Doc walked along the boardwalk muttering to himself about the hill man and his hand. The physician shook his head, "It will serve him right if it swells up like a melon," Doc grumbled. He stepped down into the alley and was just about to cross when he noticed Fleming and his men coming out of the Long Branch. Something made Doc stop and listen. He stepped closer to the edge of the building and watched. He began to wonder if Festus' suspicions were beginning to fill him with his own level of paranoia. After all he'd just spent an hour sifting through Matt's papers again.
Fleming and his men stood on the boardwalk just outside the swing doors. Several of them took the time to light cigarettes or cigars, "I think we'll do just fine here," Fleming smiled as he looked up the street.
"I don't like the feeling I get when I see that deputy," Thomas Holt said as he drew on his cigar.
"I think he's pretty harmless," Fleming said as he stuffed his hands deeply into his trouser pockets.
"I think Holt has a point," Morgan Thompson stated.
"Who's calling the shots?" Fleming asked.
"Look, Fleming. You got us into this bind the time we were in Hayes," Brad Warner spoke up as he chewed on his cigar. His tone and body language were clear that he wasn't happy with Fleming's thoughts on the Dodge City deputy.
Doc blinked and strained his hear, "Fleming?" he asked himself as he tried to get a better look at who was talking. "I thought his name was McLean," Doc said as he strained to hear what the men were talking about.
"It isn't like that, at all," Fleming said with a huff. "That other deputy was a lot smarter then this one," he said thumbing down the street toward the jail house with a laugh. Doc frowned at the comment.
"Have it your way Fleming. But if you get in past your neck this time, I'm leaving you there," Holt stated and began to turn away.
"You would too, wouldn't you?" Fleming grabbed Holt by the upper arm and jerked him around.
"Damn right I would," Holt said gruffly pulled his arm free. Fleming scowled at him as he watched Holt walk across the street toward the hotel.
"I'm going to scout out some more saloons," Fleming smiled.
"Can I come along?" Billy Williams asked as he tugged gently on Fleming's sleeve.
"Sure, kid," Fleming smiled and began to walk in Doc's direction. The other men shrugged and exchanged glances as they too followed Fleming to find another saloon.
Doc gulped and scurried, ducking down behind a barrel and watched as the group of men pass just a few feet away. The doctor could hear his heart pounding in his chest. He decided to remain hidden until he could no long see or hear the men. Once he felt safe, Doc slowly stood and peered out from the alley to make doubly sure that the men were gone.
Doc drew his hand across his moustache and he decided that he needed to talk to someone, and he decided that is was Kitty. Quickly the physician stepped out from behind the barrel and stepped up to the boardwalk. He wasn't sure what to tell Kitty, other then the fact is seemed that McLean may or may not be the man's real name. He ticked his head as he entered the Long Branch and stepped down from the steps.
Kitty was chatting with Sam Noonan at the far end of the bar, when she noted the odd look on the doctor's face, "Doc? Are you all right?" she asked with concern.
Doc twisted his mouth in though as he nested next to Kitty at the bar, "I'm not sure," he said.
"You look like you've just witnessed a train wreck!" Kitty stated.
Doc looked up at the saloon owner, "You might say that I may have witnessed the beginning of one," Doc said with a frown.
"Oh?" Kitty enquired.
"I was just on my way to my office when I saw McLean and his friends leaving," Doc stated.
"So?" Kitty said. "What's so scary about that?" Kitty asked and looked at Doc like he had crawdads crawling out his ears.
Doc screwed his right index finger into his ear, "For some reason I thought I'd like to know a little more about them so I ducked into the alley to have a listen," Doc said.
"Doc! You didn't?" Kitty scolded the doctor. He nodded, "But, he exclaimed, "I'm pretty certain I just over heard a couple of his friend s call him Fleming," Doc stated.
Kitty frowned, "So? Maybe that's his first name," she said with a shrug. "There's nothing unusual about that, is there?"
Doc sighed and nodded, "You know, you might be right," he said and he looked down at the bar top.
"Why would you think anything different?" Kitty had to ask. "And why would you do such a thing? That's no like you," Kitty shook her head in slight disappointment.
Doc looked up quickly, "Because I'm a silly old fool!" he said while waving his right hand up past his shoulder.
Kitty tilted her head, "What's wrong?" she sensed that the doctor was goaded into some thing.
Doc looked up, "Festus. Need I say more?" he grumbled.
Kitty tried to hide the smile that was growing on her face, "What did Festus do now?" she asked with as much sympathy as she could muster.
Doc shook his head, "He's got a motion that those men aren't in Dodge to open a business and then he got himself bit and his hand is swollen, and I had to go ahead and believe that those men are here for something other than opening a business!" Doc said in a flap.
Kitty tried to follow along, "Doc you aren't making any sense!" Kitty motioned for Sam to pour Doc a drink and he quickly did and slid it under the doctor's nose. Doc gratefully took a drink and then sighed. He sat the glass down and looked over to Kitty, "When I was in here earlier, I didn't like the way that McLean was taking. He seemed too honest," Doc stated.
"So maybe he is," Kitty smiled. "There are some people who are, you know."
Doc made a face at the comment and realized that he had just done something stupid. "Now I really feel like a fool," he huffed.
Kitty ran her hand across Doc's shoulder to try to easy his self beating, "We all make mistakes, Doc. You'll see. McLean will make a great business man and I'm sure that the citizens of Dodge will welcome him with open arms," she smiled.
Doc smirked and looked up into Kitty's eyes, "You are a wise woman, Kitty Russell," he said with a wink before he picked up his drink and toasted her, quietly. Kitty couldn't help but smile, "I've learned from the best," she rubbing her hand on Doc's forearm as reassurance.
