Thanks for reading and the reviews on both stories I wrote. I wasn't sure how many people still remembered this show and would read FF on it. I've enjoyed writing it.
The next morning the sun shone brightly betraying another scorcher of a day. Summer had definitely arrived in the valley and Paradise lit up with activity in town early on so people could get their business done before the heat cloaked the air close to the ground.
Claire had taken Ben and George to school after promising them they could go out to Bella's ranch later that day. She couldn't wait to go herself but first there listens to teach to a bunch of restless children eager for vacation to begin. Then there was Founder's Day which she didn't care for much but her brothers had been talking about on the way to school. Joseph of course had his job working for Doc Carter who enjoyed having him around as much as for his growing skills at helping him tend patients. She knew that Carter didn't have much patience with the likes of an Axelrod or Applegate or any of the other narrow minded town folks.
Speaking of which, she did owe Axelrod a couple days this week but not today. She wouldn't have to feel like walking on eggshells around him while she did his books.
"Claire…how long until… we…we don't got…gotta go to school?"
She almost rolled her eyes. They'd been asking her that a lot lately.
"A week Ben," she said, "then summer will start."
Then she'd be working more hours at the store to bring more money in while socking a portion away for her education or if she wanted to travel. Ethan had been firm with her in his insistence that she save most of her hard earned money for herself but the ranch had never really taken off and just about paid its bills.
"I want to see John Taylor."
"Tomorrow George," she said, "That's when he's by the lake."
The one where their uncle often fished for food but she knew to get away by himself for a while to keep them from driving him crazy. She knew the boys could do that as they often did the same to her. They reached the schoolhouse finally and went inside. Before she did, she saw Dakota talking to one of the bar girls as if they were buddies.
She knew that he didn't have a regular girlfriend but had a lot of girlfriends if that made sense. It didn't to her but not much about him did…but she did like him. Couldn't help that but she was a realist and knew they came from and moved in two different worlds even though they lived in the same town. Besides she was busy enough with her two jobs and keeping up her studies so that if…no when she went to college she'd be ready for its rigors.
Dakota saw Claire going into the schoolhouse, her two younger brothers running in front of her. He didn't see Joseph come up to him.
"You looking at my sister again?"
Caught, Dakota thought but he smiled at the younger man who also was a protective older brother.
"She's doing real well," Dakota said, "If we had teachers like her when I was growing up, I might have finished school."
Joseph didn't look pleased about that and he knew Ethan would mirror his nephew's attitude. He'd remembered the less than subtle warnings he'd gotten from his boss.
"She's too young for you."
"She's old enough to get married around here."
Joseph shot him a withering look.
"She's going to college some day," he said, "She's been wanting to get out of Paradise."
"I know that…besides I've got enough of a social calendar to keep me busy enough."
Joseph gritted his teeth.
"Keep it that way."
Dakota knew he was serious. He suppressed a smile as he looked at Joseph.
"What about you," he said, "You planning on staying here until you're an old man?"
Joseph shook his head.
"I'm going to college and I'm going to be a doctor when I'm done."
Dakota heard the quiet determination in his voice and he'd already learned that Joseph had a way about him that helped those who were ill or even gut shot heal. Doc Carter had pointed it out more than once.
"Then do that," Dakota said, "Don't stick around here too long."
Dakota left him and went into the office hoping to see Ethan there but his chair was empty. So he went to look on the desk where he saw someone had left a pile of more "Wanted" posters for an assortment of outlaws.
Better start putting them up before Ethan arrived.
Ethan walked down the main street with Martha on her way to the bank to meet up with her father. They were expecting to receive a wire soon on a couple two business owners interested in investing in some corner properties on the street. Including one that would sell top of the line clothes from Europe, which made no sense to Ethan. He wasn't an expert in business that didn't involve welding a gun but he didn't see many women in Paradise first of all let alone those that would buy fancy outfits.
Nowhere to wear them really and the other partner being a tailor for men's suits. He had one or two of those that still fit but he rarely wore them. That went for most of the folks in town. Just what were the Wyatts and their business partners expecting to arrive?
"Ethan…about last night…"
He sighed. He knew that Martha hadn't been thrilled to share a table with either Bella or Amelia.
"I hadn't seen her in a year and I knew Bella way back," he said, "She's meaning to turn her life around and I don't want to stand in her way."
Martha didn't look like she approved of that answer.
"But my father's right, it's bad for the town."
"Not if they're successful," he said, "Then they'll have money to spend on these businesses. Since mining's boom and bust it'll be good to see businesses that are more stable…even ranching."
Not that he liked doing it himself but he knew how important it might prove to be to the town's survival since the copper mine hadn't been what had been hoped. Too little in productivity, too high on risks….after a doctor had been killed while trying to expose the truth about how the mine made people deathly ill including his own nephew.
Martha shook her head.
"They'll lower values…no one's going to want to live next to someone who might steal their stock."
"It won't happen," he said, "Besides Amelia wouldn't be involved in an outlaw."
"She was married to one," Martha said, "I heard stories about this Pierce Lawson, who tried to buy his way into upper society…unseemly character."
Ethan couldn't argue with that, never liking the guy even though he'd helped free him from one of the toughest prisons. He'd tried but he never could pull it off.
"I wonder what ever happened to him."
Ethan didn't know and he didn't much care. As long as he didn't show up to Paradise…silly way to think given that he and Amelia weren't together any longer.
They reached the bank and Martha turned towards him fiddling with his coat.
"I really hope you can help us deal with the changes we plan to make."
He sighed.
"I'll do my job as marshal but that's all I can promise."
He knew what she wanted and he also knew he couldn't give it to her. Not and keep his job knowing he was doing what was right.
"I'm here to keep the peace."
"I know that but what if your friends don't want that after all? What if they're lying to you…to us?"
He took a breath because he had thought about that but it didn't change anything.
"I'll do my job then but I don't expect trouble to come from that corner," he said, "The businessmen have to do their part too."
She shook her head.
"Ethan…Ethan all they want is to improve their livelihood."
"They seem to be doing just fine," Ethan said, "even with the mine's problems."
"But they could do so much better," she said, "I'll see you later. There's another meeting tonight on the holiday celebration."
Ethan had forgotten but then he'd never involved himself in the planning of a holiday that didn't mean much to him.
"I might drop by before I head on home."
She smiled.
"You won't regret it when you see how much work we've done…"
Ethan somehow doubted that.
Amelia and another woman, Dorothy pushed against the fence with their body weight to move it straight. Bella had brought them some food earlier on horseback to where they were working on the boundary fences. They knew they had to fix the broken down ones first and shore up the rest, lest any wandering stock onto their spread lead to accusations of rustling by neighbors.
One of them was Ethan though so she knew that was one less to worry about and as she looked up, she saw Claire and the two younger brothers riding up with Bella.
Bella pulled up her horse looking at them with a smile.
"I'm giving them a tour of the spread and what we've done so far which isn't much."
Claire and her brothers greeted both of them and Bella introduced them to Dorothy who just smiled shyly back not saying much.
"Hi Claire," Amelia said pulling her work gloves off, "Good to see you out here."
Ben and George looked around at the empty space around them and then one took off running while the other chased him.
"I guess they need to work off sitting in school all day," Bella said, "This is looking very good."
Amelia took off her hair and smoothed out her curly hair.
"It's nearly done…this part," she said, "so no one can accuse us of anything."
Bella nodded.
"That will make life a little easier."
Claire looked around her.
"So you're going to do this all by yourself?"
Bella narrowed her eyes.
"There's a good group of us here to get started," she said, "but we'll be hiring out. Ethan's deputy Dakota offered to do some work."
Claire nodded.
"I see…maybe I and the boys can help you too…if Uncle Ethan says it's okay."
Bella appeared to consider that.
"It would be a great help but what about your own ranch?"
"That's quite a bit work too but you're our neighbor."
Bella smiled.
"That's very nice of you Claire. Yes, we could use some more help. I don't think we'll have much luck closer to down."
Claire sighed.
"Axelrod can be very difficult sometimes. He doesn't like my uncle."
Amelia agreed.
"They've butted heads often enough," she said, "but Axelrod ended up giving in most of the time."
Ben and George ran on over and appeared excited when Claire said they'd be helping out at Bella's ranch.
"Can we herd horses," George asked breathlessly.
Bella paused.
"You can help me with my chicken coop first," she said, "I have know nothing about chickens and I heard on good authority you two are experts."
The brothers beamed at that and then started talking about their own egg laying business. Bella looked over at Amelia.
"We need to take that payment into town," she said, "We don't want Mr. Wyatt to try anything against us."
Amelia nodded.
"I'll handle it."
She went to get her horse and got aboard.
"I'll see you later," she said to Claire and the others before taking off in a cloud of dust.
Bella turned to the others.
"I've got some lemonade back at the house," she said, "and maybe some biscuits if you'd like to try them out."
Ben and George of course heard that and ran over saying they'd like that so they all started to ride back to the ranch. Claire and Bella rode together across the meadow.
"It's really nice out here."
Bella pulled on her reins.
"I think so too," she said, "Amelia knows her land."
"She told you to buy it?"
"She knew that it'd be looking for a buyer," Bella said, "and she was right."
They found a winding dirt trail past the creek that would lead into the lake. Threes grew in throngs along its banks.
"She was going to marry my uncle…and be our stepmother."
"She told me that."
"But she left us," Claire said, "She didn't want to see my uncle died. A man shot him and he almost did in the hotel."
"I heard about that too."
"The man was my father," Claire said, "My real one but I'm not supposed to know about that. I haven't told the others."
"Ah, that can be a life changing revelation…or not but you must know your uncle loves you."
Claire nodded.
"I never quite pegged him for a father," Bella said, "but I can see it suits him."
Claire saw the house ahead.
"Martha wants to marry him."
Bella saw the certainty in Claire's eyes as she looked over at her. She chuckled.
"I don't think that'll work out," she said, "They're too different. Besides Ethan's not looking or I might have given him a shot myself."
"Really?"
"Don't sound surprised," Bella said, "If I weren't interested in a sure thing…I might but he's a long way from that."
They arrived back at the ranch and took their horses to the corral next to the barn where other women were working.
Amelia rode up to the land claims office which was between the bank she used to manage for her wayward husband and the marshal's office. Applegate looked sourly at her paperwork and then took her payment, reluctantly. She didn't know what had gotten into him but knew it had to do with Bella more than her.
Applegate handed the sheet back to her.
"Am I done?"
He shook his head.
"The marshal needs to stamp it but he's next door."
She thanked him and went next door where she saw Ethan sitting in his chair. She handed him the paper.
"This will take just a minute," he said.
She nodded and walked around the office that didn't look much different than what she remembered. She'd hated it then because it represented what she hadn't wanted him to be. But she'd come to terms with who he was and that she'd never change him so it didn't bother her now. She saw the "Wanted" posters, some more yellowed and curling at the edges than others, plastered on the board. So many of them they overlapped.
"I put some new ones up this morning," he said, "A newer gang up in the bigger cities robbing and terrorizing people."
She nodded.
"The world never changes does it?"
"Not much only the faces."
She kept looking at them, the drawings of outlaws that were based on people's recollections of what they looked like. But only those who survived them could pass that information along.
But then she saw him. The one face out of all the ones around it that sucked the air out of her…but his hair looked darker. His skin clean shaven without the beard…maybe from some years earlier in his life.
The eyes that stared out of his face at her…she'd never forget them. The artist had captured them perfectly and she felt the chill fill her even inside a room already soaked in the day's heat. She heard footsteps and then Ethan stood next to her.
"Killed five people down state," Ethan said, "that they know about…he and his gang."
She saw that there was a reward for his arrest that would be paid on the day they hung him.
"They say he's tied in with some bigger gang from further east," Ethan said, "but it's just talk."
She tried to put a smile on her face.
"I'm sure the law will catch up to them sooner rather than later."
But she knew that they hadn't had much luck so far. Still that wasn't Paradise's or Ethan's problem. The gang stuck to bigger cities not barely surviving mining towns.
"Hope you're right," Ethan said, "but so far they've kept ahead of everyone after them."
She left the posters gladly and went to get her paperwork.
"Thanks," she said, "Now everything official's done and we can focus on making it a success."
"I hope you do so," he said, "Not everyone in this town's against you."
"I know that…but it's not fair," she said, "I know Bella did bad things but she's put that behind her."
He sighed.
"I'm giving her the benefit Amelia but I've got a town to protect too."
She paused.
"I know but I know it's not us that it needs to be protected from."
He looked at her thoughtfully in a way that made her a little uncomfortable. But she didn't show it. She knew he had questions, she just didn't know how to answer them.
"How did you join up with her anyway?"
The most difficult question of course. She just shrugged a bit.
"We met up in San Francisco," she said, "got to know each other and she needed a place for a fresh start so I helped her."
"You brought her to start fresh in Paradise," he said, "The town you hated."
She bristled a bit.
"I didn't hate it," she said, "I just didn't like it much."
"You always wanted to leave it…even when we were together."
She almost felt defensive but she knew that this was partly the truth. She'd felt imprisoned by the town since her husband had deserted her and when Ethan got tossed into the mix, it just made everything so confusing. If she hated the town but loved him more than anything, what would she do?
"I came back and I knew this would be the perfect place for Bella's ranch."
"What about yourself," he asked, "why are you back?"
She hesitated, smoothing out her shirt.
"I missed you Ethan…you and the children," she said, "I wanted to see you again….even if everything was different."
"Things are different…"
"I know and I know you've moved on and that's good Ethan. You deserve to be happy."
He looked at her puzzled.
"I've been mostly busy with marshalling to do much else."
She knew that knowing that he was fully dedicated to his job almost to the exclusion of everything else except family.
"I remember that but I know it matters very much to you and I'm sorry about how I acted."
He looked at her.
"I'm sorry that I let myself get shot."
"It wasn't your fault," she said, "Well maybe some of it but I should have been stronger…and not run away."
"You were running towards something Amelia…to what you always wanted, to travel and see the world," he said, "nothing wrong with that."
She wished she could believe him but she knew she'd hurt him a lot but he seemed in a better place now.
"It wasn't quite what I thought it would be."
"Maybe you could tell me about it," he said, "the places you went, the things you saw."
She considered that.
"Maybe…well I'd better head on back," she said, "Thanks again."
He nodded.
"You could join us for dinner."
She smiled having missed those moments. Surely that wouldn't hurt.
"Okay…I can do that."
She left the office and away from him to head to the ranch, thinking of all the reasons why she shouldn't have accepted but knowing she'd reject all of them.