"This Founder's Day is going to be the biggest, the greatest this town has ever seen…"
Martha raved about it as she sat eating lunch at the saloon with Ethan and Amelia who just listened to her litany of plans for the big day.
"We'll have booths for food and games for the children," she said, "and a dedication ceremony."
Amelia looked up.
"A dedication ceremony for what…?"
Martha paused for a moment.
"We'll think of something," she said, "Oh this is going to be so grand."
Ethan just looked over at Amelia who hadn't said much just interjecting comment now and then. She had a more practical side; after all she'd done this herself in the past. But Martha had truly taken the celebration to another realm. That concerned him because if Daggett and his gang chose that day to show up and cause trouble…
"Ethan are you listening to me," Martha said, "I said there are going to be some entertainment too."
He took a bite of his meal.
"I heard you," he said, "How is the town going to pay for all this?"
Amelia had asked that twice already but got no answer. He thought it was a good question as the town didn't have much money except what Martha and her father poured into it for its revitalization.
Martha just waved her hand.
"Oh don't worry about that Ethan," she said, "We'll handle it and this will be the boon we need."
He didn't know how much one day could do but Martha would have to find out for herself how challenging it would be. Amelia looked at him a couple times and he smiled back at her. He knew she felt like rolling her eyes at Martha but she did nothing like that.
"Oh and about security Ethan," Martha said, "You know my father's handling that."
Ethan did but he didn't like it.
"Dakota and I will recruit some ranchers to help us," he said, "Clancy's willing to do it."
Martha made a face.
"Ethan…my father's men are better and the merchants already trust them."
"You mean they're paying for them already."
She shrugged.
"That too…it's just easier this way," she said, "and despite what you're saying, they're good men. Some of them come highly recommended."
He sighed.
"Several came from San Francisco…"
"So…so they did…"
"There's an unsolved murder there," Ethan said, "A young man dead on the street."
"He wasn't the only one Ethan," Martha said, "and the police said that Dylan Daggett did it."
Ethan glanced over at Amelia.
"I don't believe them," he said, "I think someone else did it…maybe a security man."
Martha's eyes widened.
"That couldn't be true and besides if it was, my father wouldn't hire them if he had any suspicions."'
"But he doesn't…and I don't want men with backgrounds I don't know in my town."
Her eyes narrowed.
"It's not your town Ethan and they're already working for the businessmen."
Ethan shook his head.
"Because they were desperate and why…because out of nowhere these thefts and vandalisms came…that's why."
She nodded.
"Precisely and now they feel better about security than they did before," she said, "Ethan you do a wonderful job but you and Dakota are only two people and the town's growing quickly."
Not that much but there was no convincing her. Daggett might just show up after all if he was interested in getting Clara back. But Ethan knew that was the least of his problems.
"So Amelia what do you think of the entertainment?"
Martha had proposed a band to be playing and a quartet of fiddlers at the dance later on that night.
"I think it's a bit…much actually."
"Oh come on Amelia, just because you're clearly not in the celebration mood."
Amelia narrowed her eyes at her.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"That reporter gave you a hard time didn't he," Martha said, "Bella kicked him off her ranch."
Amelia paused.
"He asked questions that had nothing to do with his story."
"Like what…oh you mean about that poor man that was killed," Martha said, "What a shame…innocent from what Ernie said."
Amelia didn't need the reminder of what kind of man Warrick had been up to his death. She had no idea that the past would follow her back to Paradise but Ernie had brought it back.
"A shame…"
Ethan spoke up.
"I thought we were talking about Founder's Day," he said, "now how many security men are there going to be?"
"Just the ones we have already," Martha said, "Burke and Trevor are the last two to arrive but Buster will be in charge."
"I figured as much," Ethan said, "as long as he doesn't interfere with Dakota and me…"
"He and the rest of the men won't Ethan," she said, "Come on I'd hope you'd be happy about how much this is going to help you."
He sighed.
"They interfere; they're going to wind up in jail Martha."
She dropped her mouth open but he meant it and she knew it. She might go back to her father and complain about it but he'd stand firm.
Ethan walked out of the saloon with Amelia afterward. Martha had taken off not long after that saying she had to meet with her father but he knew she was going to deliver his words back to him. Ethan knew he'd be hearing from Darrin soon not that it mattered. He had been entrusted by the people of Paradise to be the marshal. And even though there hadn't been a flurry of other candidates going out for the position, he knew that most of the people including all the ranchers trusted him to look out for them. As much as they'd trust anybody to do that.
He looked over at Amelia. Even dressed up like a ranch hand she was still too beautiful, her hair braided back and her face thoughtful. He knew that what Martha had brought up hadn't made her happy but she hadn't shown it. She was tough in ways that it took him a while to figure out and if she was afraid, she kept it to herself most of the time.
"I don't like it…"
He knew that she meant the guards.
"I don't like it either and I don't intend to let them cause any trouble."
She paused for a moment.
"I don't want any other woman to face what I did Ethan…and what if one of Darrin's men…they did something like that?"
"It's not going to happen in Paradise. I won't let it."
She sighed.
"How could you stop it? You don't know anything about most of Darrin's hired men. Any one of them could be a lot worse an outlaw than Daggett."
Ethan knew that but he was stuck until one of the men did anything and then he'd be able to react. Not his favorite way of doing his job but he had little choice.
"I'm going to send out some wires on the two latest, Trevor and Burke," he said, "Starting with San Francisco but I don't know who employed them there."
"Probably someone with a lot of power Ethan," she said, "Like here…and maybe they worked for other business owners."
He walked her back to her horse and slid a arm around her waist.
"I'm looking forward to tonight."
She chuckled at him.
"It's just supper Ethan but it'll be fun," she said, "Bella's planning on some dancing."
He smiled.
"I got my partner all picked out."
"Oh you do?"
He nodded.
"Yep…she's the most beautiful woman in all of Paradise and I'm a very good dancer."
She bit her lip.
"You're pretty good at that if a woman keeps her feet clear."
"I haven't stepped on any toes since…"
She chuckled again. He loved the way she laughed, a lovely sound and her eyes sparkled. He planned on making her laugh more often.
"Okay…it's been a while for both of us," she said, "We'll start out slowly and work from there."
"Deal…I'm so happy that you're back Amelia…more than you know."
He meant it but he saw the reticence in her eyes. What had happened to her wouldn't fade quickly but she was back home where she belonged.
"I know…I'm happy too…I want you to know that even though I don't always act that way."
He drew her in his arms and he held her close to him for a moment before releasing her so she could get on her horse and head back to Bella's ranch to put some work in before he and the children joined her for dinner.
Darrin watched as Martha walked into his office at the bank. She didn't look too happy.
"How did the planning meeting go?"
She frowned.
"Ethan laid out some rules for the security men," she said, "threatened to put them in jail if they got in his way."
Darrin shuffled papers.
"Don't worry about that," he said, "the merchants would never go for that. They depend on us too much."
"I know but he's upset that some of the guards had no backgrounds for him to check out…"
Darrin sighed.
"That's our business not his and all of the men came highly recommended," he said, "Some of the big shots in San Francisco used them."
She paused.
"None of them did anything…bad did they? Ethan just about accused as much…nothing direct but he hinted that they have pasts…"
Darrin shook his head.
"No…I refuse to believe it," he said, "They wouldn't be here if that were true."
"A man was murdered…"
Darrin nodded.
"Yes, yes I heard the pesky reporter mention it…but our men had nothing to do with that. I promise you…and I am your father."
She nodded.
"Yes and we're equal partners in this venture aren't we?"
He smiled.
"Of course…"
She seemed placated and told him she'd be in her own office. After he left, he called for someone to tell Buster to send out a wire to San Francisco immediately…
"He'll know what it's about," was all Darrin said.