Unable to sit still, Kitty paced back and forth in Doc's front room, while in the back, he worked to save the life of her childhood friend. The past hour was a big blur in her head – the thrill of seeing her old friend, their funny conversation, Lola's fear filled eyes before her head crashed down onto the table, Matt's comforting arm, Doc's firm voice giving orders. Kitty turned on her heels to cross the room again and heard heavy foot steps on the stairs. She threw the door open for Matt. "Find out anything?" He took off his hat, and held it awkwardly in front of him. "Not yet, I checked the stage-coach log, hotel roster and Ma Smalley's list - then I spoke to Moss at the stable. Aside from Lola, no strangers are in town. I questioned Sam and Chester. They were in the saloon when it happened, but neither of them saw anyone pull out a knife. Kitty, are you absolutely sure you didn't see anything before Lola fell over?" The red-head glared. "Matt, you've asked me that three times. The answer's the same, NO." He gently took her by the shoulders. "Kitty, it's my job to keep asking. Sometimes a detail comes back to a person, after some time has passed, even a small detail can help." Kitty sighed, "I'm sorry Matt, I…" The door to the back room squeaked open and Doc slowly emerged. He tiredly ran a hand across his mustache. "Well, she's lucky that the knife didn't puncture a lung. She'll live." He shook his head. "But, there's major damage to her spinal chord. I'm – well, I'll say it out – she won't walk again. I'll see about a wheelchair, so she can get around."

Kitty bit her lower lip, fighting back tears. "Does she know?" Doc shook his head."She's asleep. When she started to stir, I gave her laudanum to kill the pain. I'll let her sleep the night, and give her the bad news tomorrow." Kitty nodded grimly. "I'll be here for that, and I'll sit with her now. I know she's asleep but I don't want to leave her alone." She hurried past Doc before anyone could stop her. Matt shoved his hat on, "I'll get back to the Long Branch and keep asking questions." Doc nodded, "Let me know what you find, Matt. It's terrible – a beautiful, young woman confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life."

Matt hurried back to the saloon and pushed through the doors. The place was eerily empty, at what should have been its busiest hour. Chester and Sam were alone at the bar, drowning their gloom in beer. Matt joined them to share bad news. "Well, Doc says Lola will live, but she's lost the use of her legs – she can't walk. So, let's go over everything again. We have to catch whoever did this. Chester tell me what saw tonight, and don't say you already did, just tell me again."

"All right Mr. Dillon. Well - I'd just swept and put up the new wanted posters like you wanted, when you came into the office and said an old friend of Miss Kitty's was in town. I figured I'd be friendly and say howdy, so I moseyed over to the Long Branch. Miss Kitty and her friend were at the corner table, talking quiet like, so I figured I'd wait a bit before goin' over. Sam offered me a beer and while he was pouring, I heard a – kind of a thud – I looked over and saw Miss Lola's head on the table and a knife in her back."

"Chester, you didn't see anyone run out of the saloon right after it happened?"

"No sir. I sure didn't." Matt turned to the bartender. "What about you Sam?"

"No Marshal. I'm usually aware of who comes and goes. Nobody ran off."

"Neither of you saw anyone pull, hold or throw a knife?"

Both men shook their heads. Matt took a deep breath, and tried to keep the deep frustration he was feeling, out of his voice. "Thanks, if either of you remembers anything else, let me know."

Chester scratched the back of his neck. "There maybe is one thing Mr. Dillon, that I didn't say before. It probably ain't important, but right after Miss Lola fell over, that new saloon girl rushed over. The young one with the curly brown hair. Miss Kitty hired her just a few days ago. I think her name's Darlene. Anyways, she ran right over after it happened, Maybe she saw something." Matt turned to Sam. "Darlene have a room upstairs?" "Yep, number 4, at the end of the hall."

Matt took the stairs two at a time to the second floor, and hurried down the perfumed hall, past Kitty's door to room 4. The woman who worked at the Long Branch got a room to live in as part of the deal. Having paying guests was encouraged but not required. If they did, the house got a cut of 35%. Matt knocked on room 4. No answer. The door wasn't locked so he pushed it open and looked inside. The place was oddly empty for a saloon worker's room. No rack of dresses or row of shoes. No make-up on the vanity. He closed the door and knocked on room 3. A statuesque brunette answered quickly, wearing nothing but a corset. She grinned, "Why Marshal Dillon, what a surprise. Don't you have the wrong room?" She nodded down the hall towards Kitty's. Matt ignored the gesture. "Lisa, I'm looking for Darlene, any idea where she might be?" Lisa reached into her room and slipped on a robe. "Nope, she's a strange girl, that one. Kitty runs a special place, as far as us girls are concerned. We take the customers we want, or just work the floor. Kitty looks out for us and we look out for each other. When Darlene waltzed in a few days ago, it was clear she never worked a saloon, but she's pretty and needed a job, so Kitty gave her a chance. The rest of us tried to be friendly, but Darlene's real standoffish and weird, like she don't know how to act normal with people. So no, I don't know where she is. Good night Marshal." Lisa closed the door. Matt shook head, and headed back to Doc's under a bright full moon. It was late, he wouldn't be finding answers tonight, and had to accept it. He trudged up the stairs to Doc's and found the front room empty; voices floated from the back.

"Kitty, there is absolutely no point in you sitting here with Lola all night. She's all drugged up with laudanum. I guarantee she'll sleep until morning."

"Doc, if she does wake up she won't even know where she is. I'm staying."

Matt pushed through the door. Kitty looked up and glared. "And don't you go thinking you're gonna tell me what to do." Matt met her eyes. "I don't tell you what to do Kitty. Never have and never will. I think you know that. You also know, better than most, how long laudanum makes a body sleep. And you know that Doc has bad news to give Lola in the morning. She's gonna need you at your strongest, not weary from staying up all night."

Kitty met Matt's eyes and reluctantly got to her feet. "You're right, Matt. Please walk me home." Hand on the small of her back, Matt ushered her out. Doc shot him a look of approval. The couple made their way down the deserted street, and up the back stairs of the Long Branch. Kitty unlocked her door and turned to Matt. "Cowboy, you might not want to stay tonight. I-I don't think I'll be very good company." He wrapped an arm around her waist. "We don't have to make love or even talk Kitty, but I can be with you and hold you, if it would help." She reached up and touched his cheek. "Thank you I'd like that. It's been a long day, let's get ready for bed." She sat down at her vanity to brush her hair, and watched Matt through her mirror, as he removed his boots. "Matt, no more questions tonight, please, about what I saw and remember." He padded across the room to the liquor cabinet to pour two whiskeys, "Deal. The person I need. to talk to right now is the saloon girl Darlene. I hear she ran over to your table pretty quick after it happened. Funny thing is, I can't find her." Kitty grabbed a robe and sighed. "Darlene is an odd one, Matt. I've never met anyone so green in so many ways. If she wasn't so pretty, I wouldn't have been able to give her a job, but she seems to be learning. Anyway, I'm sure she's off somewhere shaking in shock over what happened." Kitty accepted a shot glass from Matt. They somberly clinked glasses, "To Lola," and threw their drinks back. Kitty set her empty glass down. It had been a long, exhausting day."Let's go to bed, Cowboy.,

Walking under the bright full moon, Darlene O'Brian lifted her skirt, to squish across a stream. A hot spell had dried up most of the water, but mud was caked here and there, in big round mounds. She reached the other side and stamped her small feet on a large, flat rock to rid her shoes of mud. If this kept up she'd need a second pair of shoes, if her brother agreed to buy them. She kept walking, but it was late and each step grew heavier than the last. It would have been an easy trip if she'd borrowed a horse from the stable, but her brother, Danny, wouldn't have it. He didn't want anyone knowing she left town for a time. She heaved a tired sigh, being an O'Brian woman wasn't always easy. Thankful for the bright moonlight, she walked past a grove of trees. Her brother's cabin was just around the bend.

TBC