Meade
Matt sat across from Peggy and Owen at their kitchen table. The three boys were told to go out back and collect wood for the stove, and sensing the tension in the room, were happy for the task. The slice of apple pie Peggy pressed upon the marshal sat untouched, next to a cup of coffee that was growing cold. He leaned forward and looked intently into Peggy's big grey eyes. She pressed her hands together, almost as if in prayer and spoke softly, "Marshal Dillon, I'm sure Owen told you, we would never do anything to hurt Kitty or that was bad for her. She's my oldest friend. We were little girls together in New Orleans. My own children love her like an aunt. We…"
"Where is she, and why did you say she was dead?"
Peggy looked at her husband. He nodded in agreement. They had to tell this man the truth. She took a deep breath. "Soon after Kitty arrived for a visit, a man came knocking at the door. I opened it and my jaw just dropped. He was fine, so fine. Just middling tall with a pleasant face – but his clothes – and the way he carried himself - oh my. His suit was richer looking than fancy folk in magazines. And the way he held himself and lifted his chin – it was like a prince or something. A real gold watch hung from his vest pocket, and that vest was embroidered like – well like I imagine royalty would wear. I'm embarrassed to say I just stared at him until he spoke, and his voice was smooth as cream -
"Excuse me Madam, I don't mean to intrude. My name is Joshua. I was traveling to Dodge City to see a woman named Kitty Russell. I took a wrong turn and ended up here, but to my surprise I spotted her getting off the stage in town this morning. After making inquiries, I learned she is staying with you. I'd like the honor of having a word with her."
I was about to go get Kitty when I heard her voice.
"Josh, is that really you after all these years. What are you doing in Meade, Kansas?"
Peggy nervously fingered her coffee cup. "He kind of pointed outside. Kitty gave a little shrug and went with him. She came back alone a little bit later, and said she knew Joshua a while back and now that they spoke, he was moving on."
Matt's eyes remained fixed on Peggy's. "But he didn't move on, did he? He wanted something."
"Yes, but Marshal is was all for the good."
Owen put a reassuring hand on Peggy's arm, "Sweetheart, I'll tell the next part. Marshal, Kitty hadn't visited for a time, and Peggy never wrote to her about our problems. That's not our way. When Kitty got here and saw how things were, she gave me all the money she had in her purse. I was ashamed – real ashamed, besides I knew Kitty's travel money wouldn't go too far. Anyway, I went to town to buy what I could, and was standing outside the store, thinkin' real dark thoughts, when that Joshua man came over. He started saying how he was once a common gambler, but he got smart with his winnings, and starting shipping some kind of valuables – he never said exactly what. Anyways, he's rich now and living in London, but as good as his life is, it's missing one thing, Kitty. He knew her back in the day and always loved her, but wanted to be a success before asking her to marry him. That's why he came looking for her. Problem was, when he came here and proposed, Kitty said she wasn't good enough for a rich, successful man who lived all fancy-like in Europe. Marshal, I know Kitty's a good woman, but with working in saloons all her life, I could see how she might come to that conclusion. Anyways, Joshua was desperate to convince her to marry him. He was sure if she experienced the life he was offering, she'd see that she fit in. Marshal Dillon, that made sense to me and Peggy, and Joshua had a plan. If we helped, he'd express his gratitude with money – more money than we'd ever seen in our lives. Money that we needed. All we'd be doin' was sending Kitty to a better life than she was living.
Peggy nodded. "Joshua gave Owen a packet of sleeping powders to mix in water. Mind you, nothing that would hurt Kitty – just something to make her sleep. I took her riding that night, and when we got off our horses to relax I gave her a drink of water with those powders mixed in. She fell asleep and Joshua came by with his buggy. Marshal, it was a fine looking wagon with two big strong horses, and he set Kitty's in it with her head on a satin pillow like she was a princess."
Matt tried to keep his voice even. "Why did you say she was dead?"
Peggy's lips trembled. "That was real hard, but it was part of Joshua's plan, and it made sense. He said that in Dodge, Kitty was just a saloon woman. He didn't want anyone following her, to convince her she wasn't good enough for a better life. He said, there might even be j-j-jealous men coming after her for their own selfish reasons."
"I see, and you believed all that? What else?"
"Just that we should say the money came from Kitty's will, and to wait a week or so before spending any. That way it would look like it was sent by Kitty's bank or somethin,' Joshua didn't what any attention paid to him."
"He seems to have thought of everything." Matt got to his feet, casting a long shadow across the table.. "Did you really believe Kitty didn't want to go with him; because she thought she wasn't good enough? Did you really think her friends from Dodge would think that too? Seems to me you committed a crime of aiding and abetting a kidnapping. The kidnapping of a friend, for money."
Peggy looked up sharply. "Marshal, she'll have a fine life. She'll be married to a wealthy man who can give her everything she needs and wants. A woman can't – shouldn't – walk away from a thing like that. Kitty won't have to worry about food, or- or her house falling down around her. When she has children, she won't have to worry about them going hungry or not getting the medical care they need. You can't tell me that's a bad thing."
Owen looked at Matt through moist eyes, and spoke through gritted teeth, "My wife and children were fading away, my boy was going blind. I needed to turn this farm around. In exchange for all of that, Kitty was given over to a wealthy man who wanted to marry her, and give her a good life. If you were me, what would you have done?"
Matt stared at the man for a moment and turned to leave, "They have almost a week's head start. Where were they headed, and what's this Joshua's last name?"
Owen shrugged "He never mentioned a last name, but he said he was driving to Wichita to get on train to New York City. From there they'd take a ship to Europe.
Matt pulled the door open, but looked back over his shoulder. "Good luck to Petey with his operation.." He hurried outside and got on his horse.
"Marshal, marshal." Peggy came running from the house. "Marshal Dillon, think long and hard before you go after Kitty. She never said much to me about it, but I could tell you meant something special to her, and you coming after her tells me you feel the same. But Joshua can give her so much more than you can. She can have security, money, a good life. What can you offer her?"
"Peggy, Kitty deserves to make her own decisions about her life, what she wants and what's best for her. She knew who Joshua was, and had to be drugged to go with him. Do you really believe, in your heart, that she didn't go willingly because she thought she wasn't good enough?"
"I – I only want what's best for Kitty – and for everyone. She'll thank me in the end."
Matt tugged his reins and took off without looking back. Wichita was three days from Meade and Kitty had been gone almost a week. She was likely on a train to New York City, or even on a ship to Europe. On the other hand she was taken against her will, and if he knew Kitty, and he did, she'd be trying to sabotage the trip. If she'd slowed things down enough, maybe – just maybe he could catch up, and head them off in Wichita before they got on a train. Matt urged his horse faster.
Kitty
Kitty watched Joshua grab two canteens from the buggy, and disappear round the bend to fill them in a water fall. He wasn't in the best of moods. They should have reached Wichita days ago, but inexplicable mishaps and accidents had plagued their trip.
Kitty slid down from her seat in the buggy, to arrange for another such mishap. Lucky for her, Joshua felt thirsty enough to go fill those canteens, instead of pressing on to Wichita. According to the sign on the road, it was just 3 miles away. Kitty pressed her lips together in concentration. Josh had used wheel locks so she couldn't drive off. But she figured releasing the horses would be a good move, before making a run for it. She tugged at the harness, nimbly undid a big buckle, and moved to a smaller one. A smile touched her lips – if Matt could see her doing this, he'd be proud. "Oh Matt." She didn't realize she'd uttered his name aloud, as the smile fell from her face. Josh said folks in Dodge were told that she was dead. That meant Matt, and others she cared about, was suffering right now. Few people realized how deep her big, strong lawman felt things, but she knew he'd be missing her and hurting bad.
The halter loosened quickly and hope for escape rose in her heart. Truth was, Matt thinking she was dead made her consider something else. He wouldn't be out looking for her – turning over every rock and stone. She was on her own. Thus far she'd managed to slow the journey quite a but, but had failed in her attempts to escape the maniac who kept insisting he was taking her to Europe.
The halter fell away. Two big, broad, handsome horses stood unhitched to the buggy, calmly looking around. Mustering all the force she could, she whacked each one on the rump. They cantered away. Kitty smiled. Josh would have his hands finding his horses. She picked a direction and took off.
"Not so fast, my dear."
TBC
