Chapter 2 – A Not So Quiet Night

In the two months since the Gunter brothers had robbed the bank and taken Kitty Russell hostage, Dodge City had been relatively quiet. That would change when the Texas herds arrived, but in April, the bulk of them were still two months away. Taking advantage of the quiet, US Marshal Matt Dillon split the early rounds with his assistant Chester Goode so they could be finished quickly, giving the big lawman time to take the redheaded half owner of the Long Branch Saloon for a leisurely supper at Delmonico's. If things went as he planned, his final rounds would wind up at her place of business, but not at the bar. His evening with Kitty Russell would end just before dawn with him waking up in her room.

While he tied his best string tie and donned what she jokingly referred to as his courting coat, Matt thought about how close he'd come to losing her. Jed Gunter could easily have shot her, just as he'd threatened, with the very gun the robber had taken from him that morning in the bank. Instead, he'd killed both brothers and she, after a complete fast of more than 24 hours that was not of her choosing, fainted in his arms. He smiled to himself thinking of how they'd made use of that cabin after he sent Chester back to town with the bodies of the two outlaws tied to their horses and getting some restorative food and drink into Kitty. This morning they'd actually managed to eat breakfast and ride out on the prairie together unlike the morning of the robbery.

As discreet as they tried to be, it was easy for them to forget they weren't the only two people in town when the circumstances were right. That had been true this morning. How he loved that riding habit of hers! The rare chance to be alone led to his formally asking her to supper while allowing him to momentarily ignore everything but her. Thus, he failed to notice the tell tale signs of a not so distant herd of cattle with the accompanying drovers.

The herd had come in from the north and slightly northwest past Jake Worth's vast ranch and arrived in town at the stockyards by the railroad depot while Matt and Kitty were still cutting into their meal of steak with all the trimmings. The riders bringing the herd in were all tough men, hardened by the constant threat of attack from the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The area around the Republican River was in the middle of Indian Territory and a far piece, more than 75 miles, from Fort Wallace. That remote fort, south of where the cattle they were bringing to Dodge had grazed until the snows melted, was the closest protection for the men and few women living there. They were fiercely independent and took what they wanted when they wanted or they'd die.

None were tougher than Jasper Quinton and his friend Kyle Watkins. Their parents had come into what was to become Cheyenne County with a wagon train 25 years ago in 1845 with 50 head of cattle, which became the cornerstone of a now vaster herd, part of which, they were selling in the booming cattle town. Jasper was five when the land he called home was settled, while Kyle was born within a year of the first sod hut. Both young men were the only members of their generation to survive the harsh environment they grew to manhood in. Jasper in particular took after his widower father and heeded his father's dictums when it came to women. Ladies, like his mother Lauren, were of strong stock and could withstand the rigors of the frontier and still be subservient to their men. They were resourceful when they had to be but never forgot their place. When you found one like his mother, you asked her father's or other guardian's permission to court her and married her sooner rather than later so you could start building your family. A man used the loose women Holden Quinton had banned from his town and was justified in whatever action he took against them if they failed to satisfy him completely.

That morning, when he rode ahead with Kyle to scope out the town and secure places for his father's cattle and the men who accompanied him on the trail, Jasper noticed the woman riding out with the tall man. He remembered his mother riding sidesaddle in similar attire. Here was a lady whom he planned to court even if she were already married to the imposing man he'd seen her with. She was still with the same man, but was now dressed for a not quite formal supper, her striking red hair visible beneath her hat. He and Kyle took a table in the restaurant close enough to the couple where he could watch her yet far enough away that neither she nor her companion would notice him observing her. Jasper watched until the man escorted her out into the street and then turned his attention entirely to his meal.

Their meal over, it was Kyle's turn to notice a girl. She was no more than 18 and was nearing a saloon called the Long Branch. The dark-haired girl in her revealing dress never quite reached the batwing doors of the establishment. Kyle was quick and caught up with her before she could enter. He placed his arm around her waist and began steering her toward another drinking establishment he'd spotted in hopes of finding some female entertainment for the night. If he brought her to the Lady Gay her employer wouldn't want a cut and couldn't restrict his preferences based on price. He might even share her with Jasper if he were of a mind.

Jasper was at the door of the Lady Gay waiting for Kyle to bring the girl over. He stood in the shadows against the wall thinking he'd pick a pretty girl from those inside to satisfy his needs, although if he didn't, a threesome with the one his best friend chose would do and provide a new experience.

"I can't go anywhere other than the Long Branch with you. If you want to buy me a drink, you'll have to walk with me inside there," she said as she tried to pull away from him.

"I'll buy me a drink, but I was thinkin' I'd skip buying you one. I reckoned we'd just head to one of the upstairs rooms as soon as I got mine. It would give my friend a chance to choose as well," he replied, leading her forcefully across Front Street.

"Look, I told you. My shift at the Long Branch is starting. That's where you can buy me a drink or not. I've no intention of doing anything else with you."

In answer he held her tighter and forced her to follow him toward the Lady Gay. Her answer was to begin to scream just as Matt Dillon came upon the scene in the middle of the street. Kyle reacted to Matt's order by shoving the girl away, pushing her into the dusty street and going for his gun. Matt's shot was true. Kyle Watkins was dead. Doc soon joined him and while the town physician made arrangements for the dead cowboy, he escorted the shaken girl to the Long Branch, leaving her in the capable hands of co-owner Bill Pence before continuing with the last of his rounds.

Meanwhile, Jasper Quinton casually strolled up to Doctor Adams to identify the deceased as his friend. He helped to carry him to the undertaker's establishment while assuring the doctor that once the funeral arrangements were made, he'd seek out the marshal and inform him of the dead man's identity. Jasper made arrangements to take Kyle's coffin in the chuck wagon on their way back home so he could be buried with family nearby and then sauntered over to the Long Branch. He looked over the doors and saw the black-haired whore who was as much responsible for his friend's death as that overgrown lawman who shot him. He entered with every intention of giving her what she deserved and enjoying what her body had to offer as well.

Jasper crept up behind her, put an arm around her so that her mouth was covered and jerked the chair out from under the black-haired girl with his other hand as he lifted her to her feet and toward the nearby door. It was perfect. They were in the alley. He could do what he wanted and nobody would bother him. If she managed a scream, so what! She was only a whore and beating her to death after he had his way with her was perfectly acceptable from his point of view.

Kitty had been in the office working on the books when she thought she heard something in the alley by the back door, but shrugged it off as just a couple of drunken cowboys enjoying what their pay could buy. She finished her task and came back out front to scan the crowd before talking to her partner Bill Pence about how things were going with the drovers from this early outfit. She failed to see her latest hire, black-haired and just barely old enough, to her way of thinking, Tracy Keller. The girl had proven to be very reliable and her good looks and outgoing personality charmed the regular customers into buying more drinks and incidentally providing the girl with large tips. Tracy wasn't one to take a customer upstairs for something extra and the owners of the Long Branch had no intention of forcing her. It wasn't their policy. Therefore, Kitty was surprised when she didn't see the young woman in the barroom. She walked over to the bar where her partner was pouring drinks.

"Bill, did Tracy come in while I was working on the books? Do you know where she is?"

"The marshal brought her in right after that shooting by the Lady Gay. I think she was involved in it somehow. Didn't he tell you about it?"

"I was upstairs when it happened changing for work. I heard the shots but turned away from my window and went back to dressing once I saw Matt was still standing. I haven't seen him since supper. Did you send her home? I didn't look for her when I came down. I went straight to the office."

"No, I didn't. She seemed to be relaxing with some of the regulars. I thought I saw her out of the corner of my eye go through the back door with a stranger about ten minutes ago."

Kitty, seeing a bit of herself in the young woman from when she too, and not that long ago, was just a working girl, not a partner, thought it strange Tracy hadn't returned. She walked out that same door into the alley.

Quinton looked up at the sound of feminine footsteps. He was shocked to see the red-haired beauty he'd admired on the arm of the tall lawman exiting the saloon and dressed as if she too worked there. He sure wouldn't be taking her home as a bride, but he didn't mind starting in on her for pleasure. This time he'd start with a beating instead of rape to soften her up and punish her for pretending to be a lady. Then he'd show her how what he thought of lying whores.

The rancher's son was so engrossed in the lesson he was teaching that he almost didn't hear the sound of the back door opening. He stopped pummeling Kitty, who was now on the ground, as the door shut again and ran from the scene. Matt Dillon, the man who'd come through the door to bring her back inside, took a shot at the fleeing man as he ran to her side, barely registering the fact that an even younger woman was also lying on the ground. Kitty was who was important. Once he got her to Doc, he'd worry about catching up with the man he was sure he'd winged.

Matt holstered his six-gun and knelt down to pick up Kitty's limp body. He carried her back into the saloon and up the stairs to her room, using his key to enter, while barking orders to the patrons to get Doc and see what could be done for the girl in the alley. He was so focused on Kitty he hadn't noticed who she was or how badly she was hurt.