"If you have any idea where your brother might have went," Matt asked meeting Vera's eye. "It would be helpful to know."
"Surly Marshal, you don't think my brother did this," Vera said waving her hand toward Doc's exam table where the physician cleaned a nasty cut on Festus face.
"That's not what the Marshal said, Vera," Newly replied stepping forward. "We don't know who attacked Festus at this point. But it would be better for Johnny if the Marshal and I found him before anyone else did."
Vera nodded before sighing with exasperation. "I would have said grandfather's house but we sold it."
"Any where else," Matt promoted as Vera shook her head no.
A low moan from behind him made Matt swing around as Doc looked up. "He's trying to come around, Matt."
Abelia took a step back from the spot she had held vigil in since Newly had summoned her roughly an hour before.
"Festus," Matt said looking down at the disheveled hill man. "Who did this?"
"Johnny," Festus rasped a few seconds later as Vera gasped.
Matt wet his lips before he replied. "Where's Johnny?"
"Bounty hunters," Festus said scrunching up his forehead before looking not to sure.
Matt looked up as Doc as he spoke. "He could be a little confused, Matt. That's a good lump on his head they gave him."
Matt nodded before looking back at his deputy. "Are you saying, the bounty hunters have Johnny, is that what you're trying to tell me?"
Festus nodded before closing his eyes. Matt stood up straight and then turned toward Newly. "Let's go see if we can track them down!"
"I didn't think Johnny would do such a thing," Vera said as Newly took her hand.
"We'll be back as soon as we can," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"I know," Vera replied. "Just bring my brother home."
"I will," Newly said putting on his hat as he followed Matt out the door.
"I'm betting they took off into the canyons to set up camp for the night," Matt said climbing onto his horse.
"They couldn't have gone far in the dark," Newly replied with a nod.
"I told you already!" Johnny yelled angrily as one of the bounty hunters tied him to a tree. "That price on my head don't exist no more!"
"As if I'm gonna listen to you," he replied snidely. "Why, you'd say anything ta get yerself free, wouldn't ya boy!"
Johnny sighed and shook his head. "I'm telling you the truth, I swear! Your wasting your time!"
"We'll see," the man stated walking away. "You better get some sleep, we got us along way ta go tomorrow."
Johnny rested his head against the large pine tree and watched as the bounty hunter joined to other two near the fire.
Pulling on the ropes behind him proved to be pointless, they were to tight and the tree was to large for him to have any leverage what so ever.
A rustle in the bushes a few feet from him made his head jerk and he craned his neck to see what it was.
"Don't move," Newly whispered in the dark behind him. "I'm going to cut you lose and give you a gun but stay put until the Marshal and I get closer."
Johnny nodded as Newly sawed though the robe that bound his wrists. Slipping a pistol into Johnny's hand, Newly backed away quietly.
The bounty hunters, oblivious to what was going to happen next, sat around the camp fire sharing a whiskey bottle and boasted about finding Johnny.
"I told ya it would be easy," the largest of the three said with a hearty laugh. "That Marshal and those dumb deputies don't know what hit em!"
"Hold it right there!" Matt ordered stepping out of the darkness.
The three men scrambled for their guns as Newly and Johnny joined the Marshal.
"Three against three," Matt said looking at each man. "I'd say the odds are even if any of you boys want to take a chance."
One by one, the bounty hunters shook their heads no before tossing away their revolvers.
"I didn't think so," Matt said putting his gun away.
"It's like I done tole you, Doc," Festus said stopping the physician in front of the Long Branch. "Them bounty hunters didn't have nothing ta say bout Matthew running em outa town!"
"Why don't you hush up?" Doc said harshly. "Your giving me a headache!"
"And I know just the thing that'll help that," Festus said with a smile.
"You do huh," Doc said suspiciously. "Well, what is it?"
"A beer," the hill man said looking up as Johnny and Newly stepped out the double doors.
"I'll have the shop open first thing in the morning," Johnny said nodding.
"Good," Newly replied with a broad smile. "I'll see you tonight for dinner, right?"
"Wouldn't miss it," Johnny said with a slight nod aimed at Doc and Festus.
"Festus, Doc," Johnny said before heading down the boardwalk.
"Yer gonna take a chance on him, are ya Newly?" Festus asked quietly.
"Isn't that what they were talking about," Doc said shaking his head at the hill man before stepping into the Long Branch. "C'mon Newly, I'll buy you a beer!"
"Smart aleck," Festus mumbled before realizing, he was standing outside the saloon alone. "Hey, what about mine!" he yelled following Newly inside.
*Been busy with RL lately, and court. Robber got 18 months with one year suspended, he'll be lucky to serve 6 whole months :( got to love our justice system! I'm ending this segment here, working on something new but will continue this story line again :)*