The ride back to Denver was a silent one for Matt and Kitty as each one was consumed with their own thoughts. Kitty hadn't even realized she'd mentioned the baby, so caught up had she been in the emotions coursing through her. Matt could think of nothing else. He wasn't about to say anything in front of Jim or even Festus, trusted as he was. But he was going to say something as soon as he could get Kitty alone again.

However, that time was a while in coming. Once they reached town, Festus escorted Kitty back to the Silver Dollar while Jim and Matt went directly to the police station and Matt gave a full statement of his activities and agreed to testify about his part in bringing down the twelve men they had locked up.

"Well, Matt." Jim put out his hand to the law man. "I have to say, you were mighty impressive in all of this. You kept your head and worked harder than anyone I've ever heard of to bring this plot down. I can see a promotion in store for your future."

"Promotion?" Matt blinked at the word.

"Why, yes, of course." Jim smiled brightly. "It might mean a move to Washington of course but…"

"No." Matt stated flatly before realizing how harsh that sounded. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "It's not that I'm not grateful for the thought, or turning it down out of hand but… Well, I need to think of more than myself and I…"

"You need to talk to Kitty." Jim supplied. "Yes, of course. You would need to discuss your plans with her first." When Matt frowned at him, he shrugged. "I saw the looks you two exchanged." He explained. "It wasn't too hard to see that you mean something to each other."

Matt merely nodded at that. "Thank you." Were the only words he offered as he looked towards the Silver Dollar and decided it was time, he and Kitty talked.

Back at the Silver Dollar, Kitty had bathed and changed and was getting to ready to leave her room, for what she thought of as the last time when she heard a knock at the door. Opening it, she found Simon Potter standing in her doorway, hat in one hand and envelope in the other. Simon was Deb's attorney and Kitty had been introduced to him one night when he stopped by for a drink and a private conversation with his client.

Though short in stature, he tried to make up for it in the expensive suits he wore, expensive cigars he smoked the wax on his handlebar mustache. Kitty hadn't cared for him from the moment she first spotted the little man with thinning blonde hair and beady brown eyes.

"Miss Russell." He bobbed his head. "I hoped I could catch you."

"Mr. Potter." She frowned at the visit. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Well, yes there is." He nodded, extending the envelope. "You could take a look at this, if you will. It's Miss Villon's last will and testament."

Kitty's frown increased as she looked down at the extended correspondence and then up at the attorney. "I… I don't understand. What would Deb's will have to do with me?"

"Pretty much everything." Potter shrugged. "Seeing as how you are her beneficiary."

"Me?" Kitty was positively stymied. "Why? I mean, well…"

"Oh, I am aware that you killed her." Potter waved a hand as though it were a trifling matter as he pushed his way past her and into the room. "But the way her will is worded, that doesn't matter and as the law sees your betrayal as self-defense, there is nothing legal that can be done to prevent you from inheriting everything from her."

Kitty watched him as one would a snake as she stood in her doorway, prepared to run. "You sound as though you would like to prevent me from inheriting though." She observed, watching him as he turned his back to her and moved over to a small cabinet which hosted two decanters and several glasses.

"Oh, I would." He agreed as he stood, looking down at the liquor bottles and surreptitiously put his hand into his jacket. "Legally, as I stated, I am prevented from that." Quickly he turned and pointed a small gun in her direction. "However, there is nothing to legally prevent me from shooting you in self-defense." He smiled menacingly.

"Me?" She arched a brow. "I've nothing to threaten you with and no reason to do so. You kill me and there would no self-defense to it. It would be out and out murder."

"Oh, no." He shook his head, the smile never faltering. "Not the way I will tell it. You see, I will say that I planned to contest the will because you confessed to me that you actually murdered Deb in cold blood over Miles Wallace. And I will say that when I told you that I would go to the law with this information, you tried to kill me as well. I'm a respected attorney in this town, indeed in this state, Miss Russell. I will be believed."

"But…" Kitty shook her head. "But why? Are you named in the will if I should fail to inherit?"

He chuckled as he shook his head. "No. I would get nothing from her estate regardless of you or anyone else. It's not about the money."

"Then, what is all this to you? Why do you care where her money goes?" She still didn't understand.

"Because I loved her, that's why!" He came close to yelling it. "She meant everything to me. I knew she loved Miles Wallace but I didn't care. I figured sooner or later she'd realize he didn't care for her and she'd come to me. But she didn't have that chance and the thought of everything she worked for going to her murderer makes me sick." He raised the gun towards her head. "But even though I might not gain her estate, I can still make certain that you can't either."

As Kitty hadn't moved from the doorway or even closed the door, she immediately thought to duck and run out into the hallway. But Potter saw her eyes flit quickly towards the exit and cocked the pistol.

"No, you don't." He growled as he fired.

For several seconds, time seemed to come to a complete halt as Kitty focused on the man's finger as he pressed the trigger. But it suddenly erupted into full-fledged action as she felt herself being shoved aside and heard a shot echo across the room, followed closely by another.

As she fell, she looked in front of her to see Potter, clasping his chest and pitching forward on the rug. Turning to her left she saw Matt standing in the doorway, gun still smoking, and a blossom of red on his shirt. "Matt!" She screamed as she scrambled to his side.

TBC