Doc continued to pound on the front doors of the general store and now with a small crowd around him, "Doc I tried that a half an hour ago," Howie stated, "All I wanted was a new bottle of ink."
Doc glanced at Howie, "Half an hour ago! Didn't you think that there might be something wrong?"
Howie shook his head, "I just thought Jonas went to lunch or to the bank," he looked at Doc. "There isn't anything wrong, is there?"
"I don't know," Doc returned his attention to the door, this time he shook the latch.
By now, Kitty was standing next to Doc. Her face reflected what Doc was thinking. She watched Doc try the latch.
Chad Green spotted the marshal, "Marshal!" he shouted as he ran toward Matt.
"Chad?" Matt turned and faced the young farmer, "What's going on?"
Chad panted, "Marshal, Miss Kitty sent for you..." he heaved.
"Kitty? Why?" Matt took the young farmer by the shoulders.
"It was something about the general store and Jonas, as best as I could tell..." Chad huffed.
Matt released the young farmer and charged up the street to find Doc and Kitty at the front door of the general store, "It's locked Matt," Doc stated.
"When did you notice this?" Matt inquired.
Doc made a face, "To be honest I was going to have a word with Jonas but decided not to and that was only about ten minutes ago..."
"It was locked over a half an hour ago," Howie added.
Matt stepped to the door, "Jonas?" he bellowed but heard nothing. Matt gently pushed Doc, Kitty and a few others back as he stepped back several paces and then burst forward into the doors. The store doors popped open and Matt found himself in the middle of the room, "Jonas?" Several small crates, and barrels were toppled.
Doc followed Matt into the store, "This isn't like Jonas, at all." Doc looked at his crumpled apron. "It's as if he was about to go somewhere..."
"How about these?" Matt said as he moved one crate to clear a path to the back storage room. Matt pulled his gun and moved cautiously to the storage room at the back of the store. Doc followed.
The back door was closed, but Matt could see from where he was standing that it was unlocked. Doc moved passed the marshal and knelt down at the red pool that caught his eyes, "Matt," he spoke softly as he touched the sticky blood, "He's hurt. And if he's bleeding this badly, he needs help."
Matt drew a deep breath and turned to see Kitty and a few others standing in the doorway, "Someone find Festus, and hurry," Matt shoved his gun back into his holster and walked to the back door. He carefully opened the wooden door and could see more tracks, "Doc, aren't they the same tracks we found near Percy Crump's?"
"I think you're right, Matt!" Doc carefully stepped into the alley and studied the tracks. The doctor walked a few steps and stopped, "There more blood too," Doc swallowed.
The sound of jingling spurs caught both Matt's and Doc's attention, "Back here Festus," Matt called to the hill man through the store. Festus wasted no time in reaching Matt, "Matthew?"
Matt looked at Festus, "Something has happened to Jonas. Doc thinks he's hurt pretty badly," Matt stated.
"And these are the same foot prints that were at Percy's this morning," Doc pointed out.
Festus' mouth dropped open, "You don't think Mr. Jonas is dead, do you, Doc?"
Doc shook his head, "I don't know Festus, but we have to find him fast," Doc said.
Festus stepped passed both Matt and Doc and began to follow the tracks. Matt and Doc followed closely behind.
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Jonas opened his right eye slowly. His head pounded with just the slightest movement. Slowly his opened his left eye. He groaned and tried readjust the way he was laying but he couldn't as he remembered the ropes. And then he remembered Doctor Hare and the other two. Jonas blinked his eyes and he could barely make out that he was inside of something. He could see dwindling daylight through the spaces in the wood. Again he struggled against the ropes. His aching head made him feel nauseous so he rested for a few seconds. He heard muffled voices and tried to make a noise to attract attention. He kicked with both feet at the box he was in. He sighed as the voices grew louder and he could see movement through the cracks. Jonas rested his head back down on the bottom of the crate and waited for it to be opened.
Slowly the lid was lifted and Jonas had to looked hoping to see Matt or Festus, or both. His heart skipped a beat when he realized that it was Charles Beck and the big man that took him from the store. Again Jonas wriggled around trying to escape.
Hans reached down in the wooden box and grabbed Jonas by the lapels op his vest and pulled him to his feet. The quick movement caused Jonas to almost vomit. Beck grabbed a hold of Jonas' legs and the two men lifted him out of the crate, "Lets make this quick," Beck said as they carried Jonas over to the old saddle factory.
Jonas did his best to make it awkward for the men as he squirmed in their arms. Hans only tighten his hold and Jonas groaned again.
Beck looked at Hans, "Try not to damage him. Doctor Hare wants him in near perfect condition," he stated.
Jonas glared at Beck. He tried to figure out what he meant by what he just said. Jonas looked over his shoulder and could see the saddle factory out of the corner of his eyes. His heart was pounding in his chest and sweat began to bead on his forehead. Despite Hans' grip, he again began to resist which slowed the men down, only slightly.
Doctor Hare met them at the door. He looked around and motioned for them to enter. With another quick look, Hare closed the door behind him.
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Festus turned the corner and saw the opened crate. Festus noted the tracks around it and motioned for Matt and Doc to join him, "Looks like them fellas might have put Jonas in here for a while," Festus said to Doc.
Doc noticed the blood, "Matt we'd better find him soon."
Matt looked around, "Its getting dark, and we'll need to follow those tracks," he starred hard into the twilight trying to figure out his next best move. "Where could they have taken him now?"
Doc shook his head, "I just help but wonder why..."
