Chp 16

Matt and Bud, having left the remainder of the children home, under the watchful gaze of Martha and Jacob, raced across the Henderson ranch towards the old line shack on the edge of Graham's property. Once they got close, they slowed the horses to a walk then stopped completely when they could actually see the shack.

As there was still plenty of light, they could see most of the place as they approached. There were two horses in the corral and two men sitting outside of the decrepit little building, neath the shade of an oak tree. Though obviously relaxed they were both intently scanning the area around them. Matt recognized the man with the scar on his forehead as being Fletcher Parsons and the other man, although he didn't know his name, he'd seen at Graham's place as well.

He was now sure he'd been right and Kitty and Georgie were most likely in that shack. Pointing to his right, he sent Bud in one direction and he went in the opposite one. Both of them stayed low, hidden in the underbrush until they had circled the building.

Slowly and methodically, Matt crept up onto the two unsuspecting kidnappers until he was right behind them, his gun up and aimed at their backs.

"Alright, you two." He suddenly yelled at them. "Throw your guns away and put your hands up."

Almost too easily, the men did as ordered and sat calmly while Matt came around and towards him. Something was wrong. His instincts told him, he'd just walked into a trap.

And his instincts were right.

Before he could get any closer, the door of the shack opened and another man emerged, Kitty in front of him, his arm around her slender neck, a gun to her temple. In her arms, she held Georgie close.

"Thought you'd figure out where they are. Throw that gun over here and put your hands up." Parsons grinned as he gained his feet and reclaimed his gun and then picked up Matt's. He looked around before returning his gaze to Matt. "Don't tell me you come alone."

"That's right," Matt answered loudly so that Bud could hear him and hopefully stay hidden. "I came alone. I don't want the kids involved in this." He glanced over at Kitty to make sure she was relatively okay, despite the arm around her throat and the gun pointed at her head. "She shouldn't be mixed up in this either. Why don't you let her and the boy go? You got me."

Parsons laughed as though that was the funniest thing he'd heard all day. "Yeah, we sure do. And we got her and that brat too. And we ain't aiming on letting any of ya go, until we get what we want."

"Matt?" Kitty choked as she tried to call to him, the man was beginning to cut off her air.

Matt glanced over at her and could see her distress, but at the moment he had no solution for it. "It's alright, Kitty." He tried to reassure her. He glared at Parsons. "Alright, you have all three of us. What do you plan on doing with us?"

Parson's shrugged. "Ain't up to me. Boss'll be here in just a little bit and he'll decide what to do. My instructions were to wait til you showed up and then hold ya. Which is jes what I'm gonna do." Pointing his gun at Matt's chest, he nodded back towards the cabin. "Go on, git in there."

Bud sat outside in the shrubbery on the right hand side of the shack, watching as Matt, Miss Kitty and Georgie were pushed back inside the shack. Running a shaky hand through his hair, he sat still, trying to decide what to do.

He'd heard the Marshal say he was alone, which meant he didn't want them to know Bud was there. But what could he do? No matter how hard he tried to show otherwise, he was a 17 year old kid. And if these men could outsmart the Marshal, then what chance did he have to outsmart them?

But one thing was for certain, he knew he'd never be able to do this by himself. He could try and ride for town, but the five hour trip there and back would take too long and heaven only knew what could happen by then.

Suddenly it dawned on him. He knew where to go to get help that was a whole lot closer. And if he played his cards right, what he was thinking, would not only save the Marshal and Miss Kitty, but his ranch as well.

Quietly as he could, Bud slipped backwards, staying in the cover of the surrounding foliage until he could regain his horse and ride.

Inside the decrepit little shack, Matt, Kitty and Georgie were quickly tied up with their hands behind their backs. Matt was shoved to the floor and Georgie was sat down hard beside him. But the men had other plans for Kitty.

Grasping her arm, they took her over to the filthy little bed in the corner, pushing her down onto it. Kitty shrank back from the men surrounding her, darting frightened eyes in Matt's direction.

"Leave her alone." Matt demanded, as he tried to gain his feet.

But Parson's walked over and kicked him, hard, in the side. "Shut up." He snapped at him. "I ain't gonna touch her none. Boss gave orders, we ain't to hurt her." He grinned down at Matt then turned towards Kitty with a leer. "Boss wants to do that himself."

Matt knew what the vile man in front of him meant and angrily tried again to gain his feet. But three strong men kicked him back down and then added more blows to his head and midsection. When they finally finished, they stood back and laughed at the sight of the big man trussed up from head to toe, beaten to with an inch of his life and unable to do anything but sit and wait and watch.

TBC