Deborah Camp

by To Seduce andDefend

  “Two of them, Mama!”

  “Oh, yes. It’s a stag and a doe.”

  “Do you think they’re married, Mama?”

  “Deer don’t marry, but it seems they are a couple.”

  “Is Mr. Warner married?”

  “No.”

  “Maybe he will marry you, Mama. Could he do that?”

  The question almost took her breath away. She glanced up at the sky, seeking guidance. “He could, I suppose.”

  “Then he would live with us, wouldn’t he?”

  “That’s how it works, yes. But just because he could marry me, doesn’t mean he will, Oliver. And I don’t want you talking to him about it. Do you hear me? It will make him uncomfortable.”

  “I think it would be fun to all live together. We could find someplace with more than one room.”

  Jennie laughed and handed the reins over to him as a diversion. “You take the reins until we get to town.”

  “Okay!”

  Good, she thought. It worked. For the rest of the ride back to town, she kept him occupied by pointing out butterflies, goats, and long-horned steer.

  Tapping on Adam’s office door, Zach waited for him to look up from the papers scattered on his desk before he walked in. “Got a few minutes for me?”

  Adam motioned to the chairs in front of the desk. “What’s on your mind? Something with a case?”

  “Yes.” He sat down, feeling weary and sleep-deprived.

  “You look like you’ve been rolled over by the trouble and toil wagon.”

  Normally, he would smile, but nothing seemed normal today. “I have been sorting through courthouse documents and I want you to look at a few of them.”

  “Be glad to.” Adam shoved aside the papers he’d been working on. “Which case is this about?”

  “Jennie’s.” He passed over the first sheet of paper. “Here is Charles Hastings’ divorce decree, signed by Judge Enos Olson.”

  Adam took the document and glanced at it. “So it is.”

  “This is another divorce decree signed by Judge Enos Olson.”

  Adam’s eyes narrowed as he took the next document and glanced at it. “Okay.”

  “And here is one more divorce decree signed by Judge Enos Olson.”

  Adam reached for it, but his gaze was still held by the second document. Slowly, he shifted his attention to the third one, then back to the second one, and then he stared at the first one. Zach nodded, knowing exactly what puzzled Adam and the realization that would soon burst like a bubble in his whirring mind.

  “Zach, these signatures are – not the same.” He held up the Hastings document and one of the others. “They are not even that close. The writing on Hastings’ is up and down and a little shaky, but Olson’s signature on these two is slanted to the left and steady as ticking clock.”

  Leaning back in the chair, Zach tipped his head back and closed his eyes, satisfied that he had hooked a fish. “And we both know what that means.”

  “Have you showed this to Judge Olson?”

  “No, I haven’t discussed this with anyone except you. I don’t know if I should go to Judge Olson or Judge Bishop first.”

  “Who do you think tried to forge the signature on Hastings’ decree and why?”

  Zach sat up and stared at Adam. “You’re pulling my leg, right?”

  Adam shook his head. He removed his glasses and cleaned the lens with his handkerchief.

  Zach sighed. Adam still wasn’t seeing the big picture. “Judge Bishop did it, Adam.”

  “But why?”

  “Because Charles Hastings was not divorced six months before he married Luna.”

  “How did you leap to that conclusion?”

  “Inez Rainwater tipped me off. I looked it up in the court records, Adam. The court docket shows that Hastings was in court for his divorce hearing on March 15 and his divorce was granted that day. He and Luna married in June.”

  “To hell you say,” he murmured, staring at the papers again. “If this is true, then that land has never belonged to Luna.”

  “Any fool can see that the signatures on those documents don’t match. When Judge Olson sees them, he will blow his top.”

  “Judge Bishop could go to jail for this.”

  “I don’t think that will happen, though. He’ll be fined, probably and have his privileges revoked.”

  “Maybe he had nothing to do with this,” Adam said “Maybe Luna paid off a court clerk or office worker to file the phony document and get rid of the real one.”

  “My gut tells me it was the judge and that Luna put him up to it. That’s why they are holding on to that land like it was a damned gold mine.”

  Adam nodded. “They paid dearly for it.”

  “Yeah, they broke the law for it. I think Luna wanted to get something out of her marriage to Hastings and the land was it. I think I will spring this on Judge Bishop and see how he reacts. Who knows? He might blurt out a confession because it’s been weighing on him.”

  “Let’s think about this.” Adam patted the air in front of him.

  “I have been thinking about it. All night. I’m going to tell Judge Olson about it, but I think I should use this weapon on Judge Bishop first to see what he has to say for himself.”

  “When are you going to tell Jennie about it?”

  “After I talk to the judges and see what happens. Once I tell her, she will think it’s a gift that all she has to do is unwrap and the land will be hers.”

  “And it’s not that easy,” Adam added for him.

  “Nothing is easy with it comes to Jennie Hastings.”

  “Oh? Is she giving you trouble?”

  “Nothing but.” Zach looked away from Adam, gathering his resolve to come clean.

  “I thought you two were getting along.”

  “We are. That’s the trouble.”

  Adam studied him for a few moments, then ran a finger around his collar, pulling it away from his neck. “I don’t think I want to hear this.”

  “Adam, I’ve never had a problem keeping things cordial and proper with our clients, even though a couple of them have tested my endurance, but she’s different.”

  “Are you in love with her?”

  Zach shifted in the chair, despising that question. “Hell, who knows? What I do know is that I don’t want to keep my hands off her and I can’t keep her off my mind.”

  “I was worried when you started spending time with her son. I told Bert that was a bad idea, but she told me I was being a curmudgeon.”

  “I admit I’m fond of the boy. He’s starving for male attention. He’s at the age that he needs a man around to mirror.”

  “You want to be that man on a permanent basis?”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready to take it that far —.”

  “Zach, you need to think long and hard about this. You don’t want to hurt that child by making him think you’re going to be his new papa and then drop him like a hot rock.” He lifted his hands to stop Zach from speaking. “You are at a serious juncture in this case and you don’t need any missteps. Put aside your manly stirrings and concentrate on how you’re going to handle this information you’ve uncovered.”

  “I promised her I would talk to you about us.”

  Adam’s brows shot up. “You’re making promises to her?”

  “I want to do right by her, Adam. I’m serious. She and the boy have gotten under my skin, I guess.” He stood and paced. “One Sunday I took her out to the land Hastings bought so she could see it for herself.” He stopped and faced Adam. “You should have seen her. The way she looked at the land and the house – it was like she was staring at heaven. I realized then just how deeply Hastings hurt her. The land had been her dream, her way out of a life she was desperate to leave. He not only stole that from her, he also made her question everything he ever said to her and every promise he ever made to her. I loathe that cowardly bastard.” He swallowed hard, hearing the primal growl in his voice.

  “You
have represented many women who were steeped in sorrow and bleeding from broken promises, Zach,” Adam gently reminded him.

  “I know, I know.” He ran a hand along the back of his neck. “I told her that I thought it was best if we didn’t continue our … that we wait until the case is resolved.”

  “That is an excellent plan, Zach.”

  Zach shrugged. “The best way to keep your word is to not give it foolishly. I’m not saying I will deprive myself of her company. I can have good intentions and they all fall away when I’m in the same room with her.”

  “I do believe that you’re in love with her,” Adam said, obviously astounded. “You might still be denying it, but let me give you some advice. You’ll make more progress if you get out of your own way.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  Adam leaned forward, fixing Zach with a serious, unwavering gaze. “It means that as your law partner I would prefer that you keep your relationship with Jennie Hastings strictly professional. But as your friend, Zach, I think it’s time for you to quit preaching a sermon about how deep, abiding love is for nitwits, and simply let your heart guide you.” He cleared his throat, gathered the documents, and handed them back to Zach. “Don’t drag your feet showing these to Chief Justice Olson. He deserves to know that he has been the victim of fraud.”

  Zach nodded. “I’ll handle this like it’s a stick of it dynamite.”

  “That, my friend, is an excellent analogy, because if you’re not careful it could blow up in your face.”

  Knocking at the front door of the Bishop house, Zach dreaded seeing Luna again, but this visit was necessary. He had to talk to the judge. After leaving the office, he’d headed to Second and Harrison where the Blue Belle beaconed. After a quick drink and a game of darts, he knew what he’d say to the judge about what he’d learned. Now he wished he’d had one more stiff drink.

  The door swung open. “Mr. Warner,” Inez Rainwater said, surprise and then concern dashing across her face.

  “Is the judge home?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “What about his missus?”

  Inez shook her head. “She’s out.”

  Relief scampered through him. “Could you tell the judge I’d like to see him? It’s important.”

  A conspirator’s smile touched her thin lips. “Come inside, please.”

  He waited in the foyer for Inez to announce him to the judge. Removing his hat, he hung it on the hall tree and shifted from one boot to the other as the minutes ticked by. Finally, he heard movement coming from the back of the house and Judge Bishop came into view. He looked none too happy.

  “What’s this all about, Warner?” he blustered, his bushy brows lowered and his jaw set. “I don’t care to hear any more about the Hastings woman.”

  “Good afternoon, Judge Bishop. I wouldn’t be bothering you if it wasn’t important.”

  The judge stopped in front of him and hung his thumbs in his vest pockets. “What is it now?”

  Zach decided shoot straight. “I know that Luna’s marriage to Hastings was illegal. I saw the forged documents and I checked the court docket.”

  The light seemed to go out of the judge’s eyes and his face grew pale and then was suddenly infused with bright pink. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I want you to leave this house, Warner. Now.”

  “Judge Bishop —.”

  “Luna told me how you have tried to bed her and she spurned you. You’re jealous, Warner, and you’re trying to cause trouble in my marriage, but it won’t work.”

  “Did she also tell you that Melvin Parks will probably be arrested for killing that saloon girl they found in the alley?

  Judge Bishop’s mouth moved, but no words came out.

  “It’s obvious that you love Luna Lee, Judge, because you either paid someone to create that counterfeit document or you did it yourself. By doing so, you disgraced yourself and you’re facing jail time.”

  Judge Bishop pulled his thumbs out of his vest pockets and pointed a menacing finger in Zach’s face. “Get out of here. I’m not listening to this!”

  “I can’t let this go, Judge. I have a client who has been wronged by what you did.”

  “Luna told me you would try something like this!”

  “I’m not interested in your wife, Judge, but Parks is. He and Luna are copulating like rabbits. She had you do her dirty work and she’s playing you for a fool.”

  “Dirty liar!” The judge lunged forward, one fist jutting out.

  Surprised by the attack, Zach wasn’t quite quick enough and the judge’s knuckles smacked his cheekbone, sending hot pain through his head. He grabbed the judge’s wrist and spun the man around, crooking his arm behind him and standing the judge up on his tiptoes.

  “Let go of me.” The judge drove his free elbow back into Zach’s ribs.

  Zach let go of him, not wanting to fight the older man. He stepped away, putting some distance between them. “That’s enough of that. Let’s talk this out.”

  “You come in here accusing me of fraud! Get out!”

  “I have the evidence, Judge Bishop, and I’m damn well going to use it. I’ve already consulted Adam about it. Out of the respect I used to have for you, I wanted to let you know before I speak to Judge Olson.”

  “You sonofabitch!” He swung again and his fist glanced off Zach’s chin, rocking him backward.

  “Damn it all!” Zach shoved the judge and the older man lost his balance and staggered back into the wall. “I’m not fighting you. I thought you‘d have enough integrity left to admit your crime and show at least a scrap of regret. Maybe you’d even apologize for losing your head, helping to steal a woman’s land, and throwing your long career on the bench into the slop jar. But I was wrong.” He batted a hand at the judge and plucked his hat off the tree. “You’re like a child clinging to her skirts.”

  “Why you!” The judge ran at him, but Zach sidestepped him, letting him run into a hall table and topple over with it.

  Shoving his hat onto his head, Zach looked down at the older man who used to demand respect from the bench. He shook his head and left him huffing and puffing and trying to get to his feet.

  “Zach should be back soon,” Adam said, pausing on the threshold of the office with Bert at his elbow. “We’ll wait with you.”

  “No, you go on. I’ll be fine. If he doesn’t show up within an hour, I’ll just go to the boarding house and see him tomorrow.”

  “It’s okay. We don’t mind waiting.”

  “I do. I have children to feed. Let’s go, Adam,” Bert said, pulling at his arm. “Good to see you again, Jennie. Don’t be a stranger.”

  “Thanks. Have a good evening.”

  After they were gone, Jennie sat on the window seat in the outer office. She remembered the first time she’d met Zach here and he had planted Oliver on this seat with a book about horses to keep him occupied. He knew the way to her little boy’s heart even then in those first few hours.

  She fluffed the skirt of her pale yellow dress and reached down to rub a smudge off the toe of her shoe. She wondered idly what her son was doing now and imagined that he and Molly were helping Dottie and Mrs. Philpot punch bread dough to remove bubbles, one of their favorite kitchen activities. She had told Dottie this morning that she planned to meet with Zach after work.

  “Don’t worry about Oliver,” Dottie had said.

  “I want to talk to Zach about Stella,” she’d said. “I don’t understand why Melvin Parks hasn’t been arrested yet for her murder.”

  “Find out what you can. Why don’t you let him buy you dinner? You need a few hours away from work and this boarding house and I need the extra work.”

  Jennie laughed to herself, understanding how difficult it was to make ends meet. She was blessed to have found work at the dry goods store. There weren’t many job offerings for women in Guthrie. However modern it was to allow divorces more freely, the town was like every other one when it came to providing paying
jobs for divorced women.

  The outside door opened, letting in the noise of the street for a few seconds before snuffing out the sounds again. She heard Zach’s footfalls on the steps and she stood up to greet him as he stepped into the office. He whipped his hat off his head and then jerked to a stop when he saw her.

  “Hey, there. Something wrong?”

  “I wanted to — Zach!” The sight of his battered face sent her hurrying across the room to him. Concern pinched her heart. “What happened to you?” She leaned close to get a better look at his scraped chin and the angry red swelling on his left cheekbone.

  “It’s nothing. I had a run-in with Judge Bishop.”

  “Judge Bishop did this? Let me see. Come over here closer to the light. Does it hurt?” Pulling him to the desk where a lamp glowed faintly, she placed her fingertips softly on his cheek and then his chin. “You’re bleeding.”

  “Am I?” He looked at the red smudges on her fingertips. “So I am.”

  “There are some blood drops on your shirt collar.”

  He strode through the outer office and she followed as he led the way to his room. He went to the washstand, glanced over his shoulder at her standing in the open doorway, and waved her inside. “Light that lamp, will you?”

  She went to the oil lamp sitting on the table and opened the match box in its base. After lighting the wick, she adjusted the flame so that it provided a nice glow across the room.

  “What did you say to him to make him so mad that he attacked you?” She went to stand beside him and watched as he poured water from a pitcher into the shallow bowl. He wet a washrag and swiped at the blood on his chin as he peered into the shaving mirror. “Here, let me.” She took the damp cloth from him and turned him around to face her.

  “Luna is making a fool of him and I told him as much,” he said, giving a wince when she pressed a little too hard on his scraped chin. ‘I refused to have fisticuffs with him, so he got in a few lucky punches.”

  She made a tsking sound with her tongue. Wetting the cloth again in the cool water, she folded it and placed it gently against the swelling on his cheekbone. “Does that hurt?”

  His full mouth curved in an impish grin. “Your touch is as soft as a spring breeze. Just before a twister hits.”