The Ties That Bind
PT.9
In the café was now crowded. Off to the sides of the room, Letty was on her knees in the doorway covering her face with both hands sobbing, Mary was clinging to Kitty tightly. John just stared at Matt.
"I heard you were fast with a gun."
But Matt just shook his head. "Kitty, take Mary over to the Hotel. I'll be right over."
She just nodded, guiding Mary around Moore's body. "Come on, Sweetheart. We'll wait for Matt."
Sniffling, "Momma? That Sheriff wants to put you in jail and…"
"Now, now, Mary, don't you worry about any of this. Your Po… Matt and I will make sure everything will be ok. I promise." Leaning in and kissing her forehead.
Sheriff Daly had several men help he and Matt remove Moore's body from the café. Matt bent and lifted Letty, sitting her down in a chair. "Mrs. Moore. Is there anything I can do? Can I see you home?"
Raising her eyes to him with a crooked smile, "Marshal, you once again came to my rescue."
Matt looked at her with questions in his eyes.
"You don't remember me do you? Letty, Letty Graham. Fourteen years ago, in the rain, in the cave with a newborn baby girl. You saved me, only for me to live a more miserable life."
"Ah, Letty. You were just a kid. You couldn't stay out there all on your own. You needed your folks."
"They didn't want me, Marshal. I was damaged and Poppa reminded me of that for every day of my life till he married me off to Cecil. They thought that would cleanse my evil soul. I tried for a while to adjust and live a life as a preacher's wife. I tried to move on with my life. I knew I told you to take my baby and find her a good home. I knew you'd find someone to care for her and love her, raise her right. She looks happy and healthy. I never expected you'd keep her Marshal?"
Smiling, "Oh, no, Letty. I didn't keep Mary. She was raised by a friend."
"Oh?" Now smiling more. "The red headed lady?"
"Well…" he hesitated. "That's a long story."
"But, Marshal, they seem very close."
"Letty, let me just tell you this, you never have to worry about Mary being loved enough. Kitty has so much love for her, she'd give her very life for Mary. And to tell you the truth, I'm quite fond of her myself." Winking at her. blushing slightly. "And she has several uncles and a grandpa who all look out for her all the time."
"Marshal, what happens now?"
"With what, Letty?"
"Cecil's charges and…"
"Well, Sheriff Daly has papers drawn up so I'll be talking to him later. We'll have to figure out exactly what happened in that root cellar."
"Marshal, I… I..."
"Look, Letty, you don't need to worry about this tonight. How bout I take you home, maybe to your Mother?"
Nodding, "Yeah, I'd like to be with Ma. Thank you, Marshal. But, Marshal, we do need to talk, I need to tell you about Poppa and what he was doing and what I had to do. I couldn't let him do it, Marshal. She's... she's my…"
"Letty? Are you telling me that you were there at the root cellar?"
Nodding in agreement.
"But Kitty didn't tell me you were there."
"It was dark. I don't think she saw me. Poppa threw something at her then started pouring kerosene and then I heard her yell at him to stop and I could hear Mary crying and calling out for her Momma. Oh, I wanted to go help her but I know it wasn't me she wanted. Marshal, it was me."
"What?"
Nodding and now tears flowed, "It was me, Marshal. I shot Poppa. Yes, Miss Russell fired her gun, but I shot him then I quickly got out of there, out of the cellar, I mean. I hid. Then when I saw all of you, Ma and Cecil that's when I walked out, like I just got there. I'm so sorry, Marshal. But I just had to stop him. I couldn't let him do it. He would have killed them, Mary and your friend, Miss Russell, Mary's Momma."
After taking Letty to the Graham farm, Matt went back to town, stopping at Sherriff Daly's office and entering. "Ah, John, good, you're still here."
"Hey, Matt. Coffee?" He asked, holding up a pot of fresh brewed coffee.
"Letty Moore just told me something while I took her out to her ma's place. She told me she shot Graham, not Kitty."
"Matt, that don't make sense."
"Wait. She says she knew all about his and Moore's plan to destroy Kitty and Mary. You know, the threats he was making? Everyone heard them. John, did you see the bruises and cuts on Letty? That girl was being abused."
"Matt, how can you be sure?"
"What? That she's being abused? Or you don't want to believe me? Which is it, John? John, the way I see it, Graham was a sick man. He used his ranting's of living by the gospel to justify everything he did in his life. But those words can be interpreted many ways. Many people interpret the words for their own evil. He was going to kill Kitty and Mary. It was self-defense. And Letty says she was trying to stop him from doing harm. When she overheard what he and Cecil were planning to do and after the abuse she's been through at both their hands…"
"Matt, Cecil is her husband."
"John, don't tell me you condone this behavior?"
Shrugging his shoulders. "Matt, I try not to get between a man and his wife."
"Matt threw his hands in the air. "UGH!" He grunted, walking out.
Sitting in the hotel, Kitty laid next to Mary, brushing her hair off her face and trying to get her to relax.
"Momma?"
"Yes, Sweetie?"
"I know we were going to go on to St. Louis and Boston but can we just go home, you, me and Poppa? Oh, I mean…"
Chuckling, "It's okay. You do love him, don't you?"
"I didn't mean to call him…"
Smiling, "I know, Mary."
"Ya know, Momma, I wish Matt could be my poppa. I mean he is just like my poppa. He takes care of me just like you do and he protects me and I know he loves me." Then looking sideways at Kitty. He loves you somethin' awful too. We're just like a real family. A momma, poppa and daughter, just like any other family. Right?"
With a smirk. "Is that a fact, Young Lady?"
"That's my wish, Momma."
"Oh, Mary Sweetheart, please don't get your heart set on it."
Reaching up and hugging Kitty. "Momma, grandpa says no dream is impossible if you want it bad enough and wish hard enough." She cuddled close and dosed off, mumbling, "Love you, Momma."
Kitty kissed her forehead, smiling. "Oh, Mary. I love you, my sweet girl."
TBC
