Before the Dawn (38 page)

Helene kept a wary eye on the surroundings, asking, “What is this all about? Who's shooting?”

“Eloise. She killed your sister, and now she's after me.”

Helene's wide eyes met Leah's. “Eloise?” she whispered.

Leah nodded. “I think my ankle may be broken.”

“My Lord, look how you're bleeding.”

“Don't worry about that now, just get me to town. The sheriff should be told.”

“Eloise killed my sister?”

“Yes. She poisoned her just like she did Cecil.”

“Well, well, well,” Helene murmured. “And now she's after you?”

“Yes. Let's get out of here before she kills us both.”

But to Leah's dismay, Helene shouted, “Eloise, come and get her. She's all yours.”

Leah's eyes widened, and she struggled to sit up only to
have Helene turn the rifle on her. “Don't move,” she commanded.

Unable to believe what was happening, Leah looked into Helene's cold but smiling blue eyes. Helene said reassuringly, “This shouldn't take long.”

She called out again, “Eloise! I've got her all wrapped up. You just need to add the bow.”

There was movement in the trees to their right. Eloise stepped out. She had a smile on her face. Helene smiled; too, then shot her right between the eyes.

 

Helene drove them silently back to town and braked her wagon in front of Ryder's building. “I'll get him, you stay here.”

As Helene went inside, Leah was so shattered by the day's events she could do nothing else. Moments later, Ryder came running out. He grabbed Leah up and held her so tight she thought her ribs might break, but she didn't care. She was alive!

 

Later that evening, as Leah lay resting in Ryder's big brass bed, thoughts of Eloise sent a chill across her soul. So much evil had been hidden behind that mask of kindness and concern, an evil that went back more than thirty years. Thanks to Helene there would be no more sacrifices. Yet the memory of what her eyes recorded when Helene pulled the trigger and fired would be with Leah a long time.

Sam had bandaged her arms. Some of the cuts were fairly deep, and before he could stitch them up he'd had to use a magnifying glass in order to remove some of the slivers embedded in the skin The pain in them and in her now wrapped-up ankle was still sharp, but she bore it. She could be dead.

A soft knock sounded on the door. “Come in,” she called.

Ryder. And with him entered a very concerned-looking Daniel Morton. “Are you all right, Mrs. Montague?” he asked walking in farther.

The interior of the room with its drums, feathers, and mounted growling bears made him stare around a bit. Dressed in his crisp, blue, back East suit, Leah thought he looked very much of out place inside Ryder's brave domain, but she liked him. “I've been better, and please, call me Leah.”

He nodded. “Thanks to your story, Miss Sejours won't be charged. The sheriff says it was a matter of self-defense.”

“Good.” Leah doubted she'd ever come to like Helene, but the woman had saved her life.

Ryder sat on the edge of the bed. Her love for him shone in her eyes. He bent down and kissed her brow softly. “You sure you don't need anything?”

She could use his arms around her while she slept but she didn't want to tell him that with Daniel looking on. So she lied. “No, I'm fine.”

She then turned her attention back to Daniel who'd taken the free moment to go over and peer at the beautiful black Dog Soldier bonnet encased in the glass. “What is this, Mr. Damien?”

“It's a Dog Soldier bonnet.”

Daniel stared back puzzled. “A dog soldier?”

“Yep.”

When Ryder didn't offer up more of an explanation, Daniel said, “Oh, well, I'm heading back East tomorrow. My wife's having our first baby, and her time's soon.”

“Congratulations,” Ryder and Leah said in unison.

“Thanks, we're both pretty excited.”

The news warmed Leah. It brought to mind her own growing child. She still hadn't had a chance to tell Ryder yet, but would later tonight. “So, where does our case stand?”

“In the judge's chambers right now. If he rules in their favor, do you want to appeal?”

She didn't even have to think about it. “No.”

She looked up at Ryder and saw loving approval in his eyes. As she'd mused before, the estate had brought her nothing but pain and sorrow. She wanted it to end. Besides, with Ryder by her side, she didn't need anything else.

Daniel asked, “Are you sure? They'll definitely appeal if they lose.”

“I don't care. I want this to be the end of it.”

Daniel didn't seem to agree, but shrugged. “Whatever you say then.”

“Thanks.”

They spent a few more moments talking about his baby and his plans for the future.

Finally, Ryder said, “You should rest. I'm going to take Daniel back to town.”

“Okay.” She then told Daniel sincerely, “Thank you so much for everything.”

“You're more than welcome. Like I said, it was my most interesting case to date.”

“Please send Judge Raddock my thanks also, and tell him I believe you deserve a promotion.”

He smiled. “I'll be sure he gets your message. Take care of yourself now.”

“I will.”

Ryder gave Leah's shoulder a soft squeeze. “I'll be back soon as I can.”

She nodded, then using a finger, beckoned him down. When he complied she gave him a soft kiss. “Hurry home,” she whispered.

He nodded. The departure of the two men left her alone. A minute later, she was asleep.

She was awakened a short time later however by Sam.

“Seth's here. Do you want to see him?”

A sleepy Leah didn't really, but she rubbed her eyes, and asked, “What's he want?”

“To see how you're faring, he says.”

Leah sat up and pulled up the covers. “I'll see him, but just for a few minutes.”

“Want me to stay with you while he's in here?”

“Please.”

Sam left with a smile.

Moments later, a very concerned Seth entered the quiet room. “My God, Leah. Aunt Helene told me what happened. Are you okay?”

“As well as can be expected I guess.” She waited.

He read the mistrust in her eyes and turned away as if he were uncomfortable. “I just came to say, I owe you more apologies than I can give and that I'm leaving Denver as soon as I can make the arrangements.”

“Where are you going?'

He shrugged. “Somewhere no one knows me. I want to start over. I'm thirty-eight years old and all I have to show for it is a mountain of debt and a mistress who'll never leave her husband.”

He held her eyes.

Leah said, “I wish you luck then, Seth.”

“Thanks.”

Silence fell over the room again, then he said, “Tell Ryder good-bye for me, will you?”

She nodded.

“I guess, he won you, huh?”

She nodded yet again. “We'll be married once I'm up and around.”

“Maybe, one day before we die, he and I'll be able to put the past behind us.”

“If it's what you both truly want.”

He seemed to be far away and didn't respond.

Leah asked, “How's Helene?”

“Doing well, considering. Will you and Ryder keep an eye on her after I'm gone? I know she's hard to be around, but she doesn't have anyone else.”

“We will, whether she wants us to or not. She saved my life. I owe her that much.”

“Thanks,” he replied genuinely.

Seth looked over at Sam standing just inside the bedroom door. “I promised Sam I wouldn't stay long, so, I guess I should be going.”

He held her eyes. “Take care of yourself, Leah.”

“I will. You do the same.”

He nodded, then left.

Leah burrowed back beneath the quilt and slept.

 

After Ryder dropped off Daniel, he went by his office to pick up a few things, one of which was the unread Pinkerton's report delivered a few days ago. Then he drove to Eloise's house. Getting out, he looked at the place standing so innocently in the dark. Who knew a murderess had hidden there all these years? The sheriff would be out tomorrow sometime, but there was something Ryder needed to do before then. He hopped down from the wagon, and went inside.

His familiarity with the place made a light unnecessary but he lit one anyway because he wanted to be able to see. Using the lamp to show him the way, Ryder went down the hall to the studio. Leah had described the macabre interior, but he wanted to view it for himself. The door was unlocked of course, and as he entered he saw the signs of struggle everywhere. Paints of all colors were splattered over the tables and floor, and broken glass made him step carefully. His eyes searched for the paints he needed: yellow for his forehead; black for his chin; blood red for his nose. Only after he'd painted himself for war did he turn to view the monstrous portraitures. And they were monstrous. He could
only imagine how Leah must have felt stumbling upon them. Some made even his skin crawl. Using the lamp as a lantern he scanned the walls until he came across the paintings of his mother. Eloise's great talent made the horrid characterizations even more perverted. Ryder turned away. Hate filled him, as did anger and most of all grief. Songbird's only crime had been her love for Louis, yet for that Eloise had taken her life.

Ryder took down the three paintings of his mother and placed them on the floor. He extracted some matches from his pocket and set fires in all four corners of the room. Because his mother's body had lain at the bottom of the Faith Mine for days before she was discovered, he was certain no one had sung the Death Song for her. He did now.
Nothing lives long. Only the earth and the mountains.

As the flames rose around him, Ryder's song came to an end. He took one last look around, then left the house to burn. Outside he watched the eerie glow. He felt no remorse. Although Eloise had shown him many kindnesses in his life, she'd killed his mother and tried to take the life of the woman sent by the Spirits to heal him and to love. With her death and the death of her work, maybe now he would know peace.

It was very late when Ryder returned to Sunrise. The house was dark, and he thought everyone asleep until he noticed Sam standing by the windows. In the half-light provided by the moon, Ryder knew the paint on his face could be seen, so he asked quietly, “You waiting up for me, old man?”

“Yes,” Sam responded simply. “Wanted to make sure you got back all right.”

There was silence then.

Sam finally asked, “Is it done?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Leah's asleep.

“Do me a favor?”

“What is it?”

“The Pinkerton's report was waiting at the office. Toss it into the fireplace.”

Sam took the package from his hand. “But it doesn't even look like it's been opened.”

“I know. I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Sam.”

Sam smiled in the dark, “G'night, Ryder.”

Ryder climbed the dark stairs and went first to shower. He wanted to remove the paint from his face and the smell of smoke from his body and hair before going to bed. When he finished, he padded nude into the bedroom and silently slid between the sheets. Leah stirred and he pulled her back against him.

“That you?” she whispered.

“No, it's a strange brave come to steal you.”

Leah smiled sleepily. “Did Daniel get back to his hotel?”

“Yep.”

Ryder savored her smells and warm skin. His eyes settled on her bandaged arms. “Are the cuts still burning?”

“Not as much. Sam said to give the salve a couple of days.”

He kissed her ear. “Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yes, especially now that you're here. I'm afraid I'll have nightmares of her stalking me and how she died for quite some time though.”

“The fear will fade.”

“I know.”

She then said, “Your brother stopped in.”

Ryder stiffened. “Why?”

“To say good-bye. He's leaving Denver.”

“When?”

“Very soon. He wants to start life someplace else. He said to tell you good-bye, and that maybe one day in the future the two of you can set aside the past. He left us Helene.”

“Oh, wonderful.”

Leah smiled. “Be nice, now. She did save my life.”

He kissed her hair. “Yes she did, so I guess I should be grateful.”

Silence slipped between them for a moment, then Leah said, “Guess what?”

“What?”

“We're having a baby.”

He sat straight up. She turned over and smiled up at him in the dark.

“A baby?!”

“A baby,” she responded. “Late winter, if my counting's right.”

“Damn!” he declared happily.

“Maybe it'll be that daughter you wanted,” Leah whispered in response to his obvious joy.

“I could teach her to hunt and ride—”

“Yes, you could,” Leah admitted. She could see father and daughter now, still trying to bring down the King.

He eased himself back down to her, and said, “Thank you for coming into my life, Leah.”

She noticed he'd addressed her by her name for the very first time, and her heart swelled with happiness. “And thank you for coming into mine.”

“Will you love me forever?”

“And a day…”

He kissed her soundly, and when they slept there were no nightmares, only dreams of love.

I
do hope you enjoyed the story of Leah and Ryder. Thought I'd throw you a curve and treat you to a book with a cast of all new characters. I've let my fans pick a few of the last stories, so this time it was my turn. (Smile.) I'd like to thank Anne Sulton for her help with the legal case. She advised me, but the words are mine, so if there are any mistakes, they rest solely with me.

Unfortunately, the tragic events at Sand Creek did occur, and for the Cheyenne it was the beginning of the end of all they held dear. A year after the massacre, Congress condemned Chivington's heinous attack. Reparations were promised, but never came. On November 7, 2000, President Bill Clinton signed a bill creating the Sand Creek Historic Site. This is the first national historic site created to commemorate Native American massacre victims. Please honor those who lost their lives that day by taking the time to not only visit the site but to do some reading on the history of
America's Native Peoples. Their stories continue to be a valuable though often neglected part of the American History Quilt.

Andrew Green was a real historical figure, and his public execution was a circus. Thousands came to watch, but as with most hangings, the apparatus used was not weighted properly. The horror some in the crowd felt watching him being slowly strangled to death, moved the legislature to finally outlaw the practice of public hangings. Their decision made Andrew Green the last publicly executed man in the state of Colorado.

The prayer Ryder recites is part of a prayer titled
An Indian Prayer
. So far, I've been unable to find the name of the author. If anyone out there can help me give credit where credit is due, please write me at my PO Box. A special thanks to Ana Kinnison for helping me with Ryder's Spanish endearments and for introducing me to the word
“Morenita.”
Leah's prayer is a verse taken from Psalm 67.

Here's a partial list of the books and articles I consulted while writing
Before the Dawn
.

Abbot, Carl.
Colorado: A History of the Centennial State, Revised Edition
. Boulder: Colorado Associated University Press, 1982.

Brown, Dee.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1970.

Hine, Darlene Clark, and Thompson, Kathleen.
A Shining Thread of Hope: The History of Black Women in America
. New York: Broadway Books. 1998.

King, William M.
Going to Meet A Man: Denver's Last Legal Public Execution, 27 July 1886
. Niwot Colorado: University Press of Colorado, 1990.

Schultz, Duane P.
Month of the Freezing Moon: the Sand Creek Massacre, November 1864
. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990.

Armitage, S., Banfield, T. “Black Women and Their Communities in Colorado.”
Frontiers
. V. 2, No. 2, 1977.

Riley, Glenda. “American Daughters: Black Women in the West.” Montana:
The Magazine of Western History
. Spring 1988.

 

While on tour last fall I met fans of all races, creeds, and ages. I heard stories about my books that made me laugh, and felt such love I was reduced to tears everywhere I went. Although everyone touched my heart, a few folks deserve special recognition. In Baltimore: Anna Curry and her sister Clara, joint owners of Sepia, Sand, and Sable Books. In Dallas: Emma Rodgers and her staff at Black Images Books; and also Cindi Louis and the Romance Noir Book Club of Dallas. In Atlanta: Nia and the staff at Medu Books; Sylvia's of Harlem Restaurant for hosting the fan dinner; Hazel Clark and TLC Book Club; Charmaine Françoise and the Savy Sisters Book Club; Linda Gaddis; Carla Fredd; and Monica and Paul King. Thanks also to Shirley Covington and her husband Fred for driving all the way from Greensboro North Carolina to see me in Atlanta.

In Austin: Joyce Hunt and the great fans and folks at Mitchie's Fine Black Art and Gifts. Thanks for flying me in, Joyce. The alligator was great!! Thanks also to Yvonne Williams for gifting me with a pair of Worf and Guinan Star Trek action figures. She will be pleased to know they're fearlessly guarding my computer from all intruders, 24/7.

My biggest hug however goes out to Ms. Lois Ann Clark of Atlanta for coordinating the fan dinner at Sylvia's. Lois, you did a fantastic job. Stand up and take a bow!

Last but not least, a special thanks to my publisher HarperCollins and to Heather Garvin in Publicity for their support at the Miami Bookfair. Without them my appearance wouldn't have been possible so, thanks again, Heather.
Thanks also to the fans who were in Miami, especially Ms. Jackye and the members of Miami's Onyx Book Club.

In closing, I give thanks to you my fans for your continued support. I still get letters
every
day, and I still open them like a little girl at Christmas. I'm also as behind in responding as ever, but please keep those letters coming. Your continued faith, prayers, and love fuel me more than you'll ever know. Until next time. Peace.