Trip to Murder

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

This following story, although historical in nature, is a work of fiction, and therefore the author reserves the right to tweak any and all facts for the sake of good drama and a rollicking plot. Those readers wishing for complete and utter accuracy can visit the 900's section of their local public library.

(But leave the librarian alone. She's busy.)

Set sometime around season 4 or 5

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Kitty stood in front of her mirror, nervously making last minute adjustments to her hair and clothing before finally pinning her hat on and reaching for her reticule. Clem had already taken her bags down and all that remained for her to do was descend the stairs and make her way to the stage depot.

Only she wasn't so sure she wanted to go.

Since buying into the Long Branch she had gone nowhere in its behalf, leaving the few trips taken to Bill Pence while she ran the day to day business of it. When this trip came up, she expected it to be the status quo. Only Bill was laid up with a broken leg, an unfortunate accident with a ladder. It would be some time before he could travel.

And this trip, he explained to her, was important. The whiskey and beer drummer they had been using was no longer working this side of the Mississippi. And being unsatisfied with his company's service anyway, Bill and Kitty decided this would be the perfect time to choose another supplier.

The only trouble with that, of course, was that this time, they would need to go to the supplier, not the other way around. And with Bill unable to go, the task fell to Kitty to attend the annual supplier's convention and pick one.

Kitty was initially excited at the prospect. She had been gradually taking on more and more of the responsibility for the place and now, in her second year of half ownership, she knew she was more than capable of making deals that would greatly boost the saloon's success. Besides, with it being early fall the weather should be nice for the traveling.

That was until Matt was shot.

Though Doc had assured her numerous times that Matt would recover fully, and that his shoulder wound was healing nicely, it did little to lessen her anxiety over leaving him. Of course, logically she told herself, she was being silly. If Matt were fully well, he would most likely be out on the prairie somewhere, chasing another bad guy and getting shot again.

At least this wound had slowed him down and kept him home and safe. But that knowledge didn't lessen her worry by much. She and Matt had been close, almost from the beginning. And since they had taken the step of becoming intimate, they were even closer. She had never loved a man like she loved Matt and her heart ached at the thought of leaving him, even if it was for only a couple of weeks.

"Miss Kitty?" She heard Clem calling her name, interrupting her thoughts. "You ready to go?"

"Coming, Clem," she answered with something less than enthusiasm. Checking her appearance one last time, she clutched her handbag and left her room.

As she descended the stairs, her mood perked up to see Matt standing at the bottom, wearing his best courting jacket, his left arm in a sling to accommodate his wounded shoulder. "You get out of your sick bed just to see me off on the stage, Cowboy?" Her brow quirked up inquisitively.

"No, I'm going with you," Matt said grumpily.

Kitty stopped on the stairs and looked down at him, a little shocked and confused. "Going with me? Why?"

"Long story," He answered obviously not happy about his upcoming trip. "Come on, we'll be late."

Still thoroughly confused, Kitty decided not to ask any more questions right then, for fear he would change his mind. Swiftly she made her way to the bottom of the steps and took the arm he almost grudgingly offered her.

Doc, Chester and another man, tall and broad shouldered with graying blond hair, stood waiting at the depot when they arrived. She noted a Marshal's badge on the other man and looked quickly up at Matt. She kept the question in her eyes but not on her lips, as she saw his expression.

"Well, it's about time you two got here." Doc chortled. "The stage is about ready to pull out."

"It's not left yet, has it?" Matt asked with irritation clearly showing in his tone of voice.

Kitty sensed Matt's going wasn't his choice, but she couldn't figure out whose choice it was.

"Well, you come awful close to missing it, Mr. Dillon." Chester joined in until he saw his boss's glare. Swallowing hard, he took a step back, and wisely, for once, shut up.

"Have a safe trip, Matt, Ma'am." The tall stranger with dark eyes and a badge told them.

"Yeah," Matt grumbled as he helped Kitty up into the stage and climbed in after her.

"Bye, everyone." Kitty called as the men doffed their hats and the driver started the carrier on its way down the street.

Kitty kept her silence for some time, as she studied the silent, glowering man next to her. Not until she finally felt him relax a little, did she did speak. "You want to tell me what this is all about? I know you didn't want to come with me. That's plain."

Matt let out a breath and shook his head regretfully, hearing the hurt in her voice. "I'm sorry, Kitty. It's not you, honest. It has nothing to do with not wanting to go with you. You're probably about the only good thing about this whole deal."

"What do you mean? What deal?" Kitty was even more confounded.

Matt sighed deeply and sat back in his seat, taking his arm out of the sling. "Doc's been after me to take some time off for a while now."

Kitty nodded. "I know. He's convinced there's not a more stubborn man this side of the Mississippi." She grinned at him, her smile indicating she obviously agreed.

He shook his head. "Yeah, well. Since he couldn't get me to do what he wanted, he went over my head. Him and Jake Worth wired one of Jake's government contacts. They in turn contacted my superiors and they ordered me to take two weeks off. Starting today."

Kitty sat back in her seat and laughed. When she was finally able to get her self under control, she looked over at the less than amused face of Matt Dillon and sobered a little. "I'm sorry, Matt. Really I am. But I happen to agree with Doc. You do need to take time off. Of course that still doesn't explain why you're going on this trip with me, instead of staying home and going fishing with Chester and Doc. I know you don't like stage trips."

Matt looked over at her with a scowl. "One of my superior's stipulations was that I go to a specialist in St. Louis to have my shoulder examined. They sent Marshal Tanner, the man at the depot, to make sure I followed orders. I don't even have hotel reservations cause I just found out this morning."

"Oh," Kitty said; the wind slightly out of her sails. "Then you really didn't want to go with me."

Matt realized how it sounded to Kitty and shook his head ruefully at his own words. Reaching over, he pulled her into his side, hugging her close. "Wrong." He said. "I didn't want to be dictated to by Doc and some bureaucrat in Washington. Look, I may not like the way I was forced to go, but I do love the lady I am going with. Like I said, you're the only good thing about this."

Kitty's smile reappeared and she looked happily at Matt as she pulled his head down to hers in a kiss. "I love you too." She said. "And I promise, you're going to love this trip. You can get a room at the hotel I'm staying in, so we can be close. We'll have fun, Matt, I know we will. You just wait and see."

TBC