Gunsmoke and Spies 16

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"Lee, I know it was a dream, only it wasn't a dream. It was real only it wasn't really real, cause you can't go back in time. But I did go back in time and I met Kitty and Matt and oh, Lee, it was really scary. Not scary like monster scary, because, you know, there are no monsters, but more like danger scary and…"

"A-man-da," Lee tried as patiently as he could. "It wasn't real. You were unconscious for two days. Your mind just took parts of our cover story and melded it with the stuff that you saw at the Boot Hill Museum. But none of it was real. You cannot travel back in time. It is not possible." She had been trying to convince him, since she'd awoken, that she and he had traveled back in time to 1873 and had actually met the historical figures of Dodge City, Kansas.

Amanda dropped her head. She knew what Lee was saying was the most logical explanation for everything, but it had all seemed so real.

"Amanda, look," Lee tried again. "Believe me when I say this. You have been in this hospital bed for two days, unconscious. I have been working with Matt Dillon and the local authorities here to locate and stop Saldez and the men who were helping them. Honest, Amanda. We did not go back in time."

Amanda's head came up. "But was I right? I mean about the names of the men helping Saldez?"

Lee nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, and I'm still not sure how you knew their names but I bet you, if we look hard, we'll find them in a file somewhere. You probably just saw those names and they stuck with you for some reason."

"No, I didn't, Lee." Amanda insisted. "I was there and I met those men. Hayworth was working for Saldez and Logan was stealing rifles for him to sell to the Indians."

Lee took a deep breath, weary of the subject and at a complete loss as to how to convince her. Before she had awakened, the doctor had said she might be a little confused when she finally came around. The doctor was apparently correct.

"Well, I don't know about the Indians," a warm voice said from the doorway, "but from what I hear, the Mexican drug cartel, that Saldez was supplying, will have to start looking for weapons elsewhere from now on."

"Billy!" Lee exclaimed as he saw his boss and friend enter the room. "When'd you get in?"

"Just a little while ago." Billy told him. "A very nice man by the name of Matt Dillon picked me up at the airport and explained everything to me. I was headed to California for a conference anyway, so I thought I'd stop by here and check on you." He smiled at her as he approached the bed. Although Billy would never admit it, Lee and Amanda were very special to him.

Billy took Amanda's hand when he reached her side and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Mr. Dillon seemed pretty worried about you."

"Aw, I'm alright, now, Sir." Amanda said softly. "Just a little concussion. The doctor said I can get out of here tomorrow morning."

Billy nodded. "Mr. Dillon told me that too." He turned towards Lee. "He also told me that you and he found Saldez and his cohorts and took them down this morning."

Lee nodded. "Yeah, we did. They were holed up east of town at some place called..."

"Benson's Crossing." Amanda supplied.

Lee glanced at her but continured. "We got them this morning at…."

"At ten am." Amanda said with certainty.

Lee started to ask how she knew the time and place when he hadn't told her, but quickly changed his mind. He didn't want to know. Looking back over at Billy, he just shook his head. "Yeah, at ten am."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Billy said as he looked back down at Amanda. "I'm glad it wasn't any worse for you than it was, Amanda. From what I understand about this Saldez' fellow, that car crash probably saved your life. He's got more hanging over his head then just illegal gun sales. From what Mr. Dillon was telling me, he's also suspected in several murders, drug trafficking and more."

"Yeah," Lee agreed. "He's a bad actor that's for sure. But we got him and he and his buddies will be going to prison for some time. And tomorrow, we'll be going home."

"Uh, do we have to?" Amanda asked as a sudden thought came to her. "I mean right away?"

Lee gave her a confused glance. "I thought you'd want to get back, Amanda. I know your family's due back in from their trip in a couple of days and you said you wanted to be home before they got there."

"I do, Lee." Amanda told him. "But I want to go back to that museum one more time, before we do." She saw the look in Lee's eye's and knew he was going to protest but she raised her hand. "Aw, look, Lee. It won't take that long, I promise. But I just need to see something. Please?"

Lee took a deeper breath and shook his head. "Alright, alright. We'll go there before he head to the airport." Turning to Billy he gave him a half smile. "Want to go with us, Billy?"

Billy shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't. Like I said, I'm on my way to California. My flight leaves in a few hours."

"Well, then I guess it'll be just you and me, Amanda." Lee turned his smile on her, making her blush.

"It's a date, Scarecrow." She grinned.

TBC