Matt stood quietly over the town doctor as he examined the body of the man that Louie found behind the Dodge House. Doc remained kneeling beside the dead man and removed his eyeglasses. "He died a violent death, Matt. That much I can tell you." Doc continued placing his glasses into their medal case which he kept in his vest.
"Any other clues?" Matt leaned forward to look at the dead man again.
Doc pushed himself up off his right knee to stand and then turned to the marshal. "I've never seen him around Dodge before. And he doesn't look like he had a lot of money." Doc looked around the alley to see if he noticed anything unusual. "Whoever killed him made sure it was swift. Cut his throat from one side to the other, and I would suggest that it happened from behind. Perhaps even a taller man than him." Doc thumbed toward the dead man.
"Well he's not exactly what I would call that tall, Doc." Matt noted. "He's about your height."
Doc huffed with a slight smile on his face. His expression then changed. "I'll notify Percy and have him removed to the undertaker's office. Percy might have some say on this fella too."
Matt straightened his back and pushed his hat back on his head and nodded at the doctor. "Thanks Doc. Don't say anything about this, just yet."
Doc drew his left hand across his moustache. "Of course not." He ticked his head and started toward Percy Crump's furniture and undertaking business. This was the second unknown man in as many weeks that had been found murdered.
Matt's eyes then scanned the alley way and they too, saw nothing out of the ordinary.
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Sam had finished placing the chairs down from the table in the Long Branch. His next task was to sweep the front boardwalk. He grabbed the corn broom and pushed through the swing doors and started to sweep when his eyes caught the doctor entering Percy Crump's. Sam instinctively knew that Doc's visit to the business meant only one thing - death. He shook if off and continued with this task.
Doc stepped through the front door and slowly made his way into the dimly light building. He heard sawing coming from the back room so he cleared his throat to gain attention. The sawing stopped and Percy poked his head around the door frame. "Well, hello doctor. What can I do for you?" The rest of Percy followed him to the doorway.
"Louie found a man out back of the Dodge House. He's dead of course. I came over to ask you to see that he gets taken care of..."
Percy nodded. "Certainly, Doc. I'll fetch him now."
Doc nodded. "It's an awful sight."
Percy understood why the doctor said what he did. "Thank you, Doc. I've seen my fair share of them." He smiled and then left to gather his coat and hat.
Doc stood and looked around and thought that an undertaker's job was an odd one, but a necessary one at the same time. He wondered what would actually lure someone into becoming an undertaker. With a voluntary shake he screwed his pinky finger into his ear and turned on his heels and left the building. He knew that the dead man would be taken care of and that during his preparation, if anything was found, Percy would tell the marshal.
Doc couldn't help thinking how much this murdered man looked like the last one a week earlier. Something was not sitting right with him. Perhaps a drink at the Long Branch would help him clarify his thoughts
