THE DEPUTY: CHAPTER 5

Matt got off the 6 o'clock from Pueblo and dropped his gear at home. Nobody was around and nobody knew he was around. The house was cool and quiet. Sure felt good to be home. He spent a few minutes remembering how it used to be. He would have headed to the jail and gone through his mail stack, then maybe snuck up the back stairs at the Long Branch to surprise Kitty. His life was completely different now, and Kitty was the difference. He didn't want to be around a bunch of strangers anymore. That deal in Trinidad reminded him how far he'd come, how different everything was now. Once he got home, he was never lonely. Truth be told, he'd thought about that all the way back to Dodge. Right now he thought about just going to bed. But his need was strong to be with his wife. He filled the caldron and lit the fire.

The closer he got to the Long Branch the louder Dodge got. The holding pens were full and the cattle bawled non-stop. The restaurants were packed. Their work day through, trail hands milled around everywhere. No weary miners, just happy, rowdy, wonderful cowboys. No one speaking foreign languages, just his own kind. Even though no one recognized him or greeted him with more than a nod, it made a man feel comfortable beyond belief.

The first guy to greet him when he walked in the door was Ollie. He gave the marshal a big smile and a warm handshake, then immediately went back to scanning the room. After so many years of this, Sam just seemed to sense his presence. He looked up from his work at the bar and gave Matt a big grin. Rob followed suit quickly. And there, at the back table under the stairs, was the woman he'd come home for. Kitty was sitting with Doc and Festus. No more strangers, just the people he loved. Kitty's eyes locked on his before he got to the table. Nothing said, she stood and melted into his arms, electricity silently coursing between them. This wouldn't have happened a year ago. They would have nodded, said hello, but never touched. Ten days apart this time sure earned a hug. Hopefully, he was home to stay forever.

Festus stood immediately and gave Matt his seat next to Kitty.

"Matthew!" Was his simple greeting. It just felt good.

"Good trip, Matt?" Doc volunteered.

"It was okay." Matt was expressionless.

"You find Frank?"

"Yeah. He sent a present for you. I'll bring it to your office tomorrow."

"A present, eh?" Doc looked incredulous. Like the others, he'd expected to see Matt walk in with his new deputy.

Matt smiled. "Yeah, you'll see."

Matt leaned into Kitty. "Who's the new girl?"

She smiled coyly. "Lily's first new hire. Recognize her?"

Matt studied the fancy blonde. His mind was playing weird tricks on him, flashing between the new girl and Juana. He shook the vision away.

"Uhhh, no. Darned pretty one, though," he said absently.

"How's Lily working out?"

"You wanted me off the floor? I haven't been on the floor in a week. I'm done at five every day and I haven't taken my ledgers home one night. I think the Long Branch is set. You hire a deputy?"

"Nope."

Years of practice had taught Kitty when to keep going and when to just drop it. She was keyed on Matt's pensive mood along with the nasty bruise on his cheek. She immediately changed the subject.

"I'll get you a drink, Cowboy." She brushed her hand on his shoulder as she got up from the table and headed for the bar.

"Matthew, are ya' sayin' then Frank don't want th' job?" It wasn't that Festus didn't care about Matt's mood, he was just oblivious to it. But Doc sure noticed.

"Good heavens, Festus, just drop it!" Doc snapped. Matt's had a long trip. He'll tell you about it when he's ready!"

"Take it easy, Doc," Matt said softly. "Take it easy. We all want the same thing. Festus, he flat turned me down. Told me to go to hell, as a matter of fact."

"Golly Bill. We wuz all a' hopin' he'd jes' come back with 'ya."

It was Matt's turn to change the subject.

"Been good here?"

"Shore as sin, Matthew! Me an' Quint been ridin' out ta meet th' trail bosses of a mornin', then we're back here gettin' th' hands all happy in Dodge what with order in th' pens, findin' somethin' ta eat and drink an' th' bar specials an' so forth an' so on an' . . ."

"Thanks, Festus." Matt interrupted so Festus wouldn't go on for an hour. It was apparent that Dodge had been quiet, and that his friends weren't going to ask any more questions. He was beyond grateful for both.

Kitty put Matt's whiskey on the table and sat next to him, her thigh resting lightly against his. She looked in his eyes and smiled. Seemed like he was a million miles away. He downed the drink in two gulps.

"Go home with me beautiful lady?" He smiled softly at Kitty.

"Lets!"

"See you first thing, Festus." Matt nodded at his deputy.

He pulled Kitty's chair back for her, and their friends watched the pair walk quietly out. They both knew. With Kitty's comfort, tomorrow would be a better day for Matt Dillon.

XOXOXO

Matt pulled Kitty into the tub in front of him. The bathwater was right on the ragged edge of being too warm, and it felt amazing. All he wanted to do was wash away the memory of the mess in Trinidad and just relax with the love of his life. She settled in between his legs, stroking his thighs.

"Missed you, Cowboy," she said softly. "You gonna tell me about your face?"

"Frank decked me."

"Did you deserve it?"

"Probably."

Kitty grabbed the lavender soap and sponge and started in on Matt. She knew he'd say more when it was time, and this wasn't the time. She washed every part of him she could reach, then rolled over onto her knees and finished with his arms, his chest, and his back. He laid his head against the tub, eyes closed. It was impossible to be knotted up with the lavender aroma filling the water closet. She left him to his euphoria, then quickly bathed herself and tossed the sponge out on the floor.

"Sorry, sweetie." He was mumbling, eyes still closed. "I was going to bathe you. I got lost."

"Water's cooling off. Let's get dry."

She stepped out of the tub to do so. It was unusual for Matt not to follow. But no Matt. She didn't worry until she came back to the water closet with her robe on. He was sound asleep in the tub. She woke him quickly and took his hand to help him out. On a hot night in Dodge, he was shivering. Matt was off. She grabbed a second towel and helped dry him with their practiced ritual: He worked on the top, she worked from his waist down. Some things never changed. The part that did change was that after ten days apart, he didn't get aroused at her touch. His skin was cold, his eyes vacant. She led him into the bedroom and tucked him into bed under the big down quilt: The quilt they hadn't needed all summer. She kissed him softly on the lips.

"You want some pork loin and gravy? I can have it heated up fast."

"No, Kit, not hungry. Sorry. Just cold. I need to sleep."

Food wasn't even a draw for Kitty. Her only concern was Matt. She dropped her robe on the floor and crawled in under the down quilt next to him and snuggled up to warm him. In minutes he was breathing slowly, snoring softly. Rest and warmth had finally come. She carefully pulled the quilt off of her and tucked it around Matt. It was just too hot.

The clock said eleven when she woke to Matt's mumbling. He had thrown the quilt off and was flat out on his back, arms and legs spread, muttering something about "stupid," then "idiot," then "it's the money." None of it made any sense. What did make sense was his sweat. He'd gone from freezing cold to soaked in sweat in the space of a few hours. Kitty put her hand on his forehead. Instantly she knew: He was burning up with fever. She walked quietly through the house, opening every window possible to allow a gentle breeze through. Then she soaked a towel in cold water and swabbed him from his face to his waist. Where the hell had he been? What had happened to him? There wasn't a mark on his body except for the bruise on his cheek. He hadn't been shot. Much too late to go for Doc, there was nothing else to do at this hour of the night but be his nurse. She left the cold towel on his chest and fetched a small pail of ice, slivering it into chips. When she put the first chip between his lips, he woke up.

"Kitty!" He sucked eagerly on the ice. "What's . . ."

"Just take it easy, Matt. It's okay. I'm right here. It's almost midnight. You have a fever. I'll keep the ice coming. We'll see Doc in the morning."

He squeezed her hand gratefully, sucked more of the ice, then began thrashing his arms and legs in a useless attempt to get comfortable. It seemed that the only thing that quieted him was the cold, wet towel, so she re-wet it and swabbed his body again. He let out a big sigh and took more of the ice chips. And the night went on and on again like that until he finally fell asleep again three hours later, his devoted nurse still by his side.

XOXOXO

Galen Adams set his bag down next to the bed and assessed his patient. Seemed quiet enough, but he could tell that Kitty hadn't exaggerated. The sheets were rumpled and stained with sweat where he'd fought all night for comfort. Gently he took Matt's wrist and felt his pulse. Slightly elevated but not bad. He held the bell of his stethoscope in his hand for a minute to warm it so he wouldn't startle his patient, then gently listened to the big man's chest. Finally, he laid the flat of his hand on Matt's forehead and confirmed Kitty's report. Matt slept through it all. Doc turned back to Kitty.

"He sure has a fever, Kitty. But his heart and his chest sound good all things considered. You did a great job with the wet towels and the ice, or he sure wouldn't be sleeping now. I'm thinking he's had a visit from his old friend the ague. I know how he hates quinine. Let's have a cup of coffee and wait till he wakes up. I'd like to talk to him before I just jump to conclusions."

Kitty made the coffee and served it with warmed-up biscuits and some of Ma Smalley's berry preserves.

"He looked off at the Long Branch last night. Did he say anything about where he'd been or who he'd been with?"

"We didn't talk much at all, Doc. He said Frank hit him, that's how he got the bruise. Didn't talk about anyone but Frank. Didn't even talk about where he'd been. I just assumed it was Trinidad. That's where Frank's letter came from. He fell asleep in the tub, didn't want to eat anything. I remember him getting real cold and he went to bed. I thought he just got cold cause the water got cold in the tub."

The sound of Matt rolling around in the bedroom got their attention. They found him awake but certainly not himself. Kitty covered him to the waist with a sheet and stood back to let Doc have his way.

"Go get another wet towel and some ice chips, Kitty."

"Matt." Doc laid his hand on Matt's forearm. The big man stopped swimming with his arms and just rolled his head from side to side, searching for comfort. "Matt, it's Doc. You have a fever. I'd like to figure out what caused this. Were you with anybody down there besides Frank?"

"Head hurts," he mumbled. "Yeah. Lots of people. Crowded bar. Miners. Restaurant. Plenty of people."

"Think in particular now."

Matt did his best to stop moving his head and focus on Doc's eyes. He knew his friend was trying to help.

"Relay stationmaster. Stable man. Juana. Two Indian girls Frank had."

Kitty walked back into the room with her supplies just in time to hear Matt rattle off the list. She pushed it out of her mind and brushed past Doc to wipe Matt's brow, give him an ice chip, and put the wet towel on his chest. She ran her fingers lovingly through his rumpled curls and claimed a chair next to the bed so she could continue to serve the ice chips.

"Where did you sleep at night?"

"Uhhh, cot in the stage station, horse stable in Trinidad, on the ground next to my horse in a Ute camp."

"Matt, any of those places is suspect when it come to the ague. That's the high desert down there. They've all got rats and fleas, the horse stable and the Ute camp in particular. The odds are this is ague again. I want you to take some quinine."

"Makes my ears buzz for days, Doc. Isn't there some other way? What about that stuff Frank sent up here for you?"

"What stuff?"

Even in his stupor, it dawned on him that he hadn't told Doc a thing about the Bear root, other than the fact that he had a "present" for him. Clear thinking hadn't been his specialty over the past few hours.

"Kit, my saddlebags please."

Kitty gave him another ice chip and went to fetch the bags.

"It's called Bear root. The Utes harvest it. They claim it's a medicine. Heals wounds, stops infection, stops sickness. It's their miracle cure."

Kitty returned to the room with Matt's saddlebags and fished out one of the odd-looking tubers, handing it to Doc.

"Frank told me to give it to you to try," Matt explained while he watched Doc fondle the root, examining it from all sides.

"I don't know anything about Frank."

"He's a friend of mine. A real good friend."

"Yeah, I can see that on the side of your face. I have no idea what in tarnation this stuff is, and I'll not be giving it to a man with a fever. I'm a doctor, not a tribal medicine man. Sorry. Now I know you hate quinine, but I'm going to leave two doses here with Kitty. If you're not at least sitting up in that bed and drinking a couple big glasses of water by mid-afternoon, I want you to take the first dose. And if you don't feel like drinking some coffee and eating some biscuits and gravy by tonight, I want you to take the second dose. Neither you nor Kitty is going to want another sleepless night of cold compresses and ice chips. You both need some rest."

Doc left Matt to stew over his lecture. Kitty followed him into the kitchen, Matt's saddlebags in her hands.

"You take this with you, Doc. I don't want it here where Matt would try to use it on himself. Besides, it's for you, not for us. Maybe some good will come of it for somebody. He doesn't need his saddlebags for a while."

Doc smiled at her and took her hand. "Keep up with the cold towels and the ice chips, Kitty. Don't be surprised when he chills again. Warm him up, then cool him off. You know the routine. You've seen him through ague before. I'll let Festus know what's going on. Send Quint for me if you have any more trouble with him tonight, you hear me?"

tbc