PT.11

His Heart Beating in Mine

Kitty was now in a panic, but furious at the fact that Marcy took Grace to Bonner. She couldn't fathom why on earth she would take her baby to this animal, knowing what he had done to her. What normal person would do such a dreadful thing? And to a innocent baby?

She began seeing red the more the thought ran through her mind. "When I get my hands on that girl… UGHHHHHH!"

Rushing down towards the docks on the riverfront, she still didn't know exactly where she was going. It was dark, damp and not exactly a place anyone, let alone a woman, should be walking around alone. She thought she heard footsteps behind her, then a deep throated whisper.

"I just knew you'd show, Red." And before she could turn to see where the voice was coming from, she felt a hand grab hold of her hair and thrust her forward into a pile of crates. Crashing to the ground, she cried out. "Ahhhhh. Ouch! Bonner!" Trying to pull herself up, she still wasn't able to focus on where he was.

Feeling trickles of blood running down the side of her head, she snapped at him. "Yes, I showed, you coward. You took my daughter! Only a coward would kidnap a baby to get what he wants. Just like, only a coward would shoot a woman. Like that would bring his brother back."

Suddenly, she felt a swift kick to her ribs. "AHHH! UH! What do you want ? Or do you just get off on hurting women and children? Where's Grace?" Kitty was now trying to crawl away from him, not knowing in what direction she was headed.

She could see a small sliver of light between the crates, glimmering across the water. "And what's Marcy got to do with all of this?"

Bonner began laughing. "Oh that cheap whore."

Kitty furrowed her brow, mostly in pain. "Why is she helping you?"

"You sure ask an awful lot a questions, Lady." Quickly he reached down and grabbed her foot, pulling her back towards him.

Kitty began screaming, trying to kick at him, hoping someone would hear her.

Matt made his way to the shack, finding Marcy huddled up in a corner. As he entered, he could hear movement. But it was dark. "Whoever you are, show yourself."

Slowly, she stood up. "Ok. I'm coming out. If you have a gun, don't shoot please."

As she stood, Matt stared at her. Something about her looked familiar. But he couldn't place her. "Who are you and why are you hiding in here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I mean, who are you and why are you holding a gun on me?"

Matt lowered his gun. "Ok. I'm Matt Dillon, United States Marshal, from Dodge City."

"HUH? But you're dead. The poster says so."

"It does, does it?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, I'm not. Now who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Marcy Foster. I work at the Velvet Lady for Tess Warren."

"Ok. So where is the other gal?"

"Huh?"

"Where is the other gal? I think her name is Grace."

"Oh, wait a minute. She's over here." Marcy turned and pointed to Grace lying in the crate, wrapped in a blanket.

Matt eyes were now wide. "Grace is a baby?"

"Yep."

"Ok, you telling me Jude Bonner brought you and your baby out here and left you here? And Kitty came here?" Now he's looked around. "Where is Kitty?"

"Oh, Marshal, I don't know. He had me bring Grace out here to get Kitty to come."

"What?"

"Marshal, Grace isn't my baby."

Shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes, "Well then, who's baby is she?"

"She's Miss Kitty's and yours."

Matt froze.

Slowly walking over to Grace, he moved the blankets covering her. One look at the reddish brown ringlets and the crystal blue eyes smiling back at him and he had absolutely no doubt that Grace was he and Kitty's daughter.

"My God!" He picked her up, holding her close to his chest and whispering to her. "I promise you, Baby Girl, I'm gonna bring your momma home safe to you. To both of us."

Kissing her forehead and placing her back in the blanket, he didn't want to trust Marcy, but he knew he had to. "Look, I want you to stay here with Grace. I have to find Bonner and Kitty."

"Marshal, I didn't know he would hurt her. He made me do this and I was so afraid of him. I really was."

Suddenly, Matt recalled why she looked familiar. "You were with Virgil, the night I found him in that seedy little saloon the night I took him into custody! You cursed me that night. That was you, wasn't it? That's why you helped Jude Bonner, isn't it?"

"Jude found me here. He made me help him. You don't say no to Jude."

"Before this is over, Jude's not the one you're gonna have to fear. You should think about that. Believe me, Jude is not the one you should be worried about being afraid of." Matt headed out, searching the docks and the waterfront, yelling out for Kitty.

Kitty was still fighting to get away from Bonner. There was no way she was letting this be a repeat of a year ago. She fought him like a wild cat, digging her nails into his flesh, kicking everywhere and anywhere.

Suddenly, at one point, she reached and felt the handle of his knife in his boot. Pulling on it, she plunged it in his side. He let out a holler, drawing Matt's attention but tossing both he and Kitty into the river.

Once in the river, Bonner tried holding her down under. She continued to fight, kicking and splashing. There were still small beams of light on the water, enough Matt could see that something was happening. Rushing over, he could see two bodies popping up and down. Once he realized it was Kitty fighting with Bonner, he Jumped in, trying to separate Kitty from Bonner's grip.

Gripping Bonner by the throat, he held him under with full force until Bonner no longer fought. Matt let him sink. Turning, he tried to find Kitty, but could no longer see her. She was drifting with the current. Scurrying to find her, he was trying to get her back to the dock. Once back on land, she laid lifeless.

Thinking he was too late, he cried out. "Ahhh, Kitty! Please, Honey. Breathe for me." Quickly, he began pressing on her chest and breathing in her mouth. "Honey, please. You have to be okay. Honey, please. I need you, Kit. Grace needs you. We need you." He pulled her up in his arms, hugging her tight. "I can't lose you."

Just then, she began coughing up water. "That's it, Kit. That's It! You're alright, Honey."

Focusing, she looked up at him. "COWBOY?"

"Yeah, Kit. It 's me."

"Oh, Cowboy. I… I…"

"I know, Kit."

Quickly, she threw her arms around him, then suddenly, she sat up. "GRACE! Bonner, he has Grace!"

"No, Kit. She's fine. Come on. Let's go get our little girl."

TBC