Matt walked the boardwalk on his way to the jail early the next morning feeling more rested than he had in Day's. After no murder the day before, the lawman felt comfortable enough to go home and sleep all night long.
Nodding to the citizens of Dodge as he past them, the Marshal stopped just at the bottom of Doc's stairs as Robert and Doctor Ward conversed.
"Morning, Marshal," Robert said as Ward nodded.
"Morning," Matt replied looking around. "Looks like it's going to be a nice day."
"Yes it does," Ward replied as Robert continued.
"Doctor Ward and I were just discussing the best day to have a short dedication of the hospital," Robert said with a grin. "Do you think the city would approve of the day after tomorrow?"
"Sounds fine to me," Matt replied with a nod. "I'll talk to the council and clear it for you."
"Thank you, Marshal," Robert said as Matt headed to the Long Branch while Robert along with Doctor Ward climbed the stairs to Doc's office.
The Marshal was just about to step though the double doors of the saloon when Newly came rushing out of them.
"Marshal," the deputy said excitedly. "I was just coming to find you!"
"Don't tell me," Matt replied as Newly nodded. "Round back behind the Long Branch!"
"Robert just went up to Doc's, you better go get them," Matt said with a heavy sigh before heading toward the alley that lead behind the Long Branch.
Rounding the corner, Matt found the latest victim just like the other two before him.
"This is getting bad, Doc," Matt said once the physician came around the corner. "Three dead men in less than a week! Maybe, if I knew how, it would help me find the killer!"
"Matt, we'll do everything we can to answer that," Doc replied with a nod as Robert and Doctor Ward bent down to examine the newest victim.
"Liver's missing," Robert said sitting back in his hunches. "Perhaps, we could find out what the killer is using with a blood sample."
"That'll be hard to get anything conclusive," Ward said looking at the two physicians. "How long ago was it given? Could be already though the body and a lot depends on what this man ate or drank before he died!"
"What about how it was given?" Matt asked as Doc nodded.
"We can check the contents of the stomach unless it was injected," Doc said thoughtfully.
Robert picked up one arm and scanned it rigorously for any puncture wounds. "Nothing here," he said before picking up the other one. "Wait a minute! Doc, look at this!"
Doc put in his glasses as he bent down and smiled. "That's it alright," he said straightening back up. "We'll get a blood sample from that vein and see what we come up with."
Matt paced back and forth the length of Doc's office after the body was taken to Crump's, while the three doctors studied the blood sample, finally when all conversation between the three ceased, Matt stopped his pacing.
"Well," he asked quite flustered. "What is it?"
"Well," Doc said meeting the Marshal's eyes. "It's quite unusual really."
"Doc," Matt said harshly. "Just tell me what it is!"
"It's foxglove, Marshal," Robert said slowly. "In larger doses, it becomes quite a fast acting poison. Smaller doses, it's a drug that controls heart ailments like mine."
Matt took a deep breath before he spoke. "Who has access to those drugs besides you two?"
"No one, Matt," Doc said meeting the Marshal's eyes. "I doubt anyone in Dodge would even know what it was if they seen it!"
"Which means, I still have nothing to go on," Matt said perturbed as the door to Doc's spare room opened.
"Doc!" Festus said waving a hand excitedly. "I think ya need ta come quick, Bee's paining something awful!"
Matt moved aside as Doc, Robert and Doctor Ward went into the room.
"Festus," Matt said as the hill man looked lost. "If you need me, I'll be at the jail."
"Much obliged, Matthew," Festus said with a nod before returning to his wife's side.
"Galen," Doctor Ward said watching as Robert checked Abelia's blood pressure. "You might want to check her lungs for fluid," he added after watching the pregnant woman struggle to catch her breath.
Doc met Robert's eyes as he used his stethoscope. Pulling the instrument from his ears, he stood up and went to where Doctor Ward watched.
"What would you do?" Doc asked quietly.
"If you're going to save the mothers life," Ward replied gently. "It must be now."
"I think you're right," Doc replied with a heavy heart as he turned to his friend.
"Festus," Doc said taking the hill man's arm. "I need to talk to you."
"Doc," Festus said worriedly. "What bout Bee!"
"That's what I need to talk about," Doc replied leading him out to the office where Kitty had just come in.
"What going on?" Kitty said looking from Doc to Festus. "Matt seemed pretty upset when he left here a minute ago."
"I was just about to tell Festus that we can't wait any longer," Doc said looking the hill man in the eyes. "We've got to take the baby now or Abelia won't make it!"