Back in Dodge, Matt was pacing the small jail office, his mind in a whirl. Something was bothering him and he couldn't put his finger on it. Kitty's kidnapping didn't completely make sense. He knew that Victor and his people didn't know him but surely they'd heard of him and knew he couldn't be blackmailed. When he'd questioned Victor about Kitty, Victor hadn't denied taking her but he hadn't acknowledged it either. And Matt was certain he'd seen surprise in the man's eyes when he learned of the kidnapping.

But if it wasn't Victor or one of his people, who would have taken her? For the reasons he'd given Judge Brooker, as well as a few others, Matt couldn't imagine it being Dale Granger who had orchestrated this.

Dale had money enough to hire the finest of attorney's and even if Judge Brooker were to convict Rey, Dale could keep the courts tied up in appeals for a long time. He couldn't have done it…. Or could he. A thought suddenly occurred to Matt that hadn't before. Grabbing his hat, Matt hurriedly left the jail and headed down to the stable to claim his horse once more.

Kitty had never considered herself a fast runner but as she crossed the field towards the woods, she put on as much speed as she knew how in order to reach the relative safety of the thick trees. She was nearing the edge of the field when the woman, blood dripping down the side of her head, emerged from the cellar, yelling loudly for someone.

Kitty didn't pause to turn and look but she heard a man's voice yelling unintelligible words. She assumed it was the man from earlier and that he was calling her but she ignored him and continued to run.

The field hadn't been plowed for a while so the ground was harder and easier to run across. But there were still places where her feet sank into the softer ground and she'd have to expend valuable energy to pull her feet free and continue on forward. She had finally crossed the edge of the field and made it two steps further when her foot once again sank into the soft ground. She was falling forward when the first shot was fired, followed closely by a second one.

Matt rode out of Dodge headed north with a determined set to his jaw. Seldom did he miss vital clues that would help him to solve a problem. However, the more he thought about it, he did this time. He'd seized on an answer that he thought was correct and simply refused to look at anything that didn't go along with that. He knew now, he had been wrong.

Everything had pointed to Victor and his people being responsible for taking Kitty. Well, almost everything. Matt hadn't considered the fact that Victor didn't know him, had never met him until he'd come to Dodge wanting his daughter's killer. That meant he probably wouldn't have known how special Kitty was to him.

Also, the people he'd encountered at the abandoned house hadn't had Victor's accent. They looked nothing like the people he'd seen in that village. But they did sound like the description Doc had given him of a couple of people who'd, until recently, been homesteading near Dodge.

Matt arrived at the Granger ranch an hour later. Wasting little time, Matt swiftly dismounted and hurried to the door, pounding furiously on the door. Several moments went by and no one answered so Matt pounded on the door again, this time with even more anger. A few minutes later, the door finally opened and Tag Granger, book under his arm, looked up into the face of the furious lawman.

"Uh, hello, Marshal." Tag's voice squeaked a little. "Uh, can I help you?"

"Where's your father, Tag." Matt demanded. "I need to speak to him."

"My… my father?" Tag swallowed hard and nervously looked around him. "I… I'm not sure where he is, Marshal." Tag answered. "He… he could be anywhere. You know this is a big ranch."

"Uh huh." Matt nodded. "And you're a big liar." Matt glared at the young man. "You tell your father, the trial for Rey will go on as planned regardless and if he's found guilty, nothing and no one will stand in the way of his being hung." Matt didn't wait for a reply as he swiveled and strode back towards his horse.

But Tag called out to him. "Marshal, what are you going to do?" He questioned. "I… I mean if my father… what if my father wants to talk to you?"

"I have a feeling I might find him before he finds me." Matt told him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a farm to visit." Tag called after him again but Matt ignored the boy and continued on to his horse, where he mounted and rode out.

As Matt rode out, he steered his horse to the south and west. He'd only been to the old ramshackle farm just once but he was pretty sure he'd be able to find it. He knew he had to find it.

Tag stood still for a few minutes, watching Matt ride off the ranch. He didn't fail to notice the direction the lawman was heading and it scared him. For several long moments he stood perfectly still in indecision. He knew what he should do but he also knew what it would mean if he did. Finally, Tag closed his eyes, took a deep breath, dropped the book that he still held and headed for the stable.

TBC