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25
Iknow your father wouldn’t want you to wait very long to marry Aaron,” Mama said.
Isabella had joined her mother in the courtyard to plant flowers. Mama wanted to plant a tree and flowers in honor of Papi so that every time she came out here, it would remind her of him.
“It seems bad to wed too soon. People are grieving the loss. It’s April, so maybe in September.”
“If that’s what you feel is right.”
“We’ll have this mess with Diego settled by then.”
Mama dusted off her hands and looked up. “When did the sheriff say the trial would be?”
“The second week of May. The judge will come in on Sunday the twelfth, so the trial can start on the thirteenth. He doesn’t think it will last long.”
“Perhaps Diego will plead guilty and save the town the time and trouble of a full trial.”
“I plan to encourage him to do so,” Isabella admitted.
“You’re going to see him?”
“Yes. I’ll probably take Aaron with me.” Isabella stood up and pulled off her gardening gloves. “I want Diego to knowI’m not angry but that he needs to be honest and truthful. He needs to own up to all he’s done.”
“Señora,” Maya called as she entered the courtyard, “a letter has come for Señor Garcia.” She looked as though she might burst into tears.
“It’s all right, Maya. There are bound to be more letters that show up. He ran a great business.” Mama took the letter and opened it. “Speaking of Diego, this letter is from his father.” She scanned the lines, then handed it to Isabella. “Why don’t you read it aloud.”
Isabella took the letter and sat down on the nearest bench. “‘Dear Daniel, I wanted to write and tell you of my progress. I traced the woman Diego is said to have married. I found her in Kansas. Her name was Lucy Meyers. Her stage name was Collette DeMeire, and they met when she was an actress.’” Isabella looked up and met her mother’s gaze. “He says ‘was.’ Do you suppose she’s dead?”
“Why don’t you read on, my dear?”
Isabella nodded and returned her gaze to the letter. “‘Apparently the marriage was a sham performed to trick the poor girl into believing she was legally wed so that Diego could take advantage of her.’” She looked up. “That’s exactly what Diego told me he’d done.”
Her mother nodded, and Isabella turned back to the letter.
“‘She lived with her father in Goddard, Kansas. She died from a fever not long before I arrived. In fact, both she and her mother passed away just days apart. Her father was in a bad way, having neither his health nor family. However, there was the matter of his grandson. My grandson.
“‘His name is Lawrence Miguel Morales, and he’s the spitting image of Diego. Mr. Meyers told me the boy had been named for him and for my father because Lucy couldn’t remember my name. The baby is only a year old, and Mr.Meyers asked me to take him to raise. He said he knew he didn’t have long on this earth. He has some sort of heart ailment.
“‘I hired a nurse and brought the boy back to California with me. There is no doubt he is my grandson. I would like for you to share this news with Diego if he is still in Silver Veil. He needs to know he owes this child a responsibility. I have my doubts that he will come home and do his part, but I want very much for him to know that is what is expected.
“‘Daniel, I blame myself for letting Diego go his own way. I should have been more of a father to him. I should have guided him more, but I was so busy with all that life required of me. Now I regret ignoring the boy. I pray he will come home to my forgiveness and that he will forgive me. When I look into the eyes of my grandson, I know we all owe him that much.’”
Isabella shook her head. “He can’t go, of course.”
“No. We don’t have any idea what will happen at the trial.”
“I still want the judge to be lenient with Diego. He’s not really a bad person.”
“We did agree to leave it in God’s hands,” Mama replied, “but I wonder if we should show the judge this letter. Perhaps we can talk to him about all that’s happened and how we feel about it.”
“I think we should. It’s not taking it out of God’s hands.” Isabella reasoned the matter in her head. Surely it wasn’t wrong to give the judge all the facts. After all, he would determine Diego’s future.
Her mother nodded. “Then we should talk to him and let him read this letter before the trial starts. Perhaps we can even persuade Diego to plead guilty and show his remorse.”
“That would surely impress the judge,” Isabella said with an enthusiastic nod. “Let’s do it.”
“I want you to plead guilty, Diego. Everyone knows it was you, and it will only take up more time if you claim you didn’t arrange the kidnapping.”
