Gunsmoke: Never Wanna Live Without You

Part 7

Three months later…

It was beyond freezing outside and the tiny stove in the jailhouse was working hard to keep the rooms warm. The window in the first cell had been blocked off and some old rags were stuffed at the foot of the back door to keep the draft and snow out. It was eight o'clock at night and Matt sat at his desk bored out of his mind. The one good thing about a Dodge City winter was that the crime rate dropped dramatically. But no outlaws made Matt a dull boy.

Chester was on the other side of the room snoring softly on one of the cots. For once there was no paper work. The office was clean. He had already had three cups of coffee. The firewood was stocked. The wanted posters were alphabetized. It was too cold to go for a drink. The only thing left to do was think and he didn't really want to do that because he couldn't keep his thoughts from straying to certain things, more like a certain person.

It had been a complete shock when Kitty left those months ago. It shouldn't have been, but it was. A part of him always wondered if she had simply gone on a trip, but as each day, week, and then month passed, he knew that she wasn't returning. It was a good thing though. She was gone and safe somewhere; away from the crime ridden city of Dodge. He was certain that she was much better off.

Doc still wasn't talking to him unless he absolutely had to. He knew the old man could hold a grudge, but this was ridiculous. He was still convinced that it had been Matt's fault that she left and he was right, but he didn't know he was right, so he had no right to take it all out on Matt.

Yes, he did.

Matt knew it was his fault, but what was done was done and maybe because of it Kitty would lead a long and healthy life. That was more important than anything in his mind, but it still didn't stop him from missing her.

mkmk

"St. Louis?" Chester said with a furrowed brow.

"Yep," Matt said as he sat his gear on the desk.

"In this weather?"

"Yep. My presence has been requested by the United States Government," he repeated from the letter. "I guess I don't have much choice." Chester picked up the letter and scanned it. "You think you'll be able to handle things while I'm gone?" Matt asked.

"Well, sure, Mr. Dillon. It should be easy goin'. How long do you think you'll be gone for?"

"Well, the stage leaves in a few hours and it'll probably be slow goin' in this weather. I'll send a telegram as soon as I can." He moved his bags to the table and then grabbed his coat. "I'm gonna go and have somethin' to eat, Chester. I'll be back later."

mkmk

A bundled up Doc opened the door of Delmonico's to find that just about everyone in town had the same idea he did. All of the tables were full.

"Shut the door, Doc. You're lettin' all the cold air in," griped a familiar voice from the table he was standing next to. It was Matt. He hadn't even seen him, and there was an empty seat at his table. He was still upset with him, but he wasn't about to go back out into the cold without at least having something hot to eat first. Still having not said anything, he walked the few steps to the seat and plopped down in it.

Matt simply watched and took a bite of his potatoes and gravy. "Still not speakin' to me huh, Doc?"

"Do you have any idea where she went?" the doctor asked. He had been wondering about that lately. Matt sighed inwardly.

"No," he lied. He had gone to the stage depot to find out nearly as soon as Doc had left his office that day. It was crazy really. He hadn't done that when Leona left and he had been with her a lot longer than he had Kitty.

A waiter came over and took Doc's order. He decided he would let his anger go for the time being. "You goin' out to the Peterson's tomorrow?" he asked. Someone had been stealing their horses one at a time over the last few weeks and Matt still had yet to figure out who it was.

"Can't," he said around a mouth full of bread. "I'll be on the stage on my way to St. Louis in a few hours." He forgot about the Petersons. Chester would have to go in his place.

"St. Louis? What in the world are you goin' there for?"

"Some sort of conference."

"In the middle of winter?"

"I guess the business of the U.S. Government doesn't wait for good weather," Matt said shrugging. He wasn't too keen on traveling in this cold either, but at the same time a part of him was glad to get away from Dodge for a while.

"I suppose Chester's gonna be in charge until you get back," Doc said as the waiter sat his steaming plate in front of him.

"Yep."

Doc huffed. "Well you make sure and hurry back before we all end up dead."

mkmk

There was practically a whiteout when the stage reached Jefferson City. Matt and the other two passengers had been on the stage for nearly seven days and the further east they went the worse the weather got. Matt peeked out from behind the window flap as they pulled up next to a hotel. He wrapped his scarf tightly around his head and pulled his hat down low. He waited until the other two men got out and then followed. He caught his bag from the driver and quickly walked inside. The other two men headed in a different direction.

This hotel was a little fancier than the Dodge House. Matt shook the snow off of his hat and took a look around at the tall windows and heavy burgundy curtains. The check-in counter was directly across from the entrance and there was a set of stairs on either side of it with a balcony connecting them on the second floor. To his left there was a small area that appeared to be a miniature bar of sorts if the two shelves of alcohol behind it were any indication.

After the survey of his surroundings, Matt walked over to the desk where the clerk was sound asleep. It was nearly three in the morning. The stage would be leaving out again at ten that morning if the weather permitted. Matt cleared his throat loudly and the man snapped awake. "Can I help you, sir?" he said sleepily with an English accent.

"I need a room."

"Yes, of course." The clerk grabbed a key with a tag that read number six. "Sign here," he pointed. Matt did so and took the key. As soon as he locked the door behind himself, he walked over to the bed, tossed his hat and bag on one side and collapsed on the other, boots, coat and all. He was too tired to even light a fire.

mkmk

A few hours later, he awoke to the sound of voices downstairs. He lifted his tired body from the bed, stretching and yawning like a bear. He could see his breath in the air. Scratching at his beard, he walked over to the window to see what damage had been done by the snow. He squinted his eyes against the bright sun glaring off of what he guessed to be about a foot and a half of snow. He looked around the room for a clock and finding one he saw that it was only eight-thirty. Plenty of time for breakfast.

Matt looked back out the window and saw people trudging through the white mess. It was going to be interesting to see how far the stage got in it. He let the curtain fall and walked to the bed to retrieve his hat and bag. Breakfast was calling.

Matt checked out of the hotel after finding out where the nearest café was. As he walked along the cleared off boardwalk, he looked out to see a woman, he could tell by her stature, plodding across the street in the opposite direction of him. She took about a five second break after every step. A thick black cape covered her from head to toe, protecting against the biting wind, and she had a bag in each hand. Every so often, he would catch a glimpse of the midnight blue color of her dress when the wind blew the cape away.

"'Scuse me," a man said as he breezed passed Matt. He hadn't even realized that he had stopped in the middle of the walkway to watch this mysterious woman. His gaze turned to the man that walked passed and by the time he turned back to the woman, she was just making it to the other side. She then walked over to the stage office. Matt turned around and continued on to breakfast.

To be continued…