Page 39 of Love and Order

CHAPTER 9

Once Rion was out of the immediate area and headed toward the door, Andie bolted up and went to Mrs. Ingram’s boarders. “Can you all help me? I need Kezia, Mr. Nesbitt, and Miss Peters to meet me at the jail as soon as possible.”

The ladies nodded. “We’ll find them and send them along.”

She packed her books and papers then hurried on to Dutch’s Café, heading to his private quarters where Seth and Lena Kealey were staying. She knocked, and a minute later, Seth answered.

“Howdy, Miss McGovern. Court’s done for the day?” Behind him, Lena looked on, one hand on her belly, one on her back.

“Thank God, yes. It was awful. I need Rion’s family at the jail so we can talk.”

“Lena and me are welcome at this meetin’?” Seth asked.

“You’re family, aren’t you?”

“Near as.”

Andie nodded. “Both of you are welcome—although, Lena, I realize you may want to rest, so please don’t feel obligated.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll stay back.”

As she waited for Seth to say goodbye to his wife and tell Dutch he was leaving Lena alone for a bit, Andie pulled her father’s telegram from her pocket, where she’d stashed it after Judge Oakwell dumped her books on the floor. In that moment, after the happenings throughout the day, the words held little comfort. In fact, just like that morning, her midsection bucked and pitched. The day had been long, hard, embarrassing—and then the judge showed his obvious bias.

Thank God Mr. Littrick hadn’t been any more welcoming of the judge’s partiality than she. He’d fought for Rion getting a fair trial. For all the good it did. It earned them an extra few days … which meant nothing without her law books.

Once Seth was ready, he took her bag and they walked to the jail, arriving at the same time Callie, Joe, and Lu arrived.

“Where’s Lena?” Callie asked.

“Restin’, at Dutch’s.”

“No need to explain.” Joe grinned.

Without further delay, Andie barged into the sheriff’s office, and Downing looked up from his conversation with one of the deputies.

“I need to meet with my client. Alone.”

“You ain’t alone, Miss McGovern.” He smirked at the group behind her.

“I mean without you and your deputies.”

“We ain’t goin’ far.” He jutted his chin in Rion’s direction. “I don’t trust that one.”

“Fine—but leave so we can speak in private.”

Downing and the other man walked out, and someone shut the door after them.

Closing her eyes, she settled a hand on her forehead. “We have an issue. Several … Rion can’t get a fair—”

“Andromeda.” Rion’s deep voice snagged her ear. “Before you launch into all this, I know today was hard. Are you all right?”

For a moment, she could only stare and shake her head. “No. I’m sick to my stomach. I can’t do this.”

Joe grabbed Downing’s desk chair and set it behind her, guiding her into it.

“Yes, you can!” Callie crouched next to her. “Rion needs you.”

“I’ve never taken the lead on a case before. I’ve never argued anything in court. I’ve only helped prepare my father’s cases. And now I can’t use any of my law books.”

“What?” They all stared.

This judge forbade me from using English law books. He’s … tainted. He has his finger on the scales of justice, and I can’t overcome that.”

Lu stepped up. “We overcome it with the truth.”

Andie’s stomach churned. “But how? My thoughts are spinning so fast, I can’t grasp them to put them in order. The courtroom, if you can call it that, lacked decorum. The onlookers from the gallery called for recesses just so they could get more whiskey, or they objected to points I brought up in the case. How was I to keep up, much less stay ahead of Mr. Littrick or that awful judge?”

Rion approached the bars. “You can’t expect courtrooms ’round here to be solemn and respectful like back east. But this court, led by this judge, is the worst I’ve seen. You’re right—I ain’t gettin’ a fair trial.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

Joe folded his arms. “God’ll provide a way.”

“How? I have no other law books. Worse, if I can’t find a way through this, they’ll convict and hang Rion. In fact, as biased as Judge Oakwell is, I don’t see any way around that outcome, and I can’t live with myself if I tear my own family apart days after we reunited.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Callie rubbed her shoulder as she continued to squat at her side. “God wouldn’t allow us to find each other only to tear us apart, especially if it left the others feeling guilty.”

“Andromeda, if I’m convicted, it’ll be because of a corrupt judge.” Rion gripped the cell bars so hard, his knuckles whitened. “Not because of anything you and Callie failed to do.”

Arms folded, Seth leaned against Downing’s desk. “We can’t let it come to that.”

“What d’ya mean?” Rion asked.

“You disappeared once. You can do it again.”

“Downing’s watchin’ me a lot closer than the first time. And I don’t want to be on the run the rest of my life.”

Lord, what can we do?

D OWNING NEVER CONTACTED ABOUT COURT STOP

J UDGE V OST IN D ENVER FOR NEXT TWO WEEKS STOP

D OCKET CLEAR STOP C OMING YOUR WAY STOP

Daniel stared at the US Marshal’s telegram that Heck had just handed him. Why had the sheriff lied about contacting the marshal for a court date? And why choose the worst judge to try Braddock’s case? Things weren’t adding up.

He scribbled out a response and handed it to Heck. “Send this back, please.”

Once Heck had sent the response, Daniel paid him for the two telegrams he’d sent, thanked his friend, and walked out to mount Briar again. He needed to make Miss McGovern aware, though he wasn’t sure where to look. Braddock might know—if Sheriff Downing or his deputies were in the office to let him speak with the man. Wouldn’t hurt to check.

He rode across the town and stopped outside the sheriff’s office. Daniel dismounted, tied Briar, and stepped onto the porch. At the door, familiar voices sounded from inside, and he paused, immediately recognizing Miss McGovern’s voice.

“Worse, if I can’t find a way through this, they’ll convict and hang Rion. In fact, as biased as Judge Oakwell is, I don’t see any way around that outcome, and I can’t live with myself if I tear my own family apart days after we reunited.”

Her own family? Did she mean Braddock?

“That’s not going to happen.” This time, Miss Jarrett spoke. “God wouldn’t allow us to find each other only to tear us apart, especially if it left the others feeling guilty.”

Wait … Kezia Jarrett, Rion Braddock, and Andromeda McGovern were related? And they’d just reunited? There was something much bigger goin’ on here than he understood.

Daniel knocked and pushed the door open.

From the center cell, Braddock peered out. Miss McGovern faced him from a chair near the center of the room, Miss Jarrett crouched beside her. Nesbitt and Seth Kealey leaned against the sheriff’s desk, and Lucinda Peters stood near the first cell, where the bars were warped out of alignment.

“What’re you doin’ here?” Braddock growled.

“Is the sheriff around?”

Pale, Andromeda McGovern stood. “I asked him to leave so we could have a private meeting. Last I saw, he walked around the side of the building.”

“Actually, I was hopin’ Downing wasn’t here. I need to talk to you. Could we have a private word?”

She eyed him skeptically. “About?”

“I have news about the trial, and I was thinkin’ it’d be better to tell you alone, although …”

Miss McGovern planted a hand on her hip. “What?”

“Are y’all related? I wasn’t tryin’ to eavesdrop, but as I came to the door, I did overhear you and Miss Jarrett say somethin’ about y’all bein’ family?”

Miss McGovern offered a sheepish look. “Guilty. Orion, Andromeda, and Calliope Braddock.” She and Miss Jarrett linked arms. “Orphaned as children, put on an orphan train, and adopted to three different families in very different locales.”

Miss Jarrett—or Calliope?—looked toward Nesbitt, who nodded, and she picked up the tale. “I was adopted by the Wilsons in Chicago and grew up to become a Pinkerton detective. Kezia Jarrett is an undercover name. With Mr. Pinkerton’s blessing, I used my position to find Andie and Rion—reconnected with her by letter and came west to look for him. I finally found Rion as well, but Stephen—”

“My real name’s Joe Trenamen.”

“Yes, and he’s also a Pinkerton. He and I were working the case of seven murdered women, and everything pointed straight to Rion.”

“Too neatly, if you know what I mean,” Trenamen offered.

“So … you three are brother and sisters.” He pointed to the three Braddocks, then to Trenamen and Calliope. “You two are partners.”

Trenamen nodded. “And … more. A recent development …”

“How’re you related?” He pointed to Seth Kealey.

“Adopted brother. Rion, Dutch, and I are three out of five boys taken in by the same man.”

“Garvin.” He knew that name from his interviews and notes on the case.

“Right.”

“And you, Miss Peters? How do you fit?”

Her cheeks flamed, and she looked shyly at Braddock.

Braddock grinned. “Reckon we belong with each other. And that’s an even more recent event than those two.” He waved toward Calliope and Joe.

Daniel nodded as he looked at the faces around the room. “Thanks for explaining the connections. Now things make sense.” He stepped in and closed the door. “Like I said, I figured to tell you the news alone, but if you’d prefer your family here—”

“Right here’s fine.”

Miss Peters pulled a fabric-covered book from her skirt’s waistband and poised to write.

“I didn’t like what happened in the court today. Particularly Oakwell admitting he was handing me the case. So I sent a telegram to the US Marshal to ask when the territorial judge would be available.” He glanced around him. “Sheriff Downing never requested to put this case on the district’s docket. Judge Vost is in Denver now, and his schedule is free for the next two weeks. He, the marshal, and the court staff are coming this way. I promise, Vost will be impartial and by the book.”

For a moment, they all stared.

Kealey cocked his head. “Correct me if I’m wrong. I’m no attorney, but since the one judge has already started the case, ain’t we stuck?”

“Judge Vost is the territorial judge—appointed by the US president. Oakwell is a justice of the peace—appointed over a much lower court by local authorities. Vost is a rare breed in these parts. He won’t like Downing havin’ gone around him to ask Oakwell to preside, especially without askin’ him for a court date. So I expect he’ll pull rank on that point alone. But …” He shot them a sheepish grin of his own. “Vost also happens to be the brother-in-law of one of my favorite law school professors. I count him as a friend.”

“Does Downing know that?” Nesbitt asked.

“Not to my knowledge. I don’t make a lot of hullabaloo about it, but I do head to Denver from time to time to cultivate the friendship. You’ll find him much more agreeable and easier to work with. And he won’t be drunk in his own courtroom.”

Miss McGovern grasped the back of the chair. “Wait just a minute. Oakwell seems to be in Downing’s pocket. Now you’re saying you’re good friends with this territorial judge, Vost. How can I be sure that Rion’s chances are any better with him, considering the connection you just admitted?”

“I swear to you before God, there’ll be no bias shown from Judge Vost. We might be good friends, but one reason I like him is because he’s fair and upright.”

Braddock stared. “Why’re you doin’ this?”

“Like I said, I didn’t like what happened today. Your rights were violated. You won’t get a fair trial. And it grated somethin’ fierce, seein’ how that judge tried to roll over you.” He caught Miss McGovern’s eye. “I know how hard I worked to get through law school, and I reckon you worked as hard—or harder. You deserve a chance.”

Relief lit Miss McGovern’s pretty features. “Thank you.”

Lu moved closer. “Will this Judge Vost accept a woman attorney?”

“He won’t treat her near so harshly as Oakwell did.” He turned in Miss McGovern’s direction. “He’ll expect you to have a solid case—and he’ll want more modern arguments than what you’d find in Blackstone or Coke.”

She sat heavily in the chair. “And if I was in St. Louis, I’d have access to my father’s hefty library, but where am I to get that here?”

He nodded. “If you’re willing to consider it, I might have a solution.”

“What solution, Littrick?” Braddock’s eyes narrowed.

“Understanding your difficult circumstances, I can grant you access to my law books.”

“You would do that?” She looked befuddled. “Why? We’re on opposing sides.”

Daniel shook his head. “I might be the prosecutor, but I’m on the side of truth.”

Trenamen straightened. “So you’d be willing to let Andie use your books, even if that loses you this case?”

“Believe it or not, yes.”

And it didn’t hurt matters that he’d get to spend time around her as she searched for the information she needed.