PT.13

His Heart Beating in Mine

After walking all along the waterfront, Kitty showed Matt the way back towards her house. She barely said a word along the way. He just held her close as they walked. Matt reassured her tha with Jackson's help, he would find Grace and he would stop at nothing until he did.

As they came to the front of the gate, Jackson called out to Matt. He was approaching them from across the street. "Marshal? Ma'am? Glad I caught up with you. If you don't mind Marshal, if I could have a word with you?"

Kitty looked up a Matt. "Go on, Matt. I'll wait for you inside." And she pushed through the gate.

Jackson waited for Kitty to walk away. "Marshal, I waited for us to be alone as not to upset Miss Kitty any more then she already is."

"It's Matt and what do you mean?"

"Ok, Matt. I'm not going to mince words here. My men and I searched the river and the outer banks. There was no sign of Bonner anywhere. Nothing at all. So I wanted to warn you to be aware of your surroundings till we are sure where he is.

Meanwhile, Kitty slowly entered the house, calling out to Maggie. When she didn't respond, Kitty turned into the parlor only to see Tess, Maggie, and Marcy standing next to the cradle. Grace was asleep. Exhaling an exhausted breath, she looked into the cradle. "Grace!" She began to move when she suddenly felt a presence behind her.

"HELLO, RED!"

Spinning around she now was face to face with Bonner. "BONNER!" Although she was trembling inside, she stood shoulders squared. Then with a smirk, said "Looks like you failed again." She slowly backed up, leaning against a table by the front window.

One hand was behind her back. Sliding her hand into the drawer, she was reaching in to grab a small gun she kept in it. "Bonner, this ends now." Suddenly, she pointed the gun at him.

Looking at her, he was laughing in a deep barrel laugh. "Woman, you're not gonna use that."

The first shot she fired up in the air to alert Matt and Jackson, who both came running. Now Bonner started moving towards Grace's cradle. "Bonner, you make one more move in my daughter's direction and, Mister, I'll blow your head off!"

Bonner, thinking he was going to call her bluff, started to move sideways. But instead, he lunged towards her and Kitty fired the gun, making this statement to him. "THIS WAS YOUR DEAL MISTER!"

And as Matt and Jackson rushed through the door, all they heard was several screams. Matt and Jackson stood in the entrance of the parlor. Maggie was holding Marcy who was crying and Tess was standing beside Kitty.

Matt approached Kitty. "Kit, honey." Trying to take the gun from her hands. "Kit, let me have the gun."

Jackson knelt beside Bonner, who was lying face down on the floor. When he rolled him over, Jackson looked at Matt, shaking his head. "She's a good shot, Matt."

Kitty had shot him right in the center of his forehead. Jude Bonner was dead!

Matt sat Kitty in a chair and poured her a drink. "Here, Kit, drink this."

"He had Grace, Matt." She said in a subtle tone. "He had our baby."

"Its alright, Kit. Grace is safe now." Slowly she stood, walked past Matt to the cradle, stopped and turned to look at Marcy, staring at her as to burn a hole right through her. Her jaw got tight and her face was red with fire.

Out of nowhere, she backhanded her, nearly tossing her across the room. "I want you out of my home, and if I ever lay eyes on you again…"

Marcy lay on the floor crying. Jackson helped her up. "Young lady, you will come with me. I have questions I want answers to."

Kitty turned her attention back to Grace, cradling her close to her. "Ummmmm, Momma's girl. I'm here. Ah, Grace. I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I promise you, I will never let anything ever happen to you ever again."

Jackson Hamilton had his men remove Bonner's body and he took Marcy to his office to question her. Tess accompanied Jackson to help out with Marcy.

Matt, walking up behind Kitty, enveloping his two girls in his large arms said, "Hey, how's my two favorite gals?"

In a light giggle, "Well, cowboy, I guess now I'm gonna have to get used to sharing you, huh?"

"Oh, yes, Ma'am, absolutely." He said with a big grin.

"Well, as long as its just with our little angel."

"Yes, Ma'am."

TBC