The Sound of Thunder Rumbling

Chapter 2

Kitty stood in the window above Front Street and watched Matt ride away.

Once again he blamed himself for the evil that Will Mannon had brought into their lives. A well of sadness with depthless bottom filled her as she watched him turn his back and leave. Matt was always good at leaving everything unsaid.

Wrapping her arms around herself, both in an effort to hold herself together and keep warm, she startled at the sound of glass crunching behind her, and the sixty year old woman flinched when the hand firmly took her shoulder, until she heard the words, "Mother? Are you alright? What the hell's going on here?"

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Matt Dillon camped down by Silver Creek. His old fishing spot was still there, but he had to go a little further back to have privacy than he used to.

His 70ish bones ached when he unfolded his thin, long self onto his worn out bedroll.

He couldn't shake the look of pain and hurt from Kitty's face when he turned away. No matter how hard he tried, this time he couldn't push it back far enough into the recesses of his mind.

Why hadn't he even asked how she was? Just taken her in his arms one more time?

Matt threw one more piece of half rotten wood into the fire and then leaned back against his saddle. His wound ached like a sore tooth and he couldn't seem to get comfortable. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get warm enough.

The fire's crackling and the dancing flames were hypnotic and eventually his old body fell into a restless doze.

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Lena tucked her exhausted mother into bed. She had gotten a pan of warm water from Hannah downstairs and cleaned her mother's face and helped her get dressed in her nightgown.

A large bruise colored her mother's cheek, and it'd been a long time since she'd seen her look so tired—or defeated. Lena didn't like it.

Not arguing with her was a bad sign. Her mother always put up a fuss when someone tried to take care of her. Not this time. It seemed like something inside her had broken, and she was spent.

Her mother had left her in New Orleans, to continue her studies at Newcombe Memorial College. Her mother's message was that she had an emergency back in Dodge, where she still owned half of the Long Branch Saloon, and to telegraph her if there was an emergency and to not disrupt her studies.

The 18 year old had bought a ticket to Dodge City, Kansas, the morning after receiving the message, and now she was here. Never had Lena been left without her mother telling her goodbye in person. They hadn't been apart since she was six years old, and Kitty had returned to New Orleans for good.

Something was wrong, and, by damn, she intended to find out what was going on. Her entire life had been filled not so much with secrets but by things left unsaid—or not enough said.

In this dusty backwater, Lena would finally get to the bottom of it. Here, in Dodge City, where most of her mother's old life lay.

Hannah assessed the tall, auburn haired young woman stride down the stairs like she had someone's ass to kick and couldn't wait to get to it. She had known that this one was going to be trouble from the time the girl had stepped up to the doors of the Long Branch and asked where she could find her mother. Chaos was still reining in the street, but it hadn't stopped this one. This child had a steel backbone. She was gonna need it, the old barkeeper thought.

Hannah watched as she approached her table, coffee pot and cups at the ready.

"Coffee?"

The young woman nodded.

"You got a name," the older woman asked, pushing the cup across to her.

"Lena. Kitty is my mother."

The blue eyes were striking and penetrated right into Hannah, daring her to say anything, ready to defend the woman upstairs.

"I know who you are. I saw you once a long time ago. I'm glad you're here actually. Your mama needs you."

Lena took a sip from the cup, her good manners not masked by the temper that she had raging at the moment.

"Good coffee. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I know what you want, but I don't think I should be the one to tell you. That should be your mama's job or your daddy's."

"My daddy's? Yeah, like that's gonna happen. It's not like he's handy to ask, is he?"

"No, but I bet I know someone who could help you find him."

Lena shot her a strange questioning look.

"Who can help?"

"Newly O'Brian, marshal in town." Hannah jerked her head in the direction of the US Marshal's Office. "Building on the corner, across the street. He should be there. Ask Newly if he knows where to find him."

The young woman glanced back up toward where her mama was sleeping.

"Don't worry," Hannah said, reading her mind. "I'll take care of your mother."

Pushing the cup back across the scarred table, Lena said, "Appreciate the help. Tell her I'll be back as soon as I can."

Hannah watched her stride to the doors, then said aloud to the empty room, "Well, she's got her father's conversational skills."

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A knock at the door drew a rough "Come in" from Newly O'Brien. It had been a long, crappy day and he thought he had wrapped it up. Apparently not.

Newly had seen the striking young woman before when she had left the train station. At that time, she had worn a royal blue traveling dress and jacket, but now she was dressed in men's pants, a tucked flannel shirt, and boots. Her hair was pulled into a tight pony tail.

"Hello. Are you Marshal O'Brien?"

Newly stood instinctively. "Yes, ma'am, what can I help you with?"

"A man left town earlier, after the excitement. I'd like—I want to talk to him. He—well, I need to talk to him," she finally managed to stutter out.

"May I ask your business with this man, miss? He's probably not in the best humor today. It might be better to wait," Newly said politely.

"Hannah, at the Long Branch, said he might be able to answer some questions for me concerning—about my father. While my mother is resting, I'd like to find him. I don't want to leave her alone for long."

"Your mother? Who might that be?"

"I think you know her as Miss Kitty; she used to run the Long Branch."

Newly sank back down into his chair, and the only thing he could think to say was, "I think that's wise considering what she's been through over the last 24 hours."

"And what would that be Marshal O'Brien?"

"I think that's something your mother should discuss with you, miss."

Lena narrowed her eyes. "That refrain is getting a bit tiresome. Wait until 'mama or daddy' can explain it to me. I'm not a child."

Her eyes were like blue fire, burning with an intensity that he had found familiar-now he knew why.

"May I at least know your name before I take you to this man you're in such a lather to see?"

Marshal O'Brien had a gravitas that made her trust him.

"Lena Adams."

Newly was momentarily speechless. "Adams did you say?"

"Is that a problem, sir?"

"No, no problem. I'm just surprised is all. We used to have a doctor here by the name of Adams. Any relation?"

Newly received a tight smile.

"My name is Lena, as in 'Galen'. What do you think?"