Doc Adams clambered up the steep wooden staircase at the
Long Branch, grumbling angrily to Sam the whole way, “Why didn’t someone tell
me before now that Kitty was hurt?”
“I’m sorry, Doc, I figured the Marshal would take care of
things.”
It was early morning, and Doc had indirectly heard the news
from Chester that Kitty had been brutally attacked hours ago in her
bedroom. He was incensed that no one had
fetched him to examine her injuries.
“Thunderation, man, how badly was she hurt?”
Sam’s voice faltered a bit, “Well, Doc, I… I’m not for certain. Marshal Dillon sure did shoo us out of there
pretty quick. I didn’t really get a good
look.” His face turned beet red at the
memory of the last glimpse he’d had of Kitty, slim wrists bound cruelly to the
bed, stripped down to her filmy women’s underthings.
Doc transferred his worn, black leather bag to his other
hand and knocked softly. No one
answered. He noticed the damage to the
door, a telltale sign of last night’s struggle.
He found it was unlocked and turned the knob quietly, softly calling,
“Kitty?”
Matt Dillon’s large frame quite unexpectedly loomed inside
the doorway. “Doc” he whispered. “She’s still asleep.”
Sam’s eyes widened at the presence of the Marshal in Kitty
Russell’s bedroom at this unseemly hour of the morning and made his hurried
excuses, “Doc, I’ll be downstairs if you need me. Tell Miss Kitty I hope she feels better
soon…”
Doc scowled at the lawman, “Well, Matt, are you going to let
me in to see my patient, or are you just going to stand there all day?”
“Sure, Doc, come on in.”
Kitty was lying curled on her side in bed, face drawn and
tired even in sleep. Doc frowned when he
saw the angry purple bruising of her jaw contrasted against the paleness of her
troubled features. “What in heaven’s
name happened to her, Matt?”
“That son-of-a-bitch Horace Hamilton tried to force himself
on her late last night. She gave nearly
as good as she got, but he had a knife, Doc.”
Matt shook his head angrily at the memory of finding her helpless and victimized.
A small, sleepy voice emanated from the bed, “Matt?”
“I’m here, honey. And
so is Doc. He wants to look you over and
make sure you’re okay.”
Doc shuffled over and perched gingerly on Kitty’s bedside, patting
her hand sympathetically. “Kitty, honey,
I need to examine you and see if you’re alright. Can you show me where it hurts?”
Matt stood vigilantly across the room observing as Doc worked,
trying in vain to keep his utter fury in check with the discovery of each new
bruise or abrasion on Kitty’s tender skin.
She tried not to cry out when Doc probed her worst injuries, making sure
nothing was broken.
When he was finished, Doc drew a deep breath, took both her
hands in his, and looked into her eyes gravely.
His voice was raspy with barely-contained emotion, “Kitty, tell me the
truth. Did that man violate you?”
Her cheeks flushed as she looked down at their joined hands,
replying, “No, Doc. I promise. Matt came busting through the door before it
got that far.”
Doc wearily scrubbed a hand over his mustache and exclaimed,
“Well at least that young man is good for something in this town. Sometimes I wonder what we pay you for, Matt,
other than to take naps on the boardwalk in the afternoon…”
Matt rolled his eyes, walked to the bed and slapped Doc on
the back. “Come on, Doc. Does she pass inspection?”
“I suppose. No broken
bones, but you’ll be mighty sore for a few days. I’m going to leave some salve for you to put
on your abrasions after you get a nice, hot bath. Doctor’s orders.”
Doc’s expression turned serious again as he hooked a finger
under Kitty’s chin and forced her to look directly at him. She was surprised to see his eyes were shining
with unshed tears. His voice quavered as
he spoke, “Kitty, I’ve known you for quite a while now, and I’ve come to think
of you as a daughter. Yes, it’s true. And I feel like I need to say this: you need to be more careful. You need to be more particular about who
comes up those stairs to this room. Do
you understand me, young lady?”
He pointed a finger accusingly at her. “One of these days, Matt might not be around
to bust down that door in time!”
She blushed furiously this time and looked away, anywhere
but at Doc’s reproving face. She wrapped
the cotton bed sheet defensively around her bare shoulders.
Doc’s tone was urgent, “Kitty, honey, I’m not trying to make
you angry, but I’m very concerned for your welfare. You’re going to get seriously hurt one of
these days. And I haven’t even mentioned
the threat of disease…”
Matt quickly interrupted.
“Doc, Kitty told me she’s almost saved enough money to buy half-interest
in the Long Branch. She and Bill Pence
will be partners.”
Doc’s expression brightened.
“Hey, ya’ don’t say? That would
bring you a lot of security, Kitty. You
wouldn’t have to put yourself at such risk…”
Matt cajoled, “Kitty, you see, it’s not just me that’s
worried about you. All your friends want
to see you safe. This is no kind of life
for you, honey.”
Kitty sat wordlessly, not knowing what to say. She felt defenseless against the arguments of
these two men who were the most important people in her life.
Matt stepped closer and shoved his hands deep in his pants’
pocket. “Kitty, I know I left you in a
big hurry the other night…”
Kitty’s eyes widened imperceptibly at Matt’s vague reference
to their interrupted evening together, but she realized gratefully that Doc would
have no idea what he was referring to.
Matt entreated, “Kitty, I want to help you. Now, hear me out. You’ve always been there for me, and I want
to return the favor. A man like me
doesn’t spend a lot of money…” He drew
his hands from his pockets and pulled out two wads of cash, badly wrinkled and
a bit grimy, but perfectly spendable, and dropped it on the bedcovers in front
of her.
“You know I don’t spend my cash on fancy clothes or
belongings. I’ve saved my money for a
rainy day. And I want you to have
it. To put on the Long Branch. ‘Cause I can’t stand you living this kind of
life for one more day, Kitty. Not one
more day.”
Doc rubbed his hand over his face and exclaimed, “Well, I
want to help out, too. I’ve got a little
bit saved up. Maybe between the three of
us, we can scrounge up enough money to cover Kitty’s half-interest.”
Hot tears slipped from Kitty’s incredulous blue eyes and
rolled soundlessly down her cheeks.
Overwhelmed by the generosity of her two dearest companions, she didn’t
know how to respond.
Matt suddenly began patting his vest as though he was
looking for something. “I nearly
forgot.” He dug a small amount of cash
from one of his vest pockets, added it to the bills on the bed, then began
fishing in another vest pocket.
“I…uh…talked to some folks who owed me a little money. You know how it is, Kitty. Friends who are down on their luck...” He dug a sizeable handful of silver dollars
out of his back pants pocket. Clink.
“People ask me for help sometimes. They know they can trust me…” He pulled some more folded bills from the
other back pocket. More for the pile.
“Usually, I don’t ask them to repay it…” He tugged up a pants leg and pulled off a
sock, extricating a few slightly sweaty greenbacks. Doc’s nose wrinkled as they were tossed onto
the bedclothes.
“That’s what I was busy doing the past two days…that’s why I
had to meet someone at the Lady Gay last night.” He snapped his fingers and dug his boots out
from under Kitty’s bed. Doc eyes widened
and he camouflaged a knowing smile by rubbing a hand over his whiskers.
Matt turned the boot triumphantly upside down and two twenty
dollar gold pieces fell out. He
confessed, “I won that in a poker game.”
Doc coughed to cover a chuckle. “Well, my dear, what do you say? Are you ready to begin your life as a
respectable young businesswoman?”
Matt anxiously awaited Kitty’s response.
To be continued...
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