Doc opened the door to his office and stepped out into the warm, yet slightly overcast day. It was still quite early and only a few people were busy down on Front Street. Wilbur Jonas was one of them.
Doc walked down the stairs and stopped in front of the general store where Jonas struggled with some crates that had just arrived at his door.
"I thought I told you to get Festus to give you a hand with big things like that," Doc pointed to the crates. "You know how easily you put your back out!"
Jonas stopped what he was doing, "I know that Doc. It's just that I haven't seen Festus all morning," the store owner said in self defence.
"Humph," Doc snorted. "Did you check with Kitty to see if Festus went out of town?"
Jonas shook his head no, "These crates arrived before I was hardly ready for business," he said placing his hands firmly on his hips while studying the large wooden boxes.
"I go and see what Kitty knows," Doc said. "In the meantime don't go lifting those boxes!" he said wagging his index finger at Jonas. Jonas made a face and tried to moved one of the crates aside to at least allow customers into his store.
Doc ticked his head as he drew his right hand across his moustache before he stepped down to cross the alley to the Long Branch.
The doctor stepped up and was greeted by Sam Noonan, "Good morning, Doc!" he smiled.
"Sam," Doc acknowledged and stopped, "Have you seen Festus this morning?" Sam shook his head no, "Maybe Miss Kitty has," he said in his baritone voice and thumbed over his shoulder into the saloon. Doc thanked Sam and pushed through the swing-doors as he stepped down into the establishment.
Kitty was just pouring herself a cup of fresh hot coffee when she noticed the doctor ambling his way across the room. "Good morning, Doc," she smiled.
"Say, that smells good," Doc smiled and poked his finger at the mug on the bar.
"I'll get you a mug," Kitty smiled and reached below the bar for the mug. "You're out and about awfully early aren't you?" Kitty asked as she sat the mug down on top of the bar and filled it full of coffee.
Doc took a sip before he answered, "Not really. I just couldn't sleep, that's all," he quipped.
"Jonas' shipment wake you, did it?" Kitty played coy.
Doc pursed his lips, "Not really," he said as he took another sip. "With the sun up so early now, and the song birds back, it's just hard to sleep in," he stated.
"Oh," Kitty commented and drank from her own mug. She studied the doctor's face, "There's something else, isn't there?" she finally asked.
Doc looked up from his coffee, "Have you seen Festus this morning?" He blurted out.
Kitty looked up with a bit of a surprised look on her face, "Why? Is he missing?" she asked and set her mug down on the bar.
"Not that I know of," Doc said sipping on his coffee again. "Jonas said he hasn't seen him all morning, and usually Festus has been by long before now," Doc said.
"Maybe he had to go out of town," Kitty stated.
"Usually he'd say something to someone," Doc stated. "I'll go over to the jail house. He's probably busy feeding those dang cats," he stated.
"The cat's Matt told him to get rid of?" Kitty smiled slightly.
"Those are the ones. In fact," Doc jabbed his index finger down onto the bar top, "one of them bit him," he stated.
"Is that what your meant yesterday?" Kitty snickered.
"Yes," Doc answered and finished his coffee, "Cat bites can be very serious," he added.
Kitty sighed, "I'm sure Festus is just taking advantage of not having Matt around," she smiled again.
Doc nodded and drew his hand across his moustache, "You're likely right, Kitty," he said with a wink.
Doc left the Long Branch and stopped on the boardwalk out front as his eyes caught sight of the finely dressed McLean, or Fleming, or both. The man strolled up the street and entered Del Monico's restaurant. Two of his friends slowly tagged along. Doc still wasn't sure what to make of the men.
"What do you think they are in Dodge for?" Sam asked the doctor as he stepped over next to the physician.
"I don't really know," Doc said. "He said he wants to open a business," he said looking up to Sam.
"I've never seen a business man act like that," Sam stated. "I wager he's here to make money, but not through a business," the barkeep stated before he returned his attention to the sand on the boardwalk and his broom.
Doc thought about Sam's comment, and he figured that the barkeep would recognize various kinds of men, "Sam? Do you think he's a gambler?" Doc asked.
Sam stopped sweeping, "He's no business man, Doc," the barkeep answered and then continued on sweeping the boardwalk off.
Doc made a face and decided that he'd better check in with Festus. Doc walked across Front Street and walked down the boardwalk toward the jail house. The doctor now couldn't get Sam's comment out of his mind.
Doc reached the door of the jail house and glanced up the street just in time to see the other men from McLean's party leave the Dodge House. Doc shook his head and turned back to the door. The doctor opened the wooden door into the jail house and saw Festus on the cot in the back corner. The hill man didn't stir as he entered the room, "Festus?" Doc called.
Still Festus didn't move. Doc moved closer to the hill man and looked down at him, "Festus?" a little more panic filled the doctor's voice. Festus groaned and tried to turn away from Doc.
"Festus?" Doc said trying to get the deputy's attention. Slowly Doc placed his hand on Festus' forehead, "Good Lord, he burning up!" he said aloud and pulled Festus' hand out from under the blanket. The hill man's right hand was swollen twice it's normal size and hot, "I told you about those dang cats! I even told you that a cat bite was bad!" Doc said to the barely conscious deputy. Festus groaned again.
"Now look at you!" Doc said as he tried to calm himself and figure out what to do next. Doc looked around the jail house and knew that Festus couldn't stay there. He had to get the hill man up to his office.
Doc pulled the blanket back up over Festus, "Hang on Festus," he said. "I have to find Newly." Doc quickly stepped to the door and out onto the boardwalk. He assumed that Newly O'Brien would be soon opening his gunsmith shop. "Dang you and your cats," he said looking back into the jail house before he hastily headed up the street in search of Newly.