Hopefully you will continue to follow this here story. I am trotting along slowly, because I am constantly being distracting by another story I want to post. It seems hard being torn between two stories and working on them at the same time. But I can't seem to get this other one out of my head and it needs to be on paper. So I'm sorry for the wait on this next chapter. I am trying not to keep you waiting, but alas, what we want doesn't always matter. Thank you so much for staying with me.
Kathleen Russell
Devon shoved Kitty back into the room and she almost fell, but Bess and Jeanne caught her. Jeanne grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and started to wipe blood from a dazed Kitty. Bess stood beside her as Jeanne sat her on the couch. "Thank you, Kitty. But I feel so guilty, you risked your own well being for me." Jeanne said. Kitty just closed her eyes for a moment.
"It's alright." Kitty said a little dizzily.
"You are quite the brave woman, Kitty." Bess said quietly. Kitty said nothing as the men seemed to be confused and disorganized. This made her nervous even more. Devon walked around the couch looking at Kitty. Then he looked at Bess who gave him a scornful look.
"You got something to say?" Devon asked her.
"What good will it do? You'll just do as you please anyway." She said taking her handkerchief and wiping blood from Kitty's chin.
"Don't know what you're frettin' about, she ain't no worse for wear." He said smiling at the three women.
Mark stood at one window, and Dooley finished covering the other window and rushed to his baby brother's side. "He's bleeding real bad, Dev?" Dooley said as he looked at Devon. Devon leaned over and looked at him. "He ain't gonna make the ride." Dooley said.
"Then maybe we should just finish him here and now." Devon said pulling his gun from the holster. Dooley turned quickly with his own gun drawn. "
"Don't even think about it. I'll kill you if you try it." He said angrily. Devon smiled and put his gun away. "You really don't give a damn about anyone, do you?" Dooley said spitefully.
"No, I don't. Why should I? Don't no one care about me." He said resentfully as he looks around the room. He sat on a chair across from Kitty and he stared at her. She was someone with guts and she was more than just a pretty face. She was quite beautiful. She kind of reminded him of Shayla, only a few years older but it didn't make no difference, she was what he'd call looksome. Kitty saw the look in his eyes and she turned her face towards Bess who continued to clean off the blood.
"I don't think this is going to be an easy walk, Miss Kitty." Jeanne said quietly to her. Her hand was trembling. She should have left when she was supposed to.
Devon walked over to Linda, who held her son, who had finally quieted down. "Why don't' you hand that Brat to someone and you and that Redhead can make us up some vittles." Devon said to Linda. Linda stood up and slowly walked over to Sara and handed her son over to her. She then went over to Kitty who was still shaken by the savage beating, and gently took her hand and lead her into the kitchen of the rectory. As they got to the door, Devon spoke.
"Sweeney, you go make sure they don't try to use a back door or something."
Sweeney got up and headed after the two women. Linda and Kitty started going through the cabinets and looking for what to put toether. They took the large ham out of the cooler and cut it in slices, for sandwhiches and poured out glasses of lemonade for everyone. Sweeney looked at the women, but in particular, his eye was on Linda. It was her blonde hair and brown eyes that interested him. He stopped the women at the door. "You go ahead reds. This one and I have something to talk on." He said putting his arm up and stopping Linda. Kitty suddenly stomped on his foot and he howled in pain. She then pushed Linda through the door and led her out of the kitchen.
Kitty glanced back at Sweeney holding his foot and she hurried Linda into the other room with the women where they would be a little safer in a group. She set the sandwhiches down on the table and straightened up just as Sweeney came at her. He brutally grabbed her arm. "You little bitch!" He said pulling his hand back to strike her, but Dooley Tucker stopped him.
"Leave her be." Dooley said shoving him away from Kitty.
"Who the hell do you think you are? That woman kicked me. She's gonna get a walloping!" He said angrily, but when he tried to get to her, Dooley stood his ground.
"You lay a hand on her and I'll beat you clear into next Sunday." Dooley said as he took Kitty's arm and led her back over to the other women. She sat down on the couch between Jeanne and Bess. The men took turns grabbing food and glasses of lemonade. Dooley tried to get Andrew to eat something or drink something, but he was not doing too well.
"What do you care, she ain't nothing to you." Sweeney said.
"No, she's not, but I'm not going to stand by and allow you and him to beat these women one by one. It stops now." Dooley said standing in front of Kitty who looked up in distaste. She was afraid, but she wasn't going to show them fear. "IT STOPS NOW!" Dooley said again angrily.
"Sit down!" Devon yelled at Sweeney who looked back at him and angrily he went back to his window. Dooley sat down on a chair that wasn't too far from the women.
"I'm going to take a nap. I need time to think about what's next. Sweeney, you and Dooley keep watch of these women." Devon said.
"What about Andrew, he needs a doctor." Dooley said standing up facing Devon.
"Well then, send that little one over there out to get Doc. We'll exchange her for the Doc. Sweeney, wake me in four hours." Devon told him.
"No, Mama." Jeanne whispered to her mother who was on the other side of Kitty.
"You go, girl and you stay out of here. Let Doc come in and help us." Bess said reaching over Kitty to take her daughter's hand. She said nothing more.
"Come on." Dooley said to her and she stood up and followed him. Devon went into another room to lay down and rest. Dooley opened the door slightly. "I'm letting this one go…don't shoot. We are sending her out to get the Doc." He said as Jeanne slipped through the opening. He pushed it closed most of the way. "If you don't send the Doc in, than this man will die. If he dies, than so does her ma." He said as she had made it more than half way across the street. She turned and screamed no, but when she tried to go back, Thad jumped out from behind the wagon and grabbed her about the waist dragging to safety as she kicked and screamed at him to let her go. But he did not.
Matt, Festus, Doc and Newly were standing in the general store.
"There is one who's the leader. I'm sorry Marshal, I didn't catch names, I was too upset when they hurt Kitty and than that one when after her again." She said covering her mouth as she cried.
"He went after her again?" Matt asked as he became tense.
"It was another one of them. Kitty stopped him from hurting Linda and he got angry, but the third man stopped him before he could touch her." Jeanne said. "Marshal, she took that beating for me. It was me he had gone after, but she stopped him and she paid dearly for it." She said hanging her head and crying. Matt put his strong arm around her and told her it wasn't her fault. Kitty was protecting someone she cares about . It's just the way she is.
"Okay, so I'll get my bag and I'm going over there." Doc said as he headed for his office.
"Wait a minute Doc, they ain't gonna let you go." Festus said. "You can't go over there."
"Now you listen…." He started and Newly started.
"He's right Doc, they'll use you as leverage or something." Newly said in Festus' defense.
"Now you listen to me…Kitty is over there along with 5 other women being held hostage. Besides, if I don't go, they'll kill Bess we all heard them." Doc said heading out the back to go to his office by way of the back alley. It took him a few minutes to get there and back but he did it and was ready to go. But Newly stood in a Hat and jacket.
"What's this?" Doc asked.
"Doc, Newly has two years Medical training and plus he's done a great deal of work with you." Matt said. "He can handle this Doc. This town can't afford to lose it's only doctor to these idiots."
"Jeanne, please tell them. It's not safe for any of those women if they find out you're not me." Doc said.
"I agree with them Doc. It's bad enough my mother is in there, but the whole town depends on you." Jeanne said now that she had calmed down.
"The thing is, Newly don't lie to them. Tell them Doc is out of town on a fishing trip and you're his assistant." Matt said to newly.
"Yes, don't give them any reason to hurt you." Doc said.
"I won't, Doc." Newly responded.
"I mean it, Newly, don't try to be a hero." Doc said holding his hand out, palm up.
"I don't understand." Newly tried playing it off.
"Give me the gun. They aren't going to just let you walk in there with a gun. They'll search you boy and then when they find it, they'll kill you or one of the hostages." Doc said.
Matt and the others looked a bit nervous, they had known that Newly had the gun, but Doc had convinced him and he reached into his boot and pulled out the Dillinger.
"I don't like him going in there unarmed." Matt said.
"He's not unarmed, Newly there's a false buttom on that bag inside, you pull the corner up and you'll find a pistol." Doc said to everyone's surprise. "What, I learned a few things over the years is all." The men laugh and sigh in relief.
TBC
Please stay tuned for the next chapter. I hope that this is to your liking. Thank you for your reviews and thoughts I greatly appreciate all your reviews and opininions they help a person at times to figure things out.
KR
