Claire took the boys by wagon to Bella's ranch and when they got out of it, they went running to the barn to check on the pups. Bella had said that soon enough they'd be ready to leave their mama and Ben and George could take their pick home.

Ethan had finally weakened and said that as long as they took care of it, then they'd be allowed to keep one of them so they picked a male puppy named Spark who they chased around outside of the barn near the corral.

Claire left them to go inside the house to help Bella with her books. She knew that it'd take a couple of hours to catch up but she enjoyed working at the ranch much more than in Axelrod's store.

"You want some tea?"

Claire looked up at Rosie and nodded. She sat down at the dining table with some of the ledgers with Bella who also brought out some freshly baked muffins. Claire took one and nibbled on it finding it quite delicious. She knew that Rosie had learned a lot about baking from Scotty and was putting it to good use here.

"These books shouldn't be hard this week," Bella said, "We made some purchases but a few sales as well."

"Then it'll balance out good," Claire said, "and I'm sure that there'll be more sales."

Bella grabbed a muffin off the dish.

"I hope so…we're hoping to build up some momentum by Founder's Day and hopefully have some booths there."

Claire smiled.

"That'll be great," she said, "It looks like a lot of people will show up this year."

She looked up and saw that Amelia had joined them.

"How are things going with the books?"

"Pretty good," Claire said, "I thought you'd gone away for a while."

She hadn't known the complete truth about what had happened with Amelia. But Amelia still had some bruising on her face.

"I'm back…but I'm taking it easy before I go back to working on the ranch," she said, "I took a fall off my horse and I'm getting better."

"That's good…where'd you fall?"

Amelia looked at Claire.

"By the river on my way back here but I'm okay now."

Claire fell silent for a moment perusing the ledgers but also wondering about what Amelia had said. She knew her to be a great rider.

"Really I'm fine," Amelia said, "so anywhere we need to save money?"

Claire shrugged.

"No not really," she said, "It's pretty balanced for now. You should Axelrod's books."

"I can imagine," Amelia said, "I used to see how he handled his money at the bank. At least that's someone else's problem now."

Claire sighed.

"That new guard Simon is very odd. He just stares at people and he unnerves them," she said, "though he's better than Burke."

"He doesn't work there anymore does he?"

Claire shook her head.

"Not since just before they put Walton in that jail cell," she said, "I know Uncle Ethan thinks someone killed him…maybe Burke but there's no proof."

"Maybe he'll find some. Not that it'll be easy."

"You're right about that," Claire said, "Most of the businessman like him and are glad that Walton's dead. They think he deserves it for breaking the law."

Amelia didn't doubt that in fact she knew it but she also knew that most of the townspeople didn't know the truth about Burke. What he was really like and what he did to people. Darrin might have him towing the line here but what if he couldn't control him for long?

"There's jail for that," she said, "Someone decided to be his judge, jury and executioner and that's not right."

"Well Uncle Ethan and Dakota can figure it out and get him some justice"

Amelia knew that Ethan would try his best even at risking his own safety to do it because that's just the way he did his job. The part of it that had scared her so much when she'd been in Paradise last time…but now she thought she could face. But she knew she had to be the one to deal with Burke and handle him, to make sure he left town or else. She'd come back here to stay and she wasn't running anymore including from him.

"I hope so," she said, "but it's going to be hard with the businessmen feeling the way that they do and holding all that power."

She knew it'd be better if done here way. She just had to come up with a plan of action.

Ethan headed out to Virgil's cabin and found Amelia gone. Concern flooded through him because she hadn't fully recovered. But then he remembered she didn't have a horse so someone had to help her get back.

He figured most likely Bella.

That would put her back on the ranch and as long as Bella was there, she'd make sure Amelia took it easy and didn't do too much. But that was only part of his concern because he knew that someone had tried to silence her but about what he didn't know. Else why would anyone try to kill her?

He got back on his horse and rode off the trail down to the road that would take him to the ranch. He thought again back to Burke because he suspected him of more than just the murder of one man. The man's past was a mystery to him and there had to be a reason for that. He needed to find out what was kept hidden and why. The wires he sent out might help him do that but he wouldn't know until sheriffs and other lawmen in different towns and cities reported back to him and that might take a while.

Amelia hadn't told him everything either and he didn't know what to do about that. She had her reasons but if they were putting her in danger then he had to do something. Rather than lose her again and this time for good.

He hadn't been nearly as sure as John Taylor that she'd return. But she did and when he first saw her…something deep inside of him returned to life again. She'd torn a piece of him when she'd left and gotten on that stagecoach and she'd left a piece of herself. Now that they were back together, he wouldn't let anything stand in their way.

The horse picked its way up the steep portion of a switchback to take him over a hill and back down into the valley.

Amelia came out of the barn after checking on her horse. She had been taking it easy like she told Bella she would do for several days. She felt much better and she'd been helping Claire with the books. During that time she had wondered what she would do about Burke and how she'd get him out of Paradise.

But she didn't think that would work because he'd tried to kill her. He'd try to do it again if she let him so she had to prevent him from trying to do that again.

She groomed her mare who nickered in response as Ben and George chased a couple of the puppies out of the barn.

Clara walked inside the barn.

"How the puppies doing?"

The younger girl smiled.

"They're growing up so fast," she said, "Soon they will find new homes."

"Ben and George picked theirs out."

Clara nodded.

"It should be ready to go home with them soon."

Amelia smiled at her back. Clara had really thrived since she arrived in Paradise. She knew that somewhere out there Daggett might be trying to find her but he hadn't shown up here yet. Ethan had said there'd been no recent signs of him or his gang.

She hoped he wouldn't show up as they had enough on their plate with Burke but Daggett played by his own rules.

So did she.