Ernie walked up to Ethan while he stood in front of his office. That annoyed Ethan because he didn't much fancy reporters nosing around his investigations. But the man seemed determined and he'd hoped to learn some things from him…because all of these players involved in what had been happening in San Francisco all showing up at once…it perplexed and it deeply bothered him.

"You know if Boone's going to find his brother's killer?"

Ethan just looked at Ernie who'd brought his ever present notepad. He wasn't giving him any quotes this morning for the articles that would be published. He'd deviated somewhat from his assignment of doing a profile on Bella Rogers' life after being an outlaw to looking into the death of Walton.

"I imagine he won't quit until he finds him," Ethan said, "As long as he works with me, got no problem with what he does."

Ernie grimaced.

"He likes to do his own thing and he's one of the best at it."

Ethan knew the man's reputation but doing his own thing could easily get him killed but he figured Boone must be smart enough by now to know that. After all, he was still alive.

"Like I said, his help is welcome but my men and I will handle it."

Ernie smiled.

"Feeling a bit territorial?"

Ethan just sighed.

"No…that's just how it's done," he said, "and Boone understands that."

Ernie shrugged.

"My money's on him finding the killer first," he said, "He's the most tenacious tracker in the business…"

Ethan knew that too…he'd learned a lot from the man when he'd been a young buck just starting out in the gun slinging business. The only reason he was still alive now…was because of mentors like Boone. But that didn't mean he'd be turning over his jurisdiction to him or anyone else.

"So you think it might be Darrin's men who did it?"

Ethan folded his arms and looked at him.

"Can't say…but you know them better than I do. What do you think?"

Ernie didn't seemed surprised by the question.

"They worked for some of the most powerful men in the city," he said, "now they're here."

Ethan remembered how difficult it had been to find out more information on them and how Darrin hadn't answered his questions.

"So they left suddenly?"

Ernie sighed.

"The authorities said that Dylan Daggett killed Warrick and for a time I thought they were right," he said, "Now I'm thinking otherwise."

"Daggett runs with a pretty rough gang," Ethan said, "He's capable of killing a man on the street and just leaving him there."

"I know…he's running some rackets there too," Ernie said, "Saloon girls…he offers work to women and girls on the street and doesn't give them much chance to say no…some gambling…none of which attracts too much attention."

"No security racket?"

Ernie shook his head.

"No…I thought he would since even he gets shook down by men more powerful than he," he said, "but I don't think that he killed that man…and Amelia…"

Ethan knew what she had told him but she left much out…like who had done it. He knew that she'd only not told him that to protect him…she just needed to understand he didn't need it. But she'd been hard to convince…

"I don't think she needs to be involved…"

"She is involved…she was there when Warrick was killed," Ernie said, "She went to the police and they didn't listen to her. I didn't either."

Ethan clenched his jaw.

"Still…I don't want her mentioned in any of your reports," he said, "It's not safe for her already…if the killers are close by."

Ernie sighed.

"They might be closer than you think if they turn out to be Burke and his friend."

Ethan knew that was possible…maybe even the truth but unless Amelia trusted him enough to tell him he was stuck because he didn't have enough proof to nail them for the murder in the Paradise jail but if they were tied to another one like Warrick…it might be easier.

"Then what…what if they decide they don't want a witness alive…who already got away once."

Ethan remembered back to what happened when she said she'd fallen off her horse outside of town and had gotten hurt. Yet she'd been so insistent her horse had been spooked somehow and had run off blindly.

"I'll make sure nothing happens to her…"

Boone walked up to them and his face looked serious.

"Ethan…I need to talk to you," he said, "I want all the information I can find on Burke and Trevor…"

Ethan grimaced.

"You and me both…but Darrin's not telling much…"

Boone set his mouth in a grim line.

"Then I'll have to talk with him," he said, "and make sure he tells us everything about those two men."

Ethan heard the urgency in his voice.

"Why…you know something?"

Boone sighed.

"I know enough to drag them in for questioning if I were marshal…and I might do that anyway."

Ethan put his hand up.

"Now hold on…you need to tell me what's going on here."

But Boone just looked at him a long moment before answering.

"Those men aren't fit to live and I'll do whatever I can to get justice," he said, "I know they're guilty of more than just what happened to my brother."

Ethan heard the gravity in the man's voice and understood it. He suspected that the men who killed Walton were the most obvious suspects but he had to be careful how he handled the situation especially with someone like Darrin employing them.

"I understand that business owners hired them as security…"

Ethan nodded.

"That's the case…"

Boone chuckled humorlessly.

"I imagine to protect them from crimes his men are out committing to generate business," he said, "Oldest racket in the books."

Ethan had suspected as much. But he knew he had to be patient.

Amelia left the bank and ran into Martha who was returning to work after hitting the restaurant.

"You're in some hurry aren't you?"

Amelia glanced up at the other woman.

"Just making a deposit," she said, "We sold some of the yearlings which adds money to the account."

Martha smiled.

"That's good…as long as it's legitimate money."

Amelia folded her arms.

"Meaning…"

Martha's smile widened.

"Meaning that Bella and the rest of you operate on the right side of the law," she said, "We don't need any outlaws in this town and our bank doesn't need illicit money."

Amelia nodded.

"I understand…but what about the men your father employs? The ones who do business in this town…don't they put their earnings in your bank?"

"Why of course…why wouldn't they?"

Amelia paused.

"Oh because it's questionable about whether or not their way of earning a living is legitimate," she said, "or another type of con artists in our midst."

Martha smirked.

"Like your ex-husband? I heard about him…he was ripping people off and made all kinds of enemies…"

Amelia didn't needed to be reminded of that…she knew well enough how some people reacted to what Pierce had done in his dealings with them.

"He's not my husband anymore and his affairs are not mine."

"Yes but surely you're not one to judge the men my father hires," she said, "My father runs an honest business."

Amelia shrugged.

"Maybe…but did he check into what they were doing back in San Francisco?"

Martha gave her a blank look.

"What…well they worked for some of the political leaders there," she said, "doing the same work they do for the merchants here… protecting their interests."

Amelia shook her head.

"I don't think so Martha…I think they were protecting their bosses' interests at the expense of businessmen like a young man I met named Warrick…"

Martha looked confused and then nodded slightly.

"He was killed…I heard the reporter here talk about him…but that has nothing to do with Paradise."

Amelia just looked directly at her.

"You don't know anything about what happened to him…"

Martha shrugged.

"And I couldn't care less…what happens in a city like San Francisco hardly has anything to do with what happens here anyway…"

"Sometimes it has everything to do with it."

Martha didn't seem to agree.

"I don't think my father or his men have anything to do with it…no matter what anyone says…"

She walked away into the bank and Amelia just looked at her because she knew very differently.