After LeighAnn had told Kitty everything, she excused herself and stated she needed to rest for a little bit. Kitty didn't object. She felt that was probably the best thing for her, after relating such a story. LeighAnn had gone through a very traumatic and tragic experience. That colored her feelings and nothing Kitty could say would change it. As someone who'd faced some tragedy and trauma in her own life, Kitty fully understood how she felt.

But Kitty wasn't about to sit idly by and watch that girl destroy the rest of her life by killing a man not worthy of the effort. Despite the matching description, Kitty wasn't positive that the man she knew of as Brandon Wails was the same man that LeighAnn knew of as Joe Baines. But Kitty knew a lawman that would listen and would help.

Leaving her office, Kitty stepped quickly over to the bar. "Sam, I'm stepping out for a little while. Keep an eye on things."

"Alright." He nodded as she left.

Kitty wasted no time in heading to the jail. She didn't want Matt to arrest LeighAnn or anything but she didn't want LeighAnn to do anything that would cause Matt to have to arrest her. She found Matt coming out of the jail as she arrived. "Matt!" She called to stop him. "Matt, I need to talk to you."

"Well, hello, Kitty." Matt answered a little concerned at the urgent expression on her face. "Is something wrong?"

"It could be pretty soon." Kitty answered. "If you can't think of something."

"What are you talking about?" Matt questioned with a frown.

"Let's go in your office." Kitty told him. "I've got something to tell you."

By the time they emerged again, Matt knew the most important parts of LeighAnn's story, though not some of the details. Kitty felt that was LeighAnn's story to tell. But he knew enough to take action to keep LeighAnn from ending Baines's life, as well as her own.

"Kitty, do me a favor." He requested as they left the jail. "Go on back over to the Long Branch and make sure LeighAnn stays there. I'll ride on down to Wails ranch and have a talk with him."

"Alright, Matt." Kitty nodded. "Just be careful, huh."

"I will." Matt assured her as he hurried towards the stable to get his horse.

When Kitty returned to the Long Branch she asked Sam if LeighAnn had come back down.

"No, Ma'am." Sam shrugged. "At least not as far as I know."

"What do you mean?" Kitty was beginning to have a bad feeling.

"Well, I did have to run down to the cellar for another crate of whiskey. But I wasn't gone that long. I didn't hear her come down though."

Kitty pursed her lips. "Sam, do me a favor and run down to the stable and have Moss get my buggy ready." She ordered as she headed towards the stairs.

"Your buggy?" Sam questioned.

"Yes." Kitty answered as she raced up the stairs. "Now go on. Hurry!"

As soon as Kitty reached the second floor, she ran down to LeighAnn's room, knowing already what she'd find. The room was empty. LeighAnn was going to finish what she started. Shaking her head, Kitty left LeighAnn's room and ran back downstairs.

Sam had just arrived with her buggy when she got outside. "Thanks, Sam." She tossed his way as she jumped in, grabbed the reins and raced out of town, heading south.

As Matt rode down the road towards the Wails ranch, with Kitty not too far behind, LeighAnn stood in a small grove of trees just at the edge of the property watching the house and the barn to the west of it. She wasn't positive this was the place or the owner of this place was Baines. But she was determined to find out. Kitty had said the ranch was about 5 miles south of town so this should be it.

Steadying herself against a tree, LeighAnn checked her pocket to make sure her gun was still there. It was. She planned on using that gun as soon as she was able to pin Baines to a wall. Reliving those memories with Kitty was hard. But in a way it helped. She almost felt like Kitty understood how she'd felt, though she doubted that. Still, the exercise of relating that horrible experience had intensified her desire to finish what she'd started. Once she killed Baines, she told herself, she could be free and maybe, just maybe she could sleep at night.

Matt was about a mile from the ranch when he heard a buggy coming fast upon him from behind. Reining in, he stopped and waited to see who was coming so fast. He didn't have to wait too long. A few moments after he stopped, Kitty came racing around the bend. Moving to the side of the road, Matt flagged her down.

"Kitty? What in the world are you doing out here? What's the hurry?" He asked when she pulled up alongside him.

"It's LeighAnn." Kitty answered, trying to catch her breath. "She was gone by the time I got back to the Long Branch. Matt, she's gone to Wails ranch. I just know it. She's going to kill that man if we can't stop her."

Matt nodded. "You're probably right. But look, you stay here. I don't you in harms way. I'll go on to the ranch. Maybe I can get there before she does anything."

Kitty didn't reply as she watched Matt turn start racing that last mile down the road. For several moments, Kitty sat, letting her horse catch its breath before raising the reins and snapping them. She had a feeling LeighAnn might need her. She planned to be there.

TBC