DERAILED: CHAPTER 11

"Again?"

"Don't tease me. This is all your fault, you know. I'll be right back."

Matt smiled after her. Darn good thing their stateroom was right next to the water closet. Just one more thing Doc hadn't explained to him about a pregnant woman. He dropped back onto the pillow, propping his head in his hands and let his mind wander. A year ago in a stateroom just like this one they were off to Denver on a vacation as single people. Absently, he rubbed his finger over the one old scar in his gut that remained from Mace Gore's bullets. Yeah. Gore. It hadn't been a dream. Then they were on the train. He remembered forcefully taking her in a bottom bunk just like this one, practically raping her in his need to claim her for a lifetime. Charlie's cabin up in Golden. Yeah. He'd left her in a hotel in Denver by herself for five days while he sorted out his mind up at that cabin. Thank God for Charlie and that special time alone, or he'd probably never have had the courage to choose this new life. A year. How could it be a year since she'd married him in that beautiful rose garden? Since then she'd dedicated every minute of her life to being a great wife: waiting, working, fixing up their home, trying to make their lives perfect while he rode off to everywhere, taking care of business. And now this: parenthood right around the corner! They'd agreed to it, they'd planned for it, and they'd even tried for it. So here they were. So much in so little time. Not one single regret. It was all just perfect! He had to keep her safe in Pueblo and then he could treat her to the anniversary of her dreams. He'd gone over the plan a hundred times in his head, and probably re-read Frank's letter at least that many times. Sure would have been good to talk it over with him. But what about that time down in San Angelo so many years ago? They hadn't exchanged a single word before that deal. They'd met after one letter and held off a gang of nine until the sheriff got the survivors arrested. There were only a couple of guys to get this time. Sure, he and Frank were both older now. But how could they miss? Matt and Frank, Frank and Matt. Nope. Couldn't miss!

Then he heard the key in the door.

"You back to over-thinking everything again?" She sat down next to him on the bed and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"Yeah. Probably. Kit, if just one little thing goes wrong, a lot of innocent people are going to get hurt. I can't take that chance. If I had the conductor take everybody off the train in Pueblo I'd spook those guys. They'd probably kill Frank and run. I'm changin' up this plan. I'm gonna get off right behind you and walk straight to the engineer. He's the key man. He has to hold the train till I release it."

"But Frank won't be expecting you to be after the engineer. He wants you to go after Powers!"

"Frank reports to ME, remember? I can still handle Powers." A confident smile crept across his face: the smile Kitty so loved to see. It gave her a chill.

"You walk straight into that depot just in case I don't make it to the engineer. A lot of other ladies will be going in there. You just blend into the middle of them and get into the ladies' room right along with them. I don't want you alone out on the platform for even a minute. I'll come and get you when it's all over."

She gave him a deep, sensuous kiss on the lips.

"What's that for?" His smile came right back, along with a gleam in his eyes.

"For being the man I love! It's payment in advance for thinking about all those people, Matt. Just more of what I love about you."

"Awwww!" He pulled her down on top of him and reciprocated the kiss. The unmistakable feel of a piece of iron came between them.

"Hey!" His eyes got wide. "I don't crawl into bed with MY gun on!"

Her blush came immediately. So many rules, so many things to think of, this business of being a lawman's wife. She stood up immediately, pulled the revolver from her pocket, and put it in her reticule where it had no chance to go sliding around the room. Then she crawled back on top of him, eye to eye.

"Forgive me?"

"Only if you make love to me."

"Right now?"

"Yeah, right now lady. Before you need to go to the water closet again!"

XOXOXO

They could hear the conductor walking down the aisle, his voice booming.

"PEEE-EB-LOH COLOR-AH-DOH!" He cried. "PEEE-EB-LOH! Thirty-minute stop!" His voice trailed off as he walked past, continuing to repeat his chant. "Peee-eb-loh Color-ah-doh! . . . ."

Matt had his hat and gun belt on for the last fifteen minutes, pacing the floor and looking out the small window like a caged cat. They'd talked this over until there was nothing left to say. Finally, he drew her into his arms.

"I love you, Kitten. You all set?"

"I am. And I love YOU, Matt! Be careful out there!"

"Always, my sweet." He smiled down at her. "And I'll give Frankie your love."

It was just like him to lighten things up when she got tense. And tense she was, her heart pounding a mile a minute. By the time she got into that ladies' room in the depot, she was going to need it for more than just a hiding place.

True to their plan, Matt waited until a few people stepped off the train, helping two other women down the stairs and carefully positioning Kitty between them for the short walk. He didn't glance back. He knew she'd do exactly as he'd told her. The hardest part was keeping his eyes straight ahead as he walked calmly forward to the massive engine. He caught what he thought was a glimpse of some men behind the fuel car but it was too risky to look at them, so he kept his eyes straight ahead. He ascended the ladder into the engine to face a mighty startled engineer and fireman. The fireman went for his revolver, and Matt put his hands up. When he did, the badge on his shirt was more than obvious.

"Matt Dillon, United States Marshal. My credentials are in my breast pocket. Please help yourself."

The engineer complied and slid Matt's wallet out of his pocket. Both men glanced at the credentials and nodded.

"Sorry, Marshal. It's just that the only way we get held up in this big hunk o' iron is when we're taking on water." Matt didn't need the explanation. He knew all too well. He looked straight at the engineer.

"I have information that your train is being sabotaged up the line. It's a matter of passenger safety. Keep your brake set right here until I clear the problem and I release you to go. Do you understand me?"

"What kind of . . ."

"I'm sorry, Sir. I don't have time to explain it. As long as you don't travel on, everything's fine. Hold the train here until I release you. Do you understand me?" He was stuffing his wallet back into his pocket while he repeated his request. He knew he had to find Powers, and fast.

The two men looked at each other and nodded again.

"Yes Marshal. We understand you."

Matt hadn't cleared the second step down the ladder when he heard the shot ring out from behind the fuel car. Damn! He drew his gun and snaked alongside the massive wheels. There was no need. Before he got halfway down the length of it, he saw a man's body fall face down on the ground. Just that quickly, Frank popped out from between the cars and stepped over the man, his gun still drawn.

"Big Marshal Man!" The grin on his face was just like old times. But it disappeared in an instant.

"Where's Powers?"

"Who's that?" Matt pointed at the downed body.

"That, Marshal, is what's left of Bing Ross. WHERE THE HELL IS POWERS? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON POWERS!"

He didn't answer. His .45 still in hand, he raced toward the depot. He could hear Frank calling after him again: "WHERE THE HELL IS POWERS?" All he could think about was getting to Kitty. His worst fear was realized when two women nearly knocked him down running OUT of the depot doors. They were screaming something about a guy with a gun, and it wasn't his. When he entered, he was face to face with George Powers, who had Kitty by one arm with a revolver buried in her neck.

"Drop the gun, Dillon! Drop the gun and kick it aside or your fancy lady here dies right now!"

Her heart pounding harder than she thought it could, Kitty watched Matt's jaw muscles twitch as he ground his teeth, taking in the scene before him, his .45 aimed directly at her and George Powers.

"I mean it, Dillon," his voice pitched high. "Drop that gun or I'll finish her right now!"

He'd been in this situation how many times? This time it was different. VERY different. A tingle went up his spine. He dropped his gun and gave it a kick.

The instant he did, Kitty let out a huge moan and slid down the front of her captor in a perfectly orchestrated faint. Powers struggled to hang onto her arm, the gun flailing in his hand while he tried to support her dead weight as her knees collapsed. But one more time, he'd misjudged the beautiful redhead. Kitty's faint had been quite the guise. As she slid slowly down the front of him on the way to the ground, she elbowed his crotch with all the strength she could muster. Powers let out a horrific scream and dropped his gun, just in time to feel Matt Dillon diving on top of him.

Matt picked the guy up by his shirt, smashed him with his fist, then dove on top of him to continue the beating. Blind with rage, his pent-up punches kept coming. The guy hadn't moved since first contact, but Matt picked him up again like a rag doll anyway, backhanded him, then jumped on top of him once more.

"Matt, dammit Matt, let him up!" Frank was on top of his boss the instant he got into the building, trying to pull the big man off of Powers. "We need him alive, Matt!"

He was going to kill the guy with his bare hands, and both Frank and Kitty knew it. A crowd was gathering, but not a single man had the courage to jump in to try to help Frank.

"Frank!" Kitty was pleading now. "Frank! For God's sake do something!"

Frank struggled valiantly, but Matt had the size advantage. Finally, he stood up, took one deep breath, and slammed his boot heel into the back of Matt's neck.

Matt rolled over, glassy-eyed, and looked up at his deputy. He saw a few circles of light, then lots of little brown spots when he tried to focus. Didn't matter about the curtain of darkness that was creeping in over the brown spots. He'd survived it before. He looked up at his deputy and managed a managed a weak smile as it enveloped him.

"Frankie!"

XOXOXO

Frank glanced quickly at Powers and Matt, both out cold, then gently helped Kitty up off the floor. He held her there for longer than he should have to make sure everything was working.

"You okay?"

"Mmmm Hmmm."

"How'd you stop that weasel?"

"Trade secret, Frank. Be glad to show you later." Shaken as she was, a tentative smile was creeping over her face. That is, until she looked down at Matt, flat on his back next to Powers. She collapsed right back to her knees, cradling his head in her hands.

"Matt!" She ran her fingers through his hair. "Come on, Matt, talk to me!"

"Kitty!" Frank took her arm as harshly as he dared and dragged her back to her feet. "I didn't smash him that hard. He'll come around. You stay on duty here! Hold Matt's .45 on Powers till I get back. I've got to go see if Ross is still down and get some cuffs out of my duffel."

He handed Kitty Matt's big revolver and watched as she took it securely in both hands, carefully aimed at Powers.

"Matt has cuffs on his belt, Frank," she said softly.

Frank nodded and searched his boss. Sure enough, a handy pair of cuffs were clipped onto an anything but handy United States marshal. He rolled Powers onto his belly and fastened the man's hands behind him, talking to Kitty all the while.

"Thanks Kitty, but this doesn't change anything. You keep that revolver trained on him. I've got to check on Ross." That quickly, he was back out the depot door.

Mindful of the crowd that had started to gather around them, Kitty knew she had to look confident and in control.

"It's all right. He can't hurt any of us now. I'm the marshal's wife. That other man is his deputy. This'll all be over quickly. Just go on about your business. The train will be leaving for Denver as soon as possible. Sorry for all the concern."

"Is that the marshal?" A matronly looking woman was pointing at Matt.

"Yes ma'am. That's Marshal Dillon. You can see his badge right there on his shirt."

Everything she'd done to take charge had worked. Faces in the crowd started to visibly soften. A few of them even walked away as instructed.

"Henry!" The woman barked at her husband. "Henry, you go get some cold water for Marshal Dillon! He stopped that bad man with nothing but his bare hands! Now we've got to help him!"

As usual, Frank had been right. By the time Henry got back with a huge pitcher of water, Matt was already rolling his head side to side and trying to look around the room. Problem was, Henry needed instructions for every little part of the rescue. He stood there with the water, not knowing what to do next.

"Pour it slowly on his forehead, Henry," Kitty instructed, without looking away from her prisoner. "Don't drown him, just pour slowly, Henry."

The water brought Matt around quickly. In a few seconds he sat up, gently rubbing the back of his neck.

"Kitty!" She was his first thought as he looked up and realized what was happening. "Kitty!"

"It's all right, Matt. I'm fine. You got Powers. Frank got the other guy. It's all over. You just sit there till Frank gets back from outside."

Woozy as he was, Matt ignored her. He hauled himself to his feet and immediately took his revolver from her, pulling her close to him with his left arm. The husband was on his feet, and the marshal was in complete control. She stayed there much too long, relishing the joy of being close to him. Then she remembered what had happened. She pulled back and turned to Henry and his plucky wife.

"Thank you! Thank you both SO much!"

"Mrs. Dillon," the woman remarked. "You are an amazing woman! In the family way as you look to be, working right alongside your husband to stop this bad man. How could any woman ever do that? I'm in awe!"

"We're a team, ma'am," Kitty smiled. "Just like you and Henry, we're a team."

XOXOXO

"Ross is dead, Matt. I got him point blank."

"What happened anyway?"

"Powers bailed out and headed for the depot when he saw you walk to the engine. I confronted Ross when he tried to pull the pin. He thought he was faster than me. 'All who draw the sword will die by the sword'," he added. "Doc has quoted that one to you and me more than once. Remember it? Hey, it's from Matthew, Matthew!"

"Yeah." Wow, did he remember. What an odd thing for Frank to be quoting scripture at a time like this. He knew it was his friend's way of dealing with the horror of killing a man, even this despicable scum. There wasn't time for Matt to see a vision of some creep coming after him, riddling his body in a hail of bullets, screaming shouts of revenge while his wife and child watched him collapse to the ground in a pool of blood. But he did, when that verse brought it back to him. It was a vision he'd seen before, enhanced by his new responsibilities as a husband and father. Doc had no idea when he'd taught that verse to either of them. He shook it off and went right back to work.

"Okay. I'll stay here and get the paperwork done on him and get him buried, Frank. Need to get our luggage off the train and let that engineer know he can pull out."

"Whoa, wait a minute Matt. How about I get that paperwork done and get him buried. Then I'll haul Powers back to Dodge. I've got two horses here, mine and Ross's. It won't be any trouble at all. You go ahead on your trip with Kitty.

"How'd Powers get here?"

"On the stage, of course. He doesn't know how to ride, remember?"

"And you plan to teach him on a four-day trip? You'll never get there! You handle things here and then ease on back to Dodge by yourself just the way you like it. I'll take Powers on the train with me to Denver and turn him over to one of the marshals there in the morning."

"Colorado's not exactly in your territory, Matt."

"I'm a federal lawman, Frank. I take my territory with me. And right now, he's in it."

Frank Reardon grinned and gave Matt a solid slap on the shoulder.

"I like how you think, Big Marshal Man! We both get a vacation!"

"Uh, Matt . . ." Kitty had stood quietly, watching the two men, until now. "What am I supposed to do?"

He pulled her into his arms. "You go with me, baby girl. You go with me for a lifetime."

"In our stateroom then, with you and George Powers?" It seemed like a silly question, but she was already back to thinking about their anniversary.

"I'll shackle him in the baggage car and stay with him for the night. YOU, my sweet, will be in our comfortable stateroom all by yourself until we roll into Denver in the morning. It's right next to the water closet, remember? Now you hop on that train and go straight to your room, understand? I've got to tell the engineer he can pull out."

Frank and Kitty watched Matt head off to the locomotive. With Powers only semi-conscious and shackled to a post in front of the depot, Frank took a quick minute with Kitty and pulled her in for a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, sweetheart," he said softly. Did I look scared in there?"

She looked up at him. "No. Not once."

"I sure was. I thought Matt was gonna kill that dude. Never saw him lose his mind like that."

She broke eye contact and took her turn to return his hug.

"Frank," she whispered. "Thank you!"

Their embrace was interrupted by the familiar sound of one long and two short blasts of the train's steam whistle, a pause, and then it repeated. The wheels were going to turn soon, and life was going to return to normal. Frank helped Kitty onto the train, giving her hand one last squeeze just as he let go. Then he quickly retrieved Powers, cuffed him again, and dragged him to Matt who was standing in the baggage car door. Matt shoved the guy inside, then turned back to his deputy, who had a big grin on his face.

"Told 'ya it might get a little western, buddy!"

"Doesn't it always when we work together?"

"Come to think of it . . ."

"Hey Frankie . . ." Matt grinned as the big wheels slowly began to turn.

"Thanks."

tbc