Festus smirked after Robert tried for the third time to drive an iron screw into the new frame of the room they were working on.
"Here, son," Festus said taking the driver from him. "Yer gonna strip it if ya do it again!"
Robert smiled as he took a step back and watched his father expertly drive it into the wood before turning back to him.
"I'll tell ya what," Festus said squinting his right eye. "I'll leave the doctoring ta you if you leave the buildin ta me."
"Sounds like a fair trade to me, Pa," Robert replied watching his father work.
"Anyone hungry?" Kitty said walking though the frame work with a picnic basket. "Abelia sent lunch!"
"Golly Bill, Miss Kitty," Festus said taking the basket. "You shore came at the right time!"
"Yes, thank you Kitty," Robert said looking at his father. "You saved me from another lesson on how to drive in a screw!"
Kitty laughed as Doc walked in and looked around.
"Well," he said with a smile. "This is coming along nicely, isn't it?"
"I think so," Robert said looking around. "You know Doc, we could use this room as our office while we're at the hospital."
"It's certainly big enough," Doc said looking around. "I still can't believe we're only months away from getting this hospital open!"
"Yes," Robert said wearily. "It's been a project. But now, we have to think about staffing it."
"Well," Doc said with a nod. "Between you and I and Newly, we've got the doctors covered. But nurses are definitely going to be needed."
"What about us, Doc," Kitty said joining the conversation. "Abelia and I already talked about helping out after the baby comes."
"And Sally also expressed a desire to help as well," Robert said with a smile.
Doc nodded as he tugged at his ear. "Well, it looks like we've got all our basis covered, don't we?"
(Jail)
Matt opened up that day's mail as Newly walked in to deliver the telegraph's.
"Thanks, Newly," Matt said as the deputy nodded. "You know, you don't have to babysit me."
"Who said, I was," Newly replied with a sideways grin.
"I've been around Doc and Kitty long enough to know, they asked you to keep an eye on me," Matt said with a frustrated sigh as Newly only returned a sheepish grin.
"Marshal!"
Matt looked up as Louie came rushing though the door of the jail looking more disheveled than normal.
"Louie," Matt said putting down the mail. "What's wrong?"
"There's a dead man behind the livery!"
Newly and Matt quickly glanced at one another before Matt stood but and grabbed his hat.
"Well," Matt said following the town drunk out the door with Newly right behind him. "Who is he?"
"I don't know," Louie replied nervously. "I've never seen him before!"
Matt and Newly followed Louie behind the livery but stopped dead in their tracks when they seen how the body had been placed.
"Newly," Matt said looking at the deputy. "I think you better go get Doc!"
Kitty smiled when Festus helped himself to the last piece of Abelia's apple pie.
"I certainly hope your full," Doc said as the hill man grinned.
"I only eat what a body needs ta live," Festus replied as Doc scoffed.
"Maybe five bodies," Doc joked as he looked at Robert.
Robert grinned as he picked at his food but the older physician noticed.
"Not hungry?" Doc asked as Robert shook his head. "You take your medicine yet today?"
"Yes," Robert replied evenly. "But, I may have to increase the dosage again."
Doc nodded as he swiped his mustache. "Come see me later and after I've had a look at you, we'll discuss it."
"I'm alright," Robert said with a smirk. "You know, physician heal thyself."
"Well," Doc replied sternly. "Even we can use a second opinion once in awhile."
"Doc!" Newly yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
"Up here, Newly!" Doc said as the deputy came to the door.
"Marshal needs you at the livery," Newly said as all eyes turned to him. "There's been a murder!"
"I didn't hear no gun shot, Newly," Festus said getting to his feet.
"That's because he wasn't shot!" Newly explained as they all started outside.
"Then what killed him?" Robert asked following Doc across Dodge's gravel street.
"Well," Newly said shaking his head. "I think you should see it for yourself!"
Doc shrugged his shoulders as Robert looked at him. They rounded the corner together and just like Matt, stopped dead in their tracks when they seen the body.
Naked from the waist up, the man lay on his back with his torso splayed wide open.
"My god," Doc said kneeling next to the body.
"It almost looks...surgical," Robert said meeting Doc's eyes.
"Yes," Doc said pointing out where the incision started. "It's to clean to be just someone going around slashing a man."
Robert knelt down and opened the chest cavity and gasped. "Doc, look at this," he said as the older man looked inside.
"What is it?" Matt asked.
Robert and Doc looked at each other before the younger physician looked at Matt. "His heart is gone!"