When Matt, Dale and Rey finally made it back to Dodge, Matt wasted no time and putting Rey back into jail. Dale assured his son that he'd get him back out and then headed for the telegraph. As Chester was in the jail when they arrived, Matt left him there to watch over the prisoner while he headed over to the Long Branch.

He needed to confirm with Kitty and Sam that they would be willing to testify that Rey was in town that afternoon. He wasn't sure if that would help or harm the boy but it was a piece of it and it needed to be said. He, of course, was also going to need to have Doc testify as well.

When he arrived at the saloon, he found all three of those people at the end of the bar, chatting. "I'm glad I got all three of you together." Matt told them as he approached. "I've got Rey Granger locked up in the jail. Judge Brooker is going to be here by the end of the week and he'll most likely hold court early next week. I wanted to make sure you were all willing to testify."

"You know we will." Doc answered for them all. "We won't like it, but we'll do it."

"I appreciate that." Matt leaned down against the bar.

"Get you a beer, Marshal?" Sam asked.

"That'd be good, Sam." Matt nodded as the bartender moved off to get the drink.

"Doc?!" A young man stood at the bat wing doors, a stricken look on his face. "You best come quick. Pa cut his hand real bad."

Doc shook his head with a sigh and looked to the young man. "I'll be right there. See you all later." He said as he took off, following the young man out of the saloon.

Sam sat the beer in front of Matt and then moved down to the other end of the bar to wait on two new customers.

Kitty looked up to Matt with a frown. "You look frustrated."

Matt dropped his head and took a drink of his beer. "I am." He admitted. "But it's more than that. Something's not right."

"What do you mean?" She asked. "Were there problems arresting Rey again?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle." Matt answered. "It's just… well, I… I'm not sure how to explain it. "It's just…"

"It go too smoothly?" She asked astutely.

"Yeah!" Matt realized that was what was bothering him. "When I got to the Granger ranch and found them gone, I just knew they had to be at that village. I figured they probably went up there to threaten them to keep quiet."

"Threaten or…" She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't have to.

Matt took a drink of his beer while he considered the unsettling idea. "I guess, maybe he might have gone there for that." He regretfully conceded. "Dale's never been blood thirsty but then again, his children have always been his number one priority. At any rate, I got it stopped for now."

"Are you sure?" She asked. "I mean, just because Dale and his men left the town doesn't mean they wouldn't go back."

"I know." Matt nodded. "But at the time, all I could do was bring Rey back. Besides, Victor wasn't alone out there, ya know. Looked like every man in town was there. I think if Dale and his men try going back, they'll have a fight of it. And Dale knows that."

"So, what do you do then?" She asked. "Just wait until the trial is set and hope Victor comes in to testify?"

"No." He shook his head. "Because I doubt he will. He wants vengeance, not justice. I'm going to get a couple of men to help Chester guard the jail then I'm going back to that village and make Victor come with me. I may have to make him a guest of the town for a few days but at least I can guarantee that he'll be at the trial."

"But can you guarantee that he'll actually testify?" Kitty could see the answer to that question before he shook his head.

"No." He sighed. "All I can guarantee is that I'll do everything I can to get him there." Taking a last drink of his beer, Matt stood back from the bar with regretful look towards Kitty. "I'm afraid I'm going to be a bit busy until this is over. But I promise you, once it is, you and I will take a day for ourselves and maybe have a picnic or something. Okay?"

Kitty nodded with a soft smile. "I'll have the hamper waiting."

"See ya later." He grinned as he left the saloon. Neither he nor Kitty paid any attention to the slight man standing at the end of the bar with untouched beer in front of him. Also neither one of them noticed him exit the saloon a few minutes after Matt left.

As Matt exited the saloon, he was unhappy about the prospect of yet another trip up north to the village. He felt like he was on some sort of yo yo going back and forth between Dodge, the Granger ranch and the village. But he wasn't sure he had any sort of choice. He truly didn't trust Victor to come in willingly to testify.

As Matt rode north, three men crowded their way into the Long Branch, leaned on the bar and ordered a bottle of whiskey. When Sam placed the bottle on the bar in front of them, they threw some coins on the bar and waved away the glasses. Snatching up the bottle, they headed towards the back of the saloon. Sam watched them go along with Kitty, who'd been working on her books at a nearby table. "Guess they plan on getting drunk out back." He nodded towards the men as they disappeared out the back door.

"Well, it's better than in here." Kitty shrugged. "But I wish they'd go out the front door and around. I'm not fond of people using that back way."

"You want me to check on them?" Sam asked.

"No, don't bother." Kitty sighed. "I doubt they have anything more on their mind then that bottle." Sam nodded and returned to his task as Kitty returned to the bookwork in front of her. When that task was completed, Kitty stretched then stood, picked up her books and walked over to the bar. "Sam, I'm done with these for now, so I'll cover the front. You go on get your lunch. It's getting close to noon."

"You sure?" He was getting hungry, but he would always defer to her.

"Yeah," she nodded. "You might as well go now while it's quiet."

"Alright." He smiled, removed his apron and grabbed his jacket. "I'll be back in a just a little bit." He said as he rounded the bar towards the door.

"Take your time." She waved him off.

After Sam left, Kitty took a look around the almost empty barroom then picked up her books, intending to drop them on her desk and properly lock them up in the safe later. However, no sooner did she open the door to her office and step thru, then a meaty hand was clamped over her mouth. "You make a sound and it'll be your last." The man whispered into her ear.

Kitty was not one to easily give in or give up but as the man had a hand across her mouth and another across her throat, she decided it best to comply until she could get him to let her go. With a slight nod, Kitty quit struggling hoping he would release her but that didn't happen. Instead a cloth was quickly pressed against her face and within a couple of moments she was out and unable to protest further.

TBC