Episode 8-1: Hunters
Over at the Dog Eye Saloon, it seemed like just a normal day. Dog Eye himself was an early riser, and before the others had made a showing, he had tidied up the place as much as was possible. He'd even found a cheap rug to cover up the blood stains. By the time Gabby and Wyatt Earp came over to have a chat with him, the room looked a damn sight better. After a quiet conversation, the two men were convinced that the saloon keeper would manage to stay quiet about what he'd seen. McNary was too savvy to be played off with some story, but he wanted some peace and quiet in the town as much as Earp did and he knew the value of holding his tongue.
That morning, after taking breakfast alone as Randolph was nowhere to be found, Coraline paid the old priest a visit up at the Union Church as she had promised she would. After listening to what of the tale that she told him, he seemed to accept her story without question and agreed to take what remained of the melted down scalpel into his custody. While he didn't specifically promise that he could without certainty ensure that it didn't fall into the wrong hands again, he agreed that it was unlikely that it should if given into his care. He hinted that he had experience caring for such things, but didn't speak further on the matter.
The remainder of Independence Day passed without incident, at least by Dodge City standards. There were fights and scuffles, but as the crowds were starting to leave the town, so was the tension, and there was a marked reduction in conflict as there were fewer and fewer people to fill the streets. By the end of the day, it seemed like a different place altogether. There was another, smaller fireworks show that night as well, quite reminiscent of the night before, save that it was absent a few grizzly deaths in the streets by a man driven mad by a tainted scalpel.
Sky Dog's attempts to look after Suzy's well being would lead him only to Doc Smith's house. For one reason or another, Doc Smith seemed incredibly reluctant to let anyone into his residence, deputy or no. He said that he would make a house call if needed, but that his own home office would not be open for patients that day. The good doctor assured the shaman that Suzy was well, and being well cared for. Simpkins and the Wilderness Riders, on the other hand, seemed to have skipped town during the night. No one quite knew where they had gone to, or why.
It wasn't till the morning of the fifth that they had all been called back to meet with Earp as scheduled.