Amelia ran into Ernie the next day and he'd been talking about how Boone would solve his brother's death. She wondered whether Ernie ever got past the idea that he'd pushed so hard about Dylan Daggett having gone on a murdering spree in San Francisco now that he knew the murders were likely connected.
Warrick and now…Walton.
She knew who did both, who'd been the last to see them both alive. No coincidence considering the murder scenes were hundreds of miles apart. She knew Ethan was frustrated hopefully not with her.
"I can't find them anywhere. Where would Darrin hide them?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," she said, "Ethan's tried but gotten no response. He went to talk to Martha but she's more interested in Founder's Day."
"When's that?"
"Next week…first one in two years since the town had gone into hard times. It's like that you know with mining towns."
He nodded.
"I've seen my share of them. But I'm going to find who killed my brother and I might hang them myself at this rate."
She wouldn't mind that at all. She'd fantasized about it enough or pointing a gun the way she'd been taught as a girl and pulling the trigger. But at some point, she had to find some way to move on before it consumed her and she'd done that. She just never expected what happened to follow her and stare her in the face.
"What about you? You want him dead too don't you?"
She just looked at the man who wore his life on his face with all the lines. She knew the answer to that already and lived with it each day. But she had to choose her words carefully because Boone might be the consummate professional but his brother's death had sent him in directions that had tested that part of him. She'd seen the same thing with Ethan like the time that the man that haunted him all of his life…back to when he'd seen a boy with only a young girl as his friend. She'd been shot to death with one single bullet right in front of him.
He'd never gotten over it. Even she and the children hadn't been able to stem the tide of emotions that translated to him seeking an act of vengeance. But he'd broken down at last and she'd comforted him as best she could…two people in a position that tested their comfort level.
"You do I know it."
"I do….but I want my life back more," she said, "and since that can't happen I want to build a new one and I'm doing that."
"With Bella Rogers and her misfits…"
She bristled at that even though his face bore signs that he said it to be cruel.
"I suppose I'm that now. You can't understand what it's like to be stripped of everything…if people knew the truth about it…it'd change the way they saw me."
He didn't respond.
"At least Bella and the others don't judge me," she said, "They wouldn't treat me like it's my fault."
Now he countered.
"But you don't tell anyone who's responsible."
She sighed.
"No I haven't…because I know what will happen and who it will hurt."
He looked at her closely.
"You mean the marshal don't you?"
She didn't respond at first but then anger filled her. For Ernie of all people to say that to her when he'd been so adamant about who he believed murdered Warrick.
"Why does it matter," she said, "You never thought it was anyone but Dylan and his men anyway even when I said otherwise."
He didn't look chagrined. She didn't think him capable.
"I might have been wrong Amelia," he said, "Dylan had an alibi and Brock did show up here just in time for this second man to die."
She smiled without mirth.
"Then what are you going to write about it? Anything remotely close to the truth?"
He sighed.
"The merchants led by that Axelrod will be loath to lose their hired security."
She knew that and she also knew that Axelrod and the others still believed Bella to be the source of all their troubles including the crime.
"Even though they probably brought most of the crime to Paradise. Ethan said it'd been quiet before the Wyatts showed up with all their plans."
Ernie shook his head.
"Makes you wonder what's going to happen next."
Amelia wondered if she already knew.
Bella walked past the men to meet Ethan. Axelrod and Applegate were being grumpy because her ranch still not only existed but was thriving despite their efforts.
Axelrod grumbled some more.
"Ethan…these women…did you see that my window got cracked last night? It all started when they got here."
Ethan sighed.
"Vandals have always hit Paradise and you all know it," he said, "Stop blaming the women."
Amos sneered.
"Just because you've gone soft on them doesn't mean that we should suffer for it…that's my second window."
Bella rolled her eyes.
"It's not us…we're too busy working the ranch and selling our horses…which I think is the real problem."
Ethan guessed that too. That the townsmen were jealous that women could prove to be successful at their trade, especially when they were led by a former outlaw.
"We're having another meeting."
Ethan just looked at him.
"I'll be there but I won't be party to any torches being lit to chase anyone out of this town," he said, "I'm dead serious about that."
Oh they knew that, but he'd still have problems with some of them. Hopefully not serious while he continued the task of trying to find Walton's killer.
Bella fell into step with him when he left the merchants.
"Thank you Ethan…I know I'm not making your job any easier."
He shrugged.
"They always act up when some newcomer shows up and makes a success out of themselves. Part of it is that they'd been hit by hard times recently."
"That's not our fault."
"I know that…but I got to focus on finding a killer and no one's talking…"
She pursed her lips.
"You mean Amelia don't you?"
He stopped right there and looked at her.
"Maybe…"
"No definitely…she knows more than she's told either one of us and I know you guessed that."
"I guess I do…but I know she's not covering up for anyone either."
"No…she's protecting you but you know that too."
He fell silent which answered the question.
"I don't need protecting not if it's going to cost her."
Bella softened.
"I know you care for her a lot Ethan…and I know she does for you," she said, "She's just trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces."
"I know…but she's not alone," he said, "I'm here too."
Bella smiled at that.
"Yes you certainly are but what she's been through…it's hard to face and it isolates a woman if she lets it and she does because she doesn't want anything to happen to you."
"I'll be careful…I need her to tell me what she knows."
Bella nodded as they reached the marshal's office.
"I've been working on her but she's…it's just going to take time."
"Don't have much time," he said, "What if the killer goes after her?"
"She's safe with us at the ranch Ethan. We look out for one another."
He paused.
"I know…but I want to look after her too and she won't let me"
Bella looked at him then with compassion reading his eyes how much was there but there were no easy answers either.