Matt had spent the past two nights in his office, having put up his old boyhood friend Rex Sullivan there. The cowboy had money for lodgings, but would spend so much time drinking and talking in the Long Branch that he would always end up back at the jail late each night, too drunk to go anywhere else.

"Rex, when did you start drinking so heavily?" Matt asked tentatively as they walked to the Long Branch the third night. "Maybe you should take it a little easy."

"Oh, come on Matt! I can handle it! You just were too young during my wild days down in Texas!" the dark-haired handsome man said, slapping his tall friend on the back. Matt felt a twinge of uneasiness but dismissed it when recalling what a good pal Rex had been when he was sixteen and Matt a gawky thirteen-year-old.

Sitting at their usual table in the Long Branch, Kitty, Doc, and Chester smiled at the jovial man as he told stories of when he and Matt caroused about together in Texas. Matt looked down into his beer, good-naturedly shaking his head back and forth at the exaggerations of his own participation.

Kitty had felt a growing discomfort around Rex Sullivan since his arrival three nights ago, and despite being happy for Matt to have his old friend visit, would be glad when the man rode back to Texas. It wasn't just not being able to spend the nights with Matt, but the drunken reason bothered her. Mainly, it was the increasingly lustful way the big man's eyes moved over her body whenever he thought Matt wasn't looking.

Before parting again that night until the next day, Matt followed her to the bar, leaned down, and whispered in her ear.

"It shouldn't be more than another night or two, Darlin'," he said softly. "Thanks for understanding. Rex was like an older brother to me back then."

Kitty looked up and smiled as their eyes met. She would willingly put up with Matt's obnoxious friend for as long as necessary despite her feeling of unease.

Later that night Sullivan attacked her. When he crawled out of the alley after being kneed and clawed, he made his way back to the Marshal's dark office and curled up in the side entrance niche to sleep it off. By the time Matt unlocked the front door early the next morning, Sullivan was relaxing in one of the wooden chairs out front.

"Howdy Matt! How 'bout some breakfast after I shave?" He grinned and rubbed his stubble.

Matt narrowed his eyes at the fresh scratches raking his friend's left cheek.

""What's that from, Rex?" he asked as he pointed at his face.

"Oh, one of those saloon tarts didn't agree with my methods," he laughed. "You know how they all are, Matt." Rex winked conspiratorially.

"Did you hurt her?" Matt's voice had turned cold and stern.

Sullivan saw something fierce in his old friend's eyes, and paused before answering.

"Of course not, Matt!" he said with a chuckle. "I never have a problem attracting women! Sometimes I just pick the wrong one."

The big Marshal looked down at his boots for a few moments in silence, cleared his throat, then sadly looked his old boyhood friend in his bloodshot eyes.

"Rex, I think it would be a good idea if you left town soon…today…after a farewell breakfast. I'm saying this as the law here, and also as a friend."

Doc and Chester were approaching down the boardwalk, bickering as usual until Doc noticed the tension between the two big men ahead.

Rex glanced over at the two men, grateful for a chance to direct Matt's focus of attention from him.

"Hi fellas! You're just in time to go to Delmonico's with us!" he hollered with a big grin on his scruffy face.

Matt sighed. A patient man, he would press Rex to leave after they ate, and would not be deterred.

Doc met Rex Sullivan's grin with a steely glare, still seeing Kitty lying on his stoop, too battered to stand up.

"You'll have to excuse me. I have calls to make. Matt. I have something here for you." He spoke in a cold, clipped tone as he held out his hand with a note from Kitty in it.

Both Chester and Matt looked at Doc quizzically, then at each other, rarely having heard him speak in such a stiff, unfriendly manner.

Taking the note, Matt saw Doc nod his head slightly and move a little away from Rex and Chester, so he turned away from the others and read it:

"Matt,

I had to leave town suddenly last night for an emergency. I am fine and staying with friends. I will be back as soon as I can. Please be careful.

Kitty"

He could hear Rex chattering away at Chester in his usual bragging manner, but tuned it out as he sought Doc's eyes for a clue of explanation.

Doc hated to see the pained expression on the face of the young man he cared for like a son. Matt never pried into Kitty's life and only accepted what she was willing to give, always respecting her enough to wait for her to confide in him. But a cold piece of paper rather than in-person words hurt.

"Rex, please excuse me, but you'll have to go to breakfast with only Chester. I need to talk to Doc," Matt said, taking the old doctor by his arm and guiding him into his office.

Chester found Matt's Texan friend to be exhausting and uncomfortable to be around. He wasn't quite sure why, and felt bad about it, but didn't want to spend time alone with the man.

"Uh, me too, Mr. Dillon. I gotta check on the horses like I promised Moss," the young man stuttered out as he backed away, turned, and hop-ran towards the stable.

"Well Matt, I guess I'll see you a little later!" Sullivan was secretly relieved as his stomach was clenched worrying whether that redheaded saloon woman recognized him in the dark alley and would squeal on him. The otherwise clever cowboy was totally oblivious about Kitty's importance to Matt, thinking of her as "just another saloon tart." Now he could skip eating and hurry to the Long Branch to look for her.