Matt nodded before he stood up. He wanted to believe the girl but without hard evidence to support her claim, he found himself at an impasse.
"We'll talk again," he said leaving the room.
Doc shook his head as Festus looked just as bewildered as Matt felt.
"What ya want ta do now," he asked as Matt put his hat on.
"Nothing," he said looking at Doc. "You let me know if she talks about anything having to do with the attack."
"Sure, Matt," Doc said with a nod as the Marshal left the physician's office.
"Doc," Kitty said quietly. "You need me to stay here tonight with her?"
"No, Kitty," Doc said shaking his head. "I think she'll sleep all night, it'll be alright. You go home and if I need you, I'll come get you."
"Alright," Kitty said following Matt and Festus out the door.
When Doc poked his head back into the spare room, Liza had her eyes closed and the steady rhythm of her rising and falling chest told the doctor she was asleep.
Deciding to retire early himself, he turned down the lamp in his office before heading into his own bedroom.
Eddie watched from the shadows of the alley way as Dodge finally fell into darkness.
Making his way toward the stable, he stopped when he heard the jingle of spurs and the foot falls that accompanied it.
Watching the deputy check the doors of various buildings as he went, he clinched his jaw when he seen the man enter the stable and not come out.
Poking his head into the door of the darkened and large building, he took a steady breath when he found no one inside.
The two seater buggy he scoped out earlier with the leather top sat against a wall next to a horse and mule.
He wondered which animal would be tamer as well as quite and chose the large jack mule over the horse.
Overly tired from the last couple of days, Festus snored soundly from his cot in the tack room. Obviously to what was going on just beyond his door, Eddie was able to slowly approached Ruth and grabbed his reins.
Pulling the mule gently forward, he went behind him to connect Doc's harness that controlled the buggy and then quietly lead the mule and buggy toward the door of the stable.
Once the rig was outside, Eddie climbed into it and drove the buggy into the alley behind Doc's office and stopped it.
Reaching into the band of his pants, he pulled out a pistol and headed quietly up the stairs.
Doc finished dressing for bed before crossing his bedroom to the table that held a pitcher of water and a large bowl.
Pouring some water into a clear glass, he drank the contents before heading back to the bed.
A creak from a floorboard stopped him in his tracks and he wondered if Liza was needed him.
Quickly slipping on a robe and slippers, he opened his bedroom door and froze as a figure turned in his direction.
But Doc had been though and seen to much to be frightened now of any stranger.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"I come for my sister," Eddie said raising the pistol. "I don't want no trouble!"
"Your sister?" Doc replied questionably as he stepped forward. "What's your name?"
Matt finished filling out his report about the conversation with Liza before pushing out his chair and standing up.
Stretching slight, he looked at the clock on his way and yawned when he realized how late it was.
Heading into the alcove where he slept, the Marshal took a seat on his cot and reached down to pull his boots off when the door to the jail swung wildly open.
"Doc!" Matt yelled as the older man stumbled inside.
Matt was across the room in less than two seconds as the physician with his hand on his head, fell to his knees.
"Doc!" Matt said grabbing his friend by the arms and hoisting him up to his feet. "What's wrong?"
"My head," Doc muttered as Matt pulled his hand away. Blood seeped from a wound near the doctor's temple. "What happened?"
"Don't rightly know," Doc said as Matt lead him to the table in the center of his office. "Some kid hit me and took off with the girl!"
"A kid?" Matt said grabbing a clean cloth and some water. "Where'd he go?"
"Not sure," Doc replied slightly confused. "By the time I came to, they were gone!"
"Eddie," Liza said holding onto the seat of the buggy as best she could. "Please slow down?"
"Can't," Eddie said glancing over at her. "We got to get away as far as we can!"
"I know but my leg," Liza said painfully. "It's hurting bad!"
"I'm sorry, sis," Eddie said with a boyish smile. "I'll slow down in a bit, there's an abandoned cabin not far from here we can stop and rest."