Unshown Moments for Marry Me (2)

This is for BigMommaT

AN: DebbieW, I read every word. None of the important ones were missing. Thank you and have a blessed day.

Matt got up stiffly from the jail cot and stretched for what seemed like miles before he was able to work enough kinks out of his spine to actually get up and get dressed.

After leaving Doc's side the night before, he'd actually planned on heading over to the Long Branch. Kitty had promised him she'd retire early and would be waiting for him. That was why he'd made such a show in front of the physician of being so tired, so that he could get away. But the drunk he now had in the cells behind him, ruined those plans, as had Chester.

Chester, who normally slept at the jail, had found a poker game and a girl in that order and he hadn't made it back to the jail until too late for Matt to go to Kitty, which meant Matt had to stay there and help babysit a drunk who sang most of the night in an off pitched baritone about a canary in a coal mine.

Scrubbing the back of his head, Matt padded across the front room of the jail and back to the cells. "Okay, Reamer." He banged against the cell bars, arousing the sleeping man. "Time to get up and get out." He waited a minute and when Jed Reamer didn't move, he banged against the bars again and opened the door. "Come on, Jed. Get up."

"Leave me be." Jed pushed at his hand when Matt shook his arm. "Can't ya see, I'm sleepin' here?"

"Not here." Matt answered. "Now, come on."

It took a little more prodding and Matt almost had to carry the drowsy man half out of the jail, but finally he got him out and on his way. Now he could get dressed and head out to breakfast and then maybe, just maybe, Kitty would be up and he could explain to her about the night before.

As he moved around, getting dressed, Chester finally roused. "Morning, Mr. Dillon?"

"Chester." Matt looked over at him. "I trust you slept well."

"Oh, sure did." Chester answered with a smile. "You?"

Matt started to answer but just then the door banged open and a distraught looking Sam Noonan was at the door. "Marshal, you'd better come. Miss Kitty's missing."

Swallowing hard, Matt hastily put his vest on and grabbed his gun belt. "What do you mean, she's missing?" He questioned as he quickly followed Sam to the saloon.

"Well, I don't know for a fact." Sam answered. "But I went up to her room and knocked on the door and there was no answer. Her doors locked so I couldn't get in but unless she's hurt or something she'd answer me so I don't think she's there." He stopped and looked balefully at Matt. "I sent for Doc in case..."

"Good." Matt looked over at Chester. "Go down to the stables, Chester. Talk to Moss and see if Kitty's been there this morning. If not, then go down to Delmonico's and check there. If she's not in her room, then we need to find her."

As Chester took off, Matt raced a little ahead of the barman to the saloon, pushing inside and heading up the stairs, taking them two at a time. "Kitty? Kitty?"

He pounded on the door but there was no reply. "Stand back, Sam." Matt warned as he raised a leg and kicked the door open. Stepping inside, Matt gasped when he saw the destruction of the room and noted that the red headed owner of said room was indeed missing.

"Marshal?" Sam, wide eyed at the disarray, stepped inside and looked around. "What… what happened?"

Matt thoroughly searched through the room, satisfying himself that Kitty was not there when his eyes suddenly fell upon the open window and he stepped over, looking out. He saw scuff marks on the window sill and the sloping roof of the room below it. "I don't know." He answered grimly.

"Mr. Dillon?" Chester called just then. "Mr. Dillon, you up there?"

"That's Chester." Sam's voice held a hopeful note. "Maybe he found her."

"If he didn't." Matt stepped to the door, taking one last look around her room. "I will."

End