Amelia looked at the men when she entered the restaurant.
"Hi there," she said, "I hope you left some chorizo for me."
Ethan smiled.
"I think Scotty can scrounge some leftovers," he said, "good morning, what brings you into town?"
She sighed.
"I was at the bank first and Martha took another deposit," she said, "We sold two yearlings to the rancher next to us."
"Good…your business is taking off."
She nodded.
"Better than we expected," she said, "A couple more might be sold by the end of the week. We got some good ones on our way to Paradise."
Scotty came over and smiled at her.
"You here for breakfast," he said, "Finished another batch of that chorizo."
"I know…I heard about it on the way here Scotty," she said, "Supposed to be very tasty."
He seemed pleased by that and was going to lead her to a table. She turned towards Ethan and the others.
"I'll see you later…"
Ethan left the others.
"I'll join you," he said, "I need to ask you some questions."
She arched a brow up.
"Is this business or is it personal?"
He paused.
"I need to know more about how Walton died."
She frowned.
"You think I can tell you that? I don't even know him."
They both sat at the table and waited for Scotty to bring her some food. Ethan leaned forward.
"Nothing in San Francisco? You didn't ever run into him even in passing?"
She sighed.
"Ethan it's a big city," she said, "All kinds of people there and I wasn't there that long."
He paused even longer this time. His eyes looked uneasy, conflicted. She braced herself for whatever he might ask.
"About what happened…it doesn't have anything to do with Walton?"
She just stared at him, emotions swirling inside her all at once.
"Why are you asking me that…I would have told you if it did…"
She couldn't believe he thought she would do otherwise even though she hadn't told him everything. Walton hadn't been someone she had recognized except maybe in passing. Maybe he had been at some of the parties that Bella and others threw to make money for the community center and its programs for women in the city. Someone like Warrick who had been nice and interested in the work that was done to help others but who'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time…which had gotten him killed. But had that happened to Walton?
"I think he knew Brock Amelia," Ethan said, "I think that's what got him killed here. Because both men shared something in their pasts and both of them showed up here."
She sighed.
"You think Walton knew something about the men who killed him?"
Ethan nodded.
"I think Brock's out to get rid of anyone who can tie him back to whatever it was he was doing in San Francisco."
She looked away from him for a moment because she sensed him studying her carefully. When he did that she knew that she could easily slip up and tell him something.
Something that could get him killed. Brock was a very dangerous man and she'd realized that back in San Francisco. Not many men who crossed him survived to tell the tale.
She knew that Walton had been one of them just like Warrick but she didn't know why. She didn't know what had brought Walton here because he hadn't lived long enough to reveal his reasons. Whether or not it had anything to do with Brock, she didn't know. But she suspected that it did and if Brock went after Walton…and had tried to do so with her…she had to act.
Her gun was right where she could reach it if she needed to in a flash. She knew how to use it and was a crack shot. Her father had started her down that road and she'd only sharpened her skills since.
"Ethan…what good is it going to do? Darrin's protecting his men including Brock and he's got a lot of money and power…and influence including here."
He had to know what she meant, that the store owners had aligned themselves with him quickly enough.
"It doesn't matter if the man's a killer."
She looked up at Scotty who delivered her a delicious smelling plate of chorizo. She smiled at him as he placed it in front of her and started eating.
"He can't be arrested without evidence…"
She enjoyed her food but knew he looked at her.
"Amelia what do you know about him?"
She looked up at him suddenly, her fork frozen.
"What…I know that he's killed a man," she said, "Isn't that enough?"
He just looked at her a long moment.
"I think you know more than that Amelia," he said, "I mean the guy just came after you a few days ago."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Ethan…I fell off my horse."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I don't think that's what happened," he said, "I wish you'd just tell me what did."
She tilted her face at him.
"There's nothing to tell," she said, "He's after Walton not me."
She hoped he'd believe her; he had to believe her story. If Brock knew that Ethan was onto him, he'd come after him and she knew that he'd be a tough man to fight…especially since he wouldn't be fighting alone.
"I know there's more to it," he said, "and I'm going to find out with or without your help."
She gritted her teeth.
"Fine Ethan…go right ahead…I can't stop you."
"Why would you want to do that?"
She paused.
"No reason…I mean if you're dead set on getting yourself hurt," she said, "The men who killed Walton…they could be very dangerous."
"I've dealt with many dangerous men," he said, "I can handle myself."
She knew he believed that and most of the time he could do so very well but then other times…she'd lived through those periods of their life together as well. Just because she'd come to terms with who he was didn't mean she wanted him to rush into dangerous situations.
"I know that but I just want you to be careful."
He looked directly at her.
"Who killed Warrick?"
She just looked directly at him and that was her answer.
Ethan had left the restaurant after Amelia had finished her breakfast frustrated because she wouldn't tell him who had killed Warrick and who had hurt her back in San Francisco. He knew that she knew the identities of these men but wouldn't tell him.
This just told him that they were close by…closer than the gang that was on its way to commit mayhem in Virginia City. He saw John Taylor by the postal office as he went to check on the responses to his wires.
"Beautiful morning isn't it?"
Ethan looked at the Indian who was sitting out watching the people go about their business.
"You seem happy."
John Taylor grinned.
"I left my home this morning and came to see what the excitement was about here," he said, "you closer to going after the two men who killed Walton?"
Ethan sat down in the chair next to him.
"I know that they killed him for a reason and it's got nothing to do with Paradise," he said, "Everything to do with San Francisco."
"You mean what happened with Amelia."
John Taylor said that so matter of fact that it almost caught Ethan off guard but he nodded.
"Yes I do but she won't tell me who the men were…no matter how I ask."
John Taylor paused.
"She told you what happened to her didn't she?"
Ethan paused because just remembering it brought back the feelings that he'd seen her express when she told him.
"Yes…but not who did it."
"You think you know…"
Ethan looked at John Taylor patiently waiting for an answer.
"I do know…but I don't want to confront her about it," he said, "because she's been hurt enough…and why she's not telling me…she must have her reasons."
"She does but most of it has to do with you."
Ethan blinked his eyes.
"Me? Why?"
John Taylor sighed.
"Because she knows how dangerous Brock is firsthand and she doesn't want you to know."
Ethan figured that she'd been concerned about him knowing the history of how his line of work affected her, even making her leave town for some months. But she had to know he could handle himself.
"Ethan…you're not invisible though sometimes you think you must be."
He heard the gentle reproach in his friend's voice and remembered those times. But he also knew he'd be careful as he could be but bringing Brock down would come first. He knew he had what it took to do that.
Amelia walked down the street, her conversation with Ethan mulling in her head. She knew he'd been upset with her for hiding the truth. She didn't think she had a choice in that because losing him…she didn't want to face that.
She'd just wanted to protect him not protect him and then she looked up and saw them. A group of men on horses driving into town towards the sheriff's office.