Days Later

Matt

Matt poured himself a cup of coffee and went to his office window to look out on Front Street, just as he'd done thousands of times before. It was different this time. In just three weeks this office would not be his, and the plans he and Kitty had made for when he finally took off the badge, were dead. He didn't blame her for leaving him. She'd put up with more than any other woman would have – and for a lot of years. Yet he wished she'd at least said goodbye. After more than 18 years of sharing their lives, he wished she'd allowed him that, before vanishing from his life.

He took a sip of lukewarm coffee. Kitty had been gone for over a year without a trace or a word. Wherever she was she had a new life, and he wished her happiness.

The door swung open and Doc burst in, "Matt, Festus said you needed to see me. What's wrong? Is it the leg? You look like you didn't get much sleep."

Matt stepped over to shut the door, not wanting to be overheard. "Doc I need to tell you something before it happens. I'm going to ask Vivi Carter if she'll marry at the end of the month when my replacement arrives and my badge is off."

A hundred thoughts raced through Doc's mind, and Matt waited patiently for his friend to collect them. Doc rubbed his mustache, I was going to say it seems kind of sudden, but it doesn't really. Kitty had reasons for leaving, but she left you well over a year ago, and you've turned over every stone trying to find her." He looked at the lawman for a long minute. The stress of the past year showed clearly in his friend's eyes. "And now your years as a lawman are ending. Matt, I know you were still a teenager when you lied about your age to be hired as a deputy. That's a lot of years of wearing a badge." Doc paused and tried to imagine being told that he couldn't practice medicine. He looked into Matt's eyes with deep understanding. "Matt, the foundations of your life have crumbled, but you're what - 44 or 45 years old? There is still time for you to build a new life. You deserve it. No one deserves it more. I see no reason for you to wait. You and Vivian have plans to make."

Matt let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't realized how much he wanted Doc's blessing. "No one can replace Kitty. You know that Doc, but Vivi is a thoughtful and kind and caring person. She and I can build a good life together. You'll get to know her better soon, I promise."

"Matt, she'd have to be a fine person to win your affections."

They looked at each other without speaking, thinking of times past.

"Doc, I'm going out to the Lucky C this afternoon to ask her. Wish me luck."

"You don't need luck for this Matt, I have a feeling she's crazy about you." Doc patted his friend's arm and left. As he walked back to his office, his eyes clouded over with tears. Oh Kitty, daughter of my heart, I think of you every day and Matt does too. I know you'd want Matt to take this chance for contentment, and for me to find some peace in being part of his family. Please think of us now and again, and know we will always love you.

Boston

Declan and Mary were both in Kitty's hospital room. Mary had taken a break to go home and take a nap. When she returned she'd sent Declan off to do the same. He told her he would, but instead roamed the streets consumed by guilt.

A grey haired, slightly stooped nurse walked in carrying a cup. "Declan, I thought that was you I saw in the lobby."

Declan slowly recognized the nurse who'd tended to him in the army hospital when his leg was amputated, "Nurse Theresa, 'tis a fine thing to see you again."

The nurse smiled at Mary, "Declan is the bravest man I've never known. His wound was so bad the doctors wrote him off, but he proved them wrong."

"Don't be bragging about me. I ain't nothing to be proud off. Kitty's here because of my stupidity, and the doctors have given up on her."

Theresa frowned. "Seeing you survive taught me to not give up on anyone. That's why I'm here." She handed the cup to Mary. It was filled with ice chips. "Your friend is still unconscious so all we can do is try to keep her alive and hope. Keep slipping ice chips into her mouth, keep her lips moist and see if you can get little sips of water into her. That's all you can do unless she wakes up. The truth is, unless she wakes up, we can't keep her alive a whole lot longer. I have to go. I'll try to stop by later."

Declan smacked the wall. "Damn it Mary, I shouldn't have thought of Kitty having them feelings for me. She's got her pick of men."

Mary was alarmed by Declan's growing agitation and red-rimmed eyes. She put a hand on his arm. "Declan, Kitty loved – loves you in her way. When it comes to the other kind of love, I think she measures every man up against some man she wouldn't talk about. She…" Mary stopped. Her eyes widened. She grabbed Declan's hand and pulled. "Come on."

"What are you doing? Kitty shouldn't be alone."

"Kitty is sleeping and her best chance of waking is for us to find that man."

"What man?"

"The man she left behind, the man she's in love with, the man she measures every other man up against."

With Mary pulling insistently Declan stumbled out of the hospital. "Mary we don't even know if such a man exists, and even if he does how do we find him?"

"He exists and we'll find him. There have to be clues in her apartment."

Mary started for the diner at a quicker pace than she'd walked in years. Declan arrived behind her. They were both breathing hard. She unlocked the diner with her key, and they went upstairs to Kitty's apartment. Mary handed Declan a hatpin. "I don't have Kitty's apartment key. Try to open the lock with this."

"You coulda got the key from Kitty's purse."

"I checked. The only thing in there is her gun. Everything else must have flown out when she was hit."

"Gun?"

"Never mind, get the door open."

"I'm not a pro you know, but I'll try."

He gently prodded and within seconds the lock sprang open. He puffed out his chest and opened the door with a flourish. They walked into a sparsely furnished sitting room. Neither of them had been there before. Off of that room was a small bedroom and a tiny washroom. The place was barely decorated, as if Kitty had put all of her efforts into the diner. Mary led Declan into the bedroom and pointed to a dresser. You look in the drawers. I'll look under the bed and in the wash room."

"Look for what?"

"It's obvious, clues Declan, a letter, envelope, notebook, address, name, anything like that."

He nodded dubiously and opened the top drawer. "I can't go through these, it's lady's garments." He lifted his hands to avoid touching anything.

"Lordy, I'll look through the drawers. You look under the bed and in the washroom."

An hour later they'd gone through every inch of the bedroom and washroom twice. Declan shook his head. "There's nothing to find."

"There's got to be. Let's go over every inch of that sitting room."

Declan rolled his eyes as they stepped back into the small room. "There's just a chair, a lamp and a rack with some magazines. There ain't nothing to find."

"Keep looking."

Declan was dutifully looking through the magazine rack when Mary saw a narrow door she hadn't noticed before. "Look here, a broom closet."

"We ain't looking for a broom."

She opened it. The narrow closet was empty except for a suitcase leaning against the back. She dragged it out and tried the latch. "Declan, come pick this lock."

With a skeptical shake of the head he pulled out the hatpin and opened the lock. "See Mary, it's empty. Why would Kitty keep anything in a suitcase?" He started to close it.

"Wait Declan, there something peeking out of that compartment." She reached in and pulled out a folded picture frame held shut by a small latch. Holding her breath she carefully opened it. On one side was a picture of Kitty that was 3 or 4 years old. On the other side was the picture of a man.

"Lordy, that there is a fine looking man."

Declan nodded in agreement, "Who do you suppose it is?"

Mary pulled the man's picture out of the frame and looked on the back. There was nothing written on it. Her heart sank.

"Check the back of Kitty's picture."

She slowly pulled out Kitty's photograph and turned it over. She grinned and read aloud, "Kitty and Matt – Dodge."

"Why do you think they're supposed to dodge?"

"Declan sometimes you are a nimcompoop. That has to be a place."

"How was I supposed to know that? Where is it?"

"I don't know, but Charlie at the telegraph office will. He prides himself on knowing every city in the country."

She hurried down the stairs with Declan following close behind. They raced two blocks to the telegraph office. "Charlie I want to send a telegram to Dodge."

A bald man wearing a visor looked up smugly, "You mean Dodge City, Kansas?"

"Where else would I mean?" Mary looked back just a smugly.

"All right, who's it to."

"Matt."

Charlie frowned, "Matt who?"

"They'll know in Dodge City."

He shrugged, "All right what's the message? Who it's to is free, after that it's 50 cents for 10 words. More than that is 10 cents a word.

Mary reached into her pocket, "Declan I only have 20 cents on me."

"I have 30 on me. Can we do with 10 words?"

She nodded. Charlie, I want it to say:

Kitty Russell in Saint Michael's hospital Boston Massachusetts. Mary Callaghan.

TBC