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Diego looked at Isabella through the bars of his cell. He’d never once been in jail before now. He had always been able to bribe his way out of trouble, but not this time.
“Mama and I plan to talk to the judge and encourage him to go easy on you. You aren’t a bad man, just misguided.”
There was a time when he might have been angry at her comment, but Diego had no energy left to give to such things. He was desperately afraid of where this was all going to lead.
“Do you think the judge will listen?” he finally asked.
“I hope so. Sheriff Jones says Judge Breidenbach is a good man.” She paused and worried her lower lip. She’d always done that when struggling with how to tell him something.
“Just say whatever it is that’s troubling you.” He folded his arms.
“We had a letter from your father. He found where Lucy was living with her folks in Kansas. I’m afraid she’s dead. She came down with a fever and died. Her mother too. Her father was in a sickly way and asked your father to take your son back to California with him.”
Diego’s mouth went dry, and he stumbled back to sit on his cot. He didn’t know what to think. Lucy dead. His son being raised by his father.
“Your father asked my father to send you home. He thinks you should come back to raise your son.” Isabella paused. “I think you should too.”
“And how am I supposed to do that? I’m a prisoner.”
“That’s why I want you to plead guilty—tell the judge you weren’t thinking clearly, which is obviously the truth. I don’t know why you did what you did. Perhaps it really was for the sake of loving me, but it doesn’t matter. I want the judge to be lenient but fair with you, and you must answer for what you’ve done. Still, your son needs you.” She smiled. “His name is Lawrence Miguel Morales. Lucy named him for her father and your grandfather. Your father says he looks just like you.” Isabella came closer to the bars. “Please do right by him, Diego.”
The weeks he’d spent in jail had caused Diego to rethink much of his life. Lucy and the baby hadn’t been uppermost on his mind, mainly because he knew they were better off without him. Now things were different, and Diego was hard-pressed to figure out what to do. His father wanted him to come home and help raise the boy. Could they manage to do this together? Would his father still allow him to work for the family?
Diego had spent over three months working in a silver mine. He’d never worked so hard in his life, and all to give him time to figure out how to get Isabella and her money. Now none of that mattered. She was going to marry Bailey and remain here in Silver Veil to oversee the town’s needs and care for her mother. There was no future for them, so why not give it to his son?
“Did you hear me, Diego?”
He looked up and shook his head. “No, I was thinking. What did you say?”
“I said I’m leaving, but I’ll be praying for you.”
He studied her for a moment. She really was the most beautiful woman he’d ever known ... but she would never be his.
“Thank you for your prayers, and I will think on what you’ve said.” He rose and came to the bars. “I really did love you, Isabella. It wasn’t just about the money.”
She gave him a sad smile. “I believe you, Diego.”
Isabella sat with her mother in front of a kind-looking old man. He was a little on the stout side with a mass of thick white hair.
Judge Breidenbach raised his gaze to Isabella. “Are you saying you don’t think he’s a danger or likely to try this kind of thing again?”
“I don’t think he’s a danger to anyone,” Isabella declared. “He was struggling with a lot of problems. But he’s just found out he has a son and the boy’s mother has died.”
“And where is this son now?”
“Living with Diego’s father in California,” Mama answered. “Please understand, Your Honor, we know Diego did wrong. We know there are consequences for wrong actions. We’re just asking that you be lenient.”
The judge glanced from Mama to Isabella and then looked once again at the papers in front of him. “I will take everything into consideration. You do know that he plans to plead guilty and has thrown himself on the mercy of the court?”
Isabella nodded. “We encouraged him to do that. We were hopeful that if he admitted to his wrongdoings, it would go better for him.”
The judge nodded. “We shall see. Tomorrow in court, I will announce the sentence.”
It was hard knowing that Isabella planned to ask for leniency on behalf of Diego Morales after all the trouble he’d caused. Aaron had argued that people could have been killed, but Isabella had explained that she had needed forgiveness for her wrongdoings and Diego was no different. Jim had agreed and reminded Aaron that he had won Isabella’s heart and all that Daniel Garcia had blessed him with, so perhaps he could afford to be charitable. After much prayer, Aaron agreed.
The judge entered the small room and took a seat at a table the sheriff had positioned near the front wall. When everyone had retaken their seats, the judge gazed out over the gathering as the case was announced and Diego was asked to stand and give his formal plea.
“I am guilty as charged.” Diego lowered his head.
