Trip to Murder 7

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"I see quite a few scars on you, Marshal." Dr. Sheridan mentioned as he examined Matt's shoulder. "I knew a Marshal's job was dangerous, but I didn't think it was quite that harrowing."

"It is, if you do it right." Matt muttered. He hated being poked and prodded by anyone, especially some big city doctor who knew nothing about the frontier and the frontier way of life.

"I do have to say, though." The physician continued, having pretended to have not heard Matt's comment. "Whoever your doctor is in Dodge City, he must be a remarkable surgeon. It takes quite a bit of skill to stitch a wound and leave as small a scar as he has."

"Don't tell Doc Adams that, or I'll never hear the end of it." Matt said. "He's pretty proud of himself the way it is."

"As well he should be, Marshal. As well he should be." Sheridan stepped back from the table and pulled his stethoscope from around his neck, placing it in his pocket. "You may put your shirt back on now, Marshal Dillon. That shoulder is almost healed. I can't see any complications to your returning to full duty. Unless you get yourself shot again, that is."

As Sheridan chuckled at his own little joke, Matt stood up and got himself redressed, glad to have this visit behind him. "Then I can return to work?" he asked hopefully.

"Certainly," Dr. Sheridan assured him with a wide smile. "In two weeks."

Matt frowned. "But you said my shoulder was almost well."

"Almost is a far cry from completely, Marshal." The physician admonished. "Besides, I have my orders the same as you. Two weeks."

Matt scowled as he reached for his hat, clearly not pleased with his enforced vacation.

As he started towards the door, the doctor reached out to shake his hand. "You be careful, Marshal. And if I were you, I'd spend the next two weeks concentrating on that very beautiful young woman you brought with you, rather than a job you can't do here anyway."

"Thank you," Matt nodded, his countenance brightening as he thought of Kitty waiting for him in the outer office. "I think I will."

Dr. Sheridan's smile broadened as he held the door open. "If there's anything else I can do for you, Marshal Dillon. Please let me know."

"I sure will," Matt answered. "Thank you again."

Watching the couple as they left the office, the physician shook his head in wonder. "He's got a woman that looks like that and he wants to go back to work? I can't tell whether he's dedicated or crazy."

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Kitty sighed wearily, as she picked at the food on her plate. Matt had taken her to the little café that he had started his morning in. The owner, Mr. Schneider was German by birth, but American in spirit and seemed especially happy to see Matt, when he and Kitty appeared in the doorway.

"Cowboy!" He proclaimed. "It is goot to see you again, yah?" His two chins quivered as he shook Matt's hand.

Matt grinned broadly. "Food was so good this morning; I thought we'd try it this evening." Mr. Schneider smiled as he led them to a small isolated table in the back.

"So you can talk to the pretty lady and maybe more, yah?"

That had been about an hour prior and so far Kitty had done very little talking, or eating.

"Kitty," Matt reached over and clasped his hand over hers. "I know you're upset over this but you need to try and eat something."

"Sure," Kitty mumbled.

"Is it the food? Don't you like it? We can get you something else, you know."

Kitty looked up at him for a moment, before dropping her head. "The food's fine, Matt. I'm just not very hungry."

"Kitty, look," Matt kept a tight hold of her hand. "I don't know what all happened today but I do know, you starving yourself to death isn't going to help anything."

Kitty looked sharply at him and pulled her hand away. "You don't know what happe…? I told you what happened, Matt. Are you saying you don't believe me either?"

Matt shook his head. "Of course, I believe you. You should know better than to even ask. But my believing you isn't going to help, if we can't prove what you saw. And right now, we don't know how to do that."

Once again, Kitty dropped her head. She was angry, confused, and although she wouldn't admit it, still a little more than afraid. And food wasn't going to make her any less so.

"Kitty," Matt tried yet again. "You didn't eat breakfast, or dinner. The least you can do is try a bite or two of supper. Please?"

Stabbing her fork into the bratwurst on her plate, Kitty took a bite and chewed quickly, swallowing it almost whole. "There now, are you happy?" She gave him a brief glare before turning her head away in frustration.

Matt watched her, without reply. He knew there wasn't much he could say. The only thing that would really help her was to find out who was murdered, why he was murdered and why the police found nothing when they got there. Right then, Matt didn't see a way to do that.

"Da food is no goot, Fraulein?" The proprietor looked disparagingly at her still nearly full plate. "You would like, I bring you somesing else?"

Kitty looked up guiltily at the chubby little man who had been nothing but kind to them, since they had come in. "No." She smiled sweetly. "Honestly. The food is absolutely wonderful. I guess I'm just not as hungry as I thought I was. I'm sorry."

"You are too skinny," he frowned. "And you vill not get bigger if you do not eat."

Matt started laughing which irritated the red head. "Getting bigger has never really been a goal of mine." She snapped. But looking up at the concerned face of the proprietor, she regretted her remark and her tone of voice. "I'm sorry and thank you, Mr. Schneider. Perhaps I'll try a little more of this."

Although the restaurant owner smiled, he didn't budge until she had eaten at least half of what was on her plate. A fact which delighted the big man across from her immensely. Finally satisfied, Herman Schneider walked off when he spied another customer coming in.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." Kitty grumbled looking up to see a wide grin on her table mate's face. "Because it may the last amusement you get from me, for the rest of this trip."

Matt's smile instantly disappeared. "I'm sorry, honey, really I am. But you did need to eat."

Kitty sighed and nodded. "Well, I have to admit the food was good and I was getting a little hungry. But that still doesn't solve my problem." Looking up at Matt, she trembled slightly. "I saw a dead man, Matt. I tripped over a dead man and no one, but you, believes me."

"Wrong," Sean Flannery stated as he stepped up next to their table. "I believe you, Miss Russell. And like I told you, I want to try and help you to prove it."

TBC