Doc picked up his hat and placed it on his head before he opened the door, stepping out to the landing. He held his medical bag in his left and the looked back at the now sleeping Kitty Russell and ticked is head.
Pulling the door quietly behind him, Doc slowly walked along the balcony toward the stairs. The only person left in the room below was Sam Noonan – it was after closing time, but the barkeep wanted to know how Kitty was doing. Sam looked up the stairs and watched the doctor slowly descend to the main floor.
Doc drew his right hand across his moustache as he slowly walked across the floor to the long bar placing his bag on the top with a heavy sigh. He slowly looked back up to Kitty's room – there was deep sorrow etched on the doctor's face.
"How's Miss Kitty?" Sam finally asked with his eyes locked onto Doc.
Doc looked over to the cragged-faced barkeep and shook his head, "They brutalized her," he stated as the very words almost made him vomit. "She's a very sore woman right now," he said bowing his head.
"They have to be stopped," Sam's voice was curt and cold.
Doc slowly looked up at the barkeep. He could hear the hate welling inside of Sam, "Yes they do," he stated. "But I don't know how," he sighed. "Who knows where they are now," he added. "I wish Festus was able to ride."
Sam paused a moment, "Miss Kitty knows what they look like, hopefully she will be able to tell the marshal so that they can be found," he then sighed. "With wanted posters out for them about the robbery and this, they will soon get boxed in," he stated but knew what Doc meant by the fact that the time and distance had continued to grow once they left old Dodge Town.
Without a word, Sam poured a drink and placed the glass in front of the beleaguered doctor. Doc stared down at the glass, "Thanks, Sam," he said in a saddened voice.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Doc lifted his head from his desk when he heard Festus moving on the examination table. He looked around his office and noted that it was morning – slowly he pushed himself up from the desk, which sometimes doubled as a pillow. The doctor ran his right hand across the back of his neck as he moved over to check on the hill man, "How are you feeling today," the doctor asked, looking down at his friend.
Festus opened his eyes and looked at the physician, "Hungry," was all he said.
Doc smiled and picked up the deputy's wrist while pulling his gold pocket watch from is vest pocket to check Festus' pulse, "Things are looking good," he forced a smile. "Even the swelling has gone done," he added while looking at the hill man's leg.
Festus lifted his head and looked down at his limb, "Can I eat now?" he asked enforcing his earlier comment.
"I'll get you something in a few minutes," the doctor said patting Festus on the forearm.
"Is Miss Kitty back?" the hill man then asked.
Doc drew his lips to a tight line and looked away as if he was busy, trying to avoid answering the hill man's question.
"Doc? Is Miss Kitty back yet?" the hill man ask again, propping himself up on his elbow.
Again the doctor busied himself, "Oh, yes, she's back," the looked over his shoulder and tried to smile.
Festus was at first happy with the news, but the look on his old friend's face made him wonder, "Doc? You ain't telling me the whole story, are ya?" he asked, this time sitting up and swinging his legs off the examination table.
Doc froze – he didn't know what to say.
"Doc?" Festus asked again.
The doctor swallowed and turned to face the hill man. The look on his face and in his eyes told Festus just about everything. "What did they do to her?" the deputy's voice drew icy cold as his hazel eyes grew black. Doc shook his head, "I can't tell you," his voice cracked as he answered Festus' question.
Festus' eyes narrowed, "Doc, you have to tell me," he said flexing his jaw muscles, "I'm the one that let them take her away," he swallowed.
Doc shook his head, "No Festus, we all did," he said with sorrow. "When Kitty is ready she may tell you, but she wants Matt to hear it first," Doc stated.
"Those dirty handed…" Festus snorted.
"Now Festus, there's no sense of you getting worked up! You are in no condition to ride anywhere, let alone get off that table!" the doctor argued.
Matt's eyes fluttered open, "You know, I'd get a more sound sleep at my bunk at the jail," he said through the closed door. "What's going on out there?" he asked.
Doc gasped and glared at the hill man, "Don't you open your mouth," he warned, waging his right index finger at the deputy. Festus made a face as he watched the doctor walk to the door and slowly open it.
Matt looked up at the physician and could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong, "Why is Festus here?" he asked from the bed.
Standing in the doorway, Doc glanced back to Festus and then down to Matt, "I guess there's no good time," he said in a flat tone.
Matt frowned and sat slowly up on the bed, "Doc? What exactly does that mean?" the marshal's voice was close to a controlled bark, as his eyebrows knitted together.
Doc drew a deep breath and pulled the wooden chair over to the side of the bed. He took his time to sit, which he could see was making matt even more angry. Doc nervously scratched his cheek and the looked the marshal in the eyes, "Some men rode through town the other day," he began.
Matt's voice was low, "And?" he asked.
Doc cleared his throat, "They robbed the bank and the Long Branch. This all happened when Newly had just brought you into town. There was little we could do, and Festus tried to stop them, and he was shot in the process," his voice trailed off.
"How badly?" Matt asked of Festus.
"Bad enough. His leg was the worst," Doc said looking out to the other room.
Matt pursed his lips, "But that's not all is it?" he asked.
Again Doc swallowed and shook his head no.
"Doc. What happened at the Long Branch?" Matt leaned forward.
The doctor hesitated to answer, but the look on his face wasn't a welcome one for Matt. "Doc?" he said almost demanding Doc to answer. "What the hell happened at the Long Brach?" Matt finally yelled.
Doc blinked his eyes, "It didn't happen at the Long Branch. They took Kitty right off the street while I was helping Festus," his voice trailed off.
Matt couldn't believe what he was being told - his nostrils flared with every breath, "And then what?" he growled.
Doc slowly shook his head in sorrow, "She wouldn't tell me, but..."
"But what?"
Doc wet his lips, "Matt, she wants to be the one to tell you," he quietly said blinking his eyes.
Matt's eyes were black with intense anger, "Where is she?" he said in a cold low tone as he used his right hand to pull on his boots - his left shoulder bound tightly.
Doc trembled at the sight of Matt's growing rage, "She resting in her room," he said softly.
Doc didn't have to go into any detail – Matt read between the lines and knew what happened to Kitty. "Who were these men?" he snarled as he slowly stood up from the bed.
Doc shook his head no, "We don't know and we've never seen them before," he said with sorrow filling his voice.
Matt's jaw muscles flexed – suddenly he didn't feel weak, "I'm going over to see Kitty," he said turning to the door.
"Be careful, Matt. She's going to need a lot of rest and support. She's been through an awful lot," Doc cautioned.
Matt stared out to the other door and out of rage smashed his right fist into the door before he left the office, almost ripping the outer door off its hinges on his way out.
Doc stood up and walked out to where Festus was on the examination table in the main office, "You know he's going to go after them, don't you?" the hill man said.
Doc only nodded in acknowledgement. He knew a herd of wild horses couldn't stop Matt now.
