Unshown Moments for 20 Miles to Dodge (2)

"Sam." Doc called as he made his way into the saloon. He'd just come back from being out on the prairie and was looking forward to seeing his favorite saloon keeper. "Kitty back?"

"No, Doc." Sam answered dispiritedly. "She sure isn't."

Doc frowned. "Well, she was supposed to be on today's stage wasn't she?"

Sam nodded, wearing a glum expression. "She was but something happened, Doc. Something bad."

"What are you talking about?" Doc looked around, seeing nothing out of order in the saloon.

"Well, that's just it, Doc. We don't know exactly. All we do know is that the stage hadn't come in and just as Marshal Dillon and Festus were going to go and look for it, a farmer drove it in, empty. He said the horses came running into his pasture with the stage but no one was in it. Festus found a case up top of the stage that had blood on it but that was it. The Marshal and Festus went out looking for the passengers."

"You… you mean…" Doc swallowed hard, as Sam nodded. Doc's heart was in his throat at what that could mean. "How long ago, Sam?"

"A few hours ago." Sam answered. "I'll tell ya, Doc. I'm awfully worried."

Doc glanced at the bar man and could tell Sam was more than worried. He was scared at what could have happened to Kitty. Forcing a calm, he didn't feel, to his voice, Doc shook his head. "Don't worry, Sam. If Matt's looking for her, he'll find her. No matter what, Matt will find her."

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Shay stood inside the old shack and lit a cigar as he looked out the window at the corral full of hostages. He thought he'd hidden his interest in the red headed Kitty Russell from Dorner and the other men but apparently not.

Of course, in truth, he didn't really care what those men thought about his attention to her. He planned on having her no matter what they thought. The woman attracted him like no woman ever had. It wasn't just her looks that drew him, though she was the prettiest woman he believed he'd ever seen. But there was so much more to her. Courageous, smart, feisty, she was quite a package. And after they got that money, he planned on her being his package.

"Shay?"

He turned to the door to see Dobbs looking at him. "That red head's yelling for ya. She's saying something about you best come if we want any money."

Shay controlled a grin and followed Dobbs out the corral. When he found out that all she wanted was a fire, he ordered Dobbs to get one started for her and then looked back at her, expecting to see gratitude. But even though he promised to keep her warm, he saw no gratitude. A little confusion maybe and a lot of disgust, but no gratitude.

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Johnny sat still after Kitty moved away from him and watched her, still in wonder at her tenderness towards him. Of course, he knew she wasn't attracted to him, not like a woman would be to a man, but it was obvious she liked him. She had after all promised to pay to keep him alive, offer him a job and even tried to talk him out of trying to escape so he wouldn't get hurt.

But she didn't realize how quick he was and strong. He knew, he just positively knew, that if he could either get a gun or at least get away to summon help, he'd show her how much a man he really was. Then maybe, just maybe… Johnny put that thought away and turned back to the stage men. He couldn't do anything right then but maybe later. Just maybe.

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Doc stood in the jail, full cup of coffee in his hand, and stared steadily out the window. It was getting late and there'd been no word from Matt or Festus. He was trying to detach himself from the worry and fear he felt for Kitty but it was awfully hard. Kitty had, in many ways, become like a daughter to him.

Taking a sip of the now cold brew in his cup, his heart skipped a beat when he saw Festus riding into town at a gallop. Quickly, he sat the cup down and hurried out of the jail. "Festus! Festus!"

"Doc." Festus nodded as he hurriedly dismounted. "When'd you get back?"

"A few hours ago." Doc answered. "Sam told me what happened. You find her?"

Festus dropped his head with a sad shake. "Naw. Me n' Matthew done looked as fur as we could but there's just too many places to look fer the two a us. Matthew sent me back to get us some more searchers."

"Good idea." Doc told him. "Tell ya what. You go on down to the Lady Gay and I'll head on over to the Long Branch. We'll see how many people we can round up."

"Alright, Doc." Festus agreed and started to turn away but Doc placed a hand on his arm.

"Do you think…"

"I don't know, Doc." Festus shrugged. "Alls I know is that me n' Matthew's gonna do ever thing we can to find her and get her home."

"I know you will." Doc sighed. "I know."

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Matt sat by the fire, forcing himself to drink the coffee he'd made. He'd made it more to keep his thoughts on something other than Kitty and his hands from punching out at the nearest tree in frustration. He wasn't in the slightest thirsty for it and he knew he'd not need it to keep himself awake. If there was ever a night he'd most likely stay awake, it was this one.

The coffee was merely a tool to keep him warm while he waited to find and worried about the woman he loved. After Festus arrived, he dumped the rest of his coffee and walked away from the fire to let Festus try for some sleep. He realized even hot coffee wasn't going to keep him warm. The only thing, or at least person, who could do that, was out there somewhere, waiting for him and somehow, he was going to find her.

END