Brian MacGregor sat staring into to the fireplace in his room at the Dodge House. His two sons sat near by but didn't feel the need to be involved with any more business with their father for the night. "Hey, Peter?" William nudged his brother's boot.
Pete looked up from the cards he held, "What?" he said somewhat annoyed.
"Do you think Pa is gonna have it out with old Dyer?" William asked in a hushed voice.
Peter shrugged, "I wouldn't blame him if the did. And if that miserable land grabber wants to play dirty, I'll wade into it myself."
"No need for you two to be involved," Brian said from his chair before he stood. "I've already lost one son to a range war."
Peter stood, "Well that was because of Matt Dillon, not you!"
Brian pursed his lips and turned back to the fire, "We all have our own thoughts on that. And the coroner's report said the same."
Peter huffed, "Well ain't the coroner Doctor Adams? And ain't the doctor a friend of the Marshal's?" Peter stood.
Brian turned nodding his head, "Yes on both accounts. But there was more to it."
Peter was now standing next to his father, "Care to explain? After all Luke was my brother too," Peter thumped his chest.
"And mine," William said from his chair at the small table.
Brian shook his head, "You two just don't know when to leave something alone, do you?"
Pater looked over his shoulder and watched William slowly get to his feet, "I figure it's only fair that we know, Pa," William said. The two young men could hear their father swallow before he sighed deeply. Brian MacGregor lifted himself up from the cushioned chair and looked his sons in the eyes, "I'll tell you, but you have to promise me that you won't do something stupid once you've heard..."
Peter looked over to William and they both nodded and they were both pensive about how they were going to react to whatever it was their father was going to say. "Go on, Pa," Peter motioned.
Again Brian sighed, "Your brother Luke was even more hot-headed than the two of you put together," Brian turned to the fireplace and pushed his hands down into the back pockets of his trousers, "I told him a million times not to come into Dodge after Matt and I had a rather large disagreement," he looked back to his sons.
"Luke came after the Marshal?" William sputtered.
"Sort of. However, he decided that he was going to inflict a different pain on Matt. Luke got it in his head that he was going to burn down the Long Branch. After all, Miss Kitty and the marshal have been very close friends for a very long time," Brian said woefully.
"So the Marshal shot him?" Peter stepped forward. "Didn't Luke put up a fight?!"
"Neither happened. It seems he was going then call the marshal out to the street but he got into an argument at the saloon with some other cowpunchers. He caused enough ruckus that Matt finally showed up. More than one gun went off that night..."
Peter looked over to William, "Did the Marshal shoot Luke?"
Brian shook his head no.
"Well who did?" Peter asked.
"Doc Adams," Brian quietly said.
"Doc?!" Peter stepped forward with a tinge of hate in his voice. "Doc Adams shot my brother?"
Brian nodded, "Your brother had his gun to the marshal's back and everything happened so quickly." Brian faced his boys, "Sure I'm angry at Matt and at Doc...but what else could they have done?" he turned back toward the fire. "And Matt is angry at me for the way I have treated the doctor..."
William stepped forward, "Now it makes sense...you never let the doctor look at anyone when they're sick...even Ma. If it wasn't for Florence slipping into town now and again..."
"Why do you think I let her? I knew what she was up to..." Brian shook his head. "I don't want talk about this anymore. I'm too old now and it was a long time ago."
Peter made a face and looked over to William, "It's gonna be hard not to look at the marshal and Doc the same way." William said.
Brian shot a look at the two young MacGregors, "If either of you says anything or does anything to mess things up for tomorrow, I'll skin you both. Do you understand!?" Both Peter and William nodded and returned to their card game. The room was silent for the rest of the night.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kitty nudge Matt on the elbow as she heard the familiar jungle that was accompanied by the hill man's humming. As usual, Festus stopped at the swing doors and looked over searching for friendly faces before he entered - once he spotted Matt and Kitty' his dark eyebrows rose in delight and he pushed through the doors.
"Evenin' Miss Kitty. Matthew," he smiled and stood at the bar adjacent to the table where his friends sat.
"Why don't you join us for a drink Festus?" Kitty smiled and waved to Sam to bring the deputy a beer.
"Well, that's mighty thoughty of you Miss Kitty!" he said as he took the chair next to his boss.
"How are things around Dodge?" Matt asked.
"No a peep, even from a cricket tonight," Festus said and licked his lips to prepare himself for the beer that Sam had just placed in front of him.
"Well that's good to hear, Festus." Matt smiled, and winked at Kitty, "Because I need you to get up at first light tomorrow..."
Festus was halfway through his beer as his eyes looked over to Matt's, "Oh?"
"Yes. I want you to ride out and be with Doc. I think things are going from bad to worse between the MacGregors and Dyers, and I don't want Doc to be caught in the middle without help."
Festus smiled, "I'll doer, Matthew and I'll be out there faster than you can say a rat ran over the rooftop with a piece of raw liver his mouth!" Both Kitty and Matt chuckled and knew that Festus was one to hold his word.
