Kitty watched Matt walk out the door with a scowl on her face. What had she expected, for the young Marshal to confess his undying love after only a month of them knowing each other? She supposed that thoughts like that weren't very practical but she still had them. She would admit, she was quite taken with Matthew Dillon and she had her sights set on being his, and he being hers, but she also supposed that they needed to figure out what was going on before that could happen. Still Kitty scowled at the door that Matt Dillon had just walked out through.
Matt left Kitty's room and went back to the bar room and then headed across the street to his office. He opened the door to the jail and found Chester, sharpening his knife and singing.
"And all he made was his own grave when he crossed the path of killer Dave." Chester was singing, then he saw Matt. "Oh hello Mr. Dillon."
"Chester. Anything been going on why I've been out?"
"No. Doc stopped by, said to tell you that the girl he had up in his office says she remebered that the girl who attacked her was dark haired." Chester said.
"Hmm. Chester, do you think three cases could all be related?" Matt said absently. He knew that Chester probably wouldn't be able to offer any help but Matt felt that he needed to get it out to somone.
"I don't know Mr. Dillon. I suppose they could be." Chester said, still absently running the knife blade over the wet stone in his hand.
"Where was Doc headed off to anyway?" Matt asked. Matt knew if he talked to Doc that maybe he could come to a conclusion, or at least get an idea of a where to go.
"I don't know Mr. Dillon. I suppose back to his office."
"Thank Chester. I'll see ya later." Matt said, grabbing his hat and heading out the door again.
When Matt reached Doc's office he found the other man just coming out the door. "Oh, Matt. Did Chester tell you that Ginger remember something else?"
"Yeah he did Doc. That's part of the reason why I'm here."
"Oh?" Doc asked and regarded Matt with quick look and a swipe of his mustache. "What on your mind?"
"I think that all this goin' on in Dodge with these girls is related."
"Well," Doc said with a chuckle, "I thought we had kind of established that when you were over here earlier."
"Well I've found out some more information that I think you'll find interesting." Matt said.
"Well then let's go back inside and you can tell me." Doc said.
Matt followed Doc in and then looked back towards the open door of the recovery room.
"She's gone Matt. Said that she would be more comfortable in her own room. She'll be ok, gonna be black and blue for a while but she'll be ok." Doc said. "Now, what did you find out?"
Matt related to Doc what Kitty had learned from Kate. The physician listened intently shaking his head here and there and when Matt finished he again swiped his mustache and said, "I'd say there all related Matt. Kitty's incident, Ginger and Kate, they all have a common source and that common source is this Sally girl."
"Ok. Well if Sally is the common source then what was her motive for taking into Kitty? Kitty hasn't had any fella's hanging around that knew Sally or were involved with her." As Matt said the words the realization came crashing in on him. "Me." he said. "I'm the reason for her takin' into Kitty, aren't I?"
Doc just smiled and nodded his head. "Sally always was kind of taken with you."
"How do you know that?" Matt asked, confusion lighting his eyes. Sure he had been polite to Sally but he had never encouraged any attentions from her or any other girl until Kitty and if he really thought about it he had been the one to set his attentions on her not the other way around.
"Oh I see things. I'm an observer of people you know." Doc said.
"Ok well if your such an observer of people as you say, Doc, then why is Sally trying to hurt these other girls?"
"She threatened by them." Doc said simply.
"Threatened by them? The way I understand it, none of these men have even paid attention to Sally. I mean she accused Kate of taking her beau and she wanted to know what Ginger was doing with her man, and well Kitty and I have only visited in the bar room at the Longbranch." Matt said.
"Aren't you forgeting something Matt?" Doc asked.
Matt look confused for a moment before realization washed over him. He and Kitty and went fishing out at Buckwater Creek the day of her accident. Then they had went to supper and he had walked her back to the back stairs of the Longbranch. He had also kissed her that evening for the first time. Sally could have seen any of those things and then waited for Kitty. "By golly Doc, I think I understand what's goin' on."
"Well that's good Matt, why don't you enlighten me now."
"Doc is it possible this girl is dilussional?"
"Well sure it's possible. You thinkin' that maybe she is thinkin that she has a relationship with you and Slim Harper and that dead gambler?" Doc asked.
Matt nodded. "I sure do Doc."
Sally was in her room at the Longbranch, she knew that people would be wondering where she was at but she didn't want to go out and about. She had never expected that girl from the Lady Gay to be such a fighter, especially when she was out with a man that that didn't belong with her. Sally just couldn't understand why all these other girls were so jelous and set on taking away the men that were obviously smitten with her. Why she thought that she was going to have to secretly kill that nasty Kate for taking up with Slim after she saw them together and then there was Matt, that one hurt most of all. How could he take up with Kitty when he knew that she was so terribly in love with him. Then there was Tolly, dear sweet Jim, she hadn't intended to kill him but when he told her that he didn't love her that he wanted to be with that Ginger or whatever her name was, well she had just snapped and supposed she had went a little crazy as well. Why how dare Jim when he had the affections of her. Sally was sitting in front her dressing table brushing out her hair, when there was a knock at her door. Hmm, maybe it's Matt. She thought to herself. She wouldn't be suprised if he came to see her in the middle of the day. She got up and went to the door and opened it. "Oh, Matt. How nice to see you!" she said, her voice sugary and sweet.
"Sally,I need you to come over to my office with me?"
"Whatever for? Did I do something wrong Matt?"
Matt didn't say anything just stepped back to allow Sally to come out the door.
Sally came out and then stopped and stood with her arm crooked for Matt to take it. When he didn't she cast him a pouty look and proceded before him.
Matt didn't say anything the whole way to the jail all he could think about was how he was going to go about handling a woman. He couldn't really put her into jail because she was a women but he also had to uphold the law and the law said that murder was wrong. When he walked in the jail with Sally, Chester was there, darning socks. When he saw the woman he looked embarassed and put the sock behind his back. "Oh hello Mr. Dillon. Miss Sally."
"Chester, do you have something you can go and do?" Matt said.
"No, not really Mr. Dillon." Chester said giving Matt and innocent grin. Then realizing that Matt wanted him to leave he suddenly said, "Oh. I mean yeah Mr. Dillon I think ole Moss down at the stable wanted my help this afternoon." He threw the sock down on his cot and headed out the door.
Once Chester was gone and Matt had seated Sally he sat down on the edge of his desk and said, "Sally where were you three days ago, in the evening?"
"Are you asking me about that whole silly thing with Kitty again, Matt?" Sally said with a small laugh. "Why I've already told you that I didn't see or hear anything."
Matt kept his face expressionless as he said, "Sally, I know that you were the one that pushed Kitty down those stairs."
Sally put a hand over her heart and looked shocked, almost shocked enough to convince Matt once again that she had had nothing to do with what happened. Then she spoke, "Oh Matt, I don't know why your worrying about Kitty any how. I mean have you ever seen such a pouty woman?"
Again Matt kept his face expressionless when he said, "I'm not only worried about Kitty. I'm worried about the girl that you beat black and blue last night, the man that you stabbed to death and the girl that you attemped attempted to stab."
"Why Matt! How dare you accuse me of doing such horrible things?" Sally said, placing a hand over her heart and sucking in a breath.
Doc had the perfect timing then to show up with Ginger in tow. When the other woman walked in she began to cry and said, "That's her Marshal. That's her! She did this to me and she-she killed James."
"Why-why," Sally stammered. "Matt, darling, how can you allow this woman to make such accusations towards me?" Then Sally too, began to cry.
"That's enough Sally." Matt said quietly. "It's over, it's done. Your going to jail for murder and assult." He said as he moved towards her.
"No!" Sally screamed, standing and reaching behind her. She pulled the knife from behind her so quickly that Matt didn't even see it. Rather he felt it, as Sally wildly swung at him slicing into the flesh of his left arm. "No!" she screamed again. "I didn't do such a thing! Matt, Matt, you have to believe me! I love you, Matt."
Matt grabbed her arms and watched as the knife fell to the floor with a clatter. "Sally Fullerton you are under arrest for murder and assult." Matt said. Then he pushed the crying, screaming woman back towards the cell. She continued to scream as Matt pushed into a cell and locked the door. Then he came out, shut the door between the cells and the office and said to Doc. "Do you mind Doc?" motioning towards his bleeding arm.
Ginger had watched the whole scene with her mouth agape. "Thank you Marshal."
"Nothing to thank me for Ginger, it's my job"
"Still Marshal, I thank you." the girls said before turning and walking out the door.
Doc was looking at Matt's arm. "This isn't to bad, Matt. Deep but not ver long."
"Does it need stitches?" Matt asked.
"Yes, I'd say that it does." Doc said.
Chester came running in then, "Mr. Dillon, someone said there was an awful ruckus goin' on over here!"
"No, it's all over now Chester." Matt said. "I'm going over to Doc's and then to see Miss Kitty. Think you can handle things here?"
"Sure Mr. Dillon, but what am I handlin'?" Chester asked.
"I've got Sally Fullerton locked up in back, don't let her sweet talk you in to letting her out either." Matt said as he walked out the door.
"Oh I won't Mr. Dillon." Chester said, a big goofy grin on his face.
Matt went with Doc over to his office to have the cut on his arm stitched and then he headed across the street to the Longbranch. When he went in and up the stairs he noticed that the bar tender actually looked at him that time and with more than a little speculation. He climbed the stairs more slowly this time and then went to Kitty's door. He knocked and waited for her to come to the door.
"Who's there?" Kitty called. She was just finishing dressing so that she could leave the room, the confinement was driving her crazy.
"It's Matt." Matt said from the other side of the door.
Kitty opened the door and tilted her head back to look up at the tall man before her. "Matt, what brings you back today?" she asked.
Matt smiled when he saw that Kitty was moving around much better and also dressed. Not that he hadn't liked the view her sitting around in her dressing gown had given him. "It's all over Kitty. I figured out who pushed you down those stairs."
"Oh Matt! Thank goodness!" Kitty said. "Who was it?"
"Sally." Matt said simply.
"Oh Matt." Kitty said. "What did you do with her?"
"I had to lock her up Kitty. I didn't have much choice." Matt said, running a hand through his hair
"Well I'm glad that it's over Matt."
"So am I Kitty, so am I." Matt said.
Aww, the Psycho Sally saga is over but have no fear this story is not. Hope you enjoyed. Please R&R!
