Doc's Office
Doc gently separated pieces of Kitty's blood soaked hair to get to the gash on the back of her head. Chester hovered behind, like a shadow that lost it's way. "Chester there's a pot of boiling water on the stove, bring some over in a bowl along with scissors and a stack of white cloths." Happy to feel useful, Chester quietly followed orders.
Scissors in hand, Doc cut away patches of Kitty's hair. She was unconscious, but he whispered in her ear as he worked. "Sorry Kitty, I know you take pride in your hair, but it will grow back better than ever." He got a clear look at the gash, it was wide and deep. He carefully cleaned it, and stopped the bleeding. "Chester, get a pack of needles and the thread marked extra thin. Then grab my whiskey from the bottom drawer. She'll need it if she starts to come to. It's a good thing Sam got her here as fast as he did, a cut like this is dangerous if not dealt with quickly. Where'd you say Matt was?" Hands shaking, Chester set the needle and thread on the table next to Doc. "I didn't say exactly – alls I know is Mr. Dillon's out lookin' for Miss Lola, or is it Mrs. Lola – anyways, he left before I was even up this morning." Doc gave a short nod. With steady hands, and hard won professional detachment, he carefully sewed Kitty's scalp together with precise and tiny stitches.
Matt
Danny cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Matt as they rode side by side towards Topeka. The lawman remained silent, eyes fixed on the wagon tracks laid out before them."You sure ain't one for conversing, are you?" After waiting a full minute for a response, Danny shook his head with a laugh. "Well, to pass the time, I'll tell you what you want to know, but didn't ask. I met Lola some years ago when I was traveling with my family's carnival show. I was a man of 20. Darlene was around 4, but already throwing knives. Anyway, after our first performance at the New Orleans Schubert Theater, a pretty blonde girl showed up backstage. She looked about 15 and said her name was Lola. She didn't talk much beyond saying how lucky I was to be able to travel and see lots of different places. Mostly she just smiled and flashed her big beautiful eyes. The next day she came back in the afternoon, that's when it started. I'll just say she was a virgin, but learned real quick. The carnival act played another 10 days, that gave me and Lola 10 more chances. Then the act moved on and that was that, or so I thought. 2 months later she showed up back stage at the San Francisco Palace. She announced she was with child, and said I had to be the father. We married quick. It was the right thing to do, besides Lola was so beautiful and full of zest, I considered her quite a prize. Daddy took a shine to her, and worked her right into the act. She didn't like the dance he had her to do on stage, but no one said no to my daddy. A week later she complained of cramps and started bleeding. She said it was a miscarriage, but it might have been her monthly. I had no way to know if she'd really been with child. I guess I didn't care. Lola caught on to how the act really worked, and was very useful. Anyway, she never did get pregnant after that, unless she didn't tell me and took care of the matter. There are things you never know with Lola."
"Shss" Matt put up a hand and cupped his ear to signal they should listen. They could hear a faint sound up ahead. A horse moving slow, and a wheel thumping along, as if it was half broke.
Darlene
Darlene O'Brian stood trembling in the empty storehouse at the edged of Dodge, the only place she could think to run, after pushing Kitty. She crossed her fingers and hoped real hard that Kitty wasn't dead. "Damn it Lola, it's all your fault," Darlene stamped her foot and pictured the blonde beauty. "Why do you keep making things bad for other people? I was happy being Daddy's little knife thrower. Whenever I got encores in a show, he was kind and gave me treats. Then you came along and married Danny. I was just a kid but you laughed at me. You said I was stupid for not knowing that when the spotlight was on me, Daddy and Danny picked the pockets of audience members, and even robbed their hotel rooms. That's why Daddy liked my encores, it meant more time for stealing. He didn't care about me. You made sure I know that, but he sure took a shine to you. That dance he had you doing took no practice or skill, the way my knife throwing did, but men clapped and cheered. Then you'd jump into the crowd and flirt with them, while their wallets got stole and rings pulled right off their fingers. You were in the thick of it Lola, and you couldn't wait for Daddy to die so you could get Danny to spend the money on you. Damn, he bought you clothes and jewelry but it was never enough. You kept starting fights, the last one was so bad, I still have it in my head.
"No Lola, not another dress, pair of shoes, or necklace. Like daddy used to say, we keep the money piling up until we can retire in style.
"Your daddy was a bully. He's dead, and good riddance. I'm done begging for the things I want. Give me what I deserve, half of what's in that bag, and half of what we steal going forward.
"Don't be ridiculous. Handling money's a man's job. You're beautiful Lola, and you know how to prance and flirt, but it takes a real man to manage money.
"Danny, don't kid yourself. I saw the way you let your daddy push you around, you were never a real man."
Darlene sunk down on the floor of the storeroom. "So he slapped you Lola, and hard. But it was just that once. Daddy slapped me lots of times when my knife show wasn't good enough. But you couldn't play along, you had to take that bag and run away. Damn it Lola."
Kitty
Kitty moaned and slowly turned her head. Doc, Chester and Sam appeared as if out of a cloud. Doc rushed over. She licked her dry lips. "Where's Matt?" Doc took her pulse and felt her forehead. "He rode out to find Lola. Chester said he left before dawn." She reached around and gingerly touched the back of her head. Doc pulled her arm down. "Just let it heal Kitty. It's gonna be awful sore." She smiled weakly. "Yep, it hurts like hell. You had to cut patches of hair off. My guess is you didn't go for stylish and it's not pretty." Doc stroked her hand. Kitty was trying to joke, but he know how much pride she took in her appearance and her beautiful hair. "Kitty, it would take a lot more than a bad hair cut to make you anything less than beautiful. And those patches of hair will grow back before you know it." Kitty squeezed his hand. "Thanks Doc." She sighed, "I sure hope Matt gets back soon and Lola is with him."
Lola
When the back left wheel of her wagon hit a rock and half broke, Lola could think of no solution but to keep the horse pulling as best he could. She drove along slowly, and heard another loud crack. The wagon listed way to one side. The horse stopped, turned his head and looked at her as if to say he was done moving until the wagon had four good wheels. Arms crossed in front of her, Lola started a list of options in her head, none of them good. She heard a sound, and suddenly perked up. Horses were approaching. Hopefully men she could charm into taking her to Topeka. She turned on her magic smile and twisted around. Her smile froze. "Hello Danny, hello Matt. Glad to see you. I need help with this wagon wheel."
Matt got down from his horse. "I'll fix the wheel, right after I arrest you."
"Oh, Matt, you can't be serious. I haven't done anything wrong. My husband Danny will tell you that I haven't stolen anything. Right Danny?" She smiled at her husband thinking he'd defend her, and they'd take off with the bag.
"I'm arresting you for murder. We found a dead body a ways back. Shot at close range. Man's name is Carl Jones. When I get your horse and wagon back to Dodge, I'm sure Moss will identify it as the one he rented to Mr. Jones."
Lola laughed and shook her head. "Matt, you can't arrest me. If you do Kitty will never forgive you."
Matt kept moving towards Lola, eyes focused on her hands. He figured she had a gun and kept it handy. "Lola, you don't know Kitty as well as you think." Lola saw Matt's right hand dangle near his gun. She had to play this carefully, there was no way she could get her gun out of her pocket faster than Matt Dillon could draw. On the other hand a man like Dillon would hesitate before shooting a woman. She angled her head charmingly while deciding on a course of action.
Danny grew alarmed and horrified. If Lola was arrested, Dillon might take possession of the duffle bag and examine the contents real close. That wouldn't do. It was time to make a move, but how?
TBC