Slow Train to Dodge

PT.19

Matt walked Jessie Copperton over to the hotel, locking her in her room and instructing the clerk that under no circumstances was anyone other than Carver or himself to go in or out of that room.

Returning to his room he collapsed on the bed. The day was catching up to him. As he laid back and closed his eyes, Kitty entered exhaling.

"Well, Cowboy, this has been quite a day." Then she noticed he was sound asleep. Smiling, seeing he had removed his boots and gun belt, she curled up beside him and kissed his cheek. "You sleep."

Waking later, Matt tightened his hold around Kitty, realizing how close he came to losing her. First by being ambushed by Cates then again, as revenge once again for doing his job.

Feeling his hold on her, she began to stir. "Umm, hello, Cowboy. Sleep well?"

"Some. And you?"

Giggling, "Some. You were sleeping when I got back so I thought I'd join you."

"Glad you did, Ma'am."

"Matt? What's going to happen with Jessie?"

"I'm not sure, Kit. if she ordered Cates to steal those horses, well…"

Propping herself up, "Matt, they don't hang women, do they?"

"No. But she will go to prison."

"Matt, we have to prepare Tracy."

"Tracy?"

"Yes, Cowboy. Whatever happens here is going to affect Tracy. Remember her father has died. She has no one and right now she is angry with Jessie. But in a few months she is going to need her grandmother and Jay both."

"Kitty, did I miss something here?"

Smiling at him, "Matt, Tracy and Jay are going to have a baby."

"A baby?"

Nodding, "Yeah, a baby."

"Oh, boy. Well, Kitty, Jay seems like a good and responsible kid."

"Yes, and he loves Tracy and as I said, they love one another and want to be married. I promised her, Matt. I promised to help her."

Three days Later, Judge Hiram Brookings arrived on the noon stage. A small group gathered in the hotel dining room, which doubled as a court room, for the purpose of deciding if Jessie Copperton was an accessory to the crime of horse theft and murder.

After going over all the facts and evidence over the next two days, Jessie was found guilty of conspiracy on the horse theft charge as Cates acted on her direct orders. But they could not prove she had any knowledge of the murder. Judge Brookings, due to Jessie's age, sentenced her to two years in a woman's work house and another two for the train incident. Ben Cates' sentence was upheld. Sam Cates was sentenced to ten years for Kitty's kidnapping.

Tracy sat in the court room with Jay, Kitty and Matt. When the verdict was read, she broke down crying.

Quickly, she stood and left, not wanting to look at Jessie. Jay hurried behind her.

"Oh, Matt, the poor girl. Doc? I think she may need you."

Nodding, he too followed Tracy out.

As the court ended, Matt, Kitty and Festus sat in the café. "Miz Kitty, what'cha think Miss Tracy will do now?"

"Well, Festus, I think with Jay and his father Webb and the other hands on the ranch, she'll be alright. It'll take some time to adjust but Tracy's a smart girl and well, she is 18 now."

Matt looked at Kitty. "That's right! You said she inherited her father's estate on her 18th birthday."

Nodding, "Yes. She was 18 yesterday. Not a very happy 18th birthday ."

TBC