Kansas City Five Days Earlier
Matt had come out of the marshal's office and was just mounting Buck as Billy Poe came out of the hotel opposite the marshal's office. Billy smiled, he had some business to finish up, he watched Matt ride off then went across to the marshal's office. "Marshal Walters, I'm Billy Poe I got word that you wanted to see me? I got in last night, was told that you weren't available."
"Were you in town last week, Jed Rodgers claims you can testify as to his claim of self-defence when he shot Will Burns, is that so?"
"I can both men had been drinking heavily, Jed Rodgers accidentally knocked into Will Burns; Will drew on Jed and Jed shot him."
"Good, the trial's this afternoon; would you be willing to say all that in court?"
"Sure, wouldn't want to see anyone hang for defending himself," later that day Billy stood up in court and gave his evidence clearly to Judge Blindt.
"In view of Mr Poe's statement, I find the accused Jed Rodgers not guilty on the single count of deliberate murder and rule that he acted in self-defence. Mr Rodgers you're free to go," Billy left the court with Marshal Walters having shook hands with Jed Rodgers.
"Where'll you be going now, Mr Poe?"
"To see an old friend in Dodge City, haven't seen him for six years."
"Kind of a coincidence but Matt Dillon, the marshal of Dodge was just here this morning."
"Yeah, I saw him ride out of here this morning; I'd have ridden after him only you wanted to see me."
"You mean he's your old friend?"
"Yeah, he helped me out when I really needed it," Billy explained about his being accused of murder mistakenly and how Matt had tracked him to Elkader and then searched high and low until he found the man who'd really done it. "I won some money at poker last night told them I'd give them a chance to win it back tonight," Billy headed for the saloon, he bought a drink, the men waved him over and he sat in and won more money. "Sorry fellas, just seems I can't lose at the moment, and I won't be able to see you tomorrow, I'm leaving town to go see an old friend, in Dodge City," Billy rose shaking hands with them, he left to go to the hotel for the night.
Billy was glad he hadn't checked out of the hotel that morning it would give him some time to think what to say to Matt when they met up again. He remembered that he'd never been overly fond of lawmen before he met Matt but he'd been a young fool back then it had taken being accused of a murder he didn't commit to make him understand that lawmen were not all the same and that they all had a job to do. "Mr Poe," the clerk greeted him and handed him his key.
"I'll be leaving tomorrow for Dodge City."
"Will you be looking for work there?"
"Possibly but it's more that I'll be seeing a man I consider a friend Marshal Matt Dillon."
"Are you a lawman too?" the clerk asked slightly awed that Billy knew Marshal Dillon.
"Nope, wouldn't mind learning how though and my pa always said that if you're going to learn something learn from the best and Matt Dillon is one of the best. Goodnight," Billy went up to his room thinking that being called Deputy Marshal Poe would have a nice ring to it, and knew that he didn't want to be drifter anymore he wanted to settle down and that Dodge City would be a great place to do that.
The first thing Billy did after checking out of the hotel the next morning was to go buy supplies for the journey and then to have breakfast. After breakfast he went to the local bank and arranged for the rest of his money to be transferred to Bodkin's Bank in Dodge City, only keeping only a few coins of the three thousand dollars as that amount would be too tempting for thieves. When he had done all of that he went to the stable and rode out towards Dodge.