Captive Hearts 15
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Late that evening as Matt was making the rounds of the town, he remembered his promise to Doc to turn a lamp on, up in his office. Doc had decided to stay the night at the ranch with Kitty and Carolyn and had ridden out with Newly.
As he marched down the street towards Doc's office, the hair stood up on the back of his neck. Somebody was watching him. Who, he could only speculate.
Imperceptibly picking up his pace, he made it to the stairs and paused. If anyone were to try anything, it would be now. He would be most vulnerable on the way up those stairs.
The saloons were full, and the noise of rowdy cowboys and tinkling pianos carried down the street to where he stood but he ignored those sounds, concentrating instead on something else. The wind had picked up considerably, in the afternoon, making it difficult to hear, but he felt it. Glancing around, he saw nothing, but he wasn't fooled. Someone was there.
Casually dropping his hand to his gun, he slowly took one step, then two and began to climb the stairs. He was three steps from the top when a shot rang out. Swiftly he turned, ducked and pulled his own gun. A bullet missed him by a mere fraction of an inch.
Firing rapidly in the direction of the shot, he heard a groan and a loud thud. Several lanterns were lit and somewhere down the street a dog started barking furiously at the racket. Matt sprang back down the stairs and ran to where he saw a figure sprawled in the dust of Front Street.
It was Sgt. Clark dressed in a Major's uniform. Ashen faced and barely breathing, Clark lay there, staring up at the man he was supposed to have shot. "Knew it wouldn't… work." He gasped. "But... had.. to try."
Matt knelt down beside him, grasping his shirt collar, he pulled him close. "Where's Dawson?" He demanded, shaking the dying man. "Where is he?" He had no doubt this was the man that had been helping the outlaw all this time.
"Go… going to… her." His voice faded and the light in his eyes dimmed as his head rolled to the side and he died.
"Matthew?" Festus came running up. "What happened?"
"Take care of him." Matt yelled as he stood, turned and ran down the street towards the stable. "He's going after Kitty."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"Would you like another piece of pie, Deputy?" Carolyn offered as she rose from the supper table.
"No, Ma'am." Newly smiled. "Sure was good though. You're a mighty fine cook, Miss Horton."
"Carolyn," she smiled at him.
Newly blushed but kept his eyes on her. For some reason he couldn't identify, Carolyn was extremely attractive to him. He had thought he'd never look at another woman in that way after Patricia and yet…. "Yes, Ma'am," he returned the smile. "I mean, Carolyn." He realized he liked the sound of her name as well as her cooking.
Kitty and Doc exchanged knowing glances. Although Kitty doubted, Carolyn was quite ready for any sort of romance, considering where she'd spent the last two years of her life. She knew a certain deputy that just might be waiting when Carolyn was ready.
Just then a banging sound was heard from outside.
"What's that?" Doc asked looking over at Newly then at the two women, whose faces suddenly turned pale.
Newly stepped to the window and looked out to see the barn door open and banging against the side of the building. "The door's open on the barn." He told them. "I'll have to go out and close it. Storm like this could spook the horses and if they got out, they could go anywhere."
"Newly, no." Kitty pleaded. "Please, just let it be. We can worry about it later."
Doc, who had stepped up beside the young man looked out but could see little. "Kitty may be right, Newly." He tugged at his ear. "It's awful dark out there. No need to take chances."
Newly hesitated, understanding their reticence, but the banging of the unfastened door was irritating as well as the thought of chasing down horses in the morning. Taking a lamp, he stepped to the door and opened it a crack. Holding the lantern high he peered out into what he could see of the porch and yard beyond. The wind howled fiercely but Newly could see nothing that would cause alarm.
"There's nothing out there but the wind." He gave them a relieved smile. "I promise, it won't take me but a minute to fix that door." Before any further protests could be made, he stepped out onto the porch and started towards the barn.
Kitty gave Doc a frightened glance as she waited for Newly to return. "It'll be alright, Kitty." Doc patted her on the hand as he led her over to the couch. "You sit down here and relax. Newly'll be back in a minute."
Just then, Emma began to whimper and cry, causing Kitty to start back up. "You sit right back down there," Carolyn told her as she hurriedly crossed the room to the large basket, serving as a makeshift crib for the baby. "It's probably just a wet diaper. I'll take care of her."
Kitty nodded and returned to her seat, praying Newly would hurry up and return.
Outside Newly took a quick look inside the barn, satisfied himself that the animals were all still there and safe, and came out, firmly securing the door behind him. He only took a few steps towards the house however, when the lights went out and he crumpled to the ground.
"Takes care of him." Chavez grunted with a grin. "Now we get the woman and we go."
"Not so fast," Dawson pulled him back. "We don't know how many is in the house or how well armed. I came here for Kitty and I'm going to get her, but I'm not going to get killed doing it. Grab that deputy and hold him up."
As Chavez pulled Newly up to his feet, Dawson picked up the lantern and held it aloft. Yelling to be heard above the wind, he called out. "Kitty!"
Kitty froze and what little color she had in her face, quickly drained as she pulled herself to her feet and crossed to the window. There in the yard, illuminated by the wildly flickering lantern and the pale moonlight, was her worst nightmare. Dawson and Chavez with a barely conscious Newly between them. A gun pointed straight at his head.
"You don't want this boy and everyone in that house to die, you'd best come out here." Dawson threatened. "Got me a friend in town taking care of your Marshal. So don't be thinking he'll be coming to your rescue."
Kitty gasped and pulled away, looking around the room at Doc and Carolyn but her eyes centered on her daughter. "I've got to do it." She said moving towards the door.
"Kitty, no." Doc reached for her arm. "You know what he'll do, if you go out there."
Kitty smiled sadly at him as she pulled her arm free. "I know what he'll do, if I don't."
'Kitty…"
Impulsively, Kitty threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly for a moment before releasing him. Glancing over at Carolyn standing guardedly by the crib, she gave a nod. "Take care of Emma." She said as she opened the door and stepped out.
TBC