by Helena Rose
" Cristobal has betrayed us," he exclaimed in panic.
"It's all because of that damned witch Penelope, in the end she turned out to be good for nothing!"
Federico went over to Raquel and hugged her.
"Don’t worry, Mother. Don’t be afraid. I'd rather see all our wealth vanish into thin air than in Lucas’ hands!"
Raquel nodded.
"We’ll fight until the last, son. Our enemies will know what we're made of. We’ll destroy them as we always have!"
The day of the hearing finally came.
As expected, when a member of one of the town’s prominent families was involved in a process, the courtroom was crowded with onlookers.
Lucas was the first to arrive with Cristobal. Aurora and Viviana were sitting in the first row dedicated to the public. Aurora thought back to the last time they had both been in this courtroom... It was to rediscover their lost love. Then the judges had been ecclesiastics, this time they were civil judges, but in both cases she knew she was fighting a vital battle. The last time true love had triumphed, Aurora prayed to the Virgin, who would once again perform a miracle and return to Lucas what was rightfully his. As if she had called him, Lucas turned and smiled at her.
A few minutes before the hearing Doña Raquel also arrived, accompanied by Federico, who had managed to stay sober, and by their lawyer who had come specifically from Mexico City.
The judges entered and everyone stood up.
Cristobal was the first to take the floor. He stood up and began his indictment.
"Your Honor, we are here today to decide which of the two handwritten wills of the late Eduardo Navarra y Reyes is the real one: the one registered by the widow, on Don Eduardo’s death, or the one deposited a few days ago by my client at the civil registry.
I’ve asked that the signatures are compared with other documents written by Don Eduardo and deposited in civil archives and, while awaiting judgment, I’ve also requested that the enforcement process against my client’s hacienda is blocked."
"Good, please start your statement of the facts, lawyer," the judge urged him.
“My family had recently moved to Spain when my father received the will in a letter. Probably Don Eduardo had been afraid that his last wishes would be changed, therefore he took the precaution of writing two wills, one he sent to Europe to my father, his great friend."
" Objection, the lawyer is making assumptions," said Raquel’s lawyer, standing up.
" Granted," said the judge, "Lawyer, limit yourself to the facts!"
Cristobal nodded, without being discouraged by the interruption.
"Unfortunately, my father became very ill soon after our move to Spain and could no longer take care of his work or his correspondence. For this reason, no one knew anything of this will, until a short time ago."
Cristobal paused, embarrassed. For the sake of justice and, above all, to prove that he was truly repentant for the harm he had caused, he would have to put into play his good reputation.
"I found this letter among my father’s documents when I arrived in Mexico." He continued in a firm voice, "but for personal reasons I kept it hidden until a few days ago."
"Lawyer, do you know that this behavior, if the will is declared authentic, could cost you, at least, a suspension from the practice of law if not striking off? Your current client could denounce you!" Chided the judge.
Lucas stared at Cristobal’s face and Cristobal, putting a hand on Lucas’ shoulder, turned to the judge.
"Yes, I know, but justice must be done! If my client would like to start proceedings against me, I won’t do anything to stop him!"
" Carry on, then!" The judge urged him, struck by Cristobal’s honesty.
" Don Eduardo had discovered that Federico was not his son but the son of Don Hector."
A murmur spread among the public who were watching the proceedings, the judge had to repeatedly bang his wooden hammer and request the room to be silent.
When the voices quieted, Cristobal continued.
" Don Eduardo clearly specified in the letter addressed to my father that he had learned the truth and that he intended to leave all his possessions to his only son, Lucas. Your Honor, you will find the letter that accompanied the will among the documents that I filed and I don’t think you need more evidence."
The judge leafed through the folder in front of him and pulled out a sheet of paper that he scanned quickly, then he dismissed Cristobal and turned to Raquel’s lawyer.
"It is your turn to speak, lawyer, for the defense."
Raquel’s lawyer, a middle-aged man who wore an elegant blue suit, stood up and moved to the center of the courtroom.
" Your Honor, my client disputes the validity of the document presented by the opposing party as there are well-founded reasons to believe that there is a conspiracy against my client, planned by Don Lucas and his lawyer, to take possession of the Navarra y Reyes inheritance. I will explain the reasons for the plot and at the end you will agree with me that it isn’t necessary to prove the authenticity of the document produced by Lawyer de la Vega."
Total silence reigned in the courtroom, everybody hung on the lips of the talented lawyer who, after a short pause, continued conscious of having gained the attention of all the public.
"Don Cristobal and Don Hector arrived from Europe, by a fortuitous coincidence on the same steamer. Obviously we are talking about a very long journey and it is inevitable that all passengers get to know each other sooner or later. A chat on the deck, a coffee together ... And Don Cristobal discovered that Don Hector was returning to Mexico to publicly acknowledge his son Lucas ... "
" Objection, Your Honor," protested Cristobal
" Rejected, I want to see what the lawyer is trying to prove," explained the judge.
Doña Raquel exchanged a smile with her lawyer and he continued, undaunted.
" Lucas killed Don Hector before he could reveal the truth about his origins ... The case as I understand it, is still open and despite everything, Don Lucas appears to date the only suspect." The lawyer coughed almost embarrassed. "For some inexplicable reason, whoever heads the investigation granted Lucas his freedom. Maybe because there are interests or emotional bonds that don’t allow him to be objective ..." He looked round at Don José who was sitting next to Doña Viviana. Viviana tried not to blush even though she quivered with indignation because of the explicit allusion to a possible relationship.
“Objection, Your Honor!" Snapped Cristobal "The defense lawyer is reporting stupid rumors that have nothing to do with the issue which we are dealing with!"
Raquel’s lawyer, obviously waiting for an objection, smiled at Cristobal.
"You're right, I apologize, I let myself get carried away..." He said with a mocking bow. Then he turned to the judge.
" Don Cristobal was aware of Don Hector’s intent and therefore, must have quickly realized his client’s possible motive for the murder. It was definitely a matter of an advantageous opportunity and hence, the deal with Don Lucas. Their alliance would not only have ensured the confidentiality of the true relationship between Don Lucas and Don Hector (the real reason for the crime), but would have also allowed them to take possession of the huge Navarra y Reyes inheritance! Simply inventing the existence of a document that comes to light just now, more than eighteen years after Don Eduardo’s death! Does it seem a credible story to you?" He asked, turning first to the judge and then to the public that began to murmur loudly among themselves.
The judge had to ask again for silence in the courtroom, repeatedly banging the wooden hammer, while the lawyer went back to sit next to Doña Raquel who smiled smugly.
"If we avoid the handwriting expert we’ve won," whispered the lawyer in her ear. Doña Raquel nodded.
The judge was silent for a few minutes before announcing his decision on the statements of the two parties.
"I’ve to deliberate on what I’ve heard today and decide whether to proceed with the handwriting expert or
not, therefore the court hearing is adjourned until next week. Meanwhile any foreclosure on Don Lucas Navarra y Reyes’ properties is suspended until the final decision."
Lucas shook hands with Cristobal, for the time being it was a very good result. He turned and sought Aurora who embraced him.
The wry smile on Doña Raquel’s face that she had displayed during her lawyer’s brilliant performance disappeared. She straightened her expensive black hat adorned with small purple flowers and went out, followed by Federico and her lawyer.
Meanwhile in Zacatecas Penelope had completely failed to convince Santos to help her. She had then decided to disappear during the night to seek refuge elsewhere. She could not allow them to lock her up in jail!
She cautiously fled from the house and reached the main road. In an instant, the two henchmen who were patiently waiting saw her in the moonlight and began to pursue her.
One of them opened fire with his revolver, but the bullet narrowly missed Penelope. Terrified, Penelope who was now convinced that the two henchmen would not give up until they saw her dead, managed to take refuge back in the hacienda.
She looked for safety among the estate guards, crying. One of them offered to take her back to the house and she gladly accepted.
There she found Santos who was angry and wanted to know what had happened. Penelope, trying to control her fear, told him of the attempted murder that she had just escaped.
"Aunt, you’ve made me weary! You’ve no other choice you understand? Death or prison! I won’t give you asylum here a minute longer! "
Penelope burst into tears, surrendering.
“All right! I’ll go to the police and tell them everything ... everything..." She said between sobs, "I’m no longer safe..."
Yolanda, attracted by the shouting, came and saw the two arguing. She heard that her aunt would finally turn herself in and came to comfort her.
"I'm sorry, but Santos is right, it’s the best solution. Go to the police and tell them the whole truth about Doña Raquel. You may also get a reduction in your sentence."
Penelope, desperate and finally defeated, hugged Yolanda, crying on her shoulder.
The next day, at dawn, protected by Pablo and Santos, Penelope managed to leave the hacienda and caught the first train to Tampico.
The day on which the first hearing for the Navarra y Reyes inheritance was conducted came to an end. In the city, this was the only topic of conversation, Doña Raquel’s adultery, the probable relationship between the beautiful Doña Viviana and the chief of police, and the fact that the sole heir of Navarra y Reyes was actually Lucas.
As the particulars passed by word of mouth, the stories were enriched with details and now everyone had their own opinion on how things had happened.
Penelope presented herself to Don José as he was putting on his hat to go home after a long day full of events and emotions.
"I'm Penelope Robles, I’ve come to give myself up," explained Penelope, staring at him blankly. She was accompanied by Santos Robles, her nephew.
Don José recovered from his astonishment, sat down at his desk and called the secretary so that Penelope’s statements could be recorded.
Penelope, apathetic, told him everything in detail, while Don José listened incredulously. He had spent many years in the police, but he had never heard such treachery in two women before.
Everything became clear: Don Eduardo’s false will, Don Costantino and Don Hector’s murder, the staged adultery with the involvement of poor Alma and the attempted kidnapping of Aurora.
When Penelope ended her confession, Don José called a policeman to lead her into a cell.
"Will the judge take into account my collaboration?" She asked as the policeman took her out.
Don José could only look at her in disgust.
"I'm sorry about your aunt," he said to Santos, but Santos just shrugged.
"I’ve always known what kind of woman she was, my sister has been most affected by learning of Penelope’s wickedness. She does nothing but torment herself with remorse for having discovered that it was only due to her words that Penelope knew that Don Hector was in town and was able to arrange the murder in which Doña Aurora’s poor father died too."
Don José shook his head.
"Your sister was just naïve, tell her not to worry. She was exploited by a wicked woman who will pay for all the atrocities she has committed."
He dismissed Santos and sent two policemen to Doña Raquel home, with orders to bring her to his office for questioning.
About an hour later, Doña Raquel entered the office, dressed in an elegant black dress and accompanied by her lawyer and the two policemen.
As soon as she found herself in front of Don José, she began to shout, barely containing her anger.
"Can you explain me all this? Am I the victim of a stupid joke, perhaps?"
"I'm afraid not," replied Don José, standing up and indicating to them the two chairs in front of him.
Doña Raquel, haughty, sat next to her lawyer, who with a voice anything but calm immediately attacked Don José.
"I hope you know that all this will cost you your position! Tomorrow I’ll send a telegram to your superiors; it is inconceivable that a lady should be treated as a petty criminal and questioned at this unseemly hour!"
Don José did not appear intimidated by the lawyer’s words and in turn raised his voice.
"Mrs. Penelope Robles has given herself up and indicated gross accusations against you."
He pulled out the typewritten document that contained Penelope’s statements and handed it to Raquel. Raquel grabbed it, read it quickly and then passed it to her lawyer " I refuse to believe that I’ve been called upon to defend myself against accusations of a crazy woman who reads tarot cards at fairs...I'm curious to know whose words will be considered more credible in a courtroom," she exclaimed furiously. "And all without a shred of proof! ... And now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve spent too much time in this dump."
She stood up and walked towards the door.
"I have already two witnesses who accuse you: Don Gonzalo Sanchez, whom you remember was spotted leaving from your hacienda by my men, and Penelope Robles!" Said Don José.
"Don’t say anything else! Don José has no evidence against you, and tomorrow he’ll understand what a dangerous game he’s involved in," said the lawyer, following Raquel. The two went out without giving Don José the time to reply. However, they were right, without material evidence, no court of law in Mexico would condemned the illustrious Doña Raquel Navarra y Reyes, based only on the statements of two swindlers.
Tired and bitter due to the helplessness he felt, José decided to go and see Viviana before returning home. Viviana’s company would make him forget his thoughts for a while.
Viviana received him very warmly, happy to see him again so soon. She wore, as usual, a black dress that enhanced her body still feminine and desirable.
Don José could not help admiring her and, seeing this, she blushed.
"Don’t look at me so, I beg you!"
"Your beauty doesn’t allow me to do otherwise," said Don José kissing her hand.
When they were seated Don José told Viviana what had happened at the barracks.
" I can’t believe that she’ll escape this time too, she must pay for her misdeeds," exclaimed Viviana, after hearing the whole story.
"Unfortunately without absolute proof we run the risk that the words of these two criminals are not enough to indict a woman so highly placed." Replied Don José.
"Yet there must be something we can do!" Viviana could not resign herself to seeing Raquel go unpunished. She thought back to that terrible night when her husband had died and she had noticed that figure cloaked in black running away from the burning chapel. If only I'd stop her then! I would have been able to unmask her... then all of a sudden a memory, like a flash went through her mind.
"Wait," said Viviana, standing up. "Wait here for me for a moment."
Jos
é looked puzzled while Viviana went into the kitchen before going up the stairs to the bedrooms.
She returned a few minutes later with a piece of dark fabric in her hand and handed it to Don José.
" What is it?"
"I don’t know why, but I was reminded just now ... of the night of the fire. When I saw the figure leaving the crime scene I noticed a piece of black fabric, I picked it up almost inadvertently and thought no more of it because of everything that happened after. When I got home and realized that my husband was the other victim, I passed out, and didn’t know what had happened to this piece of fabric. I’ve just asked Carmen who helped me that evening, where she had placed it... I'm sure it’s a fragment torn from the murderer’s black cloak."
"This may be an important clue, whoever has the garment that this piece of fabric comes from, is the person that caused Don Costantino and Don Hector’s deaths ... And I already know where I’ll start my search."
Viviana took one of Don José’s hands in hers.
" José, I trust you!"
" And I trust in justice," Don José replied gently squeezing her hands.
On the day of the new hearing Don José arrived at the courtroom early, it was packed with spectators that had been arriving since the first light of the morning to grab the best seats. Those who came later were not able to enter.
When Lucas came in with Aurora on his arm, most of the crowd shouted words of encouragement to them. Marisol arrived accompanied by Cristobal and Viviana. Last to make their entrance in the courtroom were Federico, Doña Raquel and their lawyer, elegant in his impeccable suit.
The judge was punctual as always, took his place in his imposing chair and gave a quick glance at the courtroom full people.
He turned immediately to the two lawyers.
"I’ve listened to both your positions and carefully read the submitted documents," said the judge clearing his throat.
"Although the account of Doña Raquel’s defense was very convincing, I decided to have a handwriting expert study the will and other documents written by Don Eduardo that were registered in the civil office. The result that has emerged is that ...."