Earlier…

Amelia enjoyed the time she'd spent talking to Warrick at the party that night. She'd listened as he explained to her about the business he'd left behind in Chicago and the one he'd started here. His voice sounded so enthusiastic in a way that proved contagious and he reminded her of what it'd been like in the earliest days of her relationship with her ex-husband before reality broke up their marriage.

"So you're only here for a couple more days."

She nodded as they walked down one of the streets which had grown deserted as the businesses had shut down hours earlier.

"Yes…I'm heading back home…"

"Ah, Paradise right…the town that you were talking about earlier?"

She nodded.

"I have a house waiting for me there and that man I told you about…though I don't know if he's waiting."

"If he's smart, he will be."

She smiled at him.

"That's nice to say but it's been months and I left him believing I wouldn't be coming back."

"What will you do…if he's moved on?"

She'd thought about that too. She knew she'd be fine if he hadn't waited for her. Somehow, she'd get through it.

"I'll start another business…that won't have anything to do with banking or finance…but I don't know what yet."

"Sounds like a plan…there's a lot to be said for settling in a smaller town."

She turned the corner with him as they walked down a slightly darker street.

"I enjoyed traveling very much," she said, "It was something I always wanted to do but…I'm ready to head back to my life. I missed Paradise more than I thought I would, it's my home."

He smiled.

"I think he'll be there waiting for you," he said, "and it'll be like you never left only you'll have more to share."

"I'm sure he'll have been very busy himself…as he only has one deputy working for him."

Warrick grew serious.

"I think it's important that you try again with him," he said, "take what you learned. You see I wished I'd done that with a woman I loved back in Chicago but…she'd already moved on."

"But you miss her still?"

"Yes…but she's happy now," he said, "She's found a good man and they have children together."

"Maybe you'll find someone else…"

He smiled at her again and this time she saw a trace of wistful sadness.

"Maybe…I'd like that and there's still plenty of time…"

That statement he made to her stuck inside her mind ever since…because when he said that, he'd only had a few precious minutes left to live.

She finished her work in the barn and after Clara had left, she tended to the dog and her puppies. They were almost ready to be weaned and she hoped to find owners for them. She smiled knowing that Ben and George had their heart set on a puppy but Ethan hadn't decided yet.

Then she heard a creaking sound behind her…and the sound of footsteps.

She looked up suddenly and saw a man standing there, one she didn't recognize. Apprehension filled her.

"Who…are you?"

He smiled.

"I'm new in town," he said, "I know who you are…you're Amelia…"

She felt fear seep through her, icy cold.

"How do you know?"

"He told me…and that I'd find you here."

Confusion filled her.

"Who…?"

But he didn't answer. His eyes gazed around the barn as if he were appraising it. Then he looked back at her.

"You're alone here aren't you?"

She reached for her pitchfork, wrapping her fingers around its handle tightly.

"I can see that you are," he said, "I saw the other girl go into the house."

She drew the pitchfork closer to her.

"What are you doing here?"

He stepped forward.

"I'm here to see you…I heard all about you and your…talents."

She tried to place him in her mind quickly because he acted as if he knew her and yet she didn't recognize him.

"What do you mean?"

He leered at her.

"You know exactly what I mean…and I'm thinking that's what I need right now is some of those…talents."

He started approaching her taking each step deliberately. She stepped backward but the wall loomed not far behind her.

"Stay away from me…"

"Why? We can have ourselves some fun Amelia…"

She took another step backward but raised the pitchfork slightly.

"Get out of here…you have no business here…"

He just chuckled and kept walking towards her until he was just several feet away.

"That's not very sociable of you," he said, "I know I'm not the most handsome man but I do know my way around the ladies…and since you're no lady…"

She yanked up the pitchfork before he could say anything more and put it between the two of them. If he felt startled by his action he didn't show it.

"You won't do anything with that," he said, "I don't know why you're not being hospitable."

She just thrust it at him and he stepped back.

"Testy aren't you? We'll I've got a cure for that…"

He lunged towards her but she hadn't been bluffing. She thrust the pitchfork at him, catching his shirt and tearing it. He scowled at her and started cursing at her.

"Get out of here or next time this will be in your heart."

Something in her voice must have alerted him that she wasn't joking so he stepped backward.

"I ought to bring back some of my friends to teach you some manners…"

Then another voice from behind him, a masculine voice interrupted him.

"You'd best just leave while you're still ahead…"

The man looked behind him and saw Ethan standing there with his gun out.

"Who are you," he asked.

"I'm the town marshal, Ethan Cord and I'm telling you to leave right now and head on back where you came from or I'll make you leave."

The man reacted by putting his hands out.

"I'm not causing any harm," he said, "It's just a misunderstanding."

Ethan didn't look impressed and he kept his gun aimed at him.

"Get out of here now."

The man grumbled and then after giving both of them one more look, he left the barn. Ethan put his gun away and walked up to her.

"Who was that?"

She shrugged.

"I have no idea…I heard some footsteps, turned around and there he was inside the barn."

"It's not one of Daggett's men."

She shook her head.

"I don't know who it is," she said, "I never saw him before but the way he acted…he knew me."

She put the pitchfork down and started walking towards the hay bales. He walked with her.

"You okay?"

She nodded.

"I'm fine…It's just been a long day…though I enjoyed dinner a lot."

She didn't want to say much more than that. She knew exactly what the man had meant with those references to her and she felt fear intermixed with shame. But she tried to force both out of her mind.

"I'm fine really…"

"If he returns I want you to tell me…"

"I don't think he will," she said, "I think he's gone…he said he just arrived in town."

Ethan wondered about that.

"You never met him before?"

"No…if I did I think I'd remember."

They walked out of the barn and they ran into Bella who had been sitting on the porch of her house.

"I saw some man leave in a rush," Bella said, "What's that all about?"

Amelia just looked at her.

"I don't know…he was in the barn," she said, "Ethan chased him off."

"Not before Amelia stuck him with the pitchfork."

Bella sighed.

"I didn't recognize him," she said, "Who was he?"

Amelia shrugged.

"I don't know…but he knew about…"

Then she fell silent knowing she'd already said too much. Ethan picked up on it quick.

"Knew too much about what?"

Amelia and Bella looked at each other.

"Nothing…"

Amelia just walked away and moved quickly toward her cabin without saying anything more. Ethan just watched her go.

"What the hell was that all about?"

Bella sighed.

"I don't know…but let me find out," she said, "Maybe you'd better head on home."

He didn't want to leave but something in her eyes told him he should let her handle it for now. So he got back on his horse and headed back to the ranch, more confused than ever.

More determined to discover the truth.