Festus looked directly into the cold eyes of the man that would be his killer. Dark as gunmetal and hooded, he'd never seen such emotionless hatred emanate from one man before.
Bonner sneered and grunted as he squeezed the hill man's wind pipe with one hand while holding him against the wall with the other.
In just a matter of seconds, Festus found it difficult to breathe, and then to concentrate as the air supply to his brain slowly began to get cut off. He raised both his hands in a last ditch effort to save himself and placed them on either side of Bonner's head before trying to gouge the half-breed's eyes with his thumbs.
But Bonner only laughed as he squeezed harder.
Louie swerved and stumbled as he slowly made his way out of the Long Branch and down the boardwalk toward the jail. Needing a good strong pot of coffee, some company and a bed, he knew he'd find it all at the jail. Doc and Sam watched him go as the barkeep locked up for the night. Doc shook his head as Louie quietly talked to himself before he stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He smiled when he seen the lights were still on inside the jail house.
"You tell Festus we missed him tonight and he owes me a beer!" Doc hollered.
Louie nodded as he crossed the street and stepped up onto the boardwalk. Looking into the windows of the jail before going to the door. He barely got a glimpse of the struggle going on inside between the two men before he sucked in a quick breath and ran for the front door of the jail. He opened it just as Bonner loosened his grip on Festus neck and the hill man crumpled to the floor at his feet.
"Bonner!" Louie yelled in shock and total disbelief when the half-breed turned around.
Taking a few steps back, he started to yell in alarm when he saw Festus lifeless body lying inert on the floor of the jail.
"Help! Somebody help!" Louie yelled as he ran back toward Sam at the Long Branch.
"Louie," Sam said touting a rifle as he met the drunk in the street. "What's going on!"
"It was Bonner!" Louie yelled frantically as tears came to his eyes.
"Bonner?" Sam stated in disbelief as his mind wandered back to the last time the man had been in town. He had seen first hand the damage he and his dog soldiers had done to Miss Kitty. "Where's he at?"
"I don't know! But, I think he killed Festus!" he said pointing down the street toward the jail
Doc stopped at the bottom of the stairs to his office as the two men passed. "What's all the yelling about!"
"Doc," Louie said grabbing the physician arm. "It was Bonner! He killed Festus!"
"What!" Doc said as his heart fell to his stomach but his unconscious mind followed the drunk to the jail as quickly as his old legs would take him.
Unmindful of his own safety when he seen his downed friend, Doc rushed though the front door of the jail. Setting his bag down before going to his knees, he carefully rolled Festus over before placing two fingers next to the large artery in the deputy's neck. He swallowed hard before taking a deep breath when he felt a weakened but thready beat.
"He strangled him, Doc!" Louie whined as the physician looked up.
"He ain't dead," Doc said meeting Louie's eyes before looking back down at his friend.
"He ain't," Louie said greatly relieved as the physician checked the hill man's respiration after he made a gulping noise.
"But he is having trouble breathing!" the physician exclaimed tilting Festus head back gently in order to open the air way. "I need my bag!"
Burke, owner of the fright office heard the screams and was already pulling a shirt over his head and leaving his office when Sam met him in the street.
"Bonner's in town!" Sam yelled. "He attacked Festus!"
"Let's go!" Burke said leading the way back toward the jail.
While Burke checked the alley way behind the jail, Sam went to get Newly and alert Matt, but after Robert found out, Festus was involved, he insisted on going and leaving Vera in Newly's care.
Burke came out of the alley way and stopped when he seen Matt, Sam and Robert coming down the boardwalk.
"Burke," Matt said as the fright officer met them in front of the general store. "You see anything?"
"No, sir," Burke said before looking at Robert. "You might want to get over to the jail! From what Louie said, Bonner attacked Festus!"
"Is he hurt?" Robert asked as Burke looked uncomfortably around.
"Well," Burke hesitated. "Louie said, he was dead!"
"Oh, my god!" Robert said looking at Matt and Sam before sprinting to the jail.
He entered the jail to find his father lying face up on the floor with Doc's jacket rolled up between his shoulders. The best position for the patient to make it easier for a doctor to feel and see the structures in the throat.
"Doc," Robert said going to his knees beside his mentor. "Is he..."
"Not if I can help it," Doc said reaching into his bag for a scalpel and some alcohol. "That animal just about strangled him to death, his throat is swollen. We have to open up an airway or he'll suffocate."
"Tracheotomy," Robert said nodding in agreement as he watched Doc expertly make a small incision in the thinnest part of the larynx and insert a piece of rubber tubing.
"That'll have to do until we can get that swelling to go down," Robert said looking up as Matt walked in aided by Sam.
"Doc," Matt said worriedly. "How is he?"
"He's alive," Doc replied angrily. "Jude Bonner didn't win...this time!"
Matt nodded before he spoke. "There won't be a next time when I get my hands on him!"