DERAILED: CHAPTER 3
Matt had two cups of coffee to their bedside at seven. Bright sun was streaming in the bedroom window. He kissed her softly, watching her slowly open those azure eyes that had always captivated him.
"Good morning, beautiful!"
She stretched and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a second kiss.
"Good morning, handsome!" She sighed deeply. "I had the best dream! We made love, then after that we made love, and when we were finished, we made love again!"
He shook his head. "Odd. I had the same one! Maybe it wasn't a dream?" His grin broadened with each word.
She sat up and took her coffee in hand. "I suppose you're here to tell me you're heading off to somewhere."
"Yeah."
"You just got home after eight days. Where to this time?"
He stroked her face lovingly.
"Just out to see Emmett Bowers. Thought I'd try to talk you into going along so we can spend the day together."
"And right back home tonight, then?"
"Yeah. It's time for me to stay home a little more." He was smiling. "I need to see Emmett on a horse deal. It won't take long. Thought maybe we could hitch the buggy, pack a picnic lunch and stop by Spring Creek on the way back."
Her eyes widened, and the joy on her face was unmistakable.
"You're really serious, aren't you?"
"Never been more serious. Season's coming to an end soon. We won't get many more great days like this for a picnic. Just me and my wife, if she'll go with me."
"Oh Matt, you know I will!" She pulled him down for a kiss.
"It's a deal then. You pack up the picnic, I'll hitch the buggy."
Matt took his time hitching Kitty's mare, solidifying his plan in his head. The buggy had always been a great place to talk things over. Somehow he had to find the right way to tell Kitty about Buck. At least the buggy would be a great place, even if the news would be harsh. Spring Creek could wash it away. When Kitty walked out to the corral with the basket and the blanket, he had the mare all hitched and the sorrel gelding tied on the back. He decided to distract her so they could load up and get going. But it was Kitty who was distracting him in one of her beautiful new dresses. He ogled her with wide eyes and gave her a whistle.
"Sweetheart, you look beautiful!"
She put the basket and the blanket behind the seat, then twirled around for her admirer.
"You really like it?"
He took her in his arms for a hug. "What part of 'beautiful' don't you understand?"
"The style is more comfortable for me now that . . .well, now that my other dresses are getting too snug around the middle."
He held her at arm's length and smiled.
"The style is fine. You showing off what's happening to us is what's beautiful."
She took a deep breath. "Matt Dillon, that's probably the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!"
He helped her into the buggy and just sat there quietly for a minute composing a new thought.
"We can tell everyone now, Kit. And we're going to."
Then he chirped at the mare and gave her a soft swat with the reins. There was plenty to talk about.
XOXOXO
Emmett and Dorcas Bowers greeted them almost immediately when they pulled into the courtyard.
"Matt, don't think I've ever once seen you stop by in a buggy! Hello Kitty, welcome! Matt, get that wife of yours down and we'll have coffee."
Dorcas was excited. "Kitty, I haven't seen you since your wedding reception last year! Now you come right on in and visit. This is such an honor!"
"I've got a little business for you, Emmett," Matt volunteered as he helped Kitty down and tied the mare. "Let's stay out here and talk for a bit."
"Well Matt, you two men can talk all the business you want. I'm taking Kitty in for coffee and conversation. You come on in when you're done."
Kitty felt Emmett's eyes on her as she walked to the house with Dorcas. Matt had no doubt been right. It had been almost a year since Emmett had seen her in her red dress. He was giving her a different look this time.
Matt untied the sorrel and handed the lead to Emmett.
"I bought this gelding up in WaKeeney a couple weeks ago. He's quiet and solid, but he's not big enough to haul me all over Kansas. Thought maybe you'd trade him for something more suitable to my size."
"You don't still have that big buckskin?"
"Nope."
Emmett studied the gelding carefully. Matt's endorsement was as good as gold, and the horse had exactly the size most cowboys relished. The horse rested a foot and stood quietly while Emmett walked all around him, rubbing him everywhere. Everything fit, except the mental picture he had of the big man sitting on him.
"You wantin' another buckskin?"
"Yeah."
"I've got a nice black, maybe close to seventeen hands, 1200 pounds. But I can't change his color.
"I don't know, Emmett. That buckskin was kind of my brand, I guess. The light color stays cooler in the hot weather, too, so they hold up better on the prairie. Silly, huh?"
"No, no, not at all Matt. A guy ought to have what he wants to ride. I'll start lookin' for you. But I'll sure enough take this one off your hands. What are you wantin' for him?"
"I paid eighty dollars, Emmett. If you could see your way clear on that . . ."
"You just sold a horse, Matt."
"Thanks. Let's get that coffee."
The women were laughing and talking when Matt and Emmett got into the parlor. Dorcas had steaming biscuits in a basket, and butter and jam set out. She poured coffee for both of them, but she couldn't contain herself much longer, so she made the announcement without waiting for any sort of permission at all.
"Emmett! Matt and Kitty are expecting a baby!"
"Matt, by gosh, you should have said something outside! Well Matt, congratulations! Sure beats talkin' about a horse deal! Kitty, I thought when I saw you that maybe, well, I mean you looked like you might . . . well, doggone it, that's just wonderful! You look wonderful!"
Stuffing his mouth with biscuits, the proud father-to-be remembered he had forgotten to ask Emmett to keep quiet about the buckskin. He needed a quick way to keep the conversation off of horses.
"Your sons are both still with the Santa Fe?"
"Yep. Mighty proud of both of them. You know, it's funny you mention that. Some dude came by here a week or so ago trying to sell us stock in the Kansas Pacific. Can you imagine that? Jack and Boyd work for the Santa Fe, and if it wasn't for the Santa Fe, I'd never get my remount horses to Kansas City."
"Tell him what the guy said about Kitty, Emmett." Dorcas prompted.
"Oh, it was a bunch of silliness. He said Kitty was his latest investor in the Pacific."
"Really?" Kitty raised an eyebrow. "Matt and I are very satisfied investors in the Santa Fe."
"That's not right, Kitty." Matt had a steely-eyed gaze.
"Oh, let it go, guys. He's just a salesman trying to make his commission. A lot of 'em tell stories."
"Don't think I can do that, Kitty."
XOXOXO
Two o'clock. Matt unhitched the mare in the deep grass at Spring Creek and hobbled her so she could enjoy her own picnic. He carried the blanket and the basket back to Kitty, who had claimed a spot.
"This is it, Matt. Right under this tree is our personal spot."
Matt put the food and blanket under the tree. "I'd like to walk down to that rock again. You remember what happened there?"
She smiled. "I'll never forget."
Arm in arm, they walked the bank. It looked a lot different year after year. But Matt Dillon was motivated. He led on until they spied the pool full of bass and the massive flat rock where a decade ago they'd shared the kiss that had bonded them for a lifetime. Without needing a reminder, Kitty pulled her boots off and dangled her feet in the water. Matt pulled his off and sat quietly next to her. With their first born due in February, this would probably be their last visit to Spring Creek for a very long time.
Instantly, he delivered the kiss she remembered from so very long ago! Then he broke it off and his lips found her neck, nibbling like a starving man. He pulled her gently around so that he could kiss every part of it. Another kiss. Deep, wanting. That same kiss! She softly traced his face with her fingers and bit him softly on his neck, just like the first time so many years ago. She wanted him again, even now, just like the first time. There was no mistake. She put her lips on his ear and drew the lobe into her mouth. Then their lips found each other again. Finally, it was time to come up for air and think about that picnic. Matt helped Kitty up, then held her close. He pulled her hips to him, right into his telltale hardness.
"You did this to me that first time, remember?"
Kitty smiled up at him softly. "I was so scared."
"Not for long! You went after me in that blanket!"
"You didn't exactly resist." The impish smile on her face told the story.
His face flushed at the memory of that first day's passion. "I was too weak in the knees."
"And just look where that got you. Here we are, a few short years later. Except now you're my prisoner for life!"
"I surrender willingly, beautiful lady."
A basket of chicken, sidemeat, biscuits, beans and oatmeal cookies later, the prisoner was flat out on his back on the blanket, boots, gun belt and hat tossed unceremoniously on the grass. He patted the blanket next to him, and she snuggled in next to him. He traced the front of her dress with his fingers.
"Festus called this your 'momma dress'."
"Whaaat?" She shrieked in surprise.
"No, really! When we were riding home yesterday. He got real personal and asked me if you were going to have a baby. He said he saw you in a 'momma dress' when I was still in WaKeeney."
"Oh Matt. I'm mortified!"
"He said you looked all soulsome and beautiful, Kitty."
"Festus said that?"
"Yep. So did I this morning, remember? You're gettin' the words all wrong."
Matt was quiet for a minute, looking into his favorite blue eyes.
"Everything about you in this dress is beautiful. It makes me the proudest man in Kansas. This isn't something to try to hide, Kitty. It's something to celebrate."
"A 'momma dress', huh?" She smiled so broadly that she was closing in on outright laughter.
He gave her the tenderest of tickles. "Now I'm sorry I even said that."
"Don't be, Matt. It's endearing, and it's SO Festus-like! So from now on, when one of our friends asks you, you'll fess up?"
"Uhhh, maybe I should just post a notice."
This time, she couldn't resist. That deep, wonderful, booming laugh came bellowing out!
"Oh, like a wanted poster, huh? You are SUCH the marshal! You're not wigglin' out of it that easily, Matt Dillon! You're responsible for this, you know. I am your posted notice, my dear. And you'd better have a proud daddy speech all practiced and ready when people ask!"
He drew her down into the blanket with him and wrapped it around them, covering her neck with tender kisses. Spring Creek and the blanket had become a regular affair over the years, but somehow, like magic, it was always the first time.
"No poster, Kit. Just you and me. You remember what's going to happen in this blanket?"
"Mmmm." Her soft smile said it all.
She was writhing into him, excited at his arousal, the memory of so many years ago clear as a bell. So different now, but so much the same. She bit him tenderly on the neck.
"I love you," he whispered as he rolled carefully on top of her.
"Want you."
"We have a house these days, you know."
"Yeah. But I want you NOW, under this tree! You know that!"
It was easy to figure out the three ribbons that held the dress in place. No more tiny buttons on the back, no more frustration. And wonder of wonders, no more corset! He slid the clothing off and stroked her naked body softly. He got his reward: another tender bite on the neck. It had never been just one way. All these years and this was just as good as the first time. He could never resist her little bites. Matt Dillon was beyond ready to make love to his wife in the blanket. He moved down and kissed her belly, then slid his pants off and kicked them out of their blanket cocoon, pretending he had to hurry before she changed her mind. His mind was spinning, remembering how scared he was of this spectacular woman ten years ago! The blanket had made it feel like they weren't really giving each other up. Couldn't see anything. It was all so private! And then she asked, just as she had asked that shy cowboy so long ago.
"Matt, will you make love with me?"
Was it even better now, than that first afternoon? How could the passion possibly be the same? They'd made love countless times since that first afternoon at Spring Creek. They'd been married almost a year. They'd endured injuries, assaults, and even time apart. And now their first child was on the way. But here they were, hungering to join their bodies again under the tree.
"Mmmm Hmmm."
Their enthusiasm was boundless. He hovered over her, just like that first day, touching her gently. She raised up into him, waiting, hoping, asking. No sign of fear, every sign of desire. He entered tentatively, slowly, lovingly.
"Oh God, Matt!" The hunger in her eyes was unmistakable. Her hands kneaded his butt to encourage him, to push him toward her. Two tender strokes and her body convulsed, throbbing and squeezing him, just as she had that very first time. He set his jaw and responded in kind and just as quickly, filling her with what had scared him to do so many years ago. It had all happened so fast! He'd planned to tease her, to go slowly, to savor their fabulous afternoon together. It had to be Spring Creek. Maybe it was the kiss on the rock. Maybe it was the blanket. The excitement had claimed both of them. So they both reveled in it, bodies joined, catching their breath, wrapped up in the blanket.
"Matt," she whispered into his ear. "That was . . ."
The unmistakable sound of a rifle shot pierced the silence. It was close, really close! His mind flying in all directions, Matt gave himself as much time as it took to pull his pants on to decide what to do. From his knees, he studied the horizon in the direction of the gunfire. Nothing, nobody. The mare was still grazing quietly, not giving any hint of an approaching rider. He looked down at Kitty. She had stayed motionless, afraid to say or do anything. Step one: They were both okay. Step two: Their transportation was okay. Matt pulled his gun belt and boots on.
"Kit, do you have your revolver?"
"No!" She answered quickly. "Only when I'm not with you! It's home in my reticule!"
"Put your boots on! Wrap up in the blanket! Run, don't walk, back to the rock by the bass pool. Wait for me there."
"Matt, what if . . ."
But that was all he heard as he raced away. No time for more of a plan. He eased up to the mare, put her bridle on, yanked the hobbles off, and swung up on top of the harness, the long reins crossed over her neck. Then he gigged her hard and loped as fast as she'd go in the direction of the rifle shot. What a pitiful situation! He'd left a perfectly useful saddle horse out at Emmett's not three hours ago. It was a Sunday afternoon and he was out for a quiet picnic with his wife. Now this. She had no gun, and he only had his pistol. Probably should have stayed with Kitty, but the lawman had taken control of his mind. He rode on as fast as the mare would go, scanning the horizon, doing the best he could to plow rein the poor harness mare that hadn't traveled faster than a trot for years. When they reached the well-worn road to Dodge, the simple-minded beast did her best to pull him in that direction. He smacked her with his left spur as hard as he could and yanked her head straight across the road and on toward the bluffs ahead. At least he'd have a vantage point from up there. Maybe a rider off in the distance, maybe even a cloud of dust hanging in the air.
He was clearly out of rifle range now. The exhausted mare didn't even need a pull on the reins: when he took his long legs out of her sides she came to a stop on her own, blowing like a steam engine, her legs trembling. There was nothing. There was no one to surrender to the marshal, no one to fire at, no one to be seen at all. No matter how many directions he scanned, it was over. He slid off the mare and gave her a pat. Any other time he would have traversed the hillside over and over again looking for clues. For now, he had other responsibilities. Maybe there'd be some sort of sign down on the road. He rubbed the mare softly again. It seemed to help slow his mind. Hoped he hadn't hurt her, loping like that after all the fresh green grass in the meadow. She still had to get them back to Dodge.
"All right, Maisy. You did good. I'll lead you back down as far as the road. After that, we've both got more work to do."
XOXOXO
"Frank!" Matt burst through the jailhouse door with Kitty in tow. "Frank! I'm leaving Kitty with you! Festus, take Kitty's buggy home and saddle Bu . . .I mean Ben and meet me at Hank Miller's"
Unimpeded by the adrenaline that had control of Matt, Frank knew he had to defuse the situation.
"Matt, hang on a minute! Kitty, you're okay?"
"Yes."
"All right, that's good. Now what's this part about saddling up, Matt?"
"We took rifle fire down at Spring Creek, Frank."
Festus was beginning to see the picture all to clearly. It was after five. By the time he got horses swapped around and they rode back out to Spring Creek, it'd be almost dark. But he wasn't about to challenge his boss. Deciding he'd leave that part to Frank, he donned his hat and hustled out the front door.
"Matt, it'll be dark before you guys can even start looking. Sure, Kitty can stay right here with me, but you'll do a lot better if you wait to ride out till morning."
Matt paced back and forth. He felt like a caged cat, wanting to get out and attack something but not knowing where to go or what to do. It was a horrible, helpless feeling. He looked down at Kitty and saw only trust in her eyes. But the lawman still controlled his brain.
"I'm going over to Hank Miller's to see if he's had any unusual renters in there today. Kitty, you stay with Frank." And that quickly, he was out the door.
Kitty collapsed into a chair at the front table and put her head in her hands. She knew Frank deserved an explanation, but she didn't know where to start.
"I'm sure glad you're here, Frank." She was speaking softly into her hands, not yet ready to make eye contact. "Having you and Festus to help Matt is a godsend. Thank you. Just thank you for being here."
Frank put a reassuring hand on her shoulder for a moment, then took a seat next to her so they'd be eye-to-eye.
"Look, Kitty, Matt took the day off today. I'm here, I'm on the job, it's what I get paid to do. Why don't you tell me what went wrong so I can help him handle this thing."
"We drove out to Emmett Bowers' place. Then we stopped at Spring Creek for a picnic on the way home. It was maybe three o'clock and somebody fired a shot at us from somewhere up by the road. Matt had to use my mare to go look for the guy. By the time he got to her and got her geared up and ready to go, there was nobody to go after. Besides, Maisy isn't exactly a great riding horse. He was real angry when he got back to where I was, and he's still just frazzled."
"Just one shot?"
"Yeah."
"You're sure it wasn't some guy out hunting a rabbit?"
"I'm sure. The bullet bounced off a big rock maybe ten feet from us."
"You were out in the open?"
"On a blanket under one of those big trees in the meadow just above the creek."
"I know better than to ask if anybody could be after Matt. But tell me this, can you think of anybody that could be after YOU?"
"No, Frank. That's silly. I don't even work out front at the Long Branch these days. I'm pretty much nobody to any of the customers, and I can't think of any enemy I could have here in town. You know that. I try to be kind and friendly to everybody."
"All right. That helps a lot." He drew a deep breath, then left her at the table while he poured two cups of coffee.
"Matt's frazzled because he had you with him. Keep that in mind. And there's two of you now, Kitty. Matt's not a guy to lose his mind over a rifle shot. He's kickin' himself for just taking you out on a picnic. That's enough to make any man's head spin. We'll get him calmed down. In fact, if I know Festus like I think I do, he'll have Matt talked out of heading down there tonight, and they'll both be back here right soon. Festus is a great tracker. They'll have some answers in the morning."
True to Frank's prediction, Matt and Festus walked through the door in less than half an hour. Matt looked a lot better, seeing Kitty sitting quietly at the table drinking coffee with Frank.
"Sit down a minute, Matt." Frank nudged him into a chair. "Sit and listen a minute. Kitty gave me a good idea. You know as well as I do it was a warning shot. How many times have you and I had one of those fired at us? If it was a serious attack, even if he was that lousy a shot the first time, he'd have kept it up. But he didn't. He disappeared after one shot. What we've got to figure out is who wants to warn you. Let me help you with this."
Matt sat quietly at the table for a minute, his hand resting on Kitty's. Then he looked up at his deputy.
"Thanks, Frank. Just thanks for being here."
"Kitty already said that."
"I mean for how we've always been able to figure stuff out together."
"We're a team. Who wants to warn you? What happened up in WaKeeney?"
"Nothin' that makes any sense. Settlers versus the railroad again. They're afraid of prairie fires when the train comes through on the way to Denver, so they're armed and threatening the workers, thinking they can stop it. They can't stop progress, Frank."
"You just calmed them down and left?"
"I had to arrest a railroad guard for killing some sodbusters."
"Okay, so you're the one stopping progress."
"I'm upholding the law. You can't kill people, Frank. Not even sodbusters. You know that."
"Yeah. You and I know that."
XOXOXO
Ten o'clock. Matt pulled Kitty close to him in bed. He covered her neck with kisses, then stroked her back. A couple of years ago he'd have been out by Spring Creek searching all night. But now he was just mentally drained. Having a wife, having a child coming, everything was different now. His mind wandered on to Charlie's lecture. "Trust your instincts, Matt." He stroked her back and held her, thinking about what Frank had said. "It was a warning shot." He knew all that stuff made sense. Briefly, his instincts told him to take Kitty and run. To quit. To leave Dodge. To go somewhere far away, where the railroad was already set, there wasn't any barb wire, there weren't any settlers, where he could raise his child . . ."
"Matt. Easy," she whispered. "That's pretty rough."
Absently, he'd been rubbing her way too hard. He took his hands away and gave her a soft kiss.
"I'm sorry, Kitten. I was thinking . . ."
"I know. It's okay. Let's talk about it."
"What am I being warned not to do? Who's the enemy? I can't face him if I don't know who he is or what he wants."
"You've always figured it out before. You will again. It'll happen."
"We have a child on the way. I don't have time to just let it happen."
"I can take care of our child. Trust me. This is something we agreed on. We both knew there'd be problems. The baby is safe. You need to do your job like we agreed. You can't do it if half your mind is on us. You get out there with Festus in the morning and work hard at it. I'll wait right here for you."
"But if he had hurt you . . ."
"But he didn't, Matt! Don't beat yourself up over what didn't happen. Maybe you could spend some time thinking about what did happen in the blanket before that."
Matt was quiet for a good minute, stroking her back again but this time ever so softly.
"I love you, Mrs. Dillon." He kissed her again. "Thank you for a day to remember." Then he pulled her into his chest, just relishing the feel of her safe and warm against him.
tbc