The Next Morning
Blinking her eyes to bleary wakefulness, Kitty looked across the bed. Blankets were rumbled, and a pillow was indented where a head had recently rested. Her eyes widened in panic. Where was she, and who the heck had she shared a bed with?
"Good morning. I know you didn't sleep much, but I hope you slept well."
Kitty smiled at the sound of the voice. It all came back. After a huge seafood dinner, a whole lot of wine, and a conversation that lasted until the Cliff House was closing, going home with Joanne seemed the wisest course of action. Side by side, in Joanne's spacious bed they'd talked until the wee hours of the morning.
"I'm not much of a cook but scrambled eggs, toast and STRONG coffee are ready. Come on over, but be careful of that ankle. Your crutches are right by the bed." Looking fresh and awake, despite their late night, Joanne put plates on table, and filled two cups with steaming coffee.
Kitty slid to the edge of the bed and pushed up her sleeves. Joanne's cotton nightgown was soft and comfy, but way too big. The doctor was slender but quite tall. She grabbed the crutches and made her way to the table. "This looks great." She shoveled a forkful of eggs in her mouth and glanced around. The apartment was small but attractive with a tidy kitchen, a comfortable sitting room/dining area and a sleeping alcove. One door led to a water closet and the other to Joanne's medical office.
Joanne sat down across from Kitty. "I'd lend you clothes but nothing I have would fit, so here's my idea, after breakfast get dressed in yesterday's clothes. I'll get my rig and drive you to your hotel to change. Then, how about I take you to see some sights? Sunday is my day off, unless a patient tracks me down." Joanna grinned and took a bite of toast.
"Sounds perfect." Kitty grabbed the coffee pot. "First, I need a refill."
Dodge City – Matt's Office
Matt left his room at the boarding house, and headed to his office, trying to shed his bad mood. He missed Kitty, Ash Drake had unsettled him, and another sleepless night hadn't help body or his mental state. He wasn't in the habit of losing sleep because a gunslinger was in town, but his sore arm and hand made things a lot more complicated. Drake's mention of the wound, and his little test with the shot glass meant he was up to something.
When he reached his office, Matt decided, what would help was a cup of strong, hot coffee. He pushed through the door and smiled. The office was empty, but a full pot of coffee was sitting atop a hot stove. His luck was changing. He quickly filled a cup and took a long, deep drink. His head jerked up. He gasped, coughed and sputtered. Festus and his Haggin coffee recipe! It was strong all right, but the taste could kill a cow. He was weighing the wisdom of a second sip, when a knock at the door interrupted. He set his cup aside. "Come in."
A young, blond man stepped in with hesitation. Matt hid his surprise. "Billy right? Billy Drake, Ash Drake's brother. What can I do for you?"
Billy nodded. "I'm sure you didn't expect to see me, but I need a word with you, if you have a minute." Matt nodded, and pointed to a chair.
"Thanks, but this won't take long. I'll stand. Marshal, my brother paid a lot of money for me to go to school back east. I knew he was a gunslinger, but never liked to think about where he got the money that paid for what I had. Anyway, I graduated and came west to be with Ash. He's the only family I have. We even made plans. I want to run a newspaper, I'm not sure exactly where, but when we find the right place we'll settle there together. He'll give up his gunfighting ways and start a ranch.
"Sounds like a good plan." Matt nodded, "I don't see what it has to do with me or Dodge City."
"I'll lay it out. Ash has a quite a reputation as a gunfighter. You know that. He's worried that where ever we settle, men will seek him out and challenge him to draw, just to prove themselves. That's where you come in."
"How?" Matt frowned. "I don't understand."
"Marshal, my brother has it in his head that if he outdraws you in a gunfight, it will scare men off from taking him on, and he'll be able to live in peace. I don't know if he's right or not, or if it even makes any sense, but the idea is fixed firm in his head. I'm sure you see my problem. If he takes you on and you win, I lose my brother. On the other hand, if he wins, he has another man's blood on his hands, and not just any man. I know your reputation Marshal, you've done a lot of good for a lot of folks. Ash killing you would be a terrible wrong. So, Marshal Dillon, you have to talk him out of it."
"Me?" Matt frowned. "Seems you're the one best suited for that."
"I've tried, believe me I've tried. He tells me I'm just a kid, I've been living east, and I don't know the ways of this part of he country. Marshal Dillon, it's up to you. If you don't talk him out of it, you'll be facing him on Front Street, sooner rather than later." Billy turned, and hurried out out the door.
Matt flexed his right hand. It was stiff and achy. He wasn't ready to draw against a gunman like Ash, but talking his way out of it, didn't seem too likely. He crossed the room and put on his hat. It was time to go see Doc about a couple of things, but dang, it would be awful nice to be able to talk this thorough with Kitty.
San Francisco
Standing on crutches outside Joanne's office, Kitty watched the doctor maneuver her carriage to the curb and lightly jump down to the sidewalk. "All right Kitty, let's get you into the buggy and drive to your hotel."
"Good morning, Jo – Dr. Miller." Kitty and Joanne turned towards the deep voice. A tall handsome man was walking towards them, arm-in-arm with with short, stout woman in a green, satin dress wearing a sour expression. Kitty looked at Joanne and caught the blush that crossed her cheeks. "Hello Ed - Mr. Fairweather."
Their eyes locked, Edward's deep and green, Joanne's big and brown. They smiled slowly, as if the rest of the world didn't exist. The air around them changed. The public intimacy of the moment struck Kitty like a bolt of lightening. She realized she'd shared countless moments like this with Matt, thinking no one noticed.
Seconds passed. Edward forced himself to break the connection and tried to sound casual. He nodded at Kitty, standing nearby on crutches. "Well, well Dr. Miller, are you seeing patients even on Sunday?" Joanne shook her head and laughed. "Not really, this is Kitty Russell, she came to me last night with a sprained ankle. I'm taking her to her hotel, then we'll be going sightseeing."
"Well then." Edward offered a courteous bow, "Perhaps I can be of assistance. Let me help you and Kitty Russell into your buggy."
"EDWARD." Mrs. Ursula Fairweather spoke sharply, and dug her finger's into her husband's arm. Her expression grew more sour. "Dr. Miller is used to getting along without a man. She's capable of getting herself into a carriage. I, on the other hand, the mother of OUR children, am about to expire from hunger. We have very little time to get breakfast before retrieving OUR children from Sunday school. We MUST move along."
Edward nodded with a sigh and patted her hand. Joanne looked at Ursula. "Mrs. Fairweather, I apologize for keeping you. Have a pleasant breakfast." She turned away from the couple to help Kitty climb into the buggy. Ursula tugged Edward's arm and the couple walked on.
"Kitty, take my hand, put your good foot on the step and push up."
Without too much effort Kitty was settled into a front seat of the buggy. Joanne climbed up and sat beside her, muttering under her breath, "One thing Ursula won't expire from is hunger." Kitty stared straight ahead and spoke softly. "So that's Edward – seems to me, you haven't gotten over him, and he hasn't gotten over you." Joanne and took hold of the reins. "I admit, the pull is still strong, but aside from chance meetings like this one, we manage to avoid each other." Joanne let out a long sigh. "There are things that just can't be, my friend."
"STOP" "HALT" "NOOOO" - Gunshots, shouts, and footsteps filled the quiet of the morning
Kitty and Joanne twisted around in their seats, and saw two masked gunmen fleeing, with a policeman in hot pursuit.
"NOOOO, AHHHH"
It took a second for the women to realize the screams were coming from Ursula, still standing on the sidewalk. Edward was flat on the ground, blood gushing from his chest. He'd been hit by a random bullet.
Joanne jumped from the buggy and took off like a racer, Kitty hobbled behind on crutches as fast as she could.
When the doctor got close to Edward, she dove to her knees beside him. His eyes wandered across her face. "Joanne." He dropped into unconsciousness. Joanne pressed down on his wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Blood washed over her hands. Ursula grabbed her arm and pulled, "Get away from him you whore, don't you dare touch him." Joanne kept her focus on Edward. "I'm a doctor, Mrs. Fairweather, the only chance he has."
Kitty finally reached the scene, and instinctively reached under her dress to tear ruffles from her cotton petticoat. She pushed the clean white cloth into Joanne's bloody hands. The doctor nodded gratefully, and remembered she'd learned last night in their talks, that Kitty was familiar with bullet wounds.
The bleeding slowed, and Joanne looked up at the crowd that had gathered around. "We have to get him to my office quickly. I need a large wagon, and a couple of strong men to lift him steadily. "
A delivery man stepped forward, "My big wagon's right here Dr. Miller. I'll drive you." Two dock workers lifted the wounded man, trying not to jostle him. Joanne got to her feet to give instructions. Ursula started to protest, but knew deep inside that Dr. Miller was truly her husband's only chance. Her face twisted in hatred and resentment, and she stepped closer to Joanne, "Save him. If he dies I'll ruin your reputation and your life."
TBC