Gunsmoke and Spies 8

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After breakfast, Matt and Lee escorted Kitty and Amanda over to the Long Branch then left. They wanted to ride out to the fort and have a talk with the captain in charge out there. Lee was positive that Saldez had a contact at the fort and he was determined to find out who it was. But he was wise enough to know that Matt would get a lot further with the soldiers than he would.

As they rode east, Lee took a long look at the man he was riding with. Tall, powerful, with a full head of wavy brown hair, graying just slightly, steely blue eyes and square chin, he certainly fit the physical image of the iconic lawmen of the west. And after spending a considerable amount of time the previous evening, as well as that morning, talking to him, Lee had no doubts of his honesty or bravery.

But he was still amazed at the man on some levels. Though Matt Dillon was a US Marshal working for the Federal government officially, he was still for the most part a small town lawman. In Lee's experience those men, tied to towns like Dodge, usually didn't stick their necks out for anyone, even another lawman.

And when he thought about the woman, Kitty Russell, and the relationship, he was sure, Dillon had with her; he just couldn't figure the man out. Most men would've married her long ago for fear he'd lose her to someone with more to offer. But obviously she had chosen to accept the man and his ways, as she didn't show any signs of leaving.

"Whatever it is you want to know, you might as well go ahead and ask." Matt turned appraising blue eyes on his younger fellow law man.

"What makes you think, I have any questions of you?" Lee shot back; a little amazed that Dillon could read him so well.

"You've been watching me ever since we rode out of town." Matt answered. "I'm not that interesting to look at, so you must have questions."

Lee shook his head, and pushed his hat back off of his forehead. "Yeah, well, I guess I was kinda wondering about you." He admitted. "You're certainly not like other small town law men I've met. I mean why are you so willing to believe me and help me, when my own boss wouldn't? Up until yesterday, you didn't even know I existed."

Matt nodded. "To survive as a lawman out here, you have to develop a sort of sense about people. You get to where you can tell if someone's lying or not and whether or not they can be trusted. I believe you and your story. Now it's my job to keep the peace out here. Part of keeping the peace is keeping illegal guns out of the Indian's hands."

Lee nodded, impressed by the forthright man beside him. "What about Miss Russell?" Lee asked, watching the color creep up the Marshal's neck and into his face.

"What about her?" Matt returned, careful to keep his voice and expression neutral.

"It's obvious you care about her, Marshal. And she cares about you too. She cares a great deal about you." Lee said succinctly. "I'm not the most astute man when it comes to that kind of thing, but I can see that much at least."

Matt said nothing. He never did when confronted with his relationship with Kitty. He often found silence was the best answer.

But Lee wasn't going to accept silence. "You're risking your life to help me, Marshal." Lee pointed out. "But in so doing, you're risking hers as well. You get killed helping me, where does that leave her?"

Matt took a wary glance at the younger man beside him, considering his words carefully before answering. "That leaves her where she is right now. There's no risk to her as long as she's not connected to me. Besides, a lawman leads a dangerous life. I could get killed any day. I won't leave a wife and family behind to grieve for me."

Lee looked at him in amazement. "Surely you don't really believe that. Matt, if a total stranger like me can see your connection to her, anybody else can as well, married or not. And even if you're right, and it kept her safe, she'd still grieve for you. She'd feel no different than Amanda would if I died. She loves you."

Matt shook his head. "I know very well how Kitty feels about me." Matt said starchily, not wanting to discuss but drawn into it nevertheless. "But it wouldn't be fair to her. I spend a lot of time out of town chasing down criminals or taking prisoners here and there. And I've been shot or wounded in some way so many times it's not even funny. I couldn't ask her to share that kind of life."

"Isn't she already?" Lee asked. Studying Matt closely, he saw a flicker of emotion cross the stoic marshal's face before he shut it off and regained his bland expression.

"We should only be talking about her and everyone else's safety." Matt said, weary of the conversation. "And the best way to keep everyone in Dodge safe is to find this Saldez and stop him."

Lee nodded without reply. He had read enough in the big man's expression to know he had hit his mark and that it made the Marshal uncomfortable to think about it. That made him to think about Amanda. He had felt that way once. But he had come to his senses. He wished the same for Matt Dillon.

Back in Dodge, Kitty and Amanda had made their way upstairs, after Kitty had introduced her to Sam and gave her a small of tour of the Long Branch. They were now enjoying a cup of tea and conversation.

Amanda was amazed at all that Kitty had accomplished on her own, without benefit of husband or family. Looking around the rather opulent room then back her at hostess, she was struck by what it must've taken for the former saloon girl to get where she was.

"Kitty, I must say, I am really impressed by you." Amanda smiled warmly. "I'm not sure I could do half as much as you have with twice as much. I mean, my husband left me a modest home and my mother moved in with me to help me with my boys and there were still sometimes, I wondered if I'd survive. But you didn't have anyone or anything at all."

Kitty smiled rather sadly as she shook her head. "Oh, I may not have had relatives or a husband," Kitty told her. "But I did have a certain amount of support here in Dodge and people that are just like my family. Besides, I really didn't have any other choice. An unmarried woman has to make a living somehow."

"What about the Marshal?" Amanda asked watching Kitty intently.

Kitty bit her bottom lip as she rose from her chair, crossing over to the credenza. "Would you like some?" She held out a bottle of brandy.

Amanda shook her head, her eyes never leaving Kitty's as she waited for an answer.

Kitty shrugged and poured a small amount of the liquor into a glass. Taking a drink, she finally met Amanda's gaze. "Matt is, and always has been, my best friend." Kitty stated truthfully. "He's always been one of those people here in Dodge that supported me the most."

"He that family, you spoke about?" Amanda saw the love reflected in Kitty's eyes as she thought about the big man.

Kitty nodded. "Yes, he and Doc and Sam and Festus and Newly. They all are, really. There have been some times that I'm not sure I would've made it had it not been for them."

"Festus and Newly?" Amanda's voice betrayed the amusement she found in the sound of their names.

Kitty's smile broadened thinking of them. "Their friends of mine and they sometimes work as Matt's deputies." She explained. "I know their names are a little different but then so are they in a way. They're good men though. They've literally saved my life before."

"Really?" Amanda found that she was fascinated by Kitty Russell and the life she lived. As well as the men that surrounded her. "How?"

Kitty started to answer, but changed her mind. Some of those memories were a little too hard to think about. "I'd rather not discuss all that, Amanda, if you don't mind. It's all in the past and doesn't matter anyway."

"I understand." Amanda could literally see the pain that crossed Kitty's face as she obviously remembered something very troubling. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Kitty gave her a warm smile. "Forget about it." She put her tea cup down and rose, stepping over to her dresser, where she'd laid her reticule. "Look, it's a pretty day outside. What you say, we do a little window shopping around town and then get a bite to eat over at Delmonico's? If we're lucky the special will be something besides catfish stew."

Amanda nodded and rose from her seat, following Kitty to the exit. But just before Kitty opened the door, she placed a hand on Kitty's arm. "You must love him an awful lot to stay here, knowing your relationship with him could get you hurt."

It crossed Kitty's mind to ask Amanda how she could know that, but seeing the look in the younger woman's eyes, she realized, Amanda knew because Amanda felt the same away about Lee and may have even endured some hurt herself. Biting her lower lip once more, Kitty nodded with a sigh. "I do." She said before turning back to the door. "I always will."

TBC