Boone looked at her critically.
"You're saying that Burke and Trevor killed that man in San Francisco?"
Amelia nodded. She'd told him what had happened, well not all of it but enough for him to know that they had murdered a man in cold blood in front of her. Then they had wound up here and soon enough another young man died suspiciously in the same vicinity. She knew that somehow when Dakota and Charlie had been called to deal with the disturbance down the street that was when the two men had done it. More than likely they made a false report on the disturbance as a diversion.
"So why did they do it? Why would they kill a man in front of you…when you're a witness," Boone said, "You're not dead after all."
She hesitated because this was the much harder part but she knew that if Burke and Trevor had killed two men they wouldn't stop there.
"Burke was the ringleader…Trevor…I didn't really recognize him until recently," she said, "He showed up one time in the barn at Bella's ranch when I was in there alone.. Ethan ran in but he'd already fled by then."
She was dodging the question he'd asked but if he noticed, he didn't push it. But then he was trained at what he did more than most men alive so he had more than one way to get his answers.
"They were both hired by Darren? Who did they work for before in San Francisco?"
Amelia sighed.
"I don't know…someone very powerful and in control of at least part of the city," she said, "That's how it worked…different parts of it, different territories were controlled by different groups of men. Bella's community center was in the middle of the section of the city owned by King Harrington."
Boone nodded.
"I'd heard of him…a rough customer dressed up in a nice suit," he said, "He's from New York City by way of Chicago…setting up operations in cities then leaving them to start anew."
That made sense to Amelia. She'd seen the man in passing on the street when she'd been in San Francisco but she'd found out only later on that he'd employed Burke and Trevor.
"They probably worked for him and then when the heat hit them over Warrick's murder, their contracts might have been sold to Darrin."
"Maybe he knew King and King just gave them to him," Amelia said, "They're here now and…they know that I know what they did because Burke tried to kill me."
Boone didn't look surprised. Maybe nothing shocked him anymore.
"You tell Ethan anything about what these men did…that they're responsible?"
She looked down at her hands and shook her head.
"I didn't…These men are very dangerous and if anything happened to him…I left him once already because I was scared…of living with a man who lived by the gun and…"
"Could die by it…I understand Mrs. Lawson," Boone said, "It's hard for a woman to deal with…the harsh and unpredictable life of a marshal. But Ethan's one of the best and he can handle these men as long as he doesn't try it by himself."
She smiled slightly.
"I know and I've gotten over that fear…I came back because life without him…this is where I need to be," she said, "but I'm still concerned about him…he's taking care of his sister's children like his own and they need a father."
"Yes they do…Ethan didn't grow up with one and I'm sure he wants better for them."
She nodded.
"He needs to stay alive and if he goes after Burke and Trevor," she said, "They could kill him."
Boone tilted his face.
"I'm here to help him…and I know he has at least two deputies with more men to step in if necessary," he said, "I can call for reinforcements. There's no need to worry about him."
She listened to him and she wanted to believe him but some fears died hard.
"We need to get these two dangerous men off the streets and behind bars," Boone said, "But we need to build a case against them first…and that isn't going to be easy. I imagine Darrin's not going to cooperate and that he's got enough money to make trouble."
"Yes he does and that worked for them back in San Francisco," Amelia said, "I went to the police…when I had the chance and they didn't do anything…once I told them who did it. That's when I realized that even in this city some men are above the law."
Boone frowned.
"It shouldn't be that way and that's now how I work but I know that not everyone believes that way and that the rich and powerful have ways of shielding themselves from the law."
She sighed.
"They killed Warrick because it was me they were after," she said, "My husband, Pierce Lawson was weak…he was a conman and he upset the wrong men with one of his scams."
"I see…"
But did he, Amelia wondered as she watched his face. She thought she could trust him with the details but it was so hard to talk about and it had changed her in ways that impacted her relationships with everyone…even Ethan. Maybe especially him…she'd left Paradise a much different woman than she was now.
"They didn't kill you…"
She felt her mouth go dry and her palms grow clammy.
"I got away from them…and someone helped me," she said, "A young girl living on the streets. She's here too. Her name's Clara."
He nodded.
"I'd like to talk to her too if I may," he said, "and where's this reporter, Ernie?"
Amelia shrugged.
"He's around…asking questions," she said, "He didn't seem to think it could be anyone but Dylan Daggett."
Boone furrowed his brow.
"His gang is very active in this area…and was holed up in San Francisco for a spell but he's a robber and Warrick had his money still on his body didn't he?"
Amelia nodded.
"He wasn't killed for that," she said, "It was to keep him silent forever."
Dakota looked at Ethan hearing the gravity in this voice, the absolute certainty that Ethan had his targets, two of them in sight and was going to go after them.
"There's no proof Ethan."
"I'll get proof. I know Darrin's men killed Walton and their boss isn't going to protect them any longer."
Dakota sighed.
"Maybe with Boone Walton here…he can help us."
Ethan nodded.
"That's the plan if he's willing but even without him I'm not letting these men get away with murder. Not inside my jail and not in my town."
Charlie returned from an errand just then and handed a paper to Ethan who read it. His reading skills weren't that great but he could manage a telegram only it looked like it was more than one of them written on one sheet almost telling a story. He looked up at both men.
"A friend of mine who works for the marshal in Stockton said that he arrested a man in a saloon fight," Ethan said, "The man had been in San Francisco and he was rambling about a guy named Burke who worked security there for King…one of the power brokers in the city."
"Okay…so what else did he have to say?"
"Just that Burke and Trevor his partner were heavy hitters for him," he said, "They beat up his enemies to a pulp and could have sent more than one to the morgue."
Dakota sucked in his breath.
"He sure…?"
Ethan nodded.
"He hung out in the saloon near the business streets," Ethan said, "He heard that a man was shot by two men and left to bleed to death…something about a woman's screams being heard."
He looked at Charlie.
"Any more information coming by telegram…?"
Charlie sighed.
"Yeah…later on," he said, "Guy must have kept the office in Stockton busy."
But Ethan wasn't thinking about that, he was thinking back to the night that Warrick had been murdered on that street by two men who had been after Amelia…or more accurately her husband. They had never been caught and were still out there somewhere.
Only somewhere might have become inside the boundaries of Paradise. He needed to find out and fast. If Burke and Trevor were guilty, then god help them because he would have no mercy.