Martha and Amelia met up after the meeting over Founder's Day had ended. First, Amelia had met with Mary over the food and then she and Martha discussed the entertainment.

"I have a string quartet coming from Stockton," Martha said, "My father listened to them at concert and they were quite good."

Amelia thought that sounded fine as long as they also used local talent.

"Clara's learning how to play the piano."

Martha looked up from her list of items.

"Who's teaching her?"

"Dorothy one of the other women at the ranch."

Martha didn't look impressed.

"That's all well and good Amelia but we need professional musicians."

Amelia chuckled.

"Difficult to find in these parts but it doesn't mean there's no talent. Clara's playing is so beautiful."

Martha jotted on her list.

"Why set her up for failure…I mean next to a string quartet that's played around the West…"

Amelia kept her patience.

"This is a town event…for town's people to commemorate its beginnings," she said, "It's fitting to have Applegate play his banjo and Clancy his violin."

"I think some of that is good…but we need some quality entertainment to put Paradise on the map."

Amelia decided not to argue with her anymore. She wanted to head back to the ranch and work with the yearlings some more before they all got ready for dinner. The vegtables had grown in the garden and were ready for harvesting.

"Well the meeting is done," Martha said, "Now I need to find Ethan…he's been harassing some of the security men. My father is most unhappy."

Amelia gathered up her things.

"You don't know anything about that do you? Burke and Trevor came to my father and complained about him."

"I do know that the reporter from San Francisco is interested in them."

Martha looked directly at her.

"I don't think that he's the one causing the problems."

Amelia didn't want to get into it with her. So she started walking towards the door.

"I think it's you…"

Amelia turned around to look at Martha.

"What do you mean?"

Martha took a step closer.

"I think that you're the one who tried to make trouble for them and I want to know why."

Amelia stood her ground.

"They're not nice men," she said, "In fact, they're no better than outlaws."

Martha's mouth dropped open.

"I can't believe you'd say such a thing," she said, "I know Ethan thinks that they were responsible for the death of that young man."

"He's not the only person that they killed."

Now Martha looked shocked.

"What? What are you saying? These men are lawmen, they are not murderers."

Amelia sighed.

"They're hardly lawmen. Ethan is a good lawman, the best marshal in town."

"That's interesting coming from the woman who left him rather than marry a marshal."

Amelia nodded.

"I know that's what I did but he's good about his job because he cares about it and the people he's protecting."

"So does my father's men," Martha said, "He's hired only the best."

"You mean the very worst don't you? How carefully did he check out their backgrounds?"

Martha hedged and Amelia knew she didn't know the answer to that question.

"Not very carefully…or maybe he knew these were bad men but he didn't care as long as they knew how to act tough and fire a gun."

"That's not true…they are innocent."

Amelia took one step towards her.

"They are most definitely not innocent," she said, "They belong on the end of a rope."

Martha looked stunned.

"Did you just…"

"Yes I did… and I mean it. I know that from experience."

"What are you talking about…?"

Amelia turned around and walked out of the room not wanting to listen to her anymore.

Ethan and Dakota ran into Bella in town after she'd brought one of the yearlings to the livery for Tiny.

"You want to come to supper tonight? There will be plenty of food."

The two men looked at each other.

"We're harvesting the garden," she said, "Amelia will be doing that after she'd done with her meetings here."

Ethan nodded.

"I'll bring the children."

"You do that…and what about you Dakota?"

He tipped his hat.

"I have to work this evening but perhaps later."

Bella nodded and Dakota left them to head back to the office. Ethan watched him go and then turned back towards her.

"I saw Amelia earlier."

Bella smiled.

"She's determined to put some time in the festivities," she said, "Doesn't want the Wyatts doing all of it."

"They want to make it fancy and really expensive. It's not been celebrated since she left but before then it was just a picnic and dance."

"You two were together then?"

"Some of them…there was one time when she shot the bank robber," he said, "And got an award at the picnic. Not before the robber's brothers came at her loaded and looking for revenge."

"I take it that you helped her."

"I did along with a former marshal who didn't turn out to be very honest and upstanding. Paradise has seen a shortage of lawmen like that."

"But not you Ethan. You're different and hopefully there will be justice for the young man who was murdered."

"I don't have a case against the men I know killed him."

"You mean the security men don't you?"

He nodded.

"That's because she won't help you," Bella said, "I told her to do it but she won't turn them in."

Ethan just stared at her.

"For what?"

"You know what Ethan. I think you know what I'm talking about…"

It'd hit him just then that he did know…or suspected but he hadn't wanted to press Amelia on it.

"She told me she tried to report what happened to the marshal there."

"She did…but they didn't listen to her," Bella said, "They wanted to pin it on Dylan Daggett and his men. But he had an alibi you'd call it. A damn good one. These two men didn't."

Ethan felt his hands clench into fists at his side and he knew what he wanted to do with them. He wanted to find these two men and string them up before pounding them. But he knew he couldn't do that.

He was the law and he had to uphold it and he'd do that. But he needed proof and he needed Amelia's help.

Only she didn't want to do that…perhaps because she'd tried once before and no one had listened.

"She's doing it to protect you Ethan. She's afraid you'll run off and get killed."

His eyes widened slightly. It made sense…that had been an old fear of hers about him.

"I can handle myself."

Bella smiled.

"I know you can and deep down so does Amelia," she said, "but she doesn't want to lose you either so you're going to have to figure out what to do now."

He knew that she was right. But he also knew those men needed to be taken down. He had no choice.