PT.11
My Family, My Choice!
La Rogue Manor
Patrice, Paul and Edward LaTrese were all gathered in the library at the manor. Patrice was pacing in a panic. "Mr. LaTrese, are you sure this is going to work? How do you know for sure she won't remember? And what if she does? You don't know my cousin Kathleen. She has always been the stubborn one, even as a child, well so Father has always said." She just kept ranting.
Finally Paul took her by the shoulders. "Dear Patrice, trust me. Trust us. We will handle this. Cousin Kathleen is no match for us."
Then LaTrese put his arm around her. "Look, my dear woman. I told you, I would see to it that Kathleen Russell would be taken care of and would no longer present a problem. And now with your aunt and Miss Russell out of the picture, you are the next likely heiress to the La Rogue fortune."
Then Paul suggested that Patrice retire to her room and rest. She agreed.
Dodge City, Kansas
Barney rushed to Doc's office. "Doc! Doc! You in here?" He flung open the door, startling Doc.
"What in thunder are you doing?"
"Got a wire for you, Doc, from the Marshal. It's urgent!"
"Well gimme' it." Doc began to read.
Doctor G. Adams
Dodge City, Kansas
Doc, Kitty's in trouble. Stop. Need your help. Stop. No Doc available. Stop. Can you come? Stop. Quick?
Matt
C/O Sheriff
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
Doc immediately folded the note and looked at Barney. "You tell Matt, I'm on my way." He packed a bag and headed right for the ticket office then told Newly to take over for him while he was gone. He filled Festus and Newly in on where Matt and Kitty were and that he would let them know what was going on when he got there.
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Frank made it a point to shadow Tom Murray while he was in town, trying to figure out what he could. He noticed there were men sitting around outside the Cattlemen's Association office talking about losses on investments they'd made. And Tom was telling them they were jumping the gun and worrying needlessly and that they needed to relax and give this venture a chance, that it was new.
These men were long time successful cattle ranchers. And they weren't used to sitting back and relaxing while watching their money dwindle away on investments. That was not their way. But Tom just continued to tell them it would all be fine and would work out.
Frank couldn't figure why these ranchers were taking advice from a ranch hand. This gave him an idea.
When Frank met Matt and the sheriff for lunch, Frank asked Dan, "Hey, what do you know about this new investment plan the cattle ranchers are all involved in?"
"Well, to tell you the truth, not much. Just what I over heard in the saloon. Some big southern city banker's laid out a plan to the Cattlemen's Association. Why?"
"Well, it seems some of these cowboys ain't too happy with it."
"Is that so?" Dan remarked.
"But there's still something that's sticking in my craw."
Matt was frowning at Frank. "What are you getting at, Frank?"
"Matt, when have you ever known ranchers to take advice of a hand?"
Looking at him strangely, "What?"
"That Tom character, from McAndels ranch, seemed to be controlling the crowd. Matt, I told you I don't trust that guy."
"Dan, how long has he worked for McAndels?" Matt asked.
"Oh, not that long, a few months."
"Do you know where he came from?"
"No, Matt."
"I think I want to see if I can find out more about him."
McAndels Ranch
Sun was setting. Joe had poured him and Maggie a drink. She was standing out on the porch, staring at the sky. "You like it out here, don't you?" He asked as he handed her the glass.
"Uh huh. Did I always, Joe?"
"What?"
"Did I always like it here?" She asked.
"Sure, I guess so. That's a sort of silly question."
"Why is it? I don't remember. How long have we lived here?"
"Oh, fifteen years. We got this place just after we were married."
"What happened to me?"
"Oh, Sweetheart, I don't think that's such a good idea to talk about something so awful."
"I need to know, Joe."
"Well, Maggie. I really don't know."
"Oh? You mean I just up and disappeared?"
"Something like that."
"You looked for me?"
"Of course. Maggie? Do you remember anything?"
"I don't think so. I keep getting these quick pictures but they don't make any sense. I can't put them together."
He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her, rocking her, snuggling his face into her neck.
Suddenly she began to get a flash. The feeling of a rather large man, with large arms wrapped around her, nestling his face in the nape of her neck. She shivered.
"Oh, sweetheart. Are you ok?"
"Uh huh." Then she blinked her eyes tight and shook her head.
"What? What is it?"
"I don't know. A flash again."
He went to pull her close again but she tensed up and he let go. "It's ok. Relax. I told you. When you're ready, you let me know. I'll wait. I lost you once but not again. We have the rest of our lives, Maggie. When you're ready."
She fell asleep, her mind wondering, but with scrambled thoughts.
"Kathleen won't let you. - She can't stop us. - You can't do this. - Let me go! - Let her go! - Cowboy, help me! - You won't get away with this! - Auntie! - Cowboy! - No! - Stop! - Who are you? - Somebody help! - Where am I? - I need you, Cowboy."
She was tossing and sweating. The thoughts were twisting and turning.
"Kathleen, help me!"
Finally she yelled out sitting up in bed, drenched. Looking around confused. When the door to her room opened, a figure was standing in the doorway. She began to call out, "Joe!" and stopped. It wasn't Joe!
TBC