Dakota watched as he saw Brant sidle up to the prosecutor talking with him in the alley. He crept behind a broken piece of wall to get a closer look but he couldn't hear what was being said. He cursed his distance and its limitations but noticed the two men looked friendly.

That didn't look too suspicious on its face because he knew that Brant was a key witness in the case of prosecuting his brother's killer which was Amelia.

They talked for a moment and then they left. He heard footsteps behind him and he looked to see it was Claire.

"I thought I'd find you. What are you doing out here?"

He sighed.

"I was following him and saw him meet up with that prosecutor."

Claire narrowed her eyes.

"I think that Brant's going to be an important part of the case. They shouldn't listen to him at all because he tried to kill Amelia. But that's how it works here"

"Yeah it's crazy. How you doing?"

She smiled at him as they walked back out to the street.

"I'm fine. I was talking with Kristen earlier and she's feeling much better. Guilty that she thinks Amelia's going to jail."

"Amelia's not going to jail. She's going back home with you and Cord and have her baby. Damn they really surprised us didn't they?"

Claire smiled.

"They are married and that's all right. Besides we'll get a bigger house for the baby when it's born. He was building one before you got to Paradise but it got burned down."

Dakota smiled.

"Sure got down to business. Got her out of that awful jail though."

Claire nodded.

"My uncle's taking care of her, making sure she's eating well and getting plenty of rest."

"That's good…always had a soft spot for her though she's a feisty woman."

Claire folded his arms.

"He loves her. He missed her so much when she wasn't in town."

Dakota shook his head.

"So they'll be together soon enough when this is all cleared up. I don't think Amelia really killed Reade."

Claire arched her brows.

"You don't think so?"

Dakota shook his head.

"She's covering up for someone else…Kristin maybe and Cord knows it."

"Why?"

"Only they know what happened. They're not talking Claire. I don't know why and neither does Ethan."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed.

"He's not pushing Amelia because she's still getting her strength back and Kristin…she's young and vulnerable…and obviously hiding something."

"What would they be hiding?"

Dakota paused.

"Maybe Amelia didn't do the shooting and she's covering for who did…"

Claire widened her eyes.

"How would you know that?"

Dakota shrugged.

"Gut telling me that…Amelia's clearly hiding something and Kristin's not telling everything."

They reached the main street and saw people walking in and out of the stores. The streets weren't too crowded right now.

"Why would Amelia do that?"

"Don't know…have to find out from her and she's not saying much about it. Seems determined on protecting someone and Cord can't change that."

Claire listened, sighing to herself.

"She can't wind up in prison for something she didn't do not with a baby."

Dakota didn't know how to answer that.

Amelia got up and ate something before getting dressed. She'd woke up snuggled against her husband. She had to go out and take a look at the dresses in the boutiques to find several that were for women in her condition.

Ethan said she looked fine the way she was, even more radiant with child. His child… She'd feel better when the sickness passed and she felt better in the mornings. She had a light breakfast and drank some weak tea before getting dressed and heading out.

"You getting some clothes?"

She glanced at him with a smile.

"I am…as soon as I make sure you get some breakfast too."

He brought his own plate of food and some coffee.

"I'm doing just fine," he said, "I might check with Elias on how the situation with Silver Crest is looking."

She smiled.

"I'm sure it's going much better now. Those doctors did a great job and by the time Kristin's ready to go back home…the men should be able to work again."

"That'll be great. She misses her family."

Ethan chewed his eggs thoughtfully.

"I wonder whether her story's going to hold up."

Her eyes sharpened.

"Ethan…she's telling the only story she knows…it's the truth."

He sighed.

"I just wonder if she's leaving anything out."

She put down her fork.

"Ethan what are you getting at? Do you think she's lying?"

Her voice became charged.

"Ethan I told you…what she said happened and I did…there's not much else to say."

He saw the troubled look on her face and knew there was a lot more going on than she'd ever told him. Kristin knew most of it too but neither of them was talking about it.

"I'm thinking there's plenty Amelia…and it's going to cost you your freedom or your life if you don't say anything…"

"There's nothing to be said that hasn't been said."

He arched a brow.

"You sure about that?"

She just stared at him.

"Why are you doing this Ethan? Why are pushing me on what happened? I told the courts…Kristin did why isn't that enough?"

He just looked at her.

"I don't want to lose you Amelia…I want our baby to grow up with both his and her parents. I need to know what really happened inside that church to help you…and Kristin…"

She just looked at him not certain what to say next.