The Rescue 43

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Doc, Festus and the Atkins, along with their children walked out of the Denver police station each wearing satisfied smiles. Denver, being the closest town with any sort of law, was the only place they could go, to each swear out affidavits that Seth Brody had confessed, in each of their presences, that he alone had killed Victor Treager and had purposely framed Kitty Russell for the crime that he committed. Even the children had signed papers though they weren't legally recognized.

They swore that Brody came to give his declaration on his death bed as he lay dying of consumption. The bullet that had actually brought him down was forgotten as well as the fact that Doc hadn't been there at the time.

They also left out the roles played by Quaid Hill and the men he had with him. And they seemingly forgot the presences of Matt and Kitty and the later appearance of Ak Blint and Harry Tiller. They weren't too worried about those men having anyone to come looking for them.

Though Buster had not come with them, he had written out a lengthy account of the events which closely matched those of everyone else. Doc had come to the trading post for a visit with him as a friend as well as his physician and while there Seth Brody came in, obviously ill. While Doc unsuccessfully treated the man for his ailment, he confessed to his role in the murder and signed a confession which they had produced with a flourish.

The written confession was found by Buster lying fairly hidden on the floor under a small table where Brody had dropped it before he rushed out to try and stop Hill and got himself killed. Unfortunately it wasn't discovered until well after Kitty and Matt had already fled the trading post, in fear of their lives.

Though they had to wait until Festus was able to travel, they had wasted no time after that in getting to Denver and settling the matter. Buster, though he wanted to go, stayed behind because as the weather warmed, his business picked up and he couldn't leave.

But with his signed statement, along with the others and Brody's written admission of his guilt, they had felt certain, when they left in the Atkins wagon for Denver that they would be able to resolve this and clear Kitty's name once and for all, making it possible for her, her husband and new child to live the life they wanted, not the one forced on to them.

The captain of the Denver police, Thomas Rogers, while not promising anything concrete, had been encouraging. He would, he vowed, send off some wires to the appropriate authorities in Kansas see how quickly he could get the posters stopped. But he promised nothing further until an investigation was completed.

"I understand your desire to keep an innocent woman from dying for something she didn't do." He told them. "But you have to understand, that until I can verify your identities and this Brody's signature on this confession, all this amounts to, is a group of people telling me a story."

Festus bristled at his wording but Doc nodded understandingly, placing a placating hand on his friend's arm. "Once you send those wires to Dodge, Festus' and my identities will be completely verified." He told the gray haired man with the equally gray beard and mustache and blue gray eyes.

"The same will be found when you send word to St. Louis about myself and my family." Atkins spoke up. "We had many friends and a fine reputation there."

Captain Rogers nodded. "I have no doubt of that, Mr. Atkins. I don't believe any of you would come here and make these statements if they weren't true. I will do everything in my power to, first, stop anymore of these posters from being distributed and then secondly to bring this confession to light and clear this lady's name. Of course, you all wouldn't know where she could be found, would you?"

He'd slipped that question in, hoping they'd slip and tell him something more. He did believe them but he had to be sure.

But Doc hadn't reached the age he had, without the attainment of wisdom. "We have no idea, Captain." He said truthfully. "I don't even have any idea how Seth Brody happened to be in the same place as Festus and myself, so far from Dodge. He never said how he came to be there. But I can assure you, it was by complete coincidence."

"It was less than that for us." Atkins spoke up. "We have never heard of the lady in question or met Mr. Hagan and Dr. Adams before that day. But when he heard what he had said and saw him write out that confession, we knew we had to come forward and try to help clear this lady's name. I believe it the only Christian thing to do, don't you?"

Rogers nodded with a smile. "Yes sir, I do. I surely do. And for that reason among others, I will do everything in my power to help you. I would ask that you give me a couple of days to send out my inquiries and get back to you, before you leave here."

"We will do that." Doc told him with a smile. "Come on, Festus. Let's find us a place to stay and get a meal."

Festus, who'd uncharacteristically kept silent during their time in the Captain's office, merely nodded and followed Doc and the Atkins family from the police station. Only when they'd emerged out onto the street, did he let down his guard and grimace as he placed his hand on his chest where his wounded flesh was still healing. But just as quickly, he regained his composure and smiled. No physical pain could diminish his pleasure at knowing that soon, Miss Kitty and Matthew would be free of the law and able to live the life they deserved.

He just wished he knew where they were, so he could tell them.

TBC