Home is Where the Heart Is

Chapter 14

There was a fine mist, almost but not quite rain, hanging over the ferry as they crossed the small stretch of water between Oakland and San Francisco. An hour earlier, Matt had helped Kitty down from the train onto the platform then stood for a moment unsure of what to do next. He had no idea what Dr. Ben Williams looked like. He picked up their bags and headed for the terminal building. It was a lot bigger and more substantial than the depot he was used to in Dodge. He saw a man standing there in a frock coat, wearing a top hat, and carrying a silver-topped cane. As they neared the building he noticed that they were almost the last passengers to leave the platform. Kitty had her hand entwined in his left elbow and he felt her increase the pressure with her fingers.

"That man is looking for someone, Matt." She indicated the man he had already noticed, with a nod of her head.

The man swung his cane and raised the tip slightly into the air, trying to catch their attention. He approached and enquired "Marshal Dillon?"

"Yes, and you are Dr Williams?"

Williams smiled. He had wondered how he would recognize the man he was supposed to meet but remembered Galen telling him about the tall, imposing lawman who wore a metal star. This was indeed a tall man. He was pleasantly surprised by the sight of the beautiful woman by his side.

Matt put the bags he was carrying on the ground and extended his hand.

"Allow me to introduce Miss Kitty Russell, a good friend… of Doctor Adams."

The ferry had brought them to the port on the San Francisco side of the bay, and as they disembarked, Williams pointed ahead.

"I have a carriage waiting. Let's back to my rooms, and I will explain the situation. Here is not the place."

It was an hour later, and they were all seated in Ben Williams consulting rooms listening to Tara-Lee's story. Kitty said very little, she had been watching the girl and noticing her bruised face and arm. She understood only too well what had been going on, and the heavy price that the girl had paid for the information she was sharing.

Williams had produced a map of the streets leading down to the docks, the region referred to as the Barbary Coast, and as best she could, Tara-Lee pointed out the location of the building where the men were being held.

Matt studied the map for several minutes then decided he really needed to go look at the place. There was no telling how long Liu Xiang would hold his prisoners there, and there was even the unthinkable possibility that too much time had passed already.

ooo000ooo

Adams sat in the near darkness feeling the cold and damp permeating his bones. Somehow Petrov was still alive although he had been totally unconscious since the time they had arrived in this place. The doctor was not the least bit intimidated by Liu's threats, but did wonder what information the man thought he possessed that was so important. Liu was quite an interesting character. He was obviously pure evil, and had no concern for anyone other than himself. Strangely though he had provided a blanket and pillow and even some water for Petrov when Adams had told him it was necessary. Maybe he thought the man might wake up and tell him what he wanted to know - whatever that might be. He had guessed that Liu's business was the importing of opium - not a noble profession at all. The drug caused more misery than alcohol in his opinion. It destroyed lives and families especially here on the Pacific Coast. Fortunately, as yet, it hadn't reached the Plains in any great quantity - and most of the unfortunates he had seen had become addicted to the drug as a result of receiving it for pain relief for injuries sustained during the war.

His thoughts had wandered so far that when a moan arose from the still form lying next to him, he was quite startled. He reached over to find his patients wrist, and the man reflexively pulled away.

"It's all right, I'm not going to hurt you," he spoke the words quietly so as not to scare the man. "I'm a doctor and I'm here to help you."

Petrov strained his eyes into the darkness, trying to figure out where he was and what had happened. Come to think of it he did remember this man's soothing voice from the small room he had shared with Tara-Lee, but how long ago that had been, he had no idea.

"What happened?" he finally managed to ask.

"Seems like you have enemies. A chinaman by the name of Liu Xiang sent his men to take you - I just happened to be there at the time."

"What happened to my wife?"

"I'm not sure but I think she managed to escape."

Petrov seemed to relax after that, and Adams took the water bottle Liu had given him, and lifting the man's head poured a little into his mouth.

Petrov seemed to savor the precious liquid.

"Spasibo" he murmured.

"I'm sorry," Doc apologized, "I don't understand your language."

Petrov gave a smile - hardly visible in the half light.

"It means thank you." He took a few breaths before continuing. "I am Russian, from a small town called Alexandrovsk. It is a farming community, but has the misfortune to be a sea port off the east coast of Russia. Russian farmers are strong people you understand."

He paused for a moment or two. Adams considered telling him to rest and not to talk, but didn't think the man's life expectancy would be improved much by silence. At least he now understood why the man's speech was so heavily accented.

After a while Petrov continued. "Liu has many big ships traveling from China to your country." There were long pauses between his sentences, but there was no hurry. "He is a trader, but his cargoes are not good." Again another pause. "Opium, women, slaves…. all are welcome aboard Liu's ships."

Several minutes passed while Petrov regained his breath, and Doc tried to comprehend what he was being told.

"A big ship pulled into Alexandrovsk. My friends and I went to the dock to see if there was work to be had unloading it. The men came out to meet us, and we got taken aboard, but then found we were not allowed to leave. I think some of his crew had died or been killed, and he needed replacements. We were forced to work hard, very little food, bad conditions and no way out."

Doc was beginning to see the horror here.

"After many months we landed here in San Francisco. My friends and I think this would be a place friendly to us, and plotted to escape from the ship, but it was not so easy. We had to fight Liu's men, fortunately as I told you, we are strong - even after many months and many beatings we are still strong. We make it to land and hide. We have no money, barely clothes to stand up in, but we are free."

"Maybe you should rest for a while Petrov."

"No, it is good. Someone has to tell the story of Liu Xiang. Someone has to stop him. I don't think I can do it alone, but someone has to."

He paused again and the silence seemed all the worse for the story he had told. After a while Petrov gave a small cough to clear his throat before continuing.

"My friends and I, we split up, thinking it would give us a better chance of living to tell what had happened. One evening I was there hiding out in one of the opium houses in chinatown. Sometimes I could earn a nickel or two fetching water or cleaning up the worst of the mess from the floors. I hear voices and then screams from an alley nearby. Liu's men are attacking a Chinese girl, so I go to help her."

"That was Tara-Lee?" Doc asked.

"Dah,"Petrov nodded, but the movement was lost in the darkness of the cell.

"If they had managed to take her she would be sold for the entertainment of other men. It is a badl business."

Doc had heard of such things, but never thought they would touch his life. These things may have happened long ago, but not now. There had been a war to end slavery.

"We help each other, but there is no work to be had. We need money to get a start. We need to get out of Chinatown and away from Liu Xiang. I decide there is only one way. If I can take a little of Liu's opium and sell it, I can get enough money to help us both. I know it is bad, but it will be sold here whether I or Liu bring it. I didn't think stealing from that creature was a crime. He never paid me for all the months I worked on his ship."

Petrov seemed to be getting agitated by his memories. Adams said nothing. It was a terrible story. There were no words he could add to improve it so he sat in silence.

"The next time one of Liu's boats came here, I managed to get onboard and fill my pockets with the evil stuff. The money I would make was good for us. We would leave that hell hole and find a new life far from Chinatown."

A coughing spell interrupted his narrative again, and Adams persuaded him to take another sip of water.

"What happened?"

"The man I sold the drug to - I thought he would be pleased to pay less than he pays Liu, but he set me up. Liu's men were waiting and tried to drag me back to the ship. I am a strong man and I escape, but I am hurt as you see. Now for sure Liu will kill me. I worry about my Tara-Lee, but it does not matter about me. I am hoping she is free."

Adams wanted to help this man. Strangely he thought of Dillon. If his friend were here it would be different. Somehow he would find a way to get them out of this mess - risking his own life if necessary. He hated to think that that was the very situation that had brought him here in the first place. Sadly Matt Dillon would never know what happened to him now. Doc Adams would just disappear without any trace. Such irony!

TBC