Rescue or Recovery?

PT.18

The train pulled in to the St. Louis station mid-morning. Doc quickly hailed a carriage, requesting they take him to the hospital. There was no doubt in his mind Matt would have taken Kitty there and found her the best care possible. But he still knew Matt didn't trust too many people, which explained his request for him. This brought a slight smile to his lips.

As they arrived at the front entry, Doc stood looking at the hospital, amazed. He always dreamed of working in a big city hospital with all the modern facilities. Yes, he loved his patients in Dodge City. He knew he was needed there, but with all the advances in medicine… He just shook his head. He was just happy at his age to witness some of the new discoveries that some of the up and coming young doctors had at their disposal.

Now entering, he was scanning the large halls, stopping at a desk, seeing a young woman busy, with her nose deep in a book. Clearing his throat, "Excuse me, Miss." At first she didn't move. "Excuse me, I'm Doctor…"

Before he could finish, she looked up. "Oh! Oh, excuse me, Doctor. I'm so sorry. What can I do for you?"

"As I was saying, I'm Doctor Galen Adams, from Dodge City, Kansas and I'm here to see a patient of mine. I understand she is here, or so I've been told."

"Well, Doctor , if you'll tell me her name, I'll look."

"Well, yes, Kitty Russell. I don't know who is treating her, but she would have been brought in by a Marshal Matt Dillon, I believe. Um, I'm sorry, but I don't have any details."

The young nurse looked in her log. "Yes, yes, Doctor. Miss Russell is on the second floor. She is Dr. Madison's patient. Oh, poor woman. She's in pretty serious condition but when you talk with Dr. Madison he can explain to you all the details. If you go down the hall, there are the stairs."

"Thank you for your help." Doc nodded. As he walked down the hall, he repeated to himself, "Serious condition."

Matt sat at the head of Kitty's bed with her curled up in his arms, when the morning nurse entered. Covering her mouth, to prevent making a sound, inhaling, then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Ssshhh." Now looking over her shoulder, Doc was standing there, winking at her.

"It's fine."

She started to say, "But this is against…"

Shaking his head, he quickly interjected, "Its fine. I promise, I'll handle this." He led her back out of the room, and moved closer to the bed, walking around and placing a kiss on Kitty's forehead. He could feel she was fevered. "Aw, honey…"

Matt began to still and was now focusing. "Doc?"

Nodding, "Yeah, Matt, it's me."

"How long you been here?"

"Just got in." He answered. "Matt, what happened? How is she?"

Matt slowly slid out of the bed, and moved over to two chairs by the window. "Ah, Doc, it's a long story."

"Well, damn it, Matt, you brought me all this way and yes of course I'd come to make sure we take care of Kitty and get her better, get her well, bring her home. But, Matt…"

"Well, Doc, you know Kitty came here for business."

"Yeah, and a wedding. So?"

"Well, this Lemp character apparently didn't tell Kitty there were problems such as he had made some bad decisions that caused him to lose money."

"Ok, Matt, what am I missing?"

"I'm getting to that." Matt continued.

"So, Lemp's answer to his problem was to make some deal with a banker named Shaw to bail him out at a price, a rather high price, his daughter. But what Shaw really wanted was to take over the family business control."

"Ok, Matt, I still don't see where this effects Kitty?"

"Hang on, Doc. This Shaw realized Kitty owned a very large portion of Lemp Brewery stock and she overheard what was going on. Hilda, the daughter, also had taken Kitty into her confidence, asking Kitty to help her. She was unhappy about her father using her as a pawn. And well, Doc, you know Kitty."

"Ok, then what?" Doc pushed for more.

"Well, this Shaw decided he had to get rid of Kitty, he kidnapped Kitty. He held her on his boat, down on the river and when he knew I was here in St. Louis, and that the constable was on to him, he had his men tie her up and toss her overboard into the river."

"Good heavens, Matt, what in thunder? Why she couldn't…" He was now covering his face.

She was in the water, for about half an hour, Doc, when I finally got to her, she was barely breathing, cold and bluish-gray. Dr. Madison is worried about pneumonia. He did ask about the surgery you did after she was shot by Bonner. He's concerned about her lungs. Then, last night Shaw snuck in here dressed as a doctor and tried to smother her with a pillow."

"WHAT?" Doc snapped.

"Yeah, but we interrupted him. That's why I'm not leaving her alone."

"Where is he now, Matt?"

"Constable Morrow has him locked up."

"Matt, I'd like to speak to this Dr. Madison. Maybe between both of us…"

"Sure, Doc, anything. Please, you have to help her. Doc, please, I can't lose her. You know that." He now buried his face in his hands. "Please, tell me I wasn't too late, Doc?"

Doc wrapped his arms around the large man he revered as his son. "NO! I refuse to hear that, Matt. I won't hear that."

TBC