Festus held the horse's hoof between his knees as he scrapped the stones out from under the shoe. His part time job as a farrier gave him something else to do when there was no "marshalling to be done" or so he claimed. The other plus side was the location of the livery which allowed him to keep an eye on the jail house in case Matt needed his help.

Doc strolled into the stable to get his rig that Hank set up for him. He set the picnic basket on the floor and watched Festus for a moment. The silence was deafening. "Aren't you going to say hello!" Doc said abruptly.

Festus stopped what he was doing and let the horse put his hoof down. He turned to Doc. "I hardly recognized who you was..." Festus gabbed the verbal barb hard at Doc.

"What's that supposed to me?" Doc questioned. He knew the answer but he wanted to heard it from Festus.

"Wall, it means I hardly ever see ya no more. You and that Mrs Smith are thicker than thieves at a Sunday social for pocket pickers!" Festus waved his hands in frustration.

"Mrs Smith? Her name is Annie..." Doc's eyes narrowed as he looked att Festus trying to figure out where the formality came from.

"I only call my friends by their first name..." Festus couldn't look at Doc.

Doc had heard Festus say that a few times before, but now he was wondering what was bothering him with Annie. After a moment of thought and reflection of what Kitty had told him, Doc swiped his hand across his moustache and shook his head. "Festus. Are you jealous of Annie?"

Festus' eyebrows rose up in a sheepish manner. "Guess a tad bit I am..." He still couldn't look Doc in the eyes and fussed with the pick in his hands.

Doc stepped closer to his friend. "Festus. Annie is very special to me. I can't remember when I have felt this happy. Its been a long time..."

Festus looked up to Doc. "I know she is Doc. I've got eyeballs." His tone was flat.

"Festus, let's say we go fishing tomorrow. Just you and me..." Doc smiled hoping to ease his friend's angst.

Festus' weathered face lit up. "You mean that Doc!"

"You betcha I do!" Doc patted Festus on the shoulder. "I'll be back later today. We can talk about it over a beer. I'll even buy!"

Festus shook his head in approval. "See ya directly, Doc." Festus watch Doc climb into his buggy. "And Doc? Take care of yerself..."

Doc smiled and again thought Festus' words were slightly odd. "Sure Festus..." he said as he slapped the reigns on the horse's bump to get the buggy moving.

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Doc brought the buggy to a halt in front of the Dodge House just as Annie stepped out onto the board walk. He stepped down and greeted Annie with a big smile. "You look lovely today!"

Annie batted her eyes at the doctor. "Why thank you." She said as he helped her up into the buggy. "This picnic is going to be wonderful! And, I might add, I think I really need it right now...I mean after everything and all..." She looked Doc in the eyes.

"I figured you could use a get away. I know just the place." His silver moustache curled upward with a warm smile. He gently motioned to the horse to move and the two were on their way.

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Back in Chicago, Gilbert Clarke read the report that his lawyer, William Drake had made "She remarried!"

"Looks like it. And, if you read on," Drake stood and lit his cigar, "He died several weeks after he signed his life savings over to her."

Clarke dropped the paper on the desk. "Cut to the chase. How did he die?"

"A fall down a staircase." Drake turned. "It think she murdered both of them."

Now Gilbert Clarke was standing. "Where is she now?"

Drake shrugged. "I haven't gotten that far. After she buried your brother, she moved to Wichita, where she married Herman Smith. Same scenario. Once they were married he signed everything over to her, just like your brother Richard. And then, weeks later, he was dead. She got everything."

"Well we have to find her! Clearly she's a murderer! Clarke exploded.

"I have a meeting with the sheriff this afternoon. We'll find her..." Drake puffed on his cigar with confidence. "We must handle this carefully. She might spook. She claimed to have moved west and there's a lot of towns out there."