Trip to Murder 23
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Several hours later, Kitty awoke to find Matt sitting beside her, her hand in his. Sean was across the room, lying down in the opposite corner asleep. Glancing at the few rays of light that managed to push past the boarded up window, she could see it was probably mid-day.
"Hi," Matt greeted her with a smile when he saw her eyes were open. "How you feeling?"
Kitty took a moment to take stock of her situation and noted she was still tired and her arm, where the bullet had pierced her flesh, was aching. She seemed to be a little fevered, her head ached and her stomach was upset. "I'm alright," she answered quietly. "I'm a little thirsty but otherwise I feel fine. What time is it?"
"Around noon or so, I'd say." Matt released his grip on her hand then raised his to her forehead. "You've got a little bit of a fever. This damp, cold little shanty probably isn't helping that much."
"It's not a matter." Kitty took his hand back into hers as she brought herself up into a sitting position. "I guess I'd better get up and get us all something to eat. Then we need to figure out what we're gonna do next. We can't just stay hunkered down here and hope it blows over."
But Matt shook his head. "No we can't and we're not." He reached beside him and picked up the water bottle, handing it to her. "Here, drink some water."
Kitty accepted the water gratefully, taking a long drink before capping the bottle and looking back up to Matt. "What do you mean, we're not? You got a plan?"
Matt nodded. "Me and Sean over there had us a long talk after you went to sleep."
Kitty looked at him in surprise. "You two actually talked? I mean, without you snarling at him?"
"Yeah, well, eventually." Matt gave her a rueful smile. "He told me the truth about everything."
"What do you mean?" She asked. "The truth about what?" The idea of his not being truthful with them before now was unsettling.
"Gerald Owens is Sean's uncle." Matt stated seeing the surprise in her eyes. "His mother's brother, I believe he said. He didn't want to tell us because he was afraid we wouldn't trust him."
"His uncle?" The news was stunning. "I guess I never saw that coming." She shook her head before looking back up at Matt. "Do you think that's all he was lying about?"
Matt nodded as he glanced at the man across the room and took her hand again. "I think so." He shrugged. "I don't get the sense that there's anything else but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. He does know, though, that I won't tolerate it if he's caught in any more lies or as he put it, 'omissions'. Too much is at stake here."
"Boy, isn't that the truth." She sighed. Looking down at their clasped hands, a thought occurred to her. "Is that all you two talked about?" She asked pointedly.
Matt shook his head. "Well, we… we got a few other things settled as well."
Kitty arched a brow as she looked at him then glanced over at the still sleeping man across the room. "You mean like the fact that you've been acting like a jealous maniac around him?" She asked.
He dropped his head. "I guess I was acting a little like a fool. I just… well, you are so… and I…"
"Matt," Kitty squeezed his hand. She knew how hard words were for him sometimes. "I know you love me and I know it bothers you sometimes if a man pays a little too much attention to me. But…"
"It's not just sometimes." Matt met her gaze. "I hate it all the time when men ogle you and play up to you. But I know you're a beautiful woman, and that's always gonna happen, so I tolerate it. I can't beat up every man that looks at you."
"Then why have you been acting so jealous around Sean?" She questioned, straining to keep her voice down. "You know I would never…"
"I know, I know." He dropped his head again. "And to be honest, I'm not really sure. Maybe it's cause we're not home and he's a little younger and better looking than me and…"
"Oh, that's the silliest thing I ever heard." She chuckled softly. "Matt, you are the only man I want. No other man, regardless of his age or looks or anything else, could ever stack up to you in my eyes. You should know that."
Matt nodded, bringing her hand up to his lips and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles before reaching over and claiming her lips. "I do. I still don't know why, but I do and I'm grateful for it."
Kitty smiled. A smile that, in Matt's eyes, lit up the room. "Good, then help me up and I'll get something fixed to eat."
"Un, huh." He shook his head. "You're not feeling well and you have no business being up. I'll see what Herman put in those bags and I'll fix us something."
Kitty looked at him amazed. "What makes you think I'm not feeling well?" She asked both dismayed and pleased that he'd noticed.
Matt gave her a reproving look. "I'm not completely blind, Kitty. You're pale and your temperature is up and you're sitting there, right now, with the chills. I have a feeling that arm of yours is infected. Besides, I know you and I know when you don't feel good, no matter what you say."
Kitty knew it was senseless to lie about it so she settled for masking it and changing the subject. "Well, I'll be alright. My arm probably just needs to be cleaned out a little. Speaking of which. How's your arm?"
"Oh no, you don't." Matt waggled a finger at her. "You're not gonna change the subject. My arm is fine and healing nicely. The bullet, that hit me, only grazed my arm. Yours went straight through."
"But Dr. Sheridan said…" Kitty started to protest.
"He said you needed to rest and take it easy and not use that arm too much. And you've done exactly the opposite so far." Matt told her, his tone was stern but worried. "Honey, I don't want you sick. Or at least, I don't want you any sicker than you already are. Please. Just lay there and rest."
Kitty knew he was worried and she loved him for caring so much. Besides, she realized, right then, that even if they had a plan of action, she'd not be physically able to do much. "Alright. I will. But when you and Sean go to do, whatever it is that you plan on doing, I'm going with you."
"Who said we were planning on doing anything?" Matt asked. He hoped she hadn't heard his and Sean's plans for that night. He knew she'd want to go with them and he didn't want that. It was too risky.
"I know you as well as you know me, Marshal." Her brow arched again. "You will not leave me here alone."
Matt shook his head at her stubbornness but he wasn't about to agree to any plan that might put her in any more danger than she was already.
As it turned out, that evening, he didn't have to worry about his placing her in danger. She was already there.
TBC