Captive Hearts 9
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Despite Major Higgins assertions that it was unsafe for Carolyn to leave the fort, he finally agreed to the loan of a horse for her, when pressed by Matt. He'd offered a wagon, but she assured him she knew how to ride and perferred to go horseback.
As they left the fort, Matt had the unsettling feeling that they were being watched but, scanning the area, he saw no one and nothing to substantiate that. Glancing over at the woman next him, he saw the same feeling reflected on her face.
"When we round that corner up ahead," Matt told her as he glanced about, "I want you to spur that horse with all you have. Ride fast and keep riding till you're in town. Understand?" He gave no indication to anyone, who may be watching, that he had even said a word.
"I understand," Carolyn said without looking in his direction.
Another quarter of a mile and they had rounded the curve. Carolyn kicked her horse into a gallop and raced down the road as Matt kept his hand close to his gun and followed close behind her.
Two shots rang out. One creased Matt's left arm, the other fell harmlessly short. Racing as fast as their horses could carry them, they made it to Dodge quickly and only reined in once they reached Front Street.
Carolyn looked at Matt's arm. "You need a doctor." She showed little reaction to the drama that had just unfolded on the road behind them.
"I'll be fine." He said. "But we do need to go up to Doc's. I want to check on Kitty and it's the safest place I think of for us to talk."
Carolyn merely nodded as Matt directed them down the street and stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading to the physician's office.
"Rather inconvenient for sick people isn't it?" Carolyn asked looking at the steep flight of steps.
"Makes it harder for people looking to steal drugs or perhaps harm anyone up there." Matt answered. "There's no back door to go in through or out of. They may make the stairs up but I can have them before they make it back down."
Carolyn nodded. "I see."
Matt continued to watch the woman as they ascended the flight of steps. By her bearing and way of speaking he could tell she was a well-educated woman who perhaps came from affluent circumstances. How she ended up as a captive of a band of renegades would be an interesting story.
But there was something more. Except for the few moments that she held Emma in her arms, she had shown absolutely no trace of emotion about anything. Even when being fired upon by whomever it was out on the trail.
Shaking his head Matt held the door for her as they entered the doctor's office. "Doc," he greeted his friend. He noticed Pete was missing. "You send Pete home?"
"Sure did," Doc answered as he finished up the report he was working on. "His wife assured me she will see to it that he stays in bed for a few days." Just then Doc saw the blood on Matt's left sleeve. "Good Lord, what happened to you?"
"I'll tell ya later," Matt answered absently staring at the bedroom door, before remembering his manners. "Doc, this is Miss Carolyn Horton. She was… well… she was…"
"I was a captive with Kitty." Carolyn stepped forward her hand outstretched, casting a sidelong glance at the Marshal.
Doc took her hand in his with a smile. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Horton. Did you come up to visit with Kitty?"
Carolyn nodded. "That and to escape whoever it was that shot your esteemed Marshal here."
Doc looked sharply at Matt and opened his mouth to ask but Matt stopped him. "Someone took a couple of shots at his on our way here from the fort." He explained. "I have a feeling they were afraid, Miss Horton here, might know something and they didn't want it told. This is about the only place I could think of where it'd be safe to talk."
"Well, do you think they'll come on in town after you?" He asked thinking of Kitty's safety as well as the woman standing before him.
"Nah," Matt shook his head. "I'm not even really sure they were trying to hit us. I think it was more a scare tactic than anything. Hoping maybe they could scare her into being quiet."
"You will find, Marshal," Carolyn said stanchly, "it would take more than a poorly placed shot to frighten me."
Doc nodded as he looked approvingly over at his guest. "Sit down and let me look at that arm, Matt, while you two talk." He noticed the big man's eyes drift back to the bedroom door. "She's asleep right now and I don't want her disturbed. Besides do you really want her to see you hurt?"
Matt shook his head and with a deep sigh, settled himself on Doc's exam table and rolled his sleeve up.
"Miss Horton, why don't you have a seat right here?" Doc pulled his office chair out for her.
As Doc tended to Matt's arm, Carolyn told Matt what she knew. Most of it was of little use to him in finding the fiend that hurt Kitty and countless others. But she did have a bit of information that Matt found quite interesting. "You're saying this Dawson had a contact in the army?"
"I have no proof of that, Marshal," Carolyn rose and stepped over to the stove, tentatively touching the coffee pot to determine its temperature. "May I?" she asked Doc.
Doc nodded. "Certainly," he smiled. "I have some cups right there on the table."
Carolyn took what appeared to be the cleanest of the cracked white mugs and poured herself a cupful of the steaming liquid before returning to her chair. "I never specifically saw Dawson speaking to anyone from the army," She continued. "Nor was I privy to any conversations he may have had with anyone. But I did hear bits and pieces, here and there, which gave me the very strong impression that he knew someone inside who was supplying him with information."
"You mean information of where the army would be and when they would be moving anything of value?" Matt asked, already knowing the answer.
She nodded. "Yes. There was a man there named Chavez, I suppose you would call him Dawson's second in command. He escaped with Dawson. Any way, one day I overheard him telling one of the other men that their contact had just informed them of the location of a wagon load of rifles. Two days later a large group of the men left and returned that night with a wagon load of rifles. Army rifles. There were other incidents, such as that, as well."
Doc finished wrapping Matt's arm and pulled his sleeve back down. "There you go, Matt. Just keep that clean and dry."
"Thanks," Matt answered as he thought about what Carolyn had told him. "That would explain why we were fired upon right after leaving the fort. Did you ever hear any names or anything specific that could pinpoint exactly who that information was coming from?"
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, no. I think it must've been someone in the higher ranks based upon the type of information Dawson received but no names were ever mentioned. Even though we captives were considered to be less than nothing, they still said very little around us. Dawson played everything very close to the vest. He wouldn't even say anything in front of Kitty and she was…." Carolyn stopped. That was Kitty's story to tell, if she chose.
"She was what?" Matt asked unsure that he actually wanted the answer.
Carolyn took a deep breath and rose, placing her coffee cup on Doc's desk. "You will need to speak to Kitty about her time there Marshal. I do not feel at liberty to discuss that with you." She gave Matt a challenging stare.
"Doctor," Carolyn addressed the physician. "I'm certain Kitty is probably still asleep so I will not disturb her at this time. But might I come back later and visit?"
"Of course," Doc answered. "I bet ya Kitty would like that."
Carolyn looked once more at Matt. "I have no funds with which to obtain lodging here Marshal, but as I find it imprudent to return to the fort, I must ask if you have any suggestions of where I might stay."
"I'll take you over to Ma Smalley's." Matt told her. "I think you'll be safe there for now. Doc, I'll be back in just a little bit."
Doc merely nodded as he watched the two walk out.
TBC
