Trip to Murder 11
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Though Matt still had some serious misgivings about Sean Flannery and was more than just a little irked at the way he continued to look at Kitty, he realized right then that they had little choice but to follow him. But he didn't have to like it. "Why were you at the police station at this time of night?" He asked as they walked. "I thought you worked days?"
"Matt," Kitty reached for his arm. "Please. Not out here in the street."
"No, Miss Russell." Flannery stopped and turned to them. "I understand his concern. You all don't know me that well. But I promise you, I do want to help. I was at the station tonight, trying to do just that. I was trying to get a look at the reports Owens is compiling on this. Unfortunately, as you saw, he was still there. I was about to leave when I heard that you two had come in. So I hung around waiting to see what happened."
"You don't trust Captain Owens, do you?" Kitty asked.
"No, Ma'am." He smiled at her. "I don't and I wanted to be there to help you, in case he tried anything."
"Call me Kitty." She returned the smile warmly. "What do you mean 'tried anything'?"
"Like I said, Kitty. I don't trust him. He'd lock you up, if he could figure a way to do it. I just wanted to make sure he couldn't do that."
"Well, thank you." Kitty returned the smile. "I appreciate it."
Flannery's smile, as well as Kitty's, only served to irritate Matt more and when Sean turned and once again began to lead them the down the street, his irritation showed in his tone.
"Where are we going?" he asked as they hastily followed Sean through the still darkened streets.
"Just up ahead," Sean replied mysteriously.
A few more yards down the street and Sean brought them to a small two story house on a large corner lot. Though the front of the property was open and sparsely landscaped, the back seemed a jungle of vegetation. It was to this jungle that Sean led them. Showing them the way through head high bushes and various beds of differently colored and scented flowers, Sean reached a small covered porch and stepping up onto it, rapped sharply on the sturdy looking door.
No sound came from within for several moments.
"Look, Flannery," Matt said when it looked like their knock would go unanswered. "I don't know who lives here or why you brought us here, but obviously the owner of this place isn't going to answer. He's probably asleep."
"Not Herman." Sean answered confidently just as the scrape of a lock could be heard and the door opened on noiseless hinges.
"Herr Flannery!" Herman Schneider exclaimed as he opened the door wider and happily greeted the young officer. "Come in, come in!" As Sean moved forward, the older man caught sight of Matt and Kitty. "Ze American Cowboy! Und pretty lady. So goot to see you. Please come. Come in."
Kitty and Matt exchanged mixed looks of surprise and pleasure at seeing the café owner and hearing his glad welcome. Taking Kitty by the arm, he pushed her forward and together they followed Sean into the house.
Over the next couple of hours, a few of cups of coffee and a heaping plate of food, which Kitty refused, the three visitors told Herman Schneider everything that had transpired so far.
"Ach, such problems." Herman exclaimed. "Und ze po-lice do not believe you?"
Kitty shook her head. "I'm not sure what they believe, Mr. Schneider. I almost feel like they think I'm guilty of something."
Herman looked accusingly over at Sean, who raised his hands in denial. "Not me, Herman. I not only believe them but I want to help them prove it. Trouble is, there's people out there that don't and I'm not exactly sure that Captain Owens isn't one of them."
"Vat can I do?" Herman smiled.
"You can give them a place to stay for a while, till we figure this out." Sean answered.
"Oh, no!" Kitty and Matt protested simultaneously. "We can't put you out like that, Mr. Schneider." Kitty gave him a grateful smile for the offer.
"Kitty's right." Matt added. "We had someone shooting at us tonight. That means us staying here could put you in danger. We couldn't do that."
"Ach, danger. Zere is no danger. Not to me." Herman declared.
"Actually, they're right, Herman." Sean told him honestly. "Until we can prove who was murdered and who did the murdering, Matt and Kitty could very well be in a lot of danger. You helping them could put you in just as much danger."
Herman grinned as he rose from his chair and began clearing the table. "I am und no more danger zan before."
Matt's brow rose. "Than before?"
"Long story." Sean told him.
Coming back to the table Herman looked at the barely touched plate in front of Kitty, he scowled. "Fraulein, you must eat. You are too skinny."
Kitty ducked her head with a shake. "I'm sorry, Mr. Schneider. All of this doesn't really inspire much an appetite in me, I guess."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He finished clearing the table and picked up the coffee pot. "Coffee?" He offered.
All but Sean shook his head. As Herman filled the patrolman's cup he glanced over at the anxious expressions on the faces of his two new friends. "I haft place for you. You vill be safe here. Do not vorry."
Matt glanced over at Kitty and gave her a reassuring smile. "Stick with me, Kid." He tried his best to make her smile. "I'll show you the high lights of St. Louis."
Despite herself, Kitty's lips picked up in the corners as she returned his loving gaze. "You've done a marvelous job so far, Cowboy."
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The room, Herman showed them to, was large, clean and comfortable. With a large double bed in the middle and a small chest of drawers on the wall opposite. It had only two windows and both of those were placed high on the wall. They let in copious amounts of light but gave a view of little more than sky and the tops of the surrounding trees.
Herman noticed Matt's interest in the placement of the windows and chuckled. "Ze vindows are a long story, Cowboy. I vill tell you about zem zome time, yah?"
Matt grinned and nodded. "Alright."
"I vould give you each a room, but zis is de only vun I hast. Is okay?"
Matt nodded as he exchanged a smile with Kitty. "More than okay. Thank you again."
After Herman left, Matt walked over to where Kitty had seated herself on the side of the bed and took his place next to her. "Kitty," he said as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "I want you to quit worrying. Nothings gonna happen to us. You'll see. We'll figure this thing out in no time and still have a few days to relax and see those highlights I mentioned."
Kitty looked up at him, love and trust in her gaze. "If you say so, then I'll believe it."
"Good," Matt told her. "What you say we lay down on this big old bed then and get some rest. I need to go back over to hotel and get our luggage and then there's some things I want to check out."
At the mention of their luggage, Kitty sat up and looked aghast. "Oh, our luggage. I forgot. Matt, all of my clothes, my makeup... Oh, Lord, I must look a fright. My clothes are wrinkled…"
"Kitty," Matt pulled her back to him. "You look beautiful whether you have makeup on or not and as for your clothes… Well, let's just say, I prefer you without them."
What he said tickled the redhead and she chuckled as she looked up at him with a wicked grin. "If I weren't so tired, Mr. Dillon, I would thank you properly for that comment."
"Take a rain check?"
"Oh most certainly. In fact, I will insist on it. As soon as this mess is finished and we're not looking over our shoulders, I will make you a very happy man."
TBC