Newly sat in the marshal's chair after he and Festus locked Chuck and Clarke up. He heard them talking to Jed, but couldn't make out what they were saying. He could only imagine that they were cooking a plan up for the Judge. He shook his head and resumed reading the newspaper. It was almost 3:00 am.
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Doc's shoulders sagged he was extremely tired and his latest bout with the jabbing pain had just about taken the last wind from his sails. Festus stood near the door and looked at Matt, Kitty and Judge Brooker.
All Brooker was able to ascertain at that point was Doc clearly did see Jed beating the man. But Brooker was more puzzled at Doc's account of his own shooting. "Doctor Adams. I am going to strongly suggest that not only you, but the rest of us resume this meeting tomorrow, sometime. I can appreciate that you want to proceed in order to resolve this matter, but frankly, I don't think that you nor I could stand another minute's worth of questioning." Brooker yawned and looked over to Kitty, Matt and Festus and then back to the doctor who had already slid into sleep.
Brooker looked woefully at Doc's friends. "See he gets to bed and sleeps the rest of the night..." Brooker stood and stretched his back. As he started to leave the room he stopped and looked back. "He's a strong man in more ways than one..." he referred to Galen Adams then he opened the door and closed it quietly after himself.
Matt nodded in agreement, but to on-one in particular. "Yeah. We know..." Matt then motioned Festus to help him move Doc to the bed. Even carrying him at this point in the early morning hours didn't wake him. Kitty plied the finishing touches as she pulled the quilted blanket up under the sleeping doctor's chin. She stroked her hand over his forehead gently pushing his greying hair back into its curly mop. Then slowly she bent forward and kissed Adams on the forehead before turning down the lamp.
"I'll stay with him, ifin' ya want me too..." Festus offered.
Kitty smiled warmly at the deputy. "That would be nice, if you could Festus."
"Oh, fiddlesticks Miss Kitty. You knowd I do anything for that ol' scamp, and seein' how you've been near run yer feet...wall, I'll just sit here and mind him fer ya..." Festus whispered.
Kitty scrunched up her eyes with an added smile showing her gratitude and quickly placed a kiss in the deputy's cheek. Matt watched and his eye brows rose but before he or Festus could say anything, Kitty grabbed Matt by the arm and pulled him out of the room. The door closed behind them. Festus slowly walked to the bed and leaned over to hear Doc breathing. "Judge Brooker is surely right. You are one though buzzard..." Festus straightened and looked fondly at his sleeping friend. A smile slowly spread over his face as he remembered some of the funny moments that he and the doctor shared. Festus sat down into the chair next to the bed and looked around the room. He was satisfied that Doc was now safe and sighed with relief before slipping into a light sleep - one he came to know where he had to listen to all the sounds around him.