PT.10
His Heart Beating in Mine
Matt was making great time on getting to New Orleans. Something in his gut was telling him Kitty was in trouble. He kept thinking over and over in his head what Doc's message had said.
"It's imperative you go to New Orleans, and you must visit The Velvet Lady."
This had to pertain to Kitty. If Kitty thought he was dead, she most likely would have left Dodge. But what was the urgency? He, now more than ever, needed to get to her. He was hoping to have caught Bonner before finding Kitty, but he'd deal with Bonner when the time came.
Kitty still sitting by the window, starting to drift off, when Tess showed up at the door. Kitty, startled, jumped up, running to open the door.
"Oh, Tess. I heard something and I thought…" Shaking her head, "I'm sorry. Please, come in.'
"Kitty, any word?"
Exhaling. "No, nothing, Tess and I'm scared. She has got to be so cold and hungry."
"Kitty, please. She'll be alright."
"Marcy!"
"Marcy?"
"When I get my hands on that girl, I swear, Tess, I'm gonna…"
"Ok, Kitty, let's not…"
"Not what? She took my daughter, Tess, to that animal! Now that I think about it, she came here just about the time I did."
Now Tess wasn't saying a word. Kitty was going off on a tirade, when Tess hear someone outside.
"Shhhh, Kitty. Wait! Who's that?" They both ran to the door.
It was a messenger boy. Quickly, Kitty grabbed hold of him. "Who gave you this? Where'd you get it?"
"Hey, lady! Hold on. A lady gave me a quarter to deliver it to this address."
"Ok. Ok. I'm sorry."
He handed it to Kitty. She opened it and began reading it.
Come to the south end of the water front. Alone! Tell anyone or bring anyone and you won't see this lil' one alive again. I'll do what I gotta', you know what I mean? Gotta'?
Without a word, Kitty ran off.
Matt made his way into New Orleans. It was just past sunset. He knew his way around fairly well. He remembered from a trip he had taken with Kitty over the years, one that he actually made. First thing he did, was look for a place to clean up and rest his horse. He wasn't going to show up to see Kitty looking like he'd been in a cave for the last year, to announce that indeed he was alive.
After cleaning up, he made his way to the Velvet lady. It was located on Main Street.
He found himself following old habits, standing at the swinging doors, scanning the room, a much larger room at that. He was hoping to spot the woman of his heart. The woman whose heart beat In his. But disappointment set in fast, when he didn't see her anywhere.
He pushed on through, walking to the bar, tipping his Stetson. "Hello there, I'm Looking for…"
Suddenly, Tess looked up. "Oh my Heaven. She was right after all! You are alive!"
Smiling back at her. "Yes, Ma'am, I am."
Shaking her head, "Pardon me, I didn't mean to be so rude. I'm Tess Warren."
"Glad to meet you, I'm Mat..."
Smiling at him, "Oh, I know who you are. Your Matt Dillon! You are just as Kitty described you, and then some."
Now Matt was blushing. "Is Kitty here?"
"Oh, no. Actually, I'm real glad you are. See, Kitty, well this poster is going around and then the girls disappeared and Kitty got a note from this guy Bonner and she took off after… well, to where he said she had to go. I'm sorry I couldn't stop her. He had the girls."
"What girls?"
"Marcy and Gracie."
"Do you know where she went?"
"The waterfront." Tess answered.
Rushing out the door, Matt turned to Tess. "Tess, don't you worry. I'll find Kitty and your girls."
"Matt, Marcy works for me. Gracie… She's not mine!"
TBC