Surprising Detour at Whispering Winds PT.6

After several glasses of whiskey, or what she was told was whiskey, Kitty slowly drifted off to sleep. At least the pain subsided enough she could sleep. All she wanted to do was rest and be ready to travel.

Standing just outside, across the street, eyes watched the room on the second floor.

Early the following morning, Frank woke. He entered his son's room. Doc was cleaning his medical tools and lying things out. "Well, good morning, Doctor Adams. So, how is my boy this morning?"

Doc looked over his shoulder, rubbing his upper lip. "Cameron, he's alive. We need to talk."

"Doctor, I'm not sure I'm happy with your tone. Frank Jr. looks to be much rested and peaceful."

Shaking his head, "That'd be the laudanum. It will keep him calm and able to rest."

"Ok, so what's on your mind, Doctor?"

"Well, his leg is seriously infected. Too far gone. Beginning to see signs of gan…"

"Whoa! Hold on there, Doctor." Now Frank noticed the tools laid out. "You can't take his leg." Now the anger was surfacing.

With his lips pursed together. "Take your pick, his leg or his life."

Suddenly Cameron grabbed Doc up by his collar. "No! NO! You dig into that bag of yours and find something, something to fix my boy."

Tugging his ear. "Look, Cameron, I've tried everything."

Now shaking, "Doc, try again. You hear me. I said, try again!" Tossing him aside and storming out.

Telegraph was just about to open when up behind the telegraph clerk, he could feel eyes on him. "Oh, excuse me. I didn't see you there Miss…."

"Here, I need you to send this off right away. Quickly!"

"Alright, alright. Come in, do you want to wait for a response?"

"No, I don't believe that will be necessary. I'll get my answer soon enough."

As he typed the message, he looked up. Wasn't aware you knew anyone in Dodge City."

"Just send it!"

Frank set out for town, angry at what Doc had told him, thinking to himself, "Mary Elizabeth would have been able to take care of him properly. I promise you, Son, I'll fix all my wrongs.

Kitty was waking slowly to a lot of pain, remembering what had happened to her ankle the night before. "UGH. Oh, Kitty girl, why now?" But she was quite hungry, so she attempted to get up and make her way to the café, never realizing she was being watched. Hobbling across the street, she made it to the door of the café, taking the first seat inside.

"You alright, Ma'am?" The waiter said watching her.

Smiling and nodding, "Oh, yes, I'm fine, or I will be. Let me get some coffee and maybe a sweet roll, please. Oh, and maybe you can tell me where I might find your town doctor."

Slightly letting out a huff, "You mean Doc Sawyer?"

"I guess, if that's his name."

"Well, unless you plan on planting flowers for him, you're out of luck."

"What? Why?" She asked furrowing her brow.

"Ol' Doc Sawyer died about a month or so ago."

Rolling her eyes, "Oh, right. Of course he did." Thinking, 'What else could go wrong?'

Bringing her coffee and sweet roll, "Ya know, there was an Ol' man, think he was a doctor, here just a few days ago. Haven't seen him much but don't remember seeing him leave out of here either."

Well, ok. Is there someone who might be able to tell me if he's still here?"

"Try the hotel." The waiter answered. "Think he checked in there."

"Thank you. Oh, do you know his name?"

"Sorry, no. Didn't get that."

After eating, Kitty made her way back to the hotel in excruciating pain. Stopping at the desk, "Hello, Benjamin."

"Oh, hello, Miss Russell. Ma'am, are you feeling better?"

Shaking her head, "Not as much as I thought I might. Say, Benjamin, I understand from the waiter, your town doctor died, but he tells me he remembers a doctor being here in town and thinks he might still be here. Maybe even staying here at the hotel."

"Well, Ma'am, now that you mention it, we did have an old fella sign in for a room, but haven't seen him in a few days. Not since…"

"Not since what?" She asked.

"Well, a few days ago, two cowboys from the Whispering Winds came to get him, someone sick, I guess."

Tilting her head, "Whispering Winds?"

"Oh, yes, Ma'am. It's a ranch. Actually it's, The Ranch. Everyone knows it."

"Hmmmm, Oh, ok. Wait, Benjamin. How would I find this ranch? Maybe if I rode out there…."

"Sure, Ma'am. I could draw you a map. It's only bout twenty miles out."

Rolling her eyes again, "Only twenty miles, huh? Oh, well, I guess, I'd better find me a buggy. Thank you. Much obliged to you."

TBC