Ethan looked at Martha who had interrupted what had been a moment between him and Amelia. He wasn't always the most astute of men when it came to dealing with women but he'd wanted to tell her that she had nothing to fear from him.
No matter what had happened but she still tried to keep him at a distance. He'd be patient with her like she'd be with him more times than he counted. She looked at Martha now warily and he didn't blame her. Most of the business proposals that Wyatt father and daughter proposed had been at the expense of Bella and the women who stayed with her on the ranch.
Amelia just folded her arms looking at her.
"Well don't you want to hear it Ethan?"
Martha asked as if Amelia weren't even there. She arched her brow at the other woman in response.
"Should I leave the two of you alone so you can tell him your latest plan for harassing us?"
Amelia always did get straight to her point and wasn't coy or shy about it. Sometimes it made him wince when it got a bit personal and aimed at him but now he just smiled. Martha narrowed her eyes at her.
"It's about the safety of this town and the riff raff that is messing it up. Founder's Day is our biggest event."
Ethan had been so busy, he'd nearly forgotten about it. So did the town most of the time during poor economic times. But this year the Wyatt duo had been intent on making it the biggest event ever…to bring in more visitors to do business in Paradise…to try to put it back on the map.
He shot her a sharp look.
"Martha…a man just died in my jail," he said, "that's the most dangerous place of all."
She looked bored.
"He caused trouble…probably hit his own head by accident on the bars," she said, "I'm talking about the business owners not feeling safe."
Ethan shook his head.
"They're not in danger…besides the crime started not long after your father brought those security men into town."
Martha's mouth dropped open.
"Ethan are you saying…"
He interrupted her.
"I'm just telling you that it was quiet before then and now I got a dead man and his brother wants to find his killer."
"Didn't you just tell him that it was an accident?"
Amelia looked irritated and Ethan knew why. He knew she wouldn't be able to hold it in much longer.
"No…because I can't tell him that," Ethan said, "Besides his brother's not the only dead man. A man named Warrick was shot and left to die in San Francisco."
Martha sputtered.
"But that's hundreds of miles away…the two can't be connected."
Ethan clenched his jaw.
"They might be…some of your father's security men worked for other people in that city when the murder happened."
"They wouldn't do anything like that…they'd stop it if anything…like is your duty here."
Amelia took a deep breath and Ethan knew she was going to break her silence.
"That didn't happen because I was there," she said, "He was with me…walking me back to the hotel so I'd be safe but then the men showed up in front of us. Two of them."
Ethan heard the slight tremble in her voice as she tried to shake it off and concentrate on her words. He wanted to draw her in his arms and hold her tightly against him, to quiet the rapid beating of her heart with his own steadier rhythm. But she'd push him away…she didn't want that right now. He knew deep down she blamed herself for a man's death.
It'd been her they'd been after because of her ex-husband.
"They shot him just like that," she said, "and left him lying there to bleed to death before…"
She bit her lip and her body tensed. He ached when he saw that change in her that came without any thinking on her part. He'd been here himself when he'd been a little boy so traumatized by those who'd hurt him and those he loved.
So he'd been afraid to love again…or trust. Until her.
Martha scoffed.
"I'm sure that's not uncommon in a large city like San Francisco…there are some outlaws and ruffians there causing all kinds of trouble…which is why there are security men in the first place."
Amelia paused and Ethan saw the struggle on her face.
"What if they were the worst outlaws of all?"
Ethan's eyes widened and Martha just looked insulted.
"Why…how can you say such a thing? How dare you…no wonder you're hanging out with the likes of Bella Rogers these days…"
She glanced at Ethan to respond but his eyes were focused on Amelia. But she just looked at them both and walked away.
Ethan's eyes followed her.
"Can you believe that," Martha said, "but then living with an outlaw…"
Ethan looked back at her.
"Bella's left that life behind her."
Martha shook her head.
"I doubt that Ethan…once an outlaw always an outlaw…"
Ethan shook his head.
"She didn't murder Walton," he said, "and that's the murder I'm trying to solve."
Martha harrumphed.
"I thought that Boone character was going to do that," she said, "That's the last thing Paradise needs."
Ethan thought she knew very little about the town she'd thrown so much money at with her father to change. But he didn't want to waste any more time with her.
"Excuse me…"
Amelia walked into the saloon and saw Boone standing there. He smiled at her.
"I talked to that reporter Ernie," he said, "He thinks he was wrong about it being the Daggett gang."
She processed that and nodded.
"He's right…it wasn't," she said, "He was killed by two men who are right here in town."
Boone didn't look surprised.
"Two men who work for the Wyatts?"
"Yes…I saw them do it," she said, "and they didn't want me to tell anyone…it was my fault Boone…if it hadn't been for me…he'd still be alive."
He furrowed his brow.
"You didn't shoot him dead," he said, "How could it be your fault?"
She sat down in a chair running one of her hands through her hair.
"Because it was me they were after…my husband actually…ex-husband Pierce Lawson…"
Boone frowned.
"Heard his name…connected with some shady real estate deals."
Amelia smiled grimly.
"That's him…I married a con artist."
Boone sat down across from her.
"So what does that have to do with you…and the killers?"
She sighed looking down at her hands.
"Pierce…he cheated them on a deal…well their boss really," she said, "and they wanted revenge…or their money back."
"I see…so they knew you were the closest person to him?"
She nodded slowly. She didn't want to remember any part of it but he deserved to know the truth that only she could tell him.
"So what happened…did you get them the money?"
"No…they didn't want it…they wanted something else…from me…"
Her voice grew faint and her heart started beating rapidly. That night threatened to return in full force if she didn't stop it by pushing back just as hard. She'd grown used to it just to survive each day thought at night in her dreams…no she couldn't go back there. She couldn't let herself be hurt all over again.
But his voice grew softer.
"It's all right…I just need to know who…not why…"
She paused much longer this time, trying to decide her answer.
"Who was it Amelia?"
That wasn't his voice this time. It was a very familiar one just behind her. She didn't turn her face to look at him…she didn't have to look. She knew he'd heard everything and he'd known most of it anyway…but not all of it.
They both awaited her answer.