CHAPTER 15

Gaith

Gaith was barely recognizable. Most of his head was swathed in bandages but what was visible was either swollen or black and blue. The room still smelled of blood and antiseptic and the floor was littered with bloody swatches. Doc stepped back from his patient and exchanged a hopeful look with Kitty.

"Doc?" She wanted an answer but just couldn't put the question out there.

With one hand he pulled off his glasses and with the other rubbed wearily across his face. "I just don't know Kitty. He lost a lot of blood and…" He resembled a balloon losing air, deflating as his last bits of optimism floated away. "The truth is even if he lives - it's impossible to tell how much damage has been done."

His words hung in the air like an ominous stench. Kitty quietly turned away and began to clean up the area while Doc returned his tools to their designated place. Finally, a faint knock on the door broke the suffocating silence.

"Doc? Iz he gonna be all right?" Festus stood in the doorway afraid to cross over the threshold. Standing directly behind him was an equally frightened Wylie.

Again, the seasoned physician could not give them the answers they wanted. Instead he had a few questions of his own. When they arrived with the injured cowboy there hadn't been time to ask much of anything. "Do you have any idea what happened?"

Wylie continued to stare at the unconscious body as he recounted his actions. "After supper, most of us went to the bunkhouse. Gaith said he was too worried to sleep so he was going to go for a ride. I know this thing with Cicely has had him tied up in knots. I offered to go with him." With a regretful grimace he shrugged his shoulders. "Guess I should have, huh."

Festus quickly chastised the young man. "Don't cha go blamin yurself now. Gaith's a big boy and accidents happen. Ya brung him in as soon as ya found him."

"Yeah." There was little confidence in his tone. "I know he likes to go to Nubbins Peak. It's his special place with Cicely. When he didn't come home last night I went looking for him."

Matt had been quietly waiting outside Doc's room and was listening to the young man's account. "Could you tell what happened?"

"I thought something must have spooked his horse. It looked like he got thrown and landed on that rock. It sure was a bloody mess." Wylie glanced behind him in time to see Ned and Lem rushing through the hallway. He stepped aside to let them pass. It was hard to tell which of the two was the most upset. Lem was blood but Ned was as close as any brother could be.

Lem gently took his brothers hand while Ned asked the question. "Is he gonna be all right Doc?"

"I've done all I can do." Doc replied. "Now it's just a matter of waiting and praying."

Ned's gaze settled back on his wounded friend. "I don't mind the prayin but the waitin – that's the hard part."

O0O0O0O0

Kitty slammed the enamel pot down on the burner. Her mumbling was indiscernible yet it was clear she was upset. She watched that little…hussy…spill those alligator tears while clinging to Newly! Rather than rip out that blonde hair by the roots, the Queen of the Lady K, opted to leave the room under the guise of making coffee.

Kitty scowled as the image of the young girl's arrival flashed before her. Much to her surprise Cicely didn't rush into the room in a hail of tears and sobs. She was actually very subdued. The suspicious red head chewed on the corner of her lip. The blonde actually appeared to be afraid – in the beginning.

By the time Calleigh arrived home, Cicely was in a full blown heart wrenching scene. As if the young redhead wasn't already blinded by this she-devil's misfortune, NOW, the man she loved might be dying. Kitty rolled her eyes, was there no end to this?

Thoughts of Gaith began to crowd into her anger. She just wouldn't accept the idea that he wouldn't survive. He was too young to die! Kitty closed her eyes praying again for his life to be spared and a full recovery.

Kitty sniffled back a breath and swiped the back of her hand across her tear stained cheeks when she heard the sound of people approaching. Matt's touch wasn't the only one she recognized. The gentle hand of a very wise physician rested on her shoulder.

"Fresh pot." She announced with a forced smile. "Can I pour you a cup?"

"You always could read my mind." Doc turned around to find a comfortable spot at the table. "Calleigh is with him. That little Ragger girl wants to sit with him tonight."

"NO!" Kitty stopped so suddenly she lost a good portion of his coffee on the floor. That part was quickly remedied but explaining her outburst was a little more difficult. "I mean, she's been through so much already. There's plenty of people to sit with him. I know Ned and Lem won't leave him." The words kept pouring out; she only hoped they sounded legitimate.

The truth was, she didn't trust Cicely with Gaith when he was so vulnerable. Not that Kitty thought the woman was actually capable of killing him but she doubted that his welfare was a high priority. Women like Cicely Ragger would just move on to the next man.

It was that thought that resurrected her irritating scowl. Someone sweet and naïve, like Calleigh's Newly! She thought. With her imagination running wild, Doc had to call to her three times before she heard.

"Kitty are you all right?" Doc was about to get up when she motioned for him to stay put.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about Gaith." She walked over to take a seat across from him. "I'm just glad he had you and Calleigh to take care of him. Speaking of which, you must be exhausted. Why don't you go on to bed and I'll take the first watch.

O0O0O0O0O0

Even when he was exhausted, Doc rarely slept more than a few hours at a time. Today was no exception. By two a.m., he was up checking on his patient. Kitty had made a fresh pot of coffee for him before going to grab a little sleep for herself. At least she told Doc that was her intention.

Shortly after bringing Gaith home, the marshal had to go to the Oasis to stop a shooting. Even though he didn't arrest anyone, it was a tiring battle between a pair of stubborn drunken brothers. By the time Matt got home it was after one a.m. and he had gone straight to bed. Kitty had not had a chance to tell him about the metal box.

"Matt." Along with his name, she gave his shoulder a slight nudge. After a few minutes without any response, she knew a different tactic was needed. Kitty snuggled up against him as she whispered his name again in a much sultrier tone. "Matt, sweetheart."

"Hmmm?"

"Are you asleep?" She let her hand run lightly over his chest and down to caress more private parts .

"Huh?Wha?" Even in his sleepy state her gentle touch brought a smile to his face. Instinctively he reached for her, his hands roaming her body in return. "Ahh, you feel so good." Sleep was ebbing away, pushed aside by desire.

"Honey, we need to talk." Her voice was still soft, still sweet but those weren't the words he either wanted or expected to hear.

"Talk?" Matt pulled back enough to look into her eyes. The scowl on his face left no doubt as to his irritation. "You sure picked a sneaky way to wake me up."

Kitty offered a guilty smile along with a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry but I knew this would be the quickest way to get your attention."

Matt uttered a sound that fell somewhere between a sigh and a growl. "Oh, you got my attention. Now what is it that is so important you had to seduce me to hear?"

"I went out to the Ragger place today with Sye Humphreys. He was telling me about the feud between Ben and Bodkin. Did you know that Ben Testerman built a big fancy cellar?"

Her story was not enough to hold his interest and to amuse himself; Matt let his fingers stroke lightly along the smooth lines of her thigh. While he continued to maintain eye contact his hand slipped under her firm buttocks and carefully tried to ease her body closer.

Kitty braced her hands against his chest. "Stop that! Matt, you're not listening to me."

"I'm listening. You said Ben…uh…something about a cellar." Despite being caught in the act, he refused to submit to any guilt. "What?!"

Kitty knew she had to just throw it out there if she was going to pique his interest. "The little Ragger girl was Cicely's daughter!"

It wasn't as satisfying as the feel of her silky flesh but it did grab his attention. "That little girl? Not her sister?" He propped himself up on one elbow. "Then Cicely is surely older than eighteen. Do you know how old is she?"

"Twenty three. The birth certificate for both girls was in the box." Kitty sat up facing her husband. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "There was several thousand dollars in there and articles about three young men that died." Kitty let that bit of information sink in before dropping the bomb. "They were all engaged to Cicely."

Matt was silent but Kitty recognized this look. She could tell by the wrinkled brow and heavy scowl that he was putting all the pieces together. "I went to the Dodge House and searched that New Yorker's luggage. I found business cards for Douglas Fletcher but Cicely said his name was Randall Davis."

"One of the young men that she was engaged to was named Tyler Fletcher." Kitty unfolded her body and stretched out beside him. "Matt, do you think she had something to do with the murders?"

"I don't know. It's hard to believe she would kill her own family but you just never know what someone is capable of. I stopped by Thad's office and asked him to wire Barlow to see if he can utilize some of his father-in-laws contacts. Fletcher had a business card that said he was the managing editor of the New York Times." He puffed up his pillow and lay back down. "I'll check in with Thad tomorrow."

The excitement of sharing her great discovery was over and Matt was just going to roll over and go back to sleep. Once again, Kitty stretched out beside him and snuggled closer. "Matt. Honey." Slim, smooth hands began to explore his body again. "Do you still want to make love to me?"

Matt shifted his massive frame shaking off her delicate grasp. "I'm pretty tired baby. I gotta get up in a couple of hours." He settled into a more comfortable position leaving her in a quandary. Was she embarrassed or disappointed? Most likely – both.

Just as she began her retreat under the sheets, Matt jerked the cotton material away and covered her body with his own. "Silly woman." He planted a kiss on her eager lips. "Of course I want to make love to you."

That split second of insecurity passed and Kitty eagerly lay back letting him feast upon her body. That gloriously wicked tongue so warm against her skin as it trailed down and around a pair of burgeoning pink nipples. His lips continued down the inside of her thigh. Her body arched up as he came closer to her need and she stretched upwards searching for something to hang onto. Slender fingers grasped the cool iron rods of the brass headboard.

Her breath was held captive – he was close – so very close. She felt the rough calluses on the pads of his fingertips as he stroked the small nub. Forbidden breath escaped but only for a second then hitched in her throat. Her heart stopped - waiting for that moment – for that touch. Aching to be tasted.

"Oh, yes." She cried out as his mouth caressed the coveted bud

Those two words uttered in such a low guttural moan lit off a spark that shot through his body,

Kitty writhed and twitched under his masterful manipulation. It was not an idle boast when Matt said he knew his wife's body. He knew the signs as her deep heavy breaths became rapid and shallow. She arched up offering – no – begging him to devour her. He greedily obliged. Suddenly, her breath froze in her lungs, for a moment the world was suspended in limbo – and then it exploded. Matt held her tight as she rode out the pleasurable wave.

She uttered a muted cry when he pulled away from her but it was only a momentary separation. This time it was the marshal's deep growl of satisfaction as he slid into her sweet warm body. Kitty wrapped her long slender legs around him, burying him deeper inside. His husky moans complimented her soft feminine sighs. They moved together, the desire pushing them to go harder, faster until they reached the pinnacle.

Matt thought of the absurdity of her earlier question as he kissed the sweet sleeping face nestled against him. "Do I still want to make love to you?" He chuckled softly. "Silly woman."