. “I thought it would be best if I get back in the other room and on the cot, Doc,” said Matt.
“You did, did you? Well, you didn’t ask me if you could come in here in the first place, now did you!”
It wasn’t really a question, so Matt kept quiet. He knew Doc was still coping with all that had happened yesterday. He and Kitty had scared him plenty. Matt was glad Kitty wasn’t saying anything, either, but he also knew how painful it was to have Doc treat a fresh wound so it wouldn’t get infected. She was a little busy right now just managing that pain.
“Both of you, running around out there, right in front of bullets… bullets just… flying everywhere…!” said Doc.
Matt reached over and squeezed Kitty’s hand to encourage her to stay quiet, and thankfully she still was.
“There now,” said Doc, tying off Kitty’s fresh bandage and pulling the covers back up over her. “Try to be still awhile. Give an old doctor a break.”
Matt squeezed Kitty’s hand again.
“All right, now let me have a look at you,” said Doc, as he moved to the other side of the bed with scissors and the other things he would need to clean Matt’s wounds.”
Matt wasn’t sure he liked Doc having the scissors so close right now.
“Doc, do you think Kitty and I could have a cup of coffee?” asked Matt. He knew he was taking a chance, but he felt a little foggy and couldn’t help himself. He looked over at Kitty. He could hardly believe it, but she had fallen back to sleep! She really wasn’t a morning person, and no matter how much the men in her life loved to kid her about that, it hadn’t changed over the years. Still, she was usually up later than any of them, so Matt figured it was her due.
“Soon,” said Doc, assessing Matt’s wounds and cleaning them out again.
Matt held his breath and winced as fresh pain went through him. Kitty automatically snuggled closer and put her arm across his waist. Doc gently picked her arm up and moved it back, away from Matt. He was busy doctoring.
Matt sighed. He was just going to have to bear this for as long as Doc wanted to do it. He moaned as another wave of pain went through him. Yeah, Doc was still upset at both of them for, as he put it, “running around out there right in front of bullets…” He glanced over at Kitty. She looked comfortable. In fact, she had never looked better than she did right now, even after getting a bullet pulled out of her yesterday, and after all of Doc’s doctoring on top of that.
Finally, Doc tied off Matt’s fresh bandage, and went back over to the other side of the bed to put everything away.
Matt took a deep breath. “Doc…”
“I know, you want some coffee, Matt,” said Doc.
“Well, I was going to ask if you want to help me get back to the other room first,” said Matt. Doc hadn’t given Matt a lecture yet about sleeping with Kitty in her bed last night. But Matt had needed to see Kitty so badly that he’d found his way into the bedroom to see her. And when Kitty made room for him in her bed and pulled him close, well, that was all it had taken. He had wrapped his arms around her, and fallen right to sleep. He sure rested easier, being here with Kitty.
“No, I think you’re better off in here, Matt – in fact, I think you and Kitty are both better off this way,” said Doc.
Matt was surprised, and he didn’t even have a sense of a lecture starting. There was no aggravation in Doc’s voice, either.
“You mean, we can both stay… well, stay here, Doc?” asked Matt incredulously. “Together?”
“Sure. You’re fine with that, aren’t you?” asked Doc.
“Well, yeah, I am…” said Matt.
“And it sure looks like Kitty is,” said Doc, looking at her. Her arm had found its way back around Matt’s waist.
“Yeah, but…”
“And I’m just fine with it,” said Doc. “In fact, I think you’ll both stay still longer and heal better if you’re right here in this bed together.”
“Yeah, Doc, but…,“ said Matt. He didn’t know how to bring this up.
“But what? What will people think?” asked Doc.
Matt sighed. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Well, I don’t think they’ll think anything more than what they already think when they see you come and go from Kitty’s room, or up and down her back stairs,” said Doc. “And I haven’t heard anything about that in years. Folks have gotten used to it,” said Doc, rubbing his moustache with his hand.
“Yeah, I guess they have, Doc,” said Matt. He took a deep breath and rode out the wave of pain that went through him.
Doc knew Matt didn’t like talking about personal things, but by golly, this was a little different. “Besides, look at her.” He nodded towards Kitty. “She looks a whole lot better this morning already. And I don’t think it was just my doctoring that did it.”
Matt grinned in spite of himself. “I don’t know how in the world she can sleep like that while we’re talking and things are going on around her.”
Doc shook his head. “Long experience.”
“Yeah, I guess,” said Matt. He reached over and brushed a strand of red hair out of Kitty’s face. “She sure is pretty, Doc.”
That was the second time Doc heard Matt say those words since they’d been shot.
“She sure is, Matt, she sure is,” said Doc.
“Sometimes I think she just gets prettier over time,” said Matt softly.
Doc watched Matt look at Kitty. Matt’s face was lit up, and he was grinning. If Doc didn’t know better, he would think Matt was falling in love, but the fact was, Matt had been in love with Kitty for over fifteen years already. Maybe he was just falling in love with her all over again. Doc had heard of that kind of thing happening.
And Doc had seen the way Kitty and Matt had looked at each other on the street yesterday, before they were shot. He shook his head. “She’s pretty smart, too,” said Doc, putting away the rest of his things.
“Yeah, she is,” said Matt. He lay back on the pillow and closed his eyes. Doc noticed Matt was careful not to disturb Kitty’s arm around him. “But we’re still going to talk about her running out in front of a bullet that wasn’t meant for her.”
“Good luck with that talk, Matt,” said Doc. “I wish you the best on that one. Just do me a favor and wait until you’re both gone from here to have that talk.”
Matt’s eyes were still closed, but he chuckled. “What’s the matter, Doc? You don’t want a redhead unleashed up here?”
“Well, not this particular one anyway,” said Doc, glancing at Kitty.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Doc,” said Matt, settling in next to Kitty and drifting off to sleep.
Doc finished putting his things away and looked over at his two dearest friends, lying all wound up in each other, and sleeping soundly.
Doc shook his head and scratched his ear. Now, if that didn’t beat all.
They both looked better and had better coloring, and their wounds were healing nicely. Of course, he wouldn’t tell them that just yet. They wouldn’t be as careful about moving around, and it would still be easy to pull those stitches open.
Maybe in the future, when he took other bullets out of Matt – and he had no doubt he would – he should just ask Kitty to stay up here until Matt healed. When Matt was laid up and recovering from a bullet wound, she was up here most of the time anyway. He should just have her move in and sleep right in the same bed with Matt. It might even help him to heal faster, and get him out of here sooner. Besides, Kitty often complained that she and Matt had enough trouble finding time alone.
Now that was something to think about.
Doc chuckled, then picked up his bag and left the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
The End
Gunsmoke. M/K. PG-13.
(This would take place between Seasons 15 and 16.)
The story:
Ross Hanley, an arrogant man with no conscience, no empathy and no remorse, rides into Dodge City. He is here to kill a certain marshal who took his brother in to hang six years ago. He is a sharp shooter, who plans to shoot Matt down and then flee, but the moment he sees Kitty Russell, his plans change.
NOTES: I sometimes write in multiple POVs so it’s more cinematic.
I do not write the dialect for the characters, because we all know how they sound, and written dialect often makes a story harder to read. (The only exception is Festus’s dialect, because he is so eclectic.)
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The man rode quietly into town. He looked at the storefronts as he passed them, and noted the U.S. Marshal’s office across the way. He found the livery stable further down, and dismounted his horse as an older man came out to meet him.
“Howdy, Mister,” said Hank, reaching up to take the horse’s reins.
“Good evening to you, Sir,” said the man, untying his carpetbag from the saddle. “My horse could use some feed and water, and a good night’s rest.”
Hank nodded. “I’ll see to it. He’ll be here when you need him.”
“Thank you, Mister….”
“I’m Hank.”
“Thank you, Hank. Might you direct me to your best hotel in town?” asked the man.
“We only got one, Mister, but I ain’t never heard any complaints about it,” said Hank. “It’s the Dodge House, right over yonder.” He pointed the way.
The man tipped his hat. “Good evening to you.” He took off in the direction of the Dodge House.
Hank watched the man go. This new man in town was a fancy man, that was for sure. But he didn’t look like he’d be any trouble.
Hank took the horse inside the stable, not knowing how very wrong he was.
The man checked into the Dodge House. He signed in as Ross Hanley, which was his real name. He had no reason to use another. He wasn’t wanted by the law. His brother, Jess, had gone by a different last name – Wilson. Wilson had been their mother’s name before she and their father were married. Jess hadn’t wanted to dirty the family name of Hanley from the beginning, from the time he knew he was going bad.
But none of that mattered now. No one knew Ross Hanley, and no one knew he was in Dodge City to kill a certain marshal, the man who had taken his brother in to hang. Matt Dillon was the last man who had to die. The others who had taken a hand in his brother’s killing were already dead. It had taken six years, but it was done. Ross Hanley would get this final justice for his brother here in Dodge City, the end of the line. And then he would be done with everything he owed anybody.
Jess had been his brother, good or bad, and as soon as Dillon was dead, it would all be over. Ross would finally be able to make a life just for himself, with all debts paid in full.
Ross had heard Dillon was a fast gun. Well, that was all right. He didn’t intend to draw against Dillon. Ross was a sharpshooter, a trade he had learned well in the U.S. Army. He knew guns, how to handle them, and what they could and couldn’t do. He had a steady hand and a quick mind. He was methodical, steady, and accurate. He had never missed his target. But he wasn’t a fast gun, and he knew it. He didn’t have to be to accomplish what he was here to do.
Ross was tired of the trail, tired of traveling from one town to another for the sole purpose of vindicating his brother’s death.
After checking into the Dodge House, Ross went back down the stairs to the front desk.
“Where can a man get a drink?” he asked the desk clerk. “What’s the best saloon in town?”
“Why, the Long Branch,” said the clerk. “And it’s right down the street,” he said, pointing in the general direction.
“Thanks,” Ross said, heading for the door.
Outside, Ross stopped and lighted his cigar. He inhaled. Cow town. No question about it. Dodge City was a cow town. And he hated cow towns. Prairie cowboys who spent too much time on the range came to cow towns to spend their month’s wages in a day. They drank and gambled, then worked hard for another full month just to do it again. They didn’t know any better, but they were a tiresome lot, and Ross was more than tired of them.
Finishing his cigar, Ross tossed it into the street, and crossed over to the Long Branch. He pushed through the swinging doors and looked around. It seemed like all the Saturday night cowboys found this place eventually. Ross headed over to the bar and found a spot near the far end. The saloon was busy, that was for sure. But he was very good at standing around, nursing a drink, and listening. It was something he’d learned to do a long time ago. A bar was the best place to find out information.
“Whiskey,” he said to the barkeep the man next to him had called Sam.
Sam poured a generous amount of the liquid into a glass. Ross threw two dollars on the bar. “I’d like the bottle, if you don’t mind, Sam,” he said.
Sam nodded, left the bottle and took the money, before moving to the other end of the bar.
Ross took a sip. This was better whiskey than he was used to getting at most saloons. He hadn’t asked for the best, so this was the house whiskey. Not bad at all.
Suddenly, the door to his left opened, a door marked PRIVATE, and the most beautiful woman he had ever seen came out to the bar.
“Sam,” she called to the bartender.
Sam came over to her right away.
“Everything okay tonight?” she asked.
Ross watched as Sam nodded. Evidently these two had their own language.
“Just fine, Miss Kitty,” said Sam. “Everything is fine.”
“Good,” she said.
“Whiskey, Miss Kitty?” asked Sam, evidently also knowing when the lady would or wouldn’t want a drink.
“Fine, Sam,” she said, looking around for herself, as Sam poured her a drink.
Ross had never in his life been so intrigued. And she was a redhead. That alone nearly brought him to his knees. He had always loved redheads, though they weren’t all that common. They were smart and stubborn, and usually passionate as hell. But even with all that, this one seemed special, and she was full of class.
Sam moved away, and the lady took a sip of her whiskey. She didn’t flinch. Ross grinned. This was not only a real lady, but one who was used to her own whiskey.
Suddenly, a group of cowboys near the back got noisier. Some were laughing, and some sounded threatening.
“Sam,” said Kitty. “Give me a couple of bottles.”
Sam handed Kitty two bottles of whiskey, and she took off for the cowboys in back.
Ross watched as the men settled down once Kitty got back to them with the whiskey. She joked with them and they laughed. She told them they had to keep it down to a reasonable level, and someone said something about the marshal. The men laughed some more, and one of them made another remark Ross couldn’t make out. She told him she liked to take care of things herself if she could. After all, it was her saloon. The men bantered with her some more, and she let them enjoy looking her over as they talked to her. None of the men treated her with anything less than respect, though, Ross noted.
Kitty had a way of settling the men down, and by the time she left them, they were back to playing cards and laughing. But they were also quieter. Kitty put some coins in the till, then went back to her whiskey.
Not much impressed Ross Hanley these days, but this lady sure did. She had handled that situation like a pro. She sure knew her clientele. He moved a foot closer to her end of the bar, and removed his hat. He placed it on the bar.
“Good evening, Miss Kitty,” he said.
The lady quickly glanced at him. “Do I know you?” she asked.
He smiled. “No, ma’am. I’m new to Dodge City. But I heard the barkeep call you ‘Miss Kitty.’”
He saw her relax.
“Welcome to Dodge, Mr….”
He smiled. “Hanley. Ross Hanley.”
“Mr. Hanley,” she finished. “You have business in town?”
He smiled. She was used to learning all about the men who frequented her saloon. He didn’t blame her. A woman couldn’t be too careful these days, especially in rough towns like Dodge City. He just couldn’t figure out why a refined, beautiful woman like this would settle in a miserable cow town in the first place.
“I do, that I do, Miss Kitty,” he said. “But it shouldn’t take more than a few days. Soon I’ll be nothing more than a figment of someone’s imagination.”
She smiled at that. “Well, now, that’s if your business is done quietly and you sneak out of town, Mr. Hanley. Folks around these parts have long memories otherwise.”
He laughed. He loved the sound of her voice. “We’ll see which way it goes then,” he said. Ross couldn’t remember the last time he had enjoyed a conversation with a woman. Then he realized he hadn’t enjoyed any conversation in longer than he could remember. “This is obviously your place, Miss Kitty. You own it, and run it?”
“I do,” she said.
Ross waited for more, but the lady wasn’t forthcoming. “And how long have you owned this fine establishment, Kitty? You don’t mind my calling you ‘Kitty,’ do you?”
Kitty looked into his eyes, and he knew she was assessing his character. Well, that was fine with Ross. She would see just what kind of gentleman he was. His father had raised him right.
She didn’t answer the last part of his question. “I’ve owned the Long Branch for fifteen years,” she said.
He nodded. “I knew it was awhile.” He took a sip of his whiskey.
“How did you figure that?” she asked.
He looked into her eyes. “The place has class, Kitty, just like you. And a saloon doesn’t pick that up overnight. It takes care, and time. It takes a lady who serves a better grade of whiskey as her house brand than the other saloons. That means she cares about her reputation, and doing more than just enough to get by.”
He smiled, but she didn’t return the smile.
“I apologize if I‘ve said too much, Kitty. Sometimes my mouth starts running and doesn’t know when to quit. Too often, I say what I think when I should have kept quiet.”
Kitty looked into her glass a moment. “That’s all right, Mr. Hanley. Thanks for the compliment.” She finished her whiskey without a flinch and put the glass down.
He wanted more than anything to hear her call him, ‘Ross,’ but he stopped himself from asking her to. He had already made her wary.
“You’re welcome.”
“If you’re a gambling man, Mr. Hanley, the poker tables will start up soon,” she said.
“I’ve been known to gamble a little, Kitty, but I don’t feel like Lady Luck is with me tonight.” He met her eye and she didn’t look away.
He touched his bottle. “May I refill your glass?” he asked.
“No thanks, Mr. Hanley,” she said. “I have work to do. Good luck with your business.”
He nodded at her, and Kitty left through the door behind her, that door marked PRIVATE.
Ross Hanley had never been so taken with anyone in his life. He took his bottle to an empty table across the way and filled his glass. He wasn’t a man who drank heavily, but he knew men who drank alone in a saloon were usually left on their own, and so he sometimes hid behind a bottle. He sipped his whiskey, and thought about things.
Maybe it was timed just right that he was soon going to finish up his family business. He had wanted to get it done so he could move on, even though he didn’t know what direction he wanted to go in alone. He had no one left now – no family, and no woman. He had spent the last six years tracking down every man who had in any way taken part in his brother’s killing. The jailer and the hangman had been easy, but he had also backtracked and killed the four men responsible for his brother turning to a life of killing and horse stealing. They had split up, and he had to track them one at a time, but now they were dead, too. Everyone got what he deserved eventually. And sometimes they just had to be helped along getting there. But now, the last one was Dillon. Ross had intentionally saved him for last. Killing Dillon would mark the end of it all.
And wasn’t it fitting that Ross would find the woman he’d been waiting for his whole life In the same town where he was finishing his old business?
He would take her away from all this. Kitty was a class act, and he had the money to take her to St. Louis, or San Francisco – wherever she wanted to go. She deserved to live in a fancy town, and look beautiful walking around wearing fancy clothes, and coming home to Ross Hanley.
He couldn’t figure why she wasn’t a married woman, but maybe she was just choosy. It had to take quite a man to please a woman like Kitty, but Ross Hanley would do everything in his power to take her away from Dodge City and make her happy. She may not know it yet, but Ross Hanley was the man she had been waiting for all her life.
It suddenly occurred to Ross that he didn’t even know Kitty’s last name. He took the remainder of his bottle up to the bar and refilled his glass. Maybe he would learn it here.
A few minutes later, three men came in through the swinging doors and found a place at the bar. They were talking and bragging, and Sam filled three glasses with whiskey and left the bottle. The men continued with their big talk, and Ross determined this was their usual monthly visit. That’s the way it often was in a cow town.
One of the men called “Joe” by the others, yelled over at Sam, “Hey Sam, where’s Miss Kitty tonight?”
Sam was cleaning glasses a few steps away from them. “She was here earlier, Joe, but she’s working in her office right now. I’m sure she’ll be out again shortly.”
Joe laughed. “Well, we sure can’t leave until we see her, Sam. A trip to Dodge, and a bottle in the Long Branch, just isn’t the same without taking in the scenery. And I mean all of the scenery!”
Joe laughed, and the other two men laughed, but they all three seemed harmless enough.
Sam continued with his chore. “You boys just behave yourselves.”
“Now, Sam,” said another of the three, “You know we just like to show our appreciation for Miss Russell. She’s awful nice to look at after a month on the trail, if you know what I mean.”
Sam just shook his head. “All in all, I don’t know how Miss Kitty puts up with you three a-gawkin’ at her all the time.”
“Well, she don’t complain any, Sam, and we sure don’t, either!” said the third man.
So, thought Ross, it was Kitty Russell. He decided to stay around and see how things played out.
It wasn’t more than twenty minutes before Kitty came out of her office and into the saloon. She went behind the bar to get something, but glanced up and noticed the three men. “Well, look who finally made their way to town. ‘Evening, boys.”
The three of them called out to her, pleased to see her, and also pleased that she noticed them.
She moved down to where they stood on the other side of the bar, and refilled their glasses with the bottle sitting in front of them. They obviously loved being waited on by Kitty.
“Has it been a month already?” she asked, as she poured.
“That’s right, Miss Kitty, a whole month,” said Joe.
She smiled at them. “Well, it’s good to see you boys.” She turned to go, but stopped. “Oh, and if you decide to start a poker game after you’re drunk, be sure to keep it a nice friendly game, all right?”
The men laughed and agreed. They said they would see her later and watched in appreciation as she moved away.
Kitty pulled a ledger out from under the bar and straightened. She looked right at Ross Hanley. “Are you still here, Mr. Hanley?” she asked, with a smile.
He smiled back. “Well, I sat over there for awhile,” he said, nodding towards the table, “but then I decided to come back to the bar. A man can learn a lot more from standing at a bar than sitting at a table alone.”
Kitty nodded. “Are you looking to learn something special, Mr. Hanley, or just don’t have anything else to do at the moment?”
Ross took a sip of his drink. “Maybe a little of both,” he said. “For example, now I know your full name is Kitty Russell. I just learned that a few minutes ago.”
“And was that information you were looking for, or did it just happen to come your way?” she asked.
Ross wanted to make sure she knew he had no wrong reason for wanting to know. As beautiful as Kitty was, he was sure she had to be on her guard at all times when it came to men. And he didn’t mean her any ill intentions. She was the woman he was going to marry, after all.
“A man gets lonely, Kitty. I travel a lot, roam from town to town, and so I set up in bars like this for entertainment sometimes. I never stay in town long, so it doesn’t do me any good to make friendships that won’t last but a few days. So I drink, and I listen, and if I’m lucky I go to bed a little smarter than I was the day before.”
“That sounds like a real lonely way to live, Mr. Hanley.”
He opened his mouth to ask her to call him “Ross,” but decided to wait on that. Instead he said, “Not always, Kitty. It’s just a way of life for a simple man.”
She chuckled. “Some may believe that, but something tells me you’re anything but a simple man.” She picked up her ledger. “Good night, Mr. Hanley.” Kitty left for her office again.
Ross figured Kitty Russell knew men pretty well. She had taken care of the men in the back just fine, and also the ones at the bar just down from him, and she had scoped Ross out to see if he would be any trouble.
He also knew he had to leave the Long Branch soon. If she were to come out again and see him still hanging around, he would be overstaying his welcome.
“Sam,” he called to the barkeep.
Sam walked over. He glanced at Ross’s bottle that still had plenty of whiskey left in it. “Can I help you?”
Ross Hanley picked his hat up off the bar. “Thank you for your hospitality this evening, Sam. But I do have a question. Does Miss Russell have a particular suitor?”
Sam stared at Ross.
The three cowboys who had talked with Kitty earlier turned toward Ross. He was expecting that, had spoken loudly enough for them to hear, in fact.
Joe spoke first. “Now why would you be interested in knowing that about Miss Kitty, Mister?”
Ross smiled disarmingly. “Just curious, Sir. Just curious. A man comes to town, buys a bottle in a saloon he’s never been in before, and sees the most beautiful woman in the world there. She owns the saloon, wears no wedding ring, and he has to wonder, that’s all.”
Kitty’s protector, Sam, spoke up. “And you can just leave it at wondering, Mister,” said Sam.
“Now, it’s okay if he gets an answer to his question, Sam. After all, he can find it out anywhere in town, and knowing the answer might keep him outta trouble,” said Joe, then took a sip of his whiskey. He was a big man now, with all the answers. “Miss Kitty is taken, Mister. She’s been taken a long time. And you sure wouldn’t want to mess with her man, that’s for sure.”
Ross slowly moved his hat around in his hands. “Is that a fact, Joe?”
Joe flinched slightly when Ross called him by name, but then quickly figured Ross had heard it earlier. “It’s a solid fact, Mister, so you need to ferget about her.”
Ross smiled. “As I said, Joe, I was just curious. But I’m also curious to know what kind of man would hold onto her a long time, as you say, without marrying her.”
“That don’t matter none. It’s their business,” said Joe, leaning back on the counter.
“Sure it is,” said Ross. He noticed Sam hadn’t moved away. “Gentlemen, I’m just in town on business. I caught sight of something I’d like to know a little more about is all. I always find it interesting when a beautiful woman isn’t married, and now I see the loveliest of them all is single. But curiosity is all it is, I assure you. I’ll be leaving town in a few days.” He moved his half-empty bottle of whiskey over to Joe. “Perhaps you can finish that for me, Joe,” he said. “I need a clear head for my business tomorrow.”
Joe’s eyes lit up at the amount of whiskey left in the bottle. Suddenly, he was more talkative and less suspecting. “What kind of business you here about, Mister?”
Ross smiled again. He knew how to disarm people with just the right smile for the occasion. Half a bottle of whiskey didn’t hurt, either. He saw Sam and the other two cowboys pay close attention.
“Joe, I have some business with the town marshal in the morning. I didn’t get to town until late afternoon, so I haven’t had time to look him up yet.”
“Mister, Marshal Dillon is out of town. He won’t be back until the day after tomorrow,” said Sam.
“Ah, well now, that’s what I get for not wiring ahead to make sure he’d be in town,” said Ross.
“Is the marshal expecting you?” one of the other men asked. His tone said he didn’t think so.
“No, Marshal Dillon isn’t expecting me,” said Ross. “I thought I’d pay him a surprise visit, so now I’ll just have to wait until he returns.”
“You must not know him too well,” said Joe. He was starting to wonder what kind of business this fancy man had with Marshal Dillon.
“No, no I don’t, Joe,” said Ross. He was intrigued. How did this Joe figure Ross didn’t know Dillon well? “But I’m curious as to how you were able to ascertain that?”
Joe looked at him blankly.
Ross tried again. “How did you determine I didn’t know the marshal well, when I hadn’t said much about him at all?”
Joe grinned, feeling important. “Because if you knew him at all, Mister, you’d a known Miss Kitty is his woman.”
Ross felt his stomach tighten, and his heart begin to race. “Is that so?” Dillon again. Ross put his hat carefully on his head.
“Sure is,” said Joe. “Anybody who knows the marshal at all knows that.”
“Well, Joe,” said Ross, “I just said I have business with him. I didn’t say I actually know him. Now, Gentlemen, I have to get some sleep. The ride into town today was a long one. Good night,” he said, tipping his hat and making his way out the front door.
After Ross was gone, Sam moved closer to the three men at the bar and topped off their glasses with the remainder of the bottle Ross had left.
“I wonder what kind a business he could have with the marshal?” asked Joe.
The looks on the faces of the three other men showed they were thinking the exact same thing.
Ross entered his room at the Dodge House and removed his jacket. He poured himself a brandy from the bottle he always carried with him. He wasn’t much of a whiskey drinker, but he was a man who liked his brandy at the end of the day.
He sat and put his feet up, and sipped his brandy.
Kitty Russell.
He had never been so smitten, and he knew it. He had fallen for her, head over heels. She was everything a man could want in a woman. She was beautiful, classy, and smart. And she wasn’t some kid. She was a seasoned woman, with a body that could stop a man dead in his tracks, and one that had probably been the subject of many men’s dreams over the years. He could tell by the way the cowboys stared at her this evening that she was one of the main attractions in town.
And she was Dillon’s.
Ross got up and moved about the room, carrying his brandy glass with him. It was unsettling that she belonged not only to a lawman, but to the very one he had come here to kill. It didn’t matter that Dillon was a dead man, but it mattered that Dillon had been holding onto the woman Ross wanted more than anything in the world.
His business with the town marshal just might take a little longer now.
Ross had intended to keep an eye on Dillon for a day or two to see what kind of man this marshal was, the man who took his kid brother in to hang, but now he had an even bigger reason to watch him. When Matt Dillon got back to town, Ross was going to see what was so special about him that a woman like Kitty Russell would let him hang his hat inside her door.
As soon as he had that figured out, he would deal with Dillon, and then take Kitty Russell for his own. He would show her what a real man was made of.
Ross was very good at watching people. He had done little else in the past six years. But he also knew he had a lot to offer the right woman. He was good-looking – many women had been attracted to him over the years, even without knowing he had money. He caught the stares of women every day when he walked the street of any town he visited. Kitty’s interest in him had been different, though. She just wanted to gauge what kind of man he was. But she would pay attention to him as a man soon. Very soon.
He had plenty of money, plenty of charm, and good looks. He was also smart. He would be a good match for Kitty Russell. She would soon get used to being treated special.
But this only made Ross wonder even more what made a man like Dillon allow Kitty to run a saloon, spend time around the type of men who frequented those places, and not be at home with him at night. Whatever the reason, Ross would be the better off for it. When Kitty came to him, as she would soon, Ross would make her every dream come true. She wouldn’t have to run a saloon or put up with the stares of the men there. She would belong only to Ross, and he would pamper her and make her proud to be his.
Ross went to sleep that night with a smile on his face, and dreams of taking Kitty Russell to bed and loving her the way she deserved to be loved.
Soon, very soon, Ross Hanley would have Kitty Russell for his very own.
The following morning, Ross pushed through the doors of the Long Branch Saloon. A couple of cowboys with beer and a deck of cards sat in the back corner, and the most beautiful woman in the world sat at another table, looking over her ledger and drinking a cup of coffee. A coffee service was set up on her table.
Ross smiled. Kitty was even more beautiful this morning with a cup of coffee in her hand rather than a glass of whiskey. The blouse she wore was lovely, and it highlighted her cleavage. Her beautiful red hair fell soft around her face. Ross wanted to stand and stare at her for awhile, to commit this moment to his memory forever, but he knew that wouldn’t sit well with Sam, who was busy behind the bar already this morning. And it wouldn’t sit well with Kitty, either, and she mattered more.
Kitty looked up as Ross walked over to her table. “Good morning, Mr. Hanley,” she said, not seeming in the least surprised that he had resurfaced this morning.
Ross tipped his hat. “Good morning, Kitty,” he said. “Do you mind if I join you? I was on my way to the local delicatessen for my morning coffee, but as I passed by, I noticed you have coffee service right here in the Long Branch.”
Kitty looked at him a moment longer, then relented. “Please,” she said, motioning him to a chair. She poured a cup of coffee and put it in front of him.
Ross put both sugar and milk in his coffee and stirred it slowly. He could feel Kitty watching him.
Looking up, Ross smiled at Kitty. “A business owner’s work is never done, I suppose,” he said, nodding towards the ledger.
“Unfortunately, that’s correct,” she said. She closed the ledger and poured more coffee into her own cup.
Ross noticed she didn’t add either milk or sugar to her coffee. He smiled. This lady liked strong whiskey and strong coffee. She would like a strong man, too. Ross could handle that part, but he was also now forewarned not to underestimate Marshal Dillon in that category.
“I saw how you handled the drinking men in back last night,” said Ross, taking a sip of his coffee. “You settled them right down. It was impressive.”
“Oh?”
He smiled. “You know your way around men, Kitty.”
“I’ve been around ‘em a long time,” she said.
“That may be, but you know things most people never learn,” he said.
“I’ve made it my business to know men, Mr. Hanley. I can’t imagine running a saloon without a little advantage.”
Ross only got more impressed with this lady the more he knew about her, and the more he saw how she handled herself. Most women couldn’t take care of themselves half as well as he figured Kitty could. And she didn’t pretend to need help. As she told the cowboys in back last night, she preferred to handle things herself. Whereas so many women liked to pay helpless, Kitty Russell was strong and didn’t mind people knowing it.
This morning, Kitty wore more subtle clothing for daytime, but it was just as elegant as what she wore last evening to serve drinks to the cowboys when Sam had needed help. Her jewelry was flashy in a way, but she also wore nice pieces. Ross wondered if the larger rings were to make up for the fact she didn’t wear a wedding band.
“Mr. Hanley…” Kitty said.
“Please. It’s Ross.” He couldn’t stand for her to be so formal with him. She already belonged to Ross, even though she didn’t realize it yet. He had to be careful, and lead her to him slowly. This incredible woman would take some time to come around, and he understood that. He couldn’t get overly anxious. He had to take comfort in the fact she would belong to him in time, when things were settled in Dodge, when the marshal was dead and he could take her away from all this.
Kitty Russell would be worth the wait.
Kitty looked hard at Ross. She didn’t repeat his name. “I have work to do,” she said, standing. She picked up her ledger. “Stay as long as you want. The coffee is on the house,” she said, moving away before Ross could even speak.
Kitty shared a glance with Sam as she went through the door to her office. And Ross noticed Sam was paying special attention to him this morning, as he sipped his coffee.
Ross smiled to himself. That was good.
Sam would continue to watch over Kitty, and care for her, until Ross could claim her for his own.
Kitty put the ledger on her desk, and poured herself a brandy. She didn’t usually drink this early, but she needed some time to think, and brandy always soothed her. She sat in her chair and settled back. Ross Hanley. The name meant nothing to her.
Sam told her this morning that Hanley had left soon after Kitty went back to her office late last night. Sam also said Hanley was very interested in her personal matters, and mentioned he had business with the marshal. Kitty couldn’t figure whether the two things had anything to do with each other, but she would mention it to Matt tomorrow when he got back to Dodge.
Kitty searched her memory. She was sure Matt had never mentioned anyone named Hanley, and she was also sure the man wouldn’t be on a Wanted poster. Men on Wanted posters weren’t so open to talking with just anyone.
She sighed. There were so many years behind her in Dodge now, and so many cowboys and gunslingers had come through town that it was hard to keep up with them all. Still, Ross Hanley didn’t look familiar and his name wasn’t familiar. He was a fancy man, though, not the gunslinger type, and something about him didn’t seem like a businessman, either. Kitty didn’t know what kind of business he could have with Matt, but something about that just seemed off to her, as well.
She would be glad when she could talk with Matt about all this tomorrow.
Kitty finished her brandy. She had to get back to work. The whiskey vendor would be here soon, and she had a large order to place. The end of the month was just around the corner, and the drovers would be in town. Kitty sighed. It was a busy time, and the days were exhausting. But, it was also her best time for making a little extra money for her bank account, and for having a couple of new dresses made that her cowboy would never notice.
She smiled. It had taken time, but she had made peace with the fact that Matt Dillon never noticed her new clothes, or how she wore her hair.
One day, about ten or so years ago, when she had been upset that Matt once again didn’t notice her new dress, Doc had taken her aside. “Kitty,” he’d said, “I thought by now you’d figure this out for yourself, but I see you need a little help.”
Kitty hadn’t smiled, and she’d stood with her arms crossed and an angry expression on her face.
No, Kitty hadn’t smiled then, but she smiled now at the thought of how Doc had handled the situation.
“Kitty,” Doc had rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’m not sure how you’ll take this, but I’ll just be truthful and tell you how it is. Matt Dillon doesn’t notice what you wear, and he doesn’t notice how you do your hair, and he doesn’t notice all those other things you do to make him notice you, because he’s just not interested in all that. He’s already noticed you. You know he’s a black and white kind of man, Kitty. Matt Dillon knows what’s in your heart, and he knows about your kindness, and how you think and feel about things. And that’s what’s important to him, Kitty – not what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside.”
Kitty had just stared at Doc, saying nothing.
“Kitty, do you understand what I’m saying?” asked Doc.
Suddenly, the tears had spilled out of her eyes and ran down her face. Matt Dillon wanted her because of who she was, and not just how she looked. Doc had been surprised at her reaction, but he had taken her by the shoulders and pulled her into his arms and held her while she cried.
That was the last time she had literally cried on Doc’s shoulder, although she had done so figuratively many times since.
But that was also the day she accepted that her new dresses had to be for her, and not to impress Matt Dillon. And somehow, that did make life a little bit easier. She didn’t have to do anything special to impress Matt. He was hers, and she was his. That’s just the way it was.
And that was all right with Kitty Russell.
Kitty smiled just the same. Even though Matt Dillon was with her because of what was on the inside, she knew of many times he appreciated what was on the outside, too. She had to agree with Doc, though – the dress didn’t really matter. Matt was pretty darn good at taking any one of them off her.
So, Kitty wore new dresses to make herself feel more attractive, and when she felt more attractive, she flirted more with Matt Dillon, and she made more innuendos, and she even flat-out told him what she had in mind if he wanted to visit her up in her room after hours.
And Matt Dillon never complained about any of it.
Later that evening, Kitty changed into her dark green dress and checked over her hair and makeup. It was time to go downstairs to help Sam out. She had noticed earlier that the saloon was getting busier. She knew Matt would be back in town tomorrow morning and there was no better way to make the time pass than to wait on drunken cowboys.
Kitty sighed. If she was lucky, her girls could handle most of the cowboys this evening and she could just help when she was needed. She had really missed Matt the last couple of days. Sometimes it happened like this, and she could never put her finger on the times she would miss him a little and the times she would miss him a lot. She just knew that sometimes she felt like a schoolgirl the evening before he was due back in town. Even after all these years, the attraction she felt for that man was overwhelming. It was physical, yes, but so much more.
Leaving her room, Kitty walked out to the stairs. Business was picking up. She smiled and started down. As she made her way to the bar, she noticed Ross Hanley sitting at a table in the corner with a bottle of whiskey. There was something unsettling about that man. Kitty couldn’t put her finger on it exactly, but she always trusted her instincts where men were concerned.
Doc was standing at the far end of the bar, but turned as he saw Kitty walking towards him.
“Good evening, beautiful lady,” said Doc, smiling and tossing back the rest of his whiskey.
“Well! Thank you for that. And just how many of those have you had?” she asked, smiling back at her best friend.
Doc shook his head. “Not nearly enough! Mavis Lewis gave birth to two healthy baby boys just this afternoon!” Doc’s eyes were bright.
Kitty laughed. “Well, that calls for another. Sam, two whiskeys.”
“All right, you talked me into it,” said Doc.
“It sure didn’t take much,” she said. “I wish I could talk everyone else into things so easily.”
“You’re thinking of one man in particular, Kitty, and you just happen to be the only one who can talk him into anything at all, so be glad.”
Kitty laughed. “You are in a good mood!”
Sam poured two whiskeys and Kitty raised her glass. “To Mavis!” she said.
Doc touched her glass with his. “Here, here!”
They both took a sip of whiskey.
“So, she pulled it off, Doc. I know you were worried about both of the babies coming through all right. But you said they’re both healthy?”
“Healthy, and with well-developed sets of lungs!” said Doc.
Kitty laughed. “That’s wonderful news, Doc,” she said. “I know you’ve really taken good care of Mavis through all this. And it looks like it was well worth it.”
Doc shook his head and scratched his ear. “I was worried, Kitty. But Mavis did everything I told her to, and she did her best to stay off her feet these last couple of weeks. And it worked out for the best.” Doc took a deep breath. “I’m going back out there tomorrow to see how the boys made it on their first night in the brand new world. You want to go with me?”
Kitty shook her head. “Next time, Doc.”
“Oh, that’s right, the marshal is coming back tomorrow, isn’t he?” asked Doc, with a knowing look in his eye.
Kitty nodded. “He sure is,” she said.
“One would think that after what, oh fifteen or sixteen years, something like that, you could do without seeing him for an extra few hours here and there,” he said, just to see what Kitty would say.
Kitty smiled. When Doc started talking fancy talk, he was feeling mighty good. “One would think it, wouldn’t one?”
“I just can’t get you riled, can I?” he asked, noting how especially lovely she looked tonight, particularly with all those stars in her eyes when talking about Matt Dillon.
“No, you can’t, Doc. Just a few more hours and Matt’ll be home.”
Doc grinned. “Well, you two will no doubt need some time to catch up.”
“And I hope we get that time, Doc – alone,” she finished, giving Doc a wink.
Doc shook his head and took another sip of his whiskey. “After all these years, I don’t know where you two still get the energy, Kitty,” he said.
Kitty laughed. “That isn’t the problem, Doc,” she said. “It’s finding some time alone that’s the real problem – always has been.”
“I know, I know – it’s often difficult for you two to get some time together, with the marshal being such a popular man,” he said.
Kitty leaned in closer to Doc. “Doc, don’t look around now, but there is a man in a dark suit in the far corner with a bottle. He keeps to himself, but has been watching us ever since I came down. His name’s Ross Hanley. Does that name mean anything to you, or maybe the man himself?”
Doc glanced around when he could and saw the man Kitty was talking about. He turned back to Kitty. “No, never saw him before tonight,” he said. “You know him?”
“Yes, well, just since last night,” she said.
Doc could hear the concern in her voice. “What is it, Kitty?” he asked.
She looked down. “I’m not sure, Doc. He was in here quite awhile last evening. He says he has business with Matt, but he sure doesn’t look like a man Matt would have any kind of business with.”
Doc nodded. “He didn’t say what it was?”
“No,” she said. She took a sip of her whiskey.
“Well, you sure seem bothered by it,” said Doc.
“I can’t put my finger on it, Doc, but the man doesn’t sit well with me.”
“He sure watched you walk down the stairs like a man who was waiting for you,” said Doc.
Kitty looked at Doc. “What do you mean?” she asked, frowning.
“How can I explain… you see, when you and I are going to have supper together, and you come down those stairs looking the way you do, well… there’s a sense of pride a man has in knowing he’s the one you’re coming down to see.”
Kitty looked at Doc. “Is that right?” Her voice said she didn’t quite get that.
“You bet that’s right. It’s a look that Matt Dillon usually has on his face when you walk down, and one I get to have occasionally.”
“A look?” she asked, uncertainly. “What kind of look?”
“A look of pure… well, delight! A look that says you belong to me for the next little while.” Doc brushed his moustache with his hand.
“And that’s good?” she asked, but her eyes danced and she couldn’t hide a smile.
“Of course that’s good!” said Doc. “It’s pride, Kitty, pure pride that a woman like you is coming down to meet a man like me – or, well, usually Matt.”
Kitty smiled slyly. “That’s awful nice to hear, Doc,” she said, and squeezed his hand.
Doc glanced at her. “Well, you got it out of me, didn’t you?”
“Sometimes a woman has to be clever,” she said, with a lilt in her voice.
“Oh, you’re clever all right,” said Doc. “That’s for sure!”
Kitty leaned in again. “But I’m serious about Ross Hanley. You sure you don’t know him?”
“Never saw him before, Kitty,” said Doc. “You evidently don’t like him much, though.”
“I don’t know, Doc. Maybe I’m just being overly-cautious. Or, maybe I’m just anxious because of that business with Matt that I can’t figure out.”
“It could be anything, Kitty,” said Doc.
“Yeah, I know, Doc, but…”
“But what?”
“Well, he stares at me a lot, like he’s thinking about something that concerns me. It’s a little unnerving. And yesterday, he was here all evening. He is a little too familiar, but that’s nothing new with some of the men who come to town. And then this morning, he came in for coffee.”
“Oh?” asked Doc.
“He said was headed to Delmonico’s for coffee, but happened to notice a coffee service here at the Long Branch when he was on his way. And, Doc, you know Delmonico’s is in the other direction from the Dodge House.”
“Which means he came this way specifically,” said Doc.
Kitty nodded. “I just can’t figure him out, and that’s probably why he bothers me.”
“Well, I’m going to leave here in a couple of minutes. I’ll stop over and ask Festus to look in a little more often tonight,” said Doc.
“Oh, I’m not sure that’s necessary, Doc,” said Kitty.
“Well, I think it is, because I’ve sure learned to trust your instincts. I’ll stop over and see Festus,” he said.
Kitty smiled at him and nodded. “Thanks, Doc.”
Doc winked at her, and left the saloon.
Kitty watched Doc leave, and sighed. She didn’t want to be a bother, and she didn’t want to seem like a woman who couldn’t take care of things on her own, but there was just something about Ross Hanley that bothered her.
It bothered her a lot.
The evening was busy, and Kitty had more than enough to keep her mind occupied until well after midnight, when things began to settle down. She wanted nothing more than to slip upstairs and rest awhile. But she knew there could easily be another bunch of restless cowboys coming through the doors before the night was over.
Kitty went to the far end of the bar and looked the place over. Everyone was drinking and talking, or drinking and playing poker, but things were relatively tame overall. She had noticed Ross Hanley watching her for a couple of hours in the early part of the evening, and then he left the saloon. She was glad to see him go. He hadn’t been anything but polite and gentlemanly around her, but he was a man she didn’t trust.
“Whiskey, Miss Kitty?” asked Sam.
Kitty looked at Sam and smiled. “Why not? I’ll drink it just to stand here awhile.”
Sam laughed and poured her a whiskey, and as she took her first sip, Ross Hanley walked through the swinging doors. Frankly, Kitty would have been more surprised not to see him again this evening. He sure had an interest in the Long Branch, or things that went on inside it.
Ross Hanley walked right over to where Kitty stood at the bar.
“Well, Kitty, I’m too late again,” he said.
“Late?” she asked.
“You had to buy your own drink again this evening,” he said, motioning to Sam for a bottle.
“I usually buy my own drink, Mr. Hanley,” she said.
Ross opened his mouth to correct her, but maybe she was the kind of lady who took her time calling a man by his given name. Instead, he said, “I can understand being careful, Kitty, but surely you’ve seen that you can trust me.”
Kitty smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m not sure of much of anything about you, Mr. Hanley. I haven’t figured you out yet.”
Ross laughed heartily. “What is it you would like to know, Kitty? I’ll happily set your mind at ease.”
“I doubt that.”
“Try me,” he said, taking a sip of his whiskey. He wanted to ask Kitty to sit at a table with him, but he thought she might not want to do that just yet, either. This lady was cautious.
“All right.” She looked him in the eye. “You’ve told others you have business with Marshal Dillon, but you aren’t the usual kind to have business with him. You’re not a cowboy or a rancher. You’re not a gunslinger or an outlaw. You’re not on any Wanted poster. You’re slick, but not a dandy. You’re not a riverboat gambler, and even though you say you play poker, I’ve yet to see you show any interest in it. You spend a lot of time in the Long Branch, but you’re not a heavy whiskey drinker. You sip your whiskey, and then give the rest of the bottle away to some cowboy before you leave. You probably prefer brandy to whiskey, but it would look out of place to sip brandy all evening in a saloon. And you don’t want to appear out of place. You watch me from afar as though you’re trying to figure me out, even though I have nothing to hide and don’t pretend to. My story’s easy to find out around this town, which I’m sure you’ve already done, and yet you stay around and sip whiskey you don’t want, and try to strike up a conversation with me whenever you can. I’m unavailable, Mr. Hanley, which you know by now, and just plain not interested in you, but you haven’t taken the hint. So, whether you have business with Matt Dillon, or have any real interest in me, you just seem out of place hanging around the Long Branch. And Dodge City doesn’t seem like your kind of town, either, Mr. Hanley.”
Ross held Kitty’s gaze, but he wasn’t as amused anymore. He wasn’t upset, or angry, but she had figured him out long before he wanted her to know that much. He shouldn’t be surprised, though. He had given her a lot of credit where men are concerned, but he’d still underestimated her. He hadn’t expected it to come back around to him. And that was strictly his fault for not seeing it coming. Still, she didn’t know it all. Not yet.
Finally, Ross laughed. “Kitty Russell, as much credit as I’ve already given you for knowing men, you still surprise me.” He took a sip of his whiskey. “My business with the marshal is private. It’s not what I would call unusual, it’s just not something I want to share with anyone else before I meet him.” He took another sip. “But you’re right that my interest in you is another thing entirely. When you first walked through that door yesterday,” he said, nodding toward the door marked PRIVATE, “I saw the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. And since then, you’ve just gotten prettier.” He paused, but she didn’t react. “You’re also smart and full of class. I’ve spent some time wondering what grounds you in Dodge City, a town that you outclass by far. But then, you’re right, I found out you’re the marshal’s woman – a position you’ve held for a good number of years, and yet you’re not married to him. That seems odd to me, that a man, any man, would actually claim you as his own, but not marry you. An outsider has to wonder about that, is all. And yes, I’ve tried flirting with you, and showing you what a gentleman I am, all in hopes of getting your attention, as any man would want to catch a beautiful woman’s eye. But you’re all business, Kitty. I can’t get a foot in the door.”
“And you’re not used to being ignored, are you, Mr. Hanley?” she asked quietly.
Ross looked her in the eye. “Not when I’m trying to be taken seriously,” he said. “Kitty, I’m not the kind of man who takes a woman for a night and then leaves her. I enter into any relationship seriously, and for a reason. I haven’t looked at a woman in over six years, because in all my travels, none have been worthy. Not until now.”
Kitty continued to hold his gaze. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Hanley, but my only interest in you is as a customer.”
Ross nodded. That’s how it had to be then.
For now.
Ross took a last sip of whiskey and put his glass on the bar. “Give this to some deserving cowboy, Sam,” he said, pushing his half-empty whiskey bottle towards Sam.
Ross put on his hat, and turned back to Kitty. “He must be some man,” he said, looking straight into her eyes.
Kitty didn’t hesitate, and she didn’t look away. “He is.”
Ross tipped his hat to her, and left the Long Branch.
He had some thinking to do, and some planning, as well.
One thing was for sure. Matt Dillon was a dead man.
Kitty came downstairs the following morning, and headed for the coffee service Sam had already put out for her.
“Good morning, Sam,” she murmured.
Sam beamed at her. “Good morning, Miss Kitty.”
Kitty shook her head as she poured out a cup of coffee. “I don’t know how you can be so cheerful this early,” she said.
“Miss Kitty, it’s nearly 9:00,” he said.
Kitty sighed. “It’s the middle of the night, and you know it.”
Sam laughed. All the boys loved to laugh at the fact Kitty wasn’t a morning person.
When Matt was in town, he was always out and about so early that sometimes the sun hadn’t even thought about rising. Kitty smiled just thinking about it. She couldn’t remember the last time her cowboy was still in bed with her when she woke the next morning. On those nights he came to her and they made love, she fell asleep in his arms, but always woke to an empty bed. She didn’t know how he sneaked out like that, and she never remembered him getting ready to leave. Whenever she asked Matt about it later, he told her he wasn’t all that quiet about leaving, she was just used to going to bed late and sleeping in later. And he was used to getting dressed, kissing her goodbye, and locking the door behind him.
Kitty sighed. She sure hoped for some lovemaking tonight. She couldn’t remember the last time she had missed him so much. He’d only been gone a week, but it felt like longer.
“Miss Kitty, I’m going in back for a case of whiskey, but I’ll not be gone long,” said Sam.
“It’s okay, Sam, take your time. I doubt Mr. Hanley will be back this morning.” She knew Sam was keeping close to her, especially after her conversation with Ross Hanley last evening. It just didn’t sit right with either of them.
“I just want to be here if he does come in, Miss Kitty.”
“I know, Sam,” she said.
“I don’t like the way he looks at you.”
Kitty heard the edge in Sam’s voice.
“Sam, if I got upset at every man just for looking, I wouldn’t be able to stay in business,” she said, taking a sip of her coffee.
“He looks at you differently, Miss Kitty. He’s not just admiring you. He looks at you like you’re… well, like you belong to him,” said Sam. He didn’t like having to say it straight out to Miss Kitty, but he did want her to understand that Ross Hanley had a very specific interest in her, and he didn’t even try to cover it up. What Sam would like to have said was, “he looks at you like he wants to undress you,” but Sam would never get through saying those words to Miss Kitty without turning red and choking up. But what he did say conveyed that thought enough.
Kitty glanced up at Sam, and smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here, Sam,” she said simply, then picked up the newspaper on the table. She’d forgotten her lorgnette for reading the paper, but her eyes weren’t so bad she couldn’t make out most of the print.
Sam left for the whiskey, but was back soon after.
Kitty was on her second cup of coffee, and had started looking over the figures from yesterday, when she heard the familiar sound of Buck’s hooves outside. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was Buck bringing her man home, all right. She knew the sound of that gait anywhere.
Matt would head straight for his office, and Festus or Newly would take his horse over to Moss’s. He always checked in at the office before coming over to the Long Branch. He had to know if he’d missed anything, or if there was something needing his immediate attention. But Dodge had been pretty quiet while Matt was away this time, so Kitty expected him to stop in within an hour or so.
She would be waiting.
Matt walked into the Long Branch and headed for the bar. Things looked to be quiet inside the saloon this morning. In fact, the entire town was quiet.
“’Morning, Sam,” said Matt.
Sam grinned. “’Morning, Marshal. It’s good to have you back.”
Matt nodded. “I haven’t missed anything, have I?”
Sam was wondering what to say, and how much of it he wanted to talk to the marshal about right now, when Kitty came out of her office.
Kitty’s eyes lit up when she saw him. He was still the biggest man she’d ever seen, and the only one who could make her heart beat twice as fast from the moment she saw him. Even now, after all these years, she had to take a deep breath to still her heart.
“Morning, Matt,” she said, walking over to him.
“Kitty,” he said calmly, but the grin on his face said it all.
“It’s good to have you home.” She looked deep into his eyes, and that alone would have told him just how good it was to have him home.
Matt didn’t pull away from her gaze. “It’s good to be home, Kitty.”
“How about a cup of coffee?” she asked, finally pulling away. She figured he had just come in since he didn’t have a drink of any kind in front of him.
“Sounds good,” he said, and they moved over to the table Kitty had left the coffee service on earlier.
“Coffee should still be fairly hot,” she said, taking a second cup and pouring Matt’s coffee.
Matt sat. “It’ll taste mighty good to me,” he said.
Matt pulled Kitty’s chair out for her and she sat beside him. She noticed he had also moved her chair a little closer to his. She smiled. Whenever he did that, it was a sure sign he had missed her.
She topped off her own coffee and turned slightly so she could see Matt better. He had his hand on the back of her chair – another sign he had missed her.
Kitty smiled at Matt. “How was the trip?”
He nodded. “Fine, but I’m glad it’s over.”
Kitty could make a list of all the things Matt might do or say upon returning to Dodge that told her he had missed her. So far, she was crossing off several items on that list. “You just get in?” she asked.
“About half an hour ago. The town sure seems quiet,” he said.
“It has been, and I hope it stays that way.” She took a sip of coffee.
Matt grinned and looked her in the eye. “So do I,” he said, his eyes speaking volumes.
Kitty felt a tremor go through her. When he looked at her like that, she knew what he was thinking. She smiled back and gave him a look that said she was thinking the same thing.
They held the gaze for a moment, until Matt took a deep breath and sat up straighter in his chair, and moved his arms to the table.
Kitty turned to her coffee cup and took a sip, just as Matt did the same.
Sometimes the chemistry between them worked overtime, and they just had to cool it off a little.
Temporarily.
“Kitty, I need to go back to the office and start on that stack of mail on my desk,” said Matt, taking another deep breath.
Kitty’s heartrate was finally slowing down. “Yeah, I have work to do, too. But I want to talk to you about something first.”
“Oh?”
“Do you know a man named Ross Hanley?” she asked.
Matt thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No. Why?” He looked at her.
“He came to town a couple of days ago. He says he has business with you,” she said.
“Well, maybe he’ll stop in at the office later,” he said, dismissing the subject.
“That’s not all, Matt.”
Matt turned to Kitty. He had noticed an edge in her voice. “What is it?”
She shook her head. “I can’t put my finger on it. No one knows him, but he’s been hanging around the Long Branch an awful lot. He watches me, strikes up a conversation whenever he can, and yet he says he’s here to do some kind of business with you.”
“Well, you’re a beautiful woman, Kitty. It’s not unusual for men to become fixated on you,” said Matt simply.
Kitty grinned. “Thanks for the compliment – I think,” she said, adding a bit of sarcasm to the last part.
Matt grimaced. “I didn’t mean it like that….”
She chuckled. “I know, Cowboy.” She touched his arm briefly. Taking a deep breath, Kitty knew she needed to get back on track. “The thing is he’s an odd one, Matt. He’s… unsettling. I just can’t figure him out. Even Sam is wary of him.”
“Well, if this Hanley is paying special attention to you, Sam would automatically be wary of him.”
Kitty shook her head. “Yeah, I know, but this is different. Hanley is different.”
Matt nodded. “All right, I’ll keep an eye out,” he said seriously. “I’ve come to trust your instinct on these things.”
Kitty smiled. “That’s what Doc said. Last night.”
“Oh? What was Doc trusting your instinct about last night?” he asked.
“The same thing – I told Doc about Ross Hanley and he said he trusted my instinct. He asked Festus to stop in here more often when he was out making rounds, just to make sure everything was all right.”
“Good,” said Matt. “I’m going to head back to the office so I’m there if Hanley shows up. Maybe we’ll get to the bottom of things soon.” He stood.
Kitty stood too, and put her hand on his arm. “Be careful, Matt.”
Matt looked down at her. It wasn’t like Kitty to react this way.
Kitty realized she was behaving uncharacteristically, as well. “It just slipped out,” she said.
Matt nodded.
She looked Matt straight in the eye. “I don’t trust the man, Matt.”
Matt squeezed her hand. “I’ll be careful,” he said, then turned and walked out the swinging doors and onto Front Street.
Ross Hanley paced his room at the Dodge House. He had watched the marshal ride into town, and saw him go down to the Long Branch soon after. He must have missed Kitty quite a lot, to go see her practically the moment he got back in town. Ross understood that. Any man worth a grain of salt would miss that woman.
Their meeting was brief, though, so he knew they hadn’t had time to do more than have a quick cup of coffee or a beer together. Dillon hadn’t taken Kitty to bed and loved her, that was for sure. He had walked back down the street to his office just minutes ago.
Ross wondered if Kitty had mentioned Ross Hanley to Dillon. Maybe. But maybe not. She would have been happy to see Dillon, and so maybe they had just talked about his trip or something topical.
But Ross didn’t kid himself. He knew he didn’t have Kitty’s trust yet. He would have it before long, though. As soon as Dillon was dead, Kitty would need a man to help her through her grief. After all, she had been with Dillon a long time. And Ross Hanley would step in, take her in his arms and love her the way she deserved to be loved, and treat her the way a lady should be treated. He would make her forget she ever knew a marshal in Dodge City.
Eventually, he’d even make her forget Dodge City.
Ross had dreamed about Kitty all last night. He took her in his arms and stripped all that clothing from her body, and made love to her for hours. He had taken down her beautiful red hair, too, and ran his hands through it. It felt like silk in his hands. He had gotten to know her body, how it reacted and what made her cry out his name. When he moved inside her, she had moaned and pulled him closer. Her kisses were the sweetest he had ever known. He had satisfied Kitty completely – far better than the man wearing the badge had ever done.
It wouldn’t be long before he made love to Kitty Russell the same way he had in his dreams. Soon, it would all be a reality.
He’d looked Dillon over as he walked down the street. He was just a big cowboy with a badge.
But something in the back of his mind warned Ross Hanley not to misjudge Dillon. A simple man wouldn’t keep Kitty Russell’s interest, and certainly not for a long haul. There had to be more to this man than met the eye.
Even though he had only seen Dillon from a distance, Ross knew the type. Still, he was going to see Dillon this afternoon. He had business with him, after all.
But his business was now a little different than what it had set out to be.
Last night, Ross Hanley had watched Festus, the deputy, stalk the streets of Dodge City. It was laughable to think this man had enough backbone to handle things while the marshal was away. When it was all over and Dillon was dead, Ross knew he didn’t have to worry about this deputy figuring out he was the one who shot Dillon. Festus would probably not be able to get out of his own way.
Still, Ross made a mental note not to misjudge the man. After all, he was a deputy marshal. There had to have been something impressive about him to get Dillon’s attention. The man had to take care of the town in the marshal’s absence.
And Ross had seen how Kitty treated the deputy when he stopped in last night, too. She had given him a drink on the house and always had time for him. That wasn’t to be dismissed lightly.
He had noticed, too, how the deputy seemed to look out for Kitty in an extra special way, just like the bartender, Sam – and just like the town doctor. Everyone seemed to look out for Kitty. She was special, but he got the impression the men were also looking out for her because she belonged to the marshal. They all wanted to keep her safe.
Well, they wouldn’t need to look out for her much longer.
Ross wouldn’t need anyone else’s help in looking out for Kitty. She would be his, and he would take care of her.
Matt Dillon sat at his desk and looked at the new Wanted posters that had come in while he was away. First, he looked for the name “Ross Hanley,” just in case Hanley was a wanted man that Kansas hadn’t gotten word about yet. That had been known to happen more times than it should. But there wasn’t a poster on him.
Matt got up and poured a cup of the old coffee Festus had left on the stove this morning. He made a face, but drank it anyway. Having had a cup of Kitty’s coffee earlier made this stuff taste even worse than it probably was.
Looking out the window over the stove, Matt could see down a part of Front Street. He didn’t notice any strangers. If this Hanley had business with the town marshal, why hadn’t he shown up yet? Matt had been in his office for the past several hours. He wasn’t normally bothered about something like this, but he’d seen the look on Kitty’s face earlier, and heard the concern in her voice when she talked about Hanley. Kitty was used to all kinds of men, and she knew a lot of them. When a certain one concerned her, then it concerned Matt, too.
Matt sighed. There was still a long afternoon and evening ahead before night fell and he made his last rounds of the day. He normally didn’t think about that much, either. Matt took things as they came, and didn’t look too far ahead. But now, he just wanted the day to pass, the shops to shut down, and nighttime to close in so the saloons could shut down, too. He wanted to climb Kitty’s back stairs and have her let him into her room. He knew she would be waiting for him. She would have let down her hair, and he would fold his hands into it as she wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted her face to meet him. He would press his lips to hers and let her scent engulf him.
Matt inhaled deeply. He took another drink from his coffee mug. This stuff was bad, but it jolted his mind away from Kitty, even if it was only temporary.
He had missed Kitty a whole lot this time. He’d only been away a week, but it felt like two, or more. Sometimes time away seemed longer than it used to, and one thing Matt had come to notice was that, as he got older and spent more years on this job, he missed Kitty even more when he was away from her for too long.
Matt turned away from the window and sat back down. He would just have to turn his mind back to his work. He knew that continuing to think about seeing Kitty this evening would only make the day crawl by.
Sometime a little after 2:00 p.m., Ross Hanley walked out the front door of the Dodge House. He had spent the better part of the day thinking, because everything had changed.
Now that Kitty had come into his life, he needed a new plan. No longer would he shoot Dillon and run. But he still had to kill Dillon without anyone knowing he was the one who had done it. He had to claim he was somewhere else when it happened, somewhere no one would be the wiser, because he had to be handy to help Kitty pick up the pieces of her life after Dillon was gone. He had to rescue her, take her away from Dodge City and all her memories of this place, and the man she had known here.
But first, it was time to officially meet Marshal Matt Dillon.
Ross threw his cigar into the street and crossed to the other side. He looked at the people walking up and down the boardwalks, going about their business, believing nothing would change their simple way of life. He walked past them, and they were forgotten.
Ross knocked on the marshal’s door, then pushed it open. He saw the big man behind the desk. “Marshal?” he asked.
Matt Dillon stood from his chair and walked toward Ross. “Mr. Hanley?” he asked, as he extended his hand.
Ross was momentarily taken aback, but he soon recovered. Either Kitty had mentioned him to Dillon, or someone else had since morning. He had watched several people come in and out of the marshal’s office throughout the day. He had mentioned having business with the marshal all over town, so it could be anyone.
“For a moment there, I thought you knew me, Marshal,” he said, shaking Dillon’s hand.
“No, no, I don’t, Hanley. But you’re the only man I’ve seen today that I don’t know, so it was a good guess,” said Matt.
Ross smiled. “And you heard I was in town talking about how I had business with you,” he said.
“Something like that,” said Matt. “Coffee?” He pointed to the pot on the stove.
“No thanks, Marshal,” said Ross.
“That’s a smart call,” said Matt. “It’s not nearly as good as Kitty’s coffee.”
Ah, so it had been Kitty who’d mentioned Ross to Dillon. He wondered if she had mentioned Ross having coffee with her, or if what Dillon had said was simply a way to bring Kitty’s name into the fold.
“Sit down,” said Matt, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk.
Matt returned to his own chair, and Ross sat, as well.
“Now, what can I do for you, Mr. Hanley?” asked Matt.
Ross looked Dillon over. He was an even bigger man in person than he had seemed from the window earlier. He had rugged good looks, and eyes that didn’t look away, and they didn’t lie. He was entirely straight-forward, which Kitty probably appreciated. Dillon had broad shoulders and big hands, and an easy manner. Ross had no doubt Dillon knew how to handle a gun. That Colt .45 he wore on his hip seemed right at home there.
Ross also had no doubt Dillon could pleasure Kitty in bed, but he didn’t want to think about that. He already thought of Kitty as his.
Ross crossed his legs casually, and pulled a piece of paper from his inside pocket. He handed it to Matt. “Does this look familiar to you, Marshal?”
Matt unfolded an old Wanted poster. He nodded. “Jess Wilson. He killed two men on the prairie and took their horses. He eventually hung for it. But that was about six years ago.” Matt handed the poster back to Hanley.
“That’s correct, Marshal. I represent a private party, someone who only recently discovered that her relative, one of the two men who were killed on the prairie, was vindicated. You see, this party is quite wealthy and she would like to add $500 to the bounty money that was offered for the capture of this Jess Wilson. So, either you can let me know who to pay this money to, Marshal, or I will happily hand it over to you so you can pay it out yourself. Either way is fine on behalf of the private party. We realize there is often silence regarding the individual or individuals who actually bring in a wanted man – for privacy, and safety reasons, of course.” Ross casually refolded the paper and put it back in his pocket.
Matt took a breath. “Well, in this case, Hanley, there’s no need. You can tell this ‘private party’ that a U.S. Marshal apprehended the man who murdered her relative. No bounty money was collected, nor will it be.” Matt stood.
“I see,” said Ross Hanley, also standing. “So, if you apprehend a killer, Marshal, you don’t collect any bounty money that might be offered?”
“That’s right,” said Matt.
“Surely you could use it for things needed around… here,” he said, looking around the marshal’s office.
“The United States government sends me money for running the jail,” said Matt, moving out from behind his desk. “If that’s all, Hanley, I have work to do.”
Ross Hanley smiled at Matt Dillon. “Fair enough, Marshal. I’ll be on my way in the morning, and I’ll share this information with my interested party.” He reached out to shake the marshal’s hand. Matt obliged.
Ross started for the door.
“Hanley?” asked Matt.
Ross turned.
“You didn’t tell me who you are in relation to this ‘interested party.’ Are you a legal representative?”
Ross smiled. “Not exactly, Marshal. But it is of no consequence now that no money will be exchanging hands. Isn’t that right?”
Matt didn’t answer. He didn’t like Ross Hanley one bit.
Hanley opened the door. “Perhaps I’ll see you at the Long Branch this evening, Marshal. I’ve been trying to convince Kitty to let me buy her a drink, but she doesn’t seem to trust me just yet.”
“Kitty’s careful about who she trusts,” said Matt.
Hanley laughed. “Oh, I’ve noticed that. Good bye, Marshal,” said Ross, closing the door behind him.
Matt moved to the window and watched Ross Hanley walk back to the hotel. At the last minute, Hanley stopped and looked at the Long Branch, but decided against going inside. Matt continued to watch him until he entered the Dodge House, and the door closed behind him.
Matt took a deep breath. No, he sure didn’t like Hanley one little bit. Kitty was right about him. There was something unsettling about the man.
Matt also figured that was an understatement.
After Ross Hanley left the marshal’s office, he got the bottle of expensive brandy from his room, then rode his horse out to the prairie. He needed to think a bit, and enjoy the fresh air away from that cow town. He sat comfortably on a large rock in the shade, with his bottle of brandy and a glass.
He had already set a plan in motion.
Earlier, well before seeing Marshal Dillon, he had asked to move his room at the Dodge House to the one next door. It had a balcony. Ross told the clerk that the view from that window was a better view, and he enjoyed watching people move around town as he relaxed. The clerk seemed pleased that his guest was enjoying Dodge and staying longer than he had originally intended. The second room had been vacated earlier in the day, and Ross was moved into it by noon. Ross had tipped the clerk well. He always liked to leave a good impression.
That balcony actually faced the marshal’s office. Ross would be able to kill Dillon from there, then go back through his room and downstairs before anyone even knew where the bullet had come from. A single bullet’s direction was hard to trace, and Ross Hanley was a marksman. He would only need one bullet to kill Matt Dillon, and he would see to it that the sole bullet did its job. People would be waiting for more gunfire to determine the location of the shooter, but there would be no more.
After it was done, he would leave his room, run down the stairs and out of the Dodge House and into the street. He would pretend to look for the killer, or in some way help out. The whole town would be in shock, wondering who had killed their marshal in broad daylight, and right in front of everyone. Ross knew that at times like this, people panicked. He would move around the crowd and ask what had happened. He would say he had concluded his business with the town marshal just this afternoon, but now the marshal was dead. How did it happen? And why? Did anyone know who the perpetrator was? Had he been apprehended?
More importantly, how was Kitty Russell faring? He would have to check on her.
Ross grinned. No one would be thinking about Kitty yet. Or maybe she would be out on the street by then, having heard the commotion. She would be frantic, running to get to her marshal, or perhaps she would already be there, leaning over his body. Either way, she would see that he was dead. That is what mattered.
And then, Ross would take her from the crowd and walk her back to the Long Branch. She would allow him to buy her a drink this time, and he would console her. He would tell her all the things she needed to hear – that time would heal her pain, and that she needed to get some rest. He would even help her upstairs to her room, if she would allow it.
Mostly, he would be patient. She may not allow him to love her yet, but she would come to him in time. That’s all that mattered.
And once she had been loved by Ross Hanley, she would forget she had ever known a man named Dillon.
That’s how it would work.
No one would suspect Ross Hanley of killing the marshal. He just wasn’t the type to kill a man without calling him out. He had come to town to conduct business with the marshal, and any number of people had seen him come and go from the marshal’s office earlier today. Many had also seen him return to the Dodge House. A man who moved about in daylight hours that way had nothing to hide.
Ross finished his brandy and started on his way back to town.
He had a job to do before he could claim his prize.
When Festus came back to the office a couple of hours later, Matt folded a note in half, then handed it to Festus to take to the telegraph office. “Take this over to Barney, Festus,” said Matt. “Tell him I’ll be expecting an answer.”
“Sure will, Matthew,” said Festus. “Do ya want me to wait fer the answer?”
“No, it might take awhile, Festus. Barney’ll let us know when he has something.”
Festus opened the office door just as Kitty was about to push the door open from the other side.
“Miss Kitty! Come on in!” He moved aside so she could enter.
“Thank you, Festus,” said Kitty, stepping inside.
“I was jist about to go send this here telegram fer Matthew.” He tipped his hat to her, and she smiled. Festus left, closing the door behind him.
Matt sat on the edge of his desk, and Kitty walked over to him.
“I just wondered if you’ve heard from our Mr. Hanley yet,” she said.
“Matter of fact, Kitty, he left here a couple of hours ago. I was going to come see you after I got that telegram ready to send, but it seems like I was missed while I was gone. Half a dozen people have been in and out of here since Hanley left.”
She smiled at him. “I’m not surprised,” she said. “A lot of people miss you when you’re away.” Her look said she was definitely one of those people. She took a breath and pushed away thoughts of what she’d like to do about that right now. “So, what happened with Hanley?” she asked. “Did he have some all-important business with the town marshal, after all?” she asked sarcastically.
Matt grinned and crossed his arms. “Now, Kitty, you just don’t seem to believe there’s anything legitimate about the man.”
“I don’t,” she said. “And neither do you.”
“Oh?”
“If you did, you wouldn’t be sending a telegram to some other lawman, asking about him,” she said. She smiled, and her eyes held that hint of mischief Matt loved so much.
Matt took a deep breath, then grinned at her. “I just can’t get anything by you, can I?” he said, in that flirty voice he reserved only for Kitty. She sure was beautiful, but today there was something special about her that nearly took his breath away. But he knew he was just missing her, and when he got to feeling like this, everything about her just made him want her more.
She laughed. “I sure hope not.”
He grew serious again. “Hanley gave me some story about an ‘interested party’ wanting to pay reward money to the person who captured the killer of one of her relatives.”
Kitty frowned. “That sounds odd.”
“Sure does, and what’s even more odd is that it’s for a killing that happened six years ago. Two men were killed on the prairie and their horses were stolen. The man responsible was Jess Wilson.”
“Jess Wilson…” she said slowly. “Didn’t you bring him in and then take him to Hayes to stand trial for murder?” she asked.
“Yeah, that’s right. The jury voted unanimously to hang him,” he said. “I told Hanley it was over and to return the reward money to the ‘interested party.’”
“You don’t think there is an interested party?” she asked.
“No, I don’t, Kitty.”
“What reason would he have to come up with a story like that?” she asked.
“I don’t know, Kitty, and I’m not going to spend any more time thinking about it. We’ll see if anything comes from the telegram I just sent.”
“So, you don’t think that’s the end of it, Matt?” she asked.
“I hope it is, Kitty. He claims he’s leaving town in the morning. Let’s see if he does.”
Kitty took a deep breath and nodded. Then she took a step towards him and tried to look serious. “By the way, on a completely unrelated matter…”
“Uh huh…,” he said, unfolding his arms. She had stepped so close Matt could smell the lavender scent she used on her body after she had a bath. His heart beat a little faster.
“Your birthday is coming up soon,” she said, in that voice he loved.
“Yeah, couple of weeks,” he said.
“Well, I’m surprised you remember!”
“Well, it’s my birthday, Kitty,” he said.
“You usually forget your own birthday,” she said. “And you barely remember mine.”
“Now Kitty, I’ve been awful good at remembering your birthday in recent years.”
“That’s because Doc and Sam and Newly, and even Festus, remind you of it.”
Matt grimaced.
Kitty laughed. “But that’s all right, it keeps all you men on your toes,” she said. “But back to your birthday. I wondered if you’ve given any thought to what you’d like this year. Or, is it the same as usual – a couple bottles of whiskey to stock up your supply here at the jail.” She said the last bit sarcastically.
Matt looked at her appreciatively. “As a matter of fact, I have given it some thought,” he said.
“Oh?” She frowned, and he knew she wasn’t sure if she believed him.
“Yeah, and I’ve decided I’d like something else entirely from you this year.”
Kitty frowned deeper, and Matt laughed.
“Remember that time, oh maybe four years back, when my back started locking up on me and you gave me that nice long massage?”
Kitty thought about it. “That time Doc took a bullet out of you and you were up at his place for a few days?” she asked. After she said it, she realized that could describe any number of times throughout the years.
Matt nodded. “Yeah. You told Doc to go over to your room at the Long Branch and take a nap, and you’d take care of me while he was gone.”
Kitty grinned. “Well, I took care of you, didn’t I?”
Matt nodded, and took a deep breath. “You sure did. You gave me that massage, and you used that nice-smelling stuff that didn’t smell like a bunch of flowers….”
Kitty laughed. “Yeah, it was made with sage and thyme.”
“Well, that’s what I’d like for my birthday,” he said, proud to have come up with something other than the two bottles of whiskey he usually asked Kitty for.
Kitty stared at him. “A massage?”
“A massage exactly like that one,” he said.
“Is your back locking up on you again, Matt?” she asked as sincerely as she could muster, knowing it wasn’t.
“No,” he said. “But maybe that’ll prevent it from happening again.” He looked into those beautiful blue eyes that told him everything Kitty would like to do to him right now. It made his heart skip a beat. When she got that look in her eyes…. He took a deep breath.
Kitty looked all the way into his soul. “Well, if I remember correctly, Cowboy, not only did your back quit locking up on you afterwards,” she said. “But we checked out a few other things to make sure they were working properly, as well…and everything seemed… well, just perfect.”
Matt noticed the word ‘perfect’ had just the right emphasis.
“I’d like to know one thing, though – is it just the massage you want?” she asked. “Or, would you like the package deal, with everything else we checked out that day included?”
It was getting harder to breathe, and he couldn’t pull his eyes away from hers. “Well, Kitty, everything that happened that day seemed kind of like a part of that massage to me, so I guess it’s the whole thing I’m asking for,” he said.
“Well, I’m glad I asked, because I want you get everything you want for your birthday,” she said, flirting with him, and knowing exactly what she was doing. “So that’s what you want then? The package deal?”
Matt could scarcely get a breath with her standing so close. “That’s right, the package deal,” he said. His voice felt scratchy all of a sudden. He could practically feel her hands on his body right now.
Kitty’s smile told him she would love to take care of that this very minute. “I can certainly do that for you, Cowboy,” she said in her husky voice. “In fact, we can have supper in my room first. You think about the meal you’d like me to prepare, since it’s your birthday and all. Then… I’ll give you an even better package deal than the one you had last time.”
“Oh? You mean that one wasn’t the best you had to offer?” He grinned and held her gaze. It wasn’t easy to keep up with Kitty, but he was sure going to try.
She smiled, and her eyes were dark with desire. “We were at Doc’s place, remember? We had to be careful. Anyone could have walked right in.” She moved another step closer, and Matt swallowed hard. He could feel her thigh against his, even through all the clothing that was between them. “It’ll be much better at my place. In fact, it might even turn out to be a package deal you’ll never forget.”
“I see,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. What this woman could do to him, even after all these years of being with her. “Well, that was several years ago, too, and I’ve noticed that some things get even better with time.”
“I guarantee this will be one of those times,” she whispered, without missing a beat.
He had no doubt about that. Matt’s heart was thundering in his chest, and he felt some other things happening, as well. They were going to have to stop this… in a minute.
“I don’t doubt that massages are better at your place, Kitty, but I do have one suggestion,” he said. His voice was giving out on him.
“Hmmmm? What’s that, Cowboy?” She asked, leaning a little closer.
Matt saw she had on one of those low-cut blouses today. Once his eyes went there, it was hard to pull them away.
She was now so close he could feel her breath on his neck.
Matt swallowed hard. “You might want to remove some of your clothing first – you know, so you can have better access, and not have it get… tangled up in the sheets.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Remove some of my clothing?” she asked, in a low voice.
He swallowed again. “Yeah, well, maybe all of it,” he managed to get out.
“I will be happy to do that for you, Cowboy,” she whispered, turning her head so that her mouth was only a couple of inches from his.
Just as he lowered his head to kiss her, they heard the jingle of Festus’s spurs outside. Kitty moved away quickly, but her heart was beating fast, and she had to take a big, deep breath to bring her mind back to the present.
Matt moved behind his desk and sat. He picked up a pencil, but his hand was shaking so he put it back down.
Festus Haggen opened the door to the marshal’s office and stepped inside.
As Matt and Kitty were flirted with each other inside the marshal’s office, Ross Hanley rode back to Dodge.
Ross left his horse with Hank at the stable and headed for his room at the Dodge House. He wanted more than ever to see Kitty, but the daylight hours were waning and he had a job to do. His heart ached to see her, to look at her and think about how he had made love to her in his mind all night long. He wanted to undress her with his eyes, but he had to remind himself there would be all kinds of time for that later.
In fact, there would be time to undress her in person later.
Right now, Ross had to take his rifle from the room and get into position on the balcony. The foot traffic into and out of the marshal’s office had already started to slow down when he rode out to the prairie for some time to think.
He knew the marshal would soon call it a day, and venture outside. He might even head towards the Long Branch to see Kitty, but he would never make love to her again. Ross would see to that.
It was time to finish this.
Ross crawled out onto the balcony with his rifle, the special one with the scope he used at times like this. He stayed well below the dense boards that made up the walls and the railing. He had noted earlier how perfect this balcony and its location were for what he had in mind.
He lay flat, and began his wait. It wouldn’t be long now.
Ross Hanley had no way of knowing that his plans were once again about to change.
Festus stood stock still in the door of the marshal’s office. He immediately knew he had interrupted something. Even though both Matthew and Miss Kitty were awful good at covering their little flirtations, they weren’t as good as they thought they were. And their attraction to each other seemed to hang in the air for a spell after they finished flirting. Festus was also pretty sure the six or so feet separating them now wasn’t between them before he’d opened the door. And the fact that neither of them were looking his way, or at each other, told him they were trying to get their minds on something other than what they’d just been thinking about.
One thing they were awful good at, though, was not getting caught outright.
Festus grinned. “Barney sent the telegram through, Matthew.”
Matt mumbled something, then looked over at Kitty. She turned towards him slowly, and grinned.
Matt took a deep breath. “Let’s go for a walk, Kitty. I’ll even buy you a drink,” he said, heading for the door and taking his hat from the peg beside it.
“Well, now, that sounds like a good idea.” Kitty moved to the door, and Matt opened it for her. “’Bye, Festus,” said Kitty.
“’Bye, Miss Kitty, Matthew…” said Festus.
Matt put on his hat and closed the door behind them.
Festus went to the window and watched Matthew and Miss Kitty look at each other some more outside. They had known their share of ups and downs over the years, but it usually had to do with the badge Matthew wore, and Miss Kitty not liking the restrictions it put on their relationship. But in recent years, both of them seemed more settled. Miss Kitty seemed to do better with how things were, and it probably had some to do with Matthew paying her more attention than he used to. Doc had noticed it, too, but he didn’t talk about it much. He never liked to talk about Matthew and Miss Kitty’s relationship to others. But he sure did like it when things were good between them, like they were right now.
Of course, Doc had been in Dodge way back when the two of them first got together. He’d told Festus once that when he first met her, he’d known right away that if there ever was a woman who could put up with Matt Dillon and his stubbornness, it was Kitty Russell. She was strong, and just as stubborn as the marshal, and she knew her way around men. She would be a good match for Matt Dillon.
Well, ever since Festus had known ‘em, they were sure a good match for each other. Matthew could get on his high horse now and then about that badge he wore, but Miss Kitty, being a redhead and all, didn’t let him get away with much. Matthew treated her like the lady she was, though, and Miss Kitty appreciated him, too. He was a good man, and she knew it. And when they looked at each other with stars in their eyes like they were doing out there right now, well, he knew before long nobody would be able to find ‘em for a spell.
Festus grinned and poured himself a cup of coffee, shaking his head. He took a sip and grimaced. This was the worst coffee he’d ever made. No wonder there was so much of it left in the pot.
While Matt and Kitty flirted with each other some more outside the marshal’s office and Ross Hanley was getting into position on the balcony, and Festus was making faces about the bad coffee he’d just poured, Doc Adams was readying his medical bag for heading out to the Peterson place, just outside of town. He put some pain pills and laudanum in his bag and looked around to see if he’d forgotten anything else he might need.
Lou Peterson had fallen off his horse three days ago, and was on the mend. Half the problem was keeping him in bed, and the other half was seeing to it he took the pain pills so his body could rest and heal.
Finally, Doc figured he had everything he needed, and closed his bag, He put on his jacket and hat, picked up his bag, and headed out the door.
Just before descending his stairs, Doc noticed Matt and Kitty across the way. They were staring into each other’s eyes and smiling, right there in front of the marshal’s office!
Doc grinned and brushed his hand over his moustache. If that didn’t beat all. It wasn’t like them to look at each other like that out on the street, but then, he figured they didn’t realize how they looked to others right now. He knew Kitty had missed Matt last week while he was away, but it sure seemed Matt had missed her, too.
As Doc started down his stairs, and Festus turned away from the window inside the marshal’s office with his coffee cup, Matt put his hand on Kitty’s back, and guided her towards the Long Branch. Doc stopped halfway down and looked at his watch. He could be out to the Peterson place and back in a little over an hour, since they weren’t far from town, and then he would see if either Matt or Kitty – or maybe both of them – would want to have supper with him. He hoped they both would. He’d even buy. He wanted to kid them about the looks they were giving each other out on Front Street just now. Kitty would smile and laugh, and Matt would look a little sheepish. But already knowing how they would react was half the fun.
Doc put his watch back in his pocket and continued down the stairs.
After Ross Hanley got into position on his balcony, he looked through the slat between two boards. There was just the right amount of room for the barrel of his rifle to fit through. He kept his eye on the scope’s crosshairs and put his finger near the trigger.
He absentmindedly noticed Doc Adams coming down the stairs across the way.
Ross slowly maneuvered his rifle into the perfect spot and turned it towards the marshal’s office – but then he nearly gasped, and his heart skipped a beat! Kitty was standing right in front of the marshal’s office, and Dillon was standing right behind her! When had she gone in to see him?
Ross couldn’t believe he had left so much to chance! He should have made certain Kitty was safe inside her saloon before he set off to kill Matt Dillon!
But he hadn’t thought about her going to the marshal’s office, and now there was nothing he could do about it. There might never be a better time than now to accomplish what he had set out to do.
He would just have to prove how good of a sharpshooter he really was, and kill Dillon right in front of her. There were also more people on the street than he would have liked, but no killing was perfect.
It would be all right, though. Kitty was strong, and she would come through this unscathed. Owning a saloon for fifteen years meant she had probably seen a man killed before, and probably more than one. Even though this time it would be different, she would come to Ross when it was all over, when her grieving was done and she was a free woman.
If he had any say in it, and he planned to, she would be ready to move on sooner rather than later.
Ross put his eye to the scope, and lined up the crosshairs just right.
The marshal and Kitty had stopped by a lamppost, and were talking. They were doing more than just talking, though. He could see the smiles on their faces, and the flirtation that passed between them. The scope on his rifle brought things well into focus.
Ross felt his blood pressure rise, but he held himself in check. He contented himself with knowing that Dillon would never make love to Kitty Russell again.
Kitty would be his before sundown, and she would look at Ross this very same way. He would make sure she soon forgot about any marshal she had known before.
After Festus turned away from the window, he tried another sip of his coffee, and grimaced. The second sip wasn’t any better than the first.
Doc continued down the steps.
Sam walked out the front doors of the Long Branch, wiping his hands on his apron. It was sure a nice day, the nicest in a long time, and he intended to take a few minutes to enjoy it before the Long Branch got busier.
Matt and Kitty turned and continued down the boardwalk towards the Long Branch. Matt guided Kitty around the clusters of townsfolk who stood around talking. There seemed to be more people out than usual, but it was a nice day, and people found all kinds of reasons for taking advantage of it.
Newly O’Brien left his horse at Moss’s, and headed for the marshal’s office. He had taken a few hours off to go fishing, but the fish sure weren’t biting today. Before he opened up his shop, he wanted to see if the marshal had anything that needed doing.
And Ross Hanley watched the couple move down the boardwalk through his scope, waiting for that perfect moment when Dillon would be an extra step or two away from Kitty Russell.
He had to be careful not to kill the woman he was going to marry.
Matt stepped off the boardwalk with Kitty to escort her around a group of cowboys who were laughing and talking in front of the general store.
“You would think they’d have enough sense to clear the boardwalk,” said Kitty, under her breath.
Matt grinned. “You would think so, Kitty. But cut them some slack. After all, when the sun goes down, they’ll probably be spending all their hard-earned money at the Long Branch.”
Kitty gave him an amused look, and they continued on their way.
Suddenly, Matt stopped. Something didn’t feel right, not right at all. He instinctively moved Kitty aside, and pushed her away from him, just as a gunshot rang out. Kitty grabbed onto the post in front of her to keep from falling, and Matt Dillon pulled his pistol from its holster, but it was too late. He grabbed his side and fell to the ground.
People on the boardwalk ran in every direction.
Kitty yelled, “Matt!” and ran towards him. He wasn’t dead, at least not yet. He was clutching his side and trying to get up, but he couldn’t.
Festus put down his coffee mug and ran out the door, with his pistol in hand.
Kitty glanced up just in time to see the sun glance off the barrel of a rifle on a balcony across the street. She fell to her knees beside Matt, instinctively shielding his body with her own, just as the second shot rang out. Kitty fell onto the ground beside Matt.
Doc continued down the stairs as quickly as he could, seeing what was happening just a little ways away, and not being able to do a thing in the world about it.
Sam watched Miss Kitty fall, and raced towards where she and the marshal lay beside each other on the ground. He prayed to God they were both still alive.
“Kitty!” Matt wasn’t sure whether he had actually called her name, or just thought it. He had drawn his gun as he went down, and now he pushed himself up beside Kitty and leaned over her to shield her from any more bullets coming from that direction. He didn’t know if she was alive or dead, but she wasn’t moving.
Newly heard the shots down the boardwalk, grabbed his gun from the holster, and ran in that direction.
Ross Hanley couldn’t believe it! He not only hadn’t killed Dillon, but he had shot the woman he loved more than anything else in the world! Well, he might not have had time to win Kitty over entirely, but he would see to it that Dillon died. He owed that to his brother, to himself, and to Kitty, whether she knew it or not.
Hanley stood up from the balcony and aimed his rifle straight down at Dillon. If Kitty Russell lived, she wouldn’t know what she was missing with Ross Hanley, but she would have to live without Dillon, too.
Matt saw Hanley stand and shot him square in the chest, just as Hanley pulled the trigger. Matt took a second bullet, this time in the shoulder. Hanley fell from the balcony, taking a section of it with him. He hit the ground at the same time Matt Dillon fell beside Kitty.
Kitty fought hard not to pass out completely. She hadn’t been able to move, and all she could see was a gray shadow – her vision was going, but she was not going to black out –she was not going to let go – she had to make sure Matt was still alive. He had just fallen beside her, and he wasn’t moving.
“Matt…?” She tried to scream his name, but wasn’t sure if he heard her at all. She crawled the few inches between her and Matt, biting back the pain. She touched his face. His eyes were shut and he wasn’t responding. She pressed her hand against his neck to see if she could feel a pulse. But Kitty’s arm began to tingle and she was suddenly cold, so cold… Kitty lost her battle with consciousness and fell beside Matt, passing out. Her hand lay on his chest.
Festus ran over to Hanley to make sure he was dead. He picked up Hanley’s rifle, and checked the body. “A couple a’ you men take ‘im over to Percy’s, will ya?” he yelled over his shoulder, as he ran to where Doc was already checking over Matt and Kitty.
Doc was kneeling next to Kitty. “Kitty! Kitty, can you hear me?” Doc gently rolled her onto her back. Her light colored clothing showed blood stains on her left side. Doc tore the fabric away from the wound the best he could. It didn’t look good. She was losing blood. Doc did the best he could to staunch the bleeding. “Kitty! Talk to me now!” Doc pressed his hand onto her neck, and finally, finally found a pulse. “Thank God…” he whispered.
Doc looked up to see Newly running towards him. “Newly, take Kitty up to my office. Careful, here – she’s shot right here.”
Newly nodded, and picked Kitty up gently. He started towards Doc’s office, as Festus ran ahead of him to get the door.
“Doc?” asked Sam. “Is she gonna make it?”
Doc shook his head. “I just don’t know, Sam,” he said, as he looked at Matt’s wounds and felt for a pulse. He blinked back the tears in his eyes, and focused on the doctoring at hand.
“Some of you,” said Doc, pointing to Sam and Burke, and Mr. Lathrop and Festus, just as Festus came running back towards them. “Get Matt upstairs.”
Doc saw Festus look at him, with the same old question in his eyes.
“I don’t know, Festus, I just don’t know.”
Doc took a deep breath and watched the men carry Matt Dillon up the stairs to his office. He started in behind them, wariness showing in his walk.
Doc’s medical bag had never felt so heavy.
What in the world would he do now to keep both of them alive? Neither was in good shape. But, God willing just one more time, he would do what he could, and pray God would help him save their lives.
Doc shook his head, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, as he trudged up the stairs to his office.
He already knew what he had to deal with: two people who were battling to stay alive. For the first time in all the years he’d been around them both, he was glad they were the two most stubborn people he’d ever known. Maybe that stubbornness would help get them through this.
Doc went inside his office, and asked the group of people in there to leave, save Newly and Festus. He might need them. When he saw the look on Sam’s face, he relented and let Sam stay, as well. Sam was Kitty’s protector and friend. He deserved to stay, and if Kitty didn’t survive, he would want to say good-bye to her in his own way.
After the others filed out, Doc took a deep breath and closed the door behind them.
Doc asked Newly to put on some hot water, and began to check over his patients. Kitty was on the bed nearest the window, and Matt had been placed only a few feet away from her on the second bed. Doc had added a second medical bed to this room on the off-chance he’d ever have to use both. He sure didn’t know at the time that he’d need both beds less than two weeks later.
Doc checked his patients’ pulses again and, thankfully, they were both still alive. Kitty’s pulse was a little stronger, but that didn’t mean much at this point.
Kitty began to move and her eyelids fluttered open. “Matt…” she murmured.
Doc stood over her. “Kitty, it’s Doc. Kitty, you’ve been hurt, and I want you to help me here. I’m going to…”
Kitty turned her head toward him. “Matt…?”
Doc took a deep breath. “He’s alive, Kitty.”
He saw the tears in her eyes and it broke his heart. He knew she saw the truth on his face when she looked at him, but he couldn’t lie to her.
Doc couldn’t let his personal feelings get to him, not now. He would cry later, when she was well, and after he’d given her a piece of his mind about running out in front of a bullet. But he knew even now that it wouldn’t help in the end. Kitty would do anything in the world to save Matt Dillon’s life. She had put her own life at risk more times than he could remember, more than just now. But he wanted nothing more than for her to live to hear his lecture anyway.
“Take care of him, Doc,” she whispered, and Doc heard the strain in her voice. “Please take care of him first.”
Doc’s heart broke. “You listen to me, young lady, I’m the doctor here, and I’ll make the decision about who to take care of first.” It was his call, and his responsibility, if one of them didn’t make it.
“Doc…” but Kitty closed her eyes and was out again before she could finish her argument. Doc was almost glad.
He moved over to Matt to check both of his wounds. They weren’t good, either, but both bullets had missed key arteries and even key muscle groups. Still… one of the wounds was bleeding worse than the other.
“Newly, come over here and staunch this bleeding,” said Doc. “Festus, you bring the hot water over when it’s ready. And Sam, you put on more water to heat after Festus brings that pan over here.”
“Sure thang, Doc,” said Festus.
“All right, Doc,” said Sam.
Newly moved over and started to work on Matt’s bleeding. Doc was glad Newly had at least had some medical schooling, and didn’t need to be told how to do everything. “Clean up both of those wounds, Newly, and see if you can stop them from bleeding, or at least slow them down,” said Doc.
“I will, Doc,” said Newly, already hard at work.
Doc went back to Kitty, and tore her clothing a little further away from the wound. He laid out his instruments. This bullet had to come out first, no matter what Kitty thought. She was losing too much blood. He rolled up his shirt sleeves, and took the pan of hot water from Festus. He got to work trying to stop the bleeding so he could remove the bullet.
Soon after, Matt moaned and tried to move. Doc walked the couple of steps over to Matt. “Matt, this is Doc. You’re hurt, and I want you to try to be still….”
“Kitty,” said Matt, trying to sit up.
Doc pushed Matt right back down. “She’s here, Matt, now you just lie back down and stay still.”
“How is she, Doc?” asked Matt, his voice coming out a rasp.
“She’s alive, Matt. Now you just let Newly work on you here….”
“Work on Kitty, Doc. Make sure she’s all right….”
“I’ll tell you what I told her – I’ll be the one to decide what happens here!” Doc turned away, too upset to deal with Matt and Kitty’s nonsense about who to save first.
But then, Doc shook his head and sighed. Both of them were just trying to do the best they could.
Doc turned back to Matt. “Matt, I’m going to do everything I can for Kitty, you know that. You just let Newly work on you while I get that bullet out of her.”
Matt seemed content with that, and closed his eyes and drifted off again.
Doc turned back to Kitty and got to work.
A couple of hours later, Doc put down his stethoscope and took a deep breath. He turned to the three men near the stove. “Well, so far they’re both still alive,” he said. “And barring any complications, I believe they’ll both be all right.”
He saw and heard the other three men breathe a sigh of relief.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, though. The first twenty-four hours are the most important. When they get through that, I’ll feel a whole lot better.”
Doc sat down in his chair, feeling more drained than he’d ever been in his life. And it wasn’t just the actual doctoring that had worn him out, it was that he had needed to make life or death decisions about his two best friends at the same time.
“Do you want me to stay awhile, Doc? You could use some rest,” said Newly.
“No, no, you go on – all of you go on home. I’ll be here with them. Let’s get through the night and then we’ll see what we have tomorrow.”
“Doc, there’s a whole lot of people outside waiting to hear about the marshal and Miss Kitty,” said Sam.
Doc nodded. Of course there were. Matt Dillon was a man this town loved, and some feared. It was a good mix. And Kitty, well, she was Matt’s woman. But on her own, she was loved by nearly as many people as their marshal, and rejected by only those few who didn’t like the profession she was in. Over the years, she had won nearly everyone over, though, and Matt Dillon didn’t take kindly to anyone badmouthing Kitty.
Doc walked over to the door and opened it. He walked outside and went halfway down the stairs. He looked over the crowd that had gathered. There were townsfolk as far as the eye could see, huddling in small groups, or standing silently alone. How many times had he seen this very thing when pulling bullets out of Matt Dillon over the years? Doc nearly choked up, and he knew his emotions weren’t in check yet.
“Everyone, it’s time to go on home. Both the marshal and Miss Kitty are still alive. I’ve removed the bullets, but we need to give both of them time to heal. I won’t know much more until sometime tomorrow, but I’m hoping for the best, for both of them. They’re both strong, and I’m going to pray they pull through this. I hope you pray for them, too, because right now, well, they could use your prayers more than anything else.”
People started moving away, and Doc saw the relieved looks on their faces. He knew how they felt. He went back up the stairs, and inside his office. The night was getting a little cooler, and he checked the stove to make sure the fire was good and strong. It was warm inside, though, and Doc was grateful for that.
“Good night, Doc,” said Sam.
Doc nodded at Sam. “Good night, Sam,” said Doc.
“You come get me, Doc, if you feel like getting a little rest yourself,” said Newly.
Doc nodded.
“I’ll be back in the morning, either way,” said Newly.
Doc nodded again. “Get some rest yourself, Newly. I might just rely on you a bit more tomorrow.”
“I hope you do, Doc. I’m available to do whatever I can to help.”
“I know, Newly, go on now.”
Doc sat in his chair, as Newly closed the door behind him.
Festus stood by the stove, his hat in his hand. He walked over to Doc and knelt beside him so he could look more closely at Doc. “Doc…?”
“What is it, Festus?”
“They’re a-gonna be awright, ain’t they, Doc?” asked Festus.
“Like I said, Festus, I have every hope they will be fine. We just have to get through the next few hours before I can say that for sure. They are still weak, both of them, but their pulses are holding steady. After what they’ve gone through, that’s a good thing.”
Festus nodded, and stood. He walked over between the two beds and looked first at Matt, and then Kitty. “They shore are a sight, Doc,” he said quietly. “They jist look like they’re a-sleepin’ peaceably.”
Doc nodded. The laudanum had helped with that.
“It t’weren’t all that long ago they was a-flirtin’ with each other right thar in the marshal’s office,” said Festus.
Doc gave a small grin. “I saw them outside Matt’s office, looking at each other like… well, like…”
“Like they’re in love with one another, Doc?” asked Festus.
Doc swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Yeah, something like that, Festus.” He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes.
Festus walked slowly towards the door. “I’ll be over in the marshal’s office, a-gettin’ me some shuteye, if ya’ need me, Doc,” he said softly.
Doc nodded.
Festus opened the door.
“Festus?”
“Yeah, Doc?”
“He’s dead, isn’t he, the man who shot them?”
Festus nodded. “Shore ‘nuf is, Doc. Matthew got him with one bullet.”
“Good,” said Doc, and looked away.
Festus left Doc and walked back to the marshal’s office. He took off his boots and lay back on the cot in one of the empty jail cells.
It sure was lonesome around here without Matthew.
Newly opened the door to Doc’s office at 7:00 the next morning. Doc was taking the pulses of his two patients.
“Morning, Newly,” said Doc.
“Doc.” Newly closed the door behind him. “How are they?”
“Both of them are doing better, Newly. Thank God they’re doing better.”
Newly walked over to Doc. “That sure is good news, Doc. I know a lot of us didn’t get much sleep last night, from the worry.”
Doc nodded. He knew how that was.
“You want me to spell you awhile, Doc? You can go in back and take a nap.”
“No, I’m fine, Newly. I managed to get some rest,” said Doc.
Newly wasn’t too sure of that, but he also knew better than to argue with Doc. “I heard that Miss Kitty ran right out in front of that bullet yesterday, Doc,” said Newly.
Doc nodded again. “I watched her do it, Newly.”
There wasn’t anything else left to say, but Newly said it anyway. “She sure loves him, Doc.”
Doc turned away. “She sure does, but as soon as she’s awake and healthy, she’s going to get a piece of my mind! And that marshal over there is, too! Just… just running out in front of bullets like that!”
“But Doc, you can’t tell them not to do something that was probably instinctual. You know those two go out of their way to protect each other.”
“You just watch me!” said Doc.
Newly didn’t know what to say to that, so he said nothing.
“And then Matt, crawling around her, just so he could take another bullet – because one wasn’t enough!” said Doc.
“You saw it all happen, then?” asked Newly.
Doc nodded.
“Doc…” Newly didn’t quite know how to say it, but he had to try. He’d known both Miss Kitty and the marshal for awhile now, and he had an opinion on the matter. “I’m not sure there’s anything you can say to either one of them that would keep them from doing the same thing again, if it came to that.”
Doc turned and looked at Newly. “Don’t you think I know that?”
“Well, then, why would you give them a piece of your mind about it?” It seemed to Newly that they were just going in circles about this.
“Because it will make me feel better!” said Doc, turning away.
“Oh.” That was it then. There was certainly nothing at all to say to that, thought Newly.
Suddenly, Kitty took a deep breath and gasped. Doc ran right over to her. “Kitty? Kitty, it’s Doc. Can you hear me?” he asked, squeezing her hand.
Kitty’s eyes fluttered open. “Doc?” she whispered.
“Well, hello there, young lady! You going to sleep all day?” asked Doc, in a kind voice and with a smile on his face, taking her pulse as he spoke.
Newly grinned. Doc sure could be surly when he wanted to be, but a lot of it was for show. Besides, he cared so much about Miss Kitty, and Newly had watched him hurt from it all evening while they were working on her and the marshal.
Kitty made a face, then closed her eyes and held her breath.
“Pain?” asked Doc.
Kitty nodded.
Doc picked up a bottle of laudanum. “Here, take a sip of this, Kitty.” He put his hand behind her head to raise her up a little.
Kitty shook her head. “Matt…?”
“Just take a sip, Kitty. It’ll help with the pain for now.”
Kitty did as she was told.
Doc lay her back down gently. “Matt is still unconscious, but his pulse is steady.” Doc saw the fear on Kitty’s face. “His body is healing, Kitty, that’s all. Give him a little more time, and he’ll come back to us.”
Kitty looked deeper into Doc’s eyes, and he knew she was trying to determine if he was lying to her just to keep her satisfied. But then she nodded, and sighed softly.
“He’ll be all right, Kitty, and so will you,” said Doc, gently. “You just have to be patient.”
Kitty’s eyes were closed, but she nodded. “Doc?”
“What is it?” asked Doc.
“It was Hanley, wasn’t it?” she asked softly, opening her eyes again.
Doc nodded. “Sure was, and Matt took care of him. He’s dead, Kitty.”
Kitty sighed. “Good. There was just something wrong with him, Doc.”
“I know,” said Doc, patting her hand. “But that’s all over now. You get some rest.”
Kitty closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Doc took a deep breath. At least she was just sleeping this time.
Doc looked at Newly. “She’s stronger, and her color is better, too, Newly,” he said, putting the laudanum back on the shelf.
Newly nodded. Things were looking up. Now if the marshal would just open his eyes.
Doc seemed to know what Newly was thinking. He moved over to Matt. “His pulse is stronger. He’ll wake up as soon as his body says it’s time.”
Newly nodded again. He had been through some medical school, but Newly knew he would never have been the doctor Doc was. He just hadn’t been cut out for it in the same way. Doc was a true medicine man, plus there wasn’t a more caring individual in the world. Doc just didn’t want many people to know that part.
Just then, Festus came through the door. “Newly, Doc…” he said in greeting. “Newly,” said Festus, holding out a piece of paper, “This here’s from Barney over at the telegraph office. He was awful busy and couldn’t tell me what it says.” Even though Festus couldn’t read, no one rubbed it in.
Newly took the paper from Festus. “This says the man the marshal was interested in is the brother of Jess Wilson, the man who was hung six years ago for murder and stealing horses.”
“Well now,” said Festus, “if that don’t beat all.”
“It also says the hangman and the jailer on that case are both dead,” said Newly. “They believed Hanley to be responsible, but they couldn’t prove it.”
Doc brushed his moustache with his hand. “Kitty knew there was something more than met the eye about that man. She didn’t trust him one bit.”
Festus moved closer to Doc. “How are they a doin’, Doc?” he asked.
“Better, Festus,” said Doc. “Better.”
Suddenly, Matt groaned and tried to sit up. Doc moved over quickly, and restrained him. “Matt, Matt it’s Doc. Now you just lie back down there and rest. Just lie back.”
Matt’s breathing was heavy, and he was anxious.
“Newly, bring me that laudanum,” said Doc.
“Kitty…” said Matt, gritting his teeth.
“Here now,” said Doc, taking the bottle from Newly. “Take some of this for the pain, Matt.”
But Matt turned his head away. “Where’s Kitty?”
“Kitty’s right over on the other bed, Matt. She’s gonna be all right,” said Doc.
That made all the difference. Matt lay back on his bed and stopped moving around. He allowed Doc to give him the laudanum.
Matt finally breathed easier, then turned his head to the right and saw Kitty lying just a few feet away. Her face was turned slightly toward him, but she was asleep and breathing easy.
Matt took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “She sure is pretty, Doc,” he said softly.
Doc nodded. “Yes, yes, she is, Matt. She sure is,” said Doc. Matt didn’t usually talk that way about Kitty, not in front of others – but it sure didn’t hurt any. The look on Matt’s face said it all.
“As soon as she’s up to it, and I’m up to it…,” Matt gritted his teeth as a wave of pain washed over him. “I’m gonna give her a talking to about what she did out there on the street,” said Matt. But his tone was gentle, and he already knew talking to this particular redhead wouldn’t amount to much. She went her own way, and did what she wanted. Matt wouldn’t change that for anything, but she still confounded him sometimes.
“You be sure and do that, Matt,” said Doc easily. “Just make sure I’m as far away as possible when you bring the subject up to her.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean, Doc. She’s some redhead,” said Matt, and grinned. Then he grimaced when a bolt of pain ran through him.
Newly didn’t remind Doc that he had just said the same thing about giving Miss Kitty a piece of his mind, and for the same reason.
Doc shook his head. Sometimes he just didn’t understand Matt. Or Kitty. But that was okay. He wouldn’t trade ‘em for anything in the world.
“Is he dead, Doc?” asked Matt.
“He’s dead,” said Doc, knowing exactly who Matt was asking about.
Matt took a deep breath, closed his eyes and drifted off, and Doc tugged at his ear and put the laudanum away. He looked at Newly and Festus, who were both grinning.
“Now, don’t that beat all, Doc,” said Festus. “Matthew a-talkin’ ‘bout Miss Kitty bein’ perty when theys a-both layin’ thar with bullet holes in ‘em.”
Doc grinned. “Well, there’s no accounting for some things, Festus. And you know Matt – as long as Kitty’s okay, he’ll be fine, too.”
“Well, I’m going to head over to the Long Branch, Doc,” said Newly. “I know Sam would like an update on these two, and at least I can tell him a good story.”
“That ya’ shore can, Newly,” said Festus. “Fact is, I’ll go on over thar with ye. A cold beer would shore taste good.”
Newly made a face. He knew who would end up paying for that beer, too.
As both men left Doc’s office, Doc pulled the covers up a little higher over Kitty, then checked on Matt again. Both of his patients seemed to be resting just fine.
Doc took a deep breath. Maybe he would drag out that cot he had in back and set it up here under the window. That way, he’d just be a few feet away from the two most stubborn people in the world – in case they needed something.
Later that afternoon, Doc asked Newly to move Kitty to the bed in the back room. She would rest better there. Ma Smalley came and combed out Kitty’s hair, and got her cleaned up. Ma said the dress Kitty had on when she was shot was practically brand-new, and it had cost her a pretty penny to have it made the way she wanted. But Ma also knew Kitty wouldn’t say a word about it, not ever. The price of a dress was nothing, after what she and the marshal had gone through, and survived.
By early evening, things had settled down, but the town was still talking about what had happened the day before. Everyone was happy that both the marshal and Miss Kitty had lived through that crazy man’s bullets.
Doc helped Matt to relocate to the cot by the window. It was just a few feet away, and better for resting and healing, now that Matt was out of danger of dying.
Matt asked about Kitty, and Doc assured him she was doing well, too. Matt made a comment about how it was easier to tell on his own, without having to ask Doc, when they had been in the same room together and he could look over and see for himself that she was breathing, and resting fine.
Doc just smiled and nodded.
An hour later, when he was checking Kitty’s wound, she also complained about not being in the same room as Matt anymore.
Doc figured if all they had to think about was not being a few feet away from each other, then everything was just fine.
That evening, Doc went into the side room to get some sleep. He hadn’t gotten much rest at all in the last thirty or so hours. Now that both his patients were past the point of worry, he was finally going to lie down for a bit. He had just checked on them. They were doing fine, and were both asleep.
A few hours later, Doc started awake. He sat up and looked at his pocket watch. He felt better, and had gotten four hours of uninterrupted sleep. He shook his head. The fogginess was practically gone.
Doc opened the door and went into the front room to check on Matt, but he stopped short. Matt wasn’t on the cot, and he wasn’t in the room at all. Now, where in the devil….
But before he could finish the thought, he turned and looked at the door to his left, the one leading to the back room, and Kitty. Doc walked over and carefully opened the door so as not to wake her, but when he stepped inside, he took a deep breath and shook his head. A grin slowly spread across his face.
Matt Dillon lay in Kitty’s bed with her, nearest the window. Her head was on his shoulder, and she was curled up next to him. Both of them were sound asleep, with a peaceful look on both their faces. Matt’s arm was wrapped around her, and his hand had found its way to her breast, and was cupping it gently.
Doc shook his head again, and brushed his moustache with his hand. He should have figured they’d find each other one way or another. And who was he to keep them apart? He should have known better than to think that would work out.
Doc quietly left the room and went back to his own bed. He figured everything would be just fine for now.
The next morning, Kitty sighed and started to turn over, but was immediately hit with a bolt of pain. She cried out, forgetting where she was, and even what had happened. Moving around had pulled at her stitches, and her side hurt. She felt Matt’s breath on her forehead and opened her eyes, just as he also started to move, grimacing from pain.
Doc was sitting in the chair next to the bed. “Well now, it’s time you two sleepyheads woke up! Let’s just hope you didn’t start to bleed again, young lady,” he said to Kitty, standing. He placed his left hand on Kitty’s wrist, while looking at his pocket watch with his right. He nodded. “Good.” Then he helped Kitty turn over just enough to take the pressure off the stitches. He pulled back the covers and moved some fabric aside to take a look at her incision. “This looks pretty good,” he said. “I’m going to clean it out again anyway so we can make sure to stay ahead of any infection.”
Doc took the cap off a bottle and started to work. Kitty gasped. “Ohhhhh, that hurts, Doc.”
“Yes, I’m sure it does. And it’ll hurt even worse if it gets infected,” he said, continuing without mercy.
Matt started to move his legs off the bed.
“Now, now, you just lie still, Matt!” said Doc. “I don’t want you bleeding all over the place, either!”
Matt stopped and lay back on the bed. He understood Doc’s tone better than anyone else when it came to his doctoring.
“At least I didn’t have to follow a trail of blood to find you in here – so hopefully you’ve not done any damage to those stitches… yet,” said Doc.
Matt sighed. He hadn’t missed that last part. “I thought it would be best if I get back in the other room and on the cot, Doc,” said Matt.
“You did, did you? Well, you didn’t ask me if you could come in here in the first place, now did you!”
It wasn’t really a question, so Matt kept quiet. He knew Doc was still coping with all that had happened yesterday. He and Kitty had scared him plenty. Matt was glad Kitty wasn’t saying anything, either, but he also knew how painful it was to have Doc treat a fresh wound so it wouldn’t get infected. She was a little busy right now just managing that pain.
“Both of you, running around out there, right in front of bullets… bullets just… flying everywhere…!” said Doc.
Matt reached over and squeezed Kitty’s hand to encourage her to stay quiet, and thankfully she still was.
“There now,” said Doc, tying off Kitty’s fresh bandage and pulling the covers back up over her. “Try to be still awhile. Give an old doctor a break.”
Matt squeezed Kitty’s hand again.
“All right, now let me have a look at you,” said Doc, as he moved to the other side of the bed with scissors and the other things he would need to clean Matt’s wounds.”
Matt wasn’t sure he liked Doc having the scissors so close right now.
“Doc, do you think Kitty and I could have a cup of coffee?” asked Matt. He knew he was taking a chance, but he felt a little foggy and couldn’t help himself. He looked over at Kitty. He could hardly believe it, but she had fallen back to sleep! She really wasn’t a morning person, and no matter how much the men in her life loved to kid her about that, it hadn’t changed over the years. Still, she was usually up later than any of them, so Matt figured it was her due.
“Soon,” said Doc, assessing Matt’s wounds and cleaning them out again.
Matt held his breath and winced as fresh pain went through him. Kitty automatically snuggled closer and put her arm across his waist. Doc gently picked her arm up and moved it back, away from Matt. He was busy doctoring.
Matt sighed. He was just going to have to bear this for as long as Doc wanted to do it. He moaned as another wave of pain went through him. Yeah, Doc was still upset at both of them for, as he put it, “running around out there right in front of bullets…” He glanced over at Kitty. She looked comfortable. In fact, she had never looked better than she did right now, even after getting a bullet pulled out of her yesterday, and after all of Doc’s doctoring on top of that.
Finally, Doc tied off Matt’s fresh bandage, and went back over to the other side of the bed to put everything away.
Matt took a deep breath. “Doc…”
“I know, you want some coffee, Matt,” said Doc.
“Well, I was going to ask if you want to help me get back to the other room first,” said Matt. Doc hadn’t given Matt a lecture yet about sleeping with Kitty in her bed last night. But Matt had needed to see Kitty so badly that he’d found his way into the bedroom to see her. And when Kitty made room for him in her bed and pulled him close, well, that was all it had taken. He had wrapped his arms around her, and fallen right to sleep. He sure rested easier, being here with Kitty.
“No, I think you’re better off in here, Matt – in fact, I think you and Kitty are both better off this way,” said Doc.
Matt was surprised, and he didn’t even have a sense of a lecture starting. There was no aggravation in Doc’s voice, either.
“You mean, we can both stay… well, stay here, Doc?” asked Matt incredulously. “Together?”
“Sure. You’re fine with that, aren’t you?” asked Doc.
“Well, yeah, I am…” said Matt.
“And it sure looks like Kitty is,” said Doc, looking at her. Her arm had found its way back around Matt’s waist.
“Yeah, but…”
“And I’m just fine with it,” said Doc. “In fact, I think you’ll both stay still longer and heal better if you’re right here in this bed together.”
“Yeah, Doc, but…,“ said Matt. He didn’t know how to bring this up.
“But what? What will people think?” asked Doc.
Matt sighed. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Well, I don’t think they’ll think anything more than what they already think when they see you come and go from Kitty’s room, or up and down her back stairs,” said Doc. “And I haven’t heard anything about that in years. Folks have gotten used to it,” said Doc, rubbing his moustache with his hand.
“Yeah, I guess they have, Doc,” said Matt. He took a deep breath and rode out the wave of pain that went through him.
Doc knew Matt didn’t like talking about personal things, but by golly, this was a little different. “Besides, look at her.” He nodded towards Kitty. “She looks a whole lot better this morning already. And I don’t think it was just my doctoring that did it.”
Matt grinned in spite of himself. “I don’t know how in the world she can sleep like that while we’re talking and things are going on around her.”
Doc shook his head. “Long experience.”
“Yeah, I guess,” said Matt. He reached over and brushed a strand of red hair out of Kitty’s face. “She sure is pretty, Doc.”
That was the second time Doc heard Matt say those words since they’d been shot.
“She sure is, Matt, she sure is,” said Doc.
“Sometimes I think she just gets prettier over time,” said Matt softly.
Doc watched Matt look at Kitty. Matt’s face was lit up, and he was grinning. If Doc didn’t know better, he would think Matt was falling in love, but the fact was, Matt had been in love with Kitty for over fifteen years already. Maybe he was just falling in love with her all over again. Doc had heard of that kind of thing happening.
And Doc had seen the way Kitty and Matt had looked at each other on the street yesterday, before they were shot. He shook his head. “She’s pretty smart, too,” said Doc, putting away the rest of his things.
“Yeah, she is,” said Matt. He lay back on the pillow and closed his eyes. Doc noticed Matt was careful not to disturb Kitty’s arm around him. “But we’re still going to talk about her running out in front of a bullet that wasn’t meant for her.”
“Good luck with that talk, Matt,” said Doc. “I wish you the best on that one. Just do me a favor and wait until you’re both gone from here to have that talk.”
Matt’s eyes were still closed, but he chuckled. “What’s the matter, Doc? You don’t want a redhead unleashed up here?”
“Well, not this particular one anyway,” said Doc, glancing at Kitty.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Doc,” said Matt, settling in next to Kitty and drifting off to sleep.
Doc finished putting his things away and looked over at his two dearest friends, lying all wound up in each other, and sleeping soundly.
Doc shook his head and scratched his ear. Now, if that didn’t beat all.
They both looked better and had better coloring, and their wounds were healing nicely. Of course, he wouldn’t tell them that just yet. They wouldn’t be as careful about moving around, and it would still be easy to pull those stitches open.
Maybe in the future, when he took other bullets out of Matt – and he had no doubt he would – he should just ask Kitty to stay up here until Matt healed. When Matt was laid up and recovering from a bullet wound, she was up here most of the time anyway. He should just have her move in and sleep right in the same bed with Matt. It might even help him to heal faster, and get him out of here sooner. Besides, Kitty often complained that she and Matt had enough trouble finding time alone.
Now that was something to think about.
Doc chuckled, then picked up his bag and left the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
The End