Before the Dawn (34 page)

Judge Moss asked a question. “Mr. Earle did you send notice to the Massachusetts court that this judgment was on the books here?”

“I did, Your Honor, but we only learned of Mr. Montague's whereabouts a few weeks before he died.”

“How?”

Earle seemed to squirm a bit. “Mr. Montague wired his sons, sir.”

Leah knew that meant someone in the telegraph office had alerted Earle. She wondered if that was against the law.

Judge Moss continued, “So why didn't the court in Massachusetts enforce the judgment?”

“By the time we got all the documents in order, Mr. Montague's money had already been put into an account set up for Mrs. Montague.”

“I see. Continue.”

Earle then called a few more of the claimants to the stand. Daniel remained silent but had a question for the last witness, a man who claimed to have been swindled out of thousands of dollars because he'd taken Monty's investment advice. “Mr. Carson, when did you get this advice?”

“September of '56.”

“Yet, Mr. Montague left Colorado in June.”

“That's what he wanted everybody to believe, but he was still taking investments in the Faith Mine that September.”

“This was the mine he owned, am I correct?”

Carson nodded.

“Are you sure that money went to Mr. Montague?”

“Sure, I'm sure. He sent me a receipt. I kept it all these years. Mr. Earle has it now.”

Daniel looked to the judge and said, “Your Honor, I'd like to see Mr. Carson's receipt if I may?”

The judge nodded. Mr. Earle searched through his documents and handed over the small yellowed letter.

Daniel scanned the document for a long few moments, then asked Carson, “Is this your receipt?”

“Yep. It has Montague's signature on the bottom.”

“Had you ever seen Mr. Montague's signature before receiving this letter?”

“No, I was a first-time investor.”

“So you don't truly know if he signed this?”

Carson thought a moment, then admitted, “No, I don't, but—”

Daniel cut him off. “Thank you, Mr. Carson. Your honor, I submit that Mr. Louis Montague didn't sign any of these letters or bills. If I can get you to compare the signature on Mr. Carson's receipt with this signature on his will, you'll see that although they're very similar, they aren't the same.”

All hell broke loose in the courtroom at this startling turn of events. Earle started yelling objections. The plaintiffs were on their feet protesting, and Leah was inwardly smiling. Monty's old friend, Judge Raddock had indeed sent her a worthy representative.

The judge was banging his gavel trying to restore order. Leah turned around and met Ryder's smile. Daniel Morton on the other hand was standing patiently.

Silence finally prevailed. The judge took the two documents from Daniel and peered at each one closely.

Daniel added, “If you'd concentrate on the letter
G
, Your Honor, you'll see that they're written differently. Again they're very close in nature, but Mr. Montague didn't pen the signature on Mr. Carson's letter.”

The judge looked up. “Then who did?”

Daniel shrugged. “Someone who made quite a bit of profit thirty years ago by fraudulently using Mr. Montague's name.”

Leah knew that both Seth and Ryder were too young at the time to be guilty, so that only left—

“I'd like to call Helene Sejours to the stand,” Daniel announced.

Whispers ricocheted through the crowd. Helene stood. Her blue eyes were steel-hard as she stepped up to be sworn in. Leah wondered if Helene would lie under oath?

Daniel asked her who she was and what relationship if any she had with the deceased Louis Montague.

“He was married to my sister, so that made me his sister-in-law.”

“After your sister's death, you raised Seth, am I correct?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Explain that please?” Helene asked.

“By
how,
I mean, what was the source of your income?”

“I made my money on mine futures and investments.”

“From where?”

“The Faith Mine.”

“But according to the documents on file here in the courthouse, Mr. Montague left that mine and the house you're living in to his other son, Ryder. How did you get possession?”

Helene seemed calm. Leah sensed Ryder leaning forward as if he were particularly interested in her answer.

Helene stated, “I knew the mine wouldn't last long in the hands of an ignorant Indian, so I paid her off and took control, in Seth's name.”

“And who was this ‘ignorant'Indian you are referring to?”

“Ryder's grandmother, Little Tears.”

“How much did you give her in exchange for a mine that was bringing in a profit of over ten thousand dollars a month.”

Helene appeared smug.

“Fifty dollars and a promise to pay for his schooling.”

The crowd reacted with gasps. Some in attendance laughed at Helene's cleverness.

The judge banged the gavel.

When it was quiet again, Daniel echoed skeptically, “Fifty dollars?”

Helene responded proudly, “Yes.”

“And did you sign your brother-in-law's name to any documents in Seth name?”

“No.”

She was lying. Daniel knew it; the judge knew it; everyone in the courtroom, including Mr. Earle, knew it. However Daniel didn't press her any further. “Thank you, Miss Sejours, you may step down.”

The judge asked Earle, “Do you have any questions for the witness?”

The nattily dressed barrister shook his head. “No, Your Honor.”

Mr. Earle, like everyone in attendance, realized the air was slowly leaking out of his case. Daniel Morton had cast enough doubt upon the validity of Monty's signature to call into question the legitimacy of all the other claims. Daniel might have been young, but he was good.

Daniel looked to the judge. “In the face of what we've just learned, I respectfully submit that the thirty-year judgment against my client's late husband has been proven to be illegitimate based upon the fraudulent signatures on the documents set before this court.”

The judge told him, “I'll take it all under advisement when I make my final ruling, Mr. Morton.”

He then turned to Mr. Earle. “Mr. Earle, unless you have any objections, I'd like to get some lunch.”

Earle sighed. “That's fine, Your Honor.”

The judge banged his gavel. “This court is in recess until one o'clock.”

As the judge stood and departed, noise swept the courtroom. Leah slumped back against her seat weak with relief.

Daniel looked her way and smiled. “Almost home.”

From behind them, Ryder asked, “Will they put Mrs. Montague on the stand next?”

Daniel nodded. “Probably. Earle doesn't have much else, but if I were he, I'd be filing papers against the Sejours woman. It's obvious she's at the center of this whole affair.”

Ryder looked up in time to see Helene and Seth making their way to the door. Helene's white-powdered face was
stiff with anger as she tried to force her way past the barking pack of newspaper reporters. The press wasn't being the least bit cooperative. They had her and Seth hemmed in and were shouting questions at her as if she were running for political office.

Leah's party slipped out of a side door and reconvened in Ryder's office, where Sam, Eloise, and Mable waited with a prepared lunch of sandwiches, coffee, and pie. As they ate, Ryder said to Daniel, “How'd you know about the signatures?”

“I didn't. I was bluffing.”

Leah's eyes widened. “Bluffing?”

Daniel nodded around the pie in his mouth. “When Carson said his letter was dated in September, I knew I was on to something. One of the most valuable lessons I learned in school was that if you don't have a case, dance around until you find something to waltz with. In this case I found a grand partner.”

Ryder shook his head with amazement. Had Helene really forged Louis's signature? He supposed she'd looked upon her deception as a way of keeping herself afloat, and that even if Louis had returned he'd have more than enough money to settle up. Had Ryder learned of her complicity six months ago, he'd already be filing papers to sue her for swindling him out of his share of the Faith Mine's profits; however, it didn't seem to matter anymore. All he wanted was for this to end so he could take the
Morenita
home.

Eloise then asked a question they'd all been thinking about, “So, does this mean Helene is responsible for the threatening letter Leah received also?”

No one knew.

When the court proceedings recommenced, Ryder stood at the back of the room with Sam. Word of the morning's revelations must have spread like wildfire because there wasn't a seat to spare. There were dozens more people in at
tendance now. Ryder and Sam wanted to be near the exit so that when the hearing ended one of them could hustle out and retrieve the rig while the other worked to spirit her out of here as quickly as possible.

Daniel had been correct. Mr. Earle called Leah to the stand as his first witness of the afternoon.

“Your name please, ma'am?”

“Leah Jane Barnett Montague.”

“According to your marriage certificate you married Mr. Montague when?”

Leah gave him the date.

“And when did your husband die?”

Leah glanced back at Ryder, then replied, “The same night.”

Ryder stiffened with amazement as the crowd reacted noisily. Had he been correct? Was she really nothing but a scheming adventuress? Even Sam looked distressed.

The judge's gavel sounded. “Quiet down!” he demanded. “Or I'll have you all removed!”

The room grew silent.

Mr. Earle was smiling at Leah like a patient shark. “So, tell us where you worked before you married, or allegedly married, your husband.”

“I owned a tavern.”

“A tavern previously owned by your mother, am I correct?”

“Yes.”

“What was the nature of your mother's relationship with your late husband?”

Once again, Leah's eyes slid to Ryder's, and the ice she saw reflected there burned coldly into her soul. “They were companions.”

The crowd grew restless once more.

Earle chuckled patronizingly, “Oh come now, Miss Bar
nett. They were more than just companions weren't they? Weren't they—lovers?”

Leah ignored the shocked reaction of the on-lookers. “Yes.”

She could see how tight Ryder's jaw had become, and she wanted to run to him and explain, but she couldn't.

Earle was asking, “And they were lovers for nearly thirty years, am I correct?”

Leah's chin rose. “Yes.”

Earle, playing to the crowd, next asked, “So what, your mother died and you took her place in his bed?”

Snickers were heard. Daniel rocketed to his feet. “Objection, Your Honor!”

The judge eyes were hostile. “That's enough, Mr. Earle. I've warned you once.”

Earle bowed mockingly. “My apologies, Your Honor.” He then continued, “So you married Louis Montague on his deathbed.”

“I did.”

“Miss Barnett, don't you think that a bit odd?”

“It sounds that way, yes, but—”

He cut her off. “Thank you. I'm done here, Judge.”

Earle had left everyone with the impression that she was a scheming woman of loose character. Leah looked at Ryder. When their eyes met, the distance in his broke her heart. He inclined his head mockingly, then turned and exited. She watched Sam hurry after him but her attention was drawn back by Daniel's question.

“Mrs. Montague, how long had you known Louis Montague?”

“Since I was about three years old.”

“Did he love your mother?”

“Very much.”

“Did he love you?”

Leah didn't hesitate. “Yes, he did.”

“But his love for you was different than his love for your mother, am I correct?”

“Yes, he loved me like a father loves his child.”

Leah saw Sam return. Ryder wasn't with him.

“Now, Mrs. Montague, I want you to tell the court why Mr. Montague proposed marriage.”

Leah looked at the judge. “He wanted to ensure my future, Your Honor, nothing more.” She then spoke to Daniel. “He and Cecil considered the idea of legally adopting me as his child, but they knew that would be a long process, and Monty didn't have that much longer to live. So he asked me to marry him.”

Daniel asked, “So you did?”

Leah nodded. “Yes.”

Outside the courtroom, Ryder stood listening near the door. The chamber had gone so quiet during Leah's turn on the stand, he had no trouble hearing her testimony. Learning that she'd married Louis on his deathbed had turned his heart to stone. Only Sam's haranguing had made him stay and hear the rest; Ryder was glad he had. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have known that Louis had been trying to protect her by giving his name, that she was neither actress nor schemer. As Sam had predicted, she was just a decent young woman, nothing more. Ryder felt like a fool, another galling confession, but with her he seemed to be taking his feet out of his mouth with staggering regularity. He was sure she'd seen the thunderous look on his face during Earle's questioning, and he was equally certain that she thought he'd deserted her. Well he hadn't. Hoping he could convince her to forgive him one last time, and to marry him when all this dust settled, Ryder quietly stepped back inside.

Leah, still seated on the witness stand, looked to Daniel. He'd promised this would be his last question. “Now, Mrs.
Montague, many people here don't think your marriage was legal, so I'm going to apologize in advance for asking such a delicate question.”

“Okay.”

He smiled kindly. “Were you an innocent when you married Mr. Montague?”