Doc stood and bid Kitty and Sam farewell for the day, "I have a few patients to check in on and maybe a baby to be born today," the physician said as he paused at the bar.
"Oh, is the Proctor baby due today?" Kitty smiled.
Doc nodded, "It sure is. I can't believe how the time has gone by," Doc mused as he ticked his head which caused him to catch sight of Harry Bodkin. Doc's eyebrows rose up, "What's he doing in here?" he thumbed over his shoulder after looking back at Kitty and Sam.
"He came in a few minutes ago and ordered a drink," Sam said, "Why?"
Doc chuckled, "It seems a little odd to me, but it's his business I suppose," he said with a swipe of his hand across his moustache.
Kitty's eyebrow arched, "I recall a time or two you've had a drink before lunch," she said with a sly look in her eyes. Doc's eyes narrow, "So, okay, I have," he quipped, "and it likely followed an all night procedure on your boyfriend," Doc scoffed. Kitty made a face.
"Well, maybe Mr. Bodkins is just relaxing before a busy afternoon," Sam jumped in hoping to quell the sparing match that was building.
"Good, point, Sam," Kitty said as she continued with a look at the doctor. "Pshaw," was all Doc could say before he left the saloon. Once again, Doc almost walked right into Festus Haggen this time. "Wall foot, Doc! Cain'tcha see where yer going?"
Doc just glared at the deputy as they sidestepped each other. "Boy, he's either got a lot goinin' on in his brain or he's lost a few marbles," Festus shook his head. "Maybe both," the hill man continued.
"Festus?" Kitty said.
"Yes ma'am," the hill man took the hint and shut up as he leaned on the bar. Festus was just about to add one more thing when Matt nudged his elbow. Festus made a face and sighed.
Kitty poured Matt and Festus a beer, "Have you talked to Harry about his newest employee?" Kitty asked Matt.
"No. Should I?" Matt said as he sopped the foam from the top of the glass.
"No, I guess not. He was in here the other day and seemed pleasant enough. I just thought as the marshal of town you would have at least said hello and made him feel welcomed," Kitty stated.
"You always have a way of telling me I'm just doing everything right with my job," Matt scoffed.
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that," Kitty giggled. "I know you have other things to do," she playfully swatter the marshal across the upper left arm.
"Well, I am not officially on the welcome committee," Matt stated. "That's up to the town council, and as far as I know they Richards and his wife have been welcomed to Dodge," Matt stated before he took another sip from his glass.
Kitty twisted her mouth, "You don't like him do you?"
Matt's eyebrows rose upwards, "What gave you that idea?" he scoffed and placed his mug of beer on the bar.
"Oh, just say it's a woman's intuition," Kitty looked at Matt.
"I never said either way if I liked him or not," Matt said standing straight.
"You didn't need to cowboy," Kitty smiled.
Festus looked at Matt and Kitty, "Matthew, what's Miss Kitty talkin' about?"
"Festus. Never get a girlfriend, never get married and mostly, just..." Matt got flustered and Kitty's laughing didn't help. "But Matthew," Festus looked at the marshal, "Don'tcha trust this new feller ole Harry hired?" he said in a hushed voice.
Matt looked at Festus and then to Kitty, "Let's just say, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could bounce and anvil in a swamp," the marshal stated.
"Phew, that ain't far, Matthew," Festus stated as he ticked his thinking about an anvil in a swamp.
"And you laugh at my intuitions," Kitty scoffed. "Why don't you trust him," Kitty leaned closer to Matt.
"Oh, I don't know," Matt shrugged. "There's just something about him that makes him seem better than good," Matt slowly looked over to Harry Bodkin before he looked back at Kitty. "What worries me, is that Bodkin thinks he's found the best man for the job. Maybe he has, but there is just something," Matt said with an edge of caution.
"I think you are tired and are making a mountain out of a mole hill," Kitty smiled and patted Matt on the forearm.
"You mark my words," Matt looked at Kitty. The saloon owner smiled, "Maybe you should get yourself a crystal ball," she said with her tongue firmly in her cheek. Matt made a face, "You'll see," he said and finished his beer before he pushed off from the bar and walked past Harry Bodkin who was just getting ready to leave, himself. "How's the new man working out?" he asked Bodkin and quickly looked back at Kitty and Festus.
"Oh, Dudley seems to have really caught onto the swing of things. The way I like," Bodkin smiled.
Matt smiled, "It's a littler early in the day for you, isn't it?" Matt looked around the saloon. Harry looked somewhat embarrassed, "I was filling in time. I just wanted to see how Dudley handled the noon day pressures by himself," Bodkin smiled.
"I see," Matt smiled. "Well, don't make a habit of it. It seems to me a few other professionals already do..." but then he caught himself. "Forget what I said," Matt said and quickly left. Bodkin stood looking at the swing-door the marshal just exited. The banker wondered what the marshal's haste was all about. The banker looked over to Miss Kitty and all she could do is shrug.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dudley Richards nervously finished his assigned tasks for the end of the day. The other clerk had already left. "I guess that is all for now," Harry Bodkin stood and walked over to Dudley.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Bodkin," Richard handed him his envelope of the day's transactions.
Bodkin smiled, "You didn't happen to see Wilbur Jonas come in, did you?"
"No sir," Richards shook his head.
"Well, I guess he got busy. He said he had a deposit to make. I suspect that he will do that first thing in the morning," Bodkin smiled as he placed the envelope in the large safe and closed the door. Bodkin turned the large dial several times and then checked the handle, "I'd say we are through for today," the banker smiled and picked up his hat.
Dudley pulled his apron off and placed it on the counter at his wicket. He quickly grabbed his suit coat and pulled it on. "Good night, Mr. Bodkin," he smiled weakly, and hustled from the building.
Bodkin did think that the man's actions were a little odd, but never thought anymore of it once he stepped outside of the building and locked the door. Bodkin's wife greeted him, "I thought we'd have supper at Del Monico's tonight," she smiled.
"You did, did you?" Bodkin smiled and the two walked down the street toward the restaurant.
Richards watched the couple as the disappeared into the restaurant. The clerk turned and headed for home, but before he got too far, Derrick Warwick and "Handsome Dan" pulled the smaller man into an alley. "What do you want with me?" Dudley shook as his wide eyes looked at the two men. "Handsome" Dan was as far from handsome with the long scar down the side of his pot-marked face. He, in fact terrified Richards.
"Well, seeing how you stood us up in Burrton, we figured you could make things right here in Dodge for us," Warwick glared down at the smaller man. "We know where you live and I have another man watching your place," Warwick sneered.
"But," Richards squirmed, "I don't know the combination to the safe. Mr. Bodkin only hired me the other day," he tried to get away from Warwick and "Handsome Dan".
"It won't matter because tomorrow morning we are going to come into the bank bright and early and you are going to get us the money and out of there. Otherwise your little misses will have a meeting with "Handsome Dan", and that won't be pretty," Warwick warned as Dan licked his lips. Dudley swallowed, "I'll see that the back door is unlocked. You leave through there," Dudley gurgled.
"What's the money like?" Dan growled. "There's no sense on doing this for just a few dollars," he poked Warwick.
Warwick shook Richards, "Go ahead and answer the man," he demanded. Richards looked over to Dan, "The mercantile owner is supposed to be bringing over a deposit in the morning. There's maybe a couple of thousand in the safe right now," Richards stated. Dan laughed, "That will be just fine, eh?"
Warwick shoved Richards into Dan, "Yeah, just fine," he smiled.
