Amelia had asked Ethan that question and he nodded.
"Yeah, just add to that beard," he said, "and it looks like the latest poster he got of him from the stagecoach robbery."
"When was that?"
"A month ago," he said, "About 50 miles east of San Francisco. He and his gang ambushed it and killed five people."
"Were they all at the scene?"
Ethan gave her a strange look.
"No…the men were all shot in the head but the two women were discovered in an old graveyard some miles away."
She nodded slightly.
"That's similar to what they did in the city," she said, "Only he went by different names. Dylan Daggett is a more recent one."
Ethan considered that. Most outlaws had tried on a variety of aliases for size and then when they found one they liked, they kept it. If they felt it no longer suited them, they picked another one. It made tracking them a lot tougher. He knew Daggett would prove to be a challenge for him or any marshal. He'd left a trail of dead bodies which made for a bunch of itchy triggers but so far he remained a day or two ahead of all of them.
If he wandered into Paradise, Ethan would make sure he lived to regret it. He didn't want no trouble here especially this close to Founder's Day.
Martha just shook her head.
"He looks mean," she said, "God if he ever brought his gang here, what would we do? Ethan, we might need that militia."
He shook his head.
"No Dakota and I can handle it," he said, "If we need more, I know who to hire to come on out here."
Meaning some of the best in the business, he knew most of them. Martha's face paled a bit.
"Ethan, we can't have more gunslingers for hire coming here ready to shoot it out on the streets."
Amelia couldn't argue with that but she knew that sometimes armed professionals were needed to keep the peace as much as she hated it. Putting the likes of Axelrod, Sam and some of the others in that category would only increase the danger. She had learned that through experience like when she, Claire and George had been held hostage in the hotel with other townspeople by a ruthless bunch of gangsters. Ethan had to fight a town split down the middle to save them. Axelrod and a few of his friends had been so quick to want to sell her over money and precious metals in her bank.
She'd been forced at gunpoint to rob it and while walking back to the hotel, she'd been caught in the middle with the outlaws between Ethan and Axelrod.
"Ethan's right," she said, "His way is the best for keeping us all safe in case those outlaws do show up."
He looked over at her but her attention was focused on Clara who had been looking at the posters of Daggett side by side, a few years and countless crimes separating them.
"I say that if we arm the businessmen, we'll have more people to fight them."
Amelia snorted.
"They can't do that," she said, "They'll shoot each other first."
Clara walked over to Amelia.
"That's him isn't it?"
Amelia glanced over at Ethan.
"Yes it is," she said, "but only his picture's in Paradise. He's miles away."
Clara nodded.
"He's a bad man. A very bad man."
Amelia agreed looking down at her hands.
"He is at that…but he's got no reason to come here."
Ethan figured that was probably true but then outlaws came up with all different sorts of reasons to commit crimes that made no sense to anyone else.
"Dakota and I'll keep an eye out for him and his gang."
Martha sighed.
"I hope the two of you will be enough."
She headed on out of the office back towards the bank. Ethan couldn't blame her for being concerned because the bank was the most obvious target of any outlaw. She had to be more than a little concerned about that.
Amelia turned towards him.
"Look Ethan, I know you and Dakota are really trying but Bella and the rest of us are going to protect ourselves."
"Amelia, didn't you just say…"
"I know I did but I also believe in defending myself however necessary."
He knew that about her and that she'd always known how to fire a gun. But that part of her had only heightened not lessened with time.
"It won't come to that," he said, "Dakota and I will be able to call in reinforcements if it comes to that but we don't even know these guys are coming at all."
Amelia nodded.
"I know but we're going to be prepared."
Ethan knew there was more to it than what she told him but he also knew not to push her for the information. If she wanted him to know, she'd tell him. He's also seen how she handled herself the other night at the saloon.
Scarlet, Rosie and the other girls were still talking about it.
Clara spoke up.
"We are going to the general store?"
Amelia smiled at her.
"Of course, you want to get a head start, you can go on ahead. I've got a few things to finish up here."
Clara dashed out of the office, eager to be outside again.
"She's quite a nice girl."
"Yes she is Ethan and she's come a long way since we first found her and got her out of a bad situation."
"Anything to do with Dylan Daggett?"
She bit her lip.
"Maybe…"
"What do you mean maybe?"
She appeared to think about it. What she could say to him and what to hold back. He didn't take it personally. He knew who she was protecting.
"How do you know him?"
She had just dropped that question on him so matter of fact, he almost missed it.
"Just through reputation mostly," he said, "Daggett sticks to the big cities. I try to stay away from them."
She smiled.
"I noticed that about you."
"I like the open country better, riding my horse out and sleeping under the stars."
She sighed.
"I did enjoy that since I was a child."
He smiled at her.
"That you did…we went on quite a few rides and campouts."
Her skin flushed because a couple of times she and he…had been snuggling under those blankets and not from the cold. Back then, she'd been in love and the only obstacle to happiness had been herself. Thinking she could change him, mold a hardened gunfighter into a laid back rancher. But some people's pasts never left them alone.
Now she knew better and yet it hadn't changed anything and she watched Martha making her same mistakes.
"I miss those times Amelia," he said, "I'm not going to say I don't…and that I've missed you."
She looked at him, her face softening at the hint of vulnerability on his face now.
"Ethan…you were so right," she said, "I wasn't being fair when it came to you and you being a marshal…but I was so scared most of the time. I didn't show it but I really thought I'd live to bury you."
"I'm still here."
She nodded.
"I know but I don't know if we can go back," she said, "everything's changed so much."
"You still look mighty pretty," he said, "and you handle yourself very well."
He meant the other night at the saloon but he didn't know the whole truth as to why she did that. He didn't need to know everything.
"The children have grown so much since I saw them," she said, "We had a great time when they came by the ranch."
He smiled.
"They seem so excited about being put to work," he said, "They really have taken to Bella."
"Does that bother you?"
He paused.
"No…I really believe she wants what she says," he said, "to be a rancher not an outlaw but it's no easier than wanting to be a rancher rather than a gunslinger."
She almost winced because she knew he'd worked so hard to make the ranch work but he just hadn't taken to it. Claire and the boys wound up doing the work and running the spread anyway.
Amelia sensed how much Ethan wanted to believe in Bella and that he wanted something with her even though they weren't engaged anymore. She wish it were that easy but that part of her…it didn't exist anymore. It had been taken away from her and now she only had what she tried to build on the ranch left. But she couldn't explain that to him because of what would happen.
She turned to him.
"I got to do some errands but Bella said she's hosting a dinner tomorrow and to invite you."
He perked up.
"I'll be there and I'll bring the children if they're invited."
"Of course, they're welcome."
With that, they said goodbye as Dakota walked in with some more wires about what Daggett had done during his latest spree as an outlaw this time getting closer to Paradise.