Head pounding like it was about to explode Matt blinked his heavy eyelids open. He tried to move a hand to rub his temple, but his wrists were bound behind his back. Shifting on the cold, dusty ground he managed to sit up and leaned back against a tree, legs stretched out in front of him. The right knee was throbbing, it must have twisted when he fell. He glanced down and saw a tear in his shirt where his badge should be. Not a good omen. Licking parched lips, he took stock of his surroundings. Men were moving around the camp, paying him no mind. A cooking-fire was burning, bed rolls were opened here and there, horses were tethered off to the side next to a cluster of trees. Struggling to focus, he tried to remember how he ended up in this predicament. He'd been after the Taylor gang, just three men, or so he thought. As he followed their tracks, he started to feel that the trail they were leaving was awfully clear, too clear in fact. They never bothered to cover their tracks or hide tell-tale signs that they'd ridden through. An alarm bell went off in his head, warning him that these were men who wanted to be followed. But part of him, the weary part, pushed those thoughts aside. He just wanted to get the job done with, and knew what he was doing. So, the Taylors rode on and he followed, The three men reached an area that was thick with brush, shrubs, rocks and trees. Ducking their heads they rode through a thicket. He dismounted and crept closer on foot. The men rode down a narrow pathway into a clearing, and got off their horses. The whole thing seemed a simple matter. With the element of surprise on his side, he could storm in and take all three, He was about to make his move when 3 other men emerged from the shadows to greet the riders. That made 6. A new plan was needed. He heard a sound behind him and remembered thinking that meant 7. Then everything went black.
Matt shifted his weight on the ground, to try and stretch his achy leg. A wiry man, with long dark hair heard him move and grinned as he walked over."Well, well, Marshal Matt Dillon is finally awake. I'm John Taylor, you were tracking me and my two brothers. Of course we wanted you to, that's why we made it so easy. The other men are our cousins. We're a family. We work together and make a good living. Lawmen don't like us, and we don't like lawmen. In particular we don't like you." John shook his head and laughed. "You got no idea what's in store for you, but I think it right and fitting for my wife, Marlene, to do the explaining."
Kitty
Kitty hurried down Front Street toward the stable, careful to stay in the shadows so she'd be hard to spot from a window. The streets were deserted, but the full moon was bright. If Doc, Festus or anyone else looked out their window and spotted her, she'd have a lot of explaining to do. She shoved the stable door open and slipped inside. It was dark, but she managed to see the outline of a lantern hanging on a hook. She quickly lit it. The light was dim but better than nothing. She couldn't afford to make noise, stumbling around. Moss slept in the back room, and was unlikely to wake up, but the new stable boy, Tommy, slept in the hay loft above the stalls. Lantern in hand, she tip-toed past stall after stall until she reached a big, bay mare. The horse Moss always gave her when she went out riding. She ran her hand down the horse's neck and whispered, "I know it's been a while, but remember me? We're going for a nice, late-night ride." She set the lantern on a stool, and took a deep breath. She'd never actually saddled her own horse before. Someone else had always done it for her. She shook her head at her hesitation. Get a grip Kitty, just saddle the darn horse. Smiling to herself, she reached over to get a bridle from a hook and slipped on a wet piece of hay. "OH" Her hands flew to her mouth. The mare whinnied. "Shhh." Kitty stroked the horse's back..
"Who's there?"
She turned and saw a pale, blond, scared looking teenage boy, holding a rifle." She put up a hand. "Tommy, it's all right. It's me, Kitty Russell. You remember me, right?"
The boy squinted and relaxed. "Miss Russell, you and Marshal Dillon were the first one's who were nice to me when I came to town. You bought me clothes, and the marshal got me this job. But, what are you doing here this time of night? It's gotta be after midnight."
"Well," Kitty's mind was racing. "I came to borrow a horse because – because, I have to see a – a – a sick friend. Doc is going to see her tomorrow afternoon. He – he can't go now, so he wants me to go right away because she's sick."
The boy looked puzzled. Kitty decided it was best to keep talking. "And this is a very private matter. Private between me, my friend and Doc. Now, I don't want Moss to think the horse was stolen, so I'm gonna put some money over there on his desk, with a note saying I'm borrowing a horse for a few days. Except, I'm not gonna sign the note, because it's a private matter. Moss will have his money, my friend will have everything private, and I'll bring the horse back when I get home. You can just say you didn't see anyone." Kitty smiled brightly.
Still looking confused, Tommy scratched his head. "I, OK that sounds all right. I don't see any harm."
"Great, now I'll go leave the money and note. Will you do me a big favor and saddle up this mare?"
"Sure, happy to." Tommy quickly got the horse squared away, and gave Kitty a hand up. She smiled at him. "Thanks Tommy, and just say you slept all night. That way my friend can have everything nice and private."
Tommy nodded and climbed back up into the hay loft. It didn't make total sense to him, but Miss Russell was a lot smarter than he was. It was best to do what she said.
Kitty crossed the town border a few minutes later and turned southwest toward Willow Creek, glad for the light of the full moon.
Matt
"Marlene honey, Marlene, come talk to Marshal Dillon." John Taylor smiled at his wife as she walked towards him. Short and solid, with deep set eyes and hight cheek bones, a long dark braid hung down her back. She wasn't a woman most would call pretty, but she was attractive in a distinct sort of way. She looked down at Matt with a sneering grin. "So this is the great Marshal Dillon. Not lookin' so great now."
John nodded. "Yep, and I told him he didn't know what was coming. I thought I'd leave the details to you, honey."
She reached up and gave John an affectionate pat on the cheek. "You sure are considerate." Marlene eyed Matt up and down. "Dillon, this here's the Taylor gang. All brothers and cousins, and of course me, John's wife. I like it 'cause family means a lot to me. See my mama and papa died when I was a little kid, and my brothers brung me up, saw to it I grew to be a woman, a strong woman. I loved my brothers something fierce, just like they loved me. Problem is you got them hung, first Virgil, then Jude. Virgil and Jude Bonner, you must member them? I'm Marlene Taylor now, but I was born Marlene Bonner."
Matt couldn't help but flinch when he heard the name, Bonner. Marlene noticed. "You do remember that name, I figured you would. My brothers always made a big impression on folks. I'll just say one more thing. One of the men rode to Dodge and left note for Kitty Russell, along with your badge." Marlene laughed. "If I know women, she believed every word of that note and is on her way. Like my husband said, you have no idea what's in store, and neither does she."
TBC