Schermerhorn studied Red Dawson's leg, "This is very bad in many ways," the sighed. Dawson didn't care, nor did he have a clue what the reverend said – the tonic had taken a hold of him.
Cedric and Miguel watched on, "What can we do?" Cedric finally asked.
Schermerhorn shook his head, "I don't know. I can't pull those splinters out of his leg because he might bleed to death and we can't very well asked the doctor to look at him without raising suspicion," he stated. Dawson snickered out of delusion.
"Maybe we can make up a story about how he hurt himself and then we can get the old saw bones to look at him!" Miguel said with some enthusiasm.
Schermerhorn made a face, "It would have to be quite the story," he said flatly.
"What if we have a small explosion here?" Cedric stated.
Schermerhorn's eyes lifted from Dawson's limb to his friend's eye, "You might be on to something," he smiled.
"The secret formula is combustible," Miguel added with a sly smile.
Both Schermerhorn and Cedric nodded, "That it is," Schermerhorn said while thinking the scenario through. Schermerhorn pulled a blanket over Dawson to keep him warm, before he sat back in the chair, thinking on it even more.
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Matt looked at the list that Nathan Burke had prepared, "Were these items all in the same area?" he looked up from the paper to the shipping clerk.
"Funny you should ask that, marshal, but no. At least I don't think so," he stated.
Matt frowned, "You found the crate for the brandy but no bottles of glass?" he asked.
"It must have been some weird explosion," Burke shrugged. "Whatever took place, it looks like someone tried to blow the safe," he said as he pointed to the area that was most damaged.
Matt walked over to the area and crouched down, "What kind of explosive was used?"
Burke walked over to another shed, "It looks like someone took a stick of dynamite from this stock waiting for the railway," he said as he examined the broken lock and pried open door.
"Who knew about it?" Matt asked at he stood up and faced the clerk.
"No one but me," Burked stated. "I have it listed on my inventory, but those books are locked in the safe at night and no one else has access to them during the day," he said as he grew more flustered.
Matt thought for a moment, "What about that fellow from Schermerhorn's outfit? Did he ever come back?" he asked.
Burke shook his head no, "I haven't seen him since," he said. "You don't think he would have done this? I mean him working with the reverend and all," Burke sputtered trying not to lay blame especially on someone religious.
Matt didn't comment right away as he went back looking at the damage to the structure and its contents. He paused and looked at Burke, "I'm not ruling anyone out right now," he stated while looking at the list again.
Festus walked back toward the marshal, "Matthew, you should have a look at this," he said as he thumbed over his shoulder. The look on the deputy's face made Matt wonder what was wrong. "Lead the way," he said and folded the paper before he stuffed it into his shirt pocket as he followed Festus along the platform at the back of the freight office.
The hill man crouched down and touched the red sticky substance that was on the wood at his feet, "Looks like blood to me," he said as he looked up at Matt.
Matt pursed his lips and looked around, "Have you followed it?" he asked.
Festus stood and nodded, "As far as I could, and then I lost the trail," he stated and pointed down the alley. "Someone might have got themselves into trouble during that explosion." He stated.
"It sure looks that way. I want you to go and see Doc. Find out from him if anyone has reported any injuries to him," Matt said.
"You betcha," Festus said as he scurried off. Matt looked down at the trail of blood drops – slowly his eyes lifted and he was looking down the way to the large white tent at the end of town. He couldn't help but think that something was afoot with Schermerhorn's Magic Medicine and Healing Show.
Matt's eyes narrowed as it seemed more and more that the string of robberies seemed all too coincidental with the arrival of Schermerhorn's troop. Matt drew a breath and walked back to Burke, "I'll be back later," the marshal said.
Burke was busy with a few town folk and looked over his shoulder, "What about the freight office?" he asked.
"I suggest you get the wall repaired. I'll deal with the mater," Matt said and walked out to Front Street, just as a loud boom rippled up the street from Schermerhorn's camp. The sound brought everyone out onto the street as they stood and watch a billow of dark grey smoke lift into the air, "Now what?" Matt asked himself as he ran down the street with a half a dozen other men, including Festus who had just reached the top of Doc's stairs.
Kitty and Jonas stood on the boardwalk out in front of the general store, "What do you supposed happened?" Kitty asked.
Doc pulled opened his door and saw Festus, "What was that?"
Festus looked at Doc with astonishment, "I think it came from down the street," he said before he dashed off.
"I better get my medical bag," Doc. "This whole town is going to pieces," he mumbled as he grabbed his black leather bag and quickly made his way down the stairs just in time to heard Jonas, "Schermerhorn is up to no good," the store owner grumbled.
Doc ticked his head, "You might be right," he said before he left his friends.
Kitty made a face but could sympathize with the store owner. "You look like you could use a drink," Kitty patted Jonas on the shoulder.
With his unkempt appearance, Jonas looked down at himself, "Thanks, Kitty. But I don't think I should, not the way I look," he said as he tried to smile.
"Then I'll bring something to you," Kitty smiled with a quick wink. "We might need it to deal with what ever happened down the street," she stated. That Jonas agreed to.
By the time Matt and Festus arrived, Schermerhorn and his men had staged the perfect explosion – the still that they manufactured the formula and nearby crates were strewn everywhere, and in the middle of it all was an inebriated Red Dawson, sprawled out on the ground. Cedric and Miguel pretended to be alarmed for their friend as they shouted for help.
Doc was next on the scene and moved over to Matt, "What happened?" he asked as he tried to catch his breath; he drew his right hand across his moustache as he looked around at the carnage.
"Please help!" Schermerhorn pleaded from where he stood next to Red Dawson.
Doc quickly moved over to the prone man and knelt down and his initial assessment of Dawson's injury weren't good, "We have to get him up to my office," the doctor stated. "I can't do much for him here," he said as he stood and ordered Cedric and Miguel to carry their friend up the street.
Matt moved over next to Doc, "What do you think happened?"
Doc blinked, "I think those injuries are older than just a few minutes, that what I think" Doc snorted and followed the men and his newest patient back up the street.
Matt stood wondering what Doc meant by his comment, but in the meantime he need to asked Schermerhorn a few questions about a lot of things.