“Tyson is going to resign,” Delilah added.
“What? He is?” Queen asked. “Before the hearings?”
“Jefferson called and told me. There was a family meeting. They care more about the family name than the hundreds of women who have been destroyed by Fikrit’s madness. Tyson is offering to cooperate with the government. They will pin this all on Charles.” Delilah shook her head in sadness. “They’ve also taken away Noah’s trust. It’s frozen. I got the ranch and my law firm, but my son’s being pushed out of his father’s life. He’s not a Montgomery.”
Delilah lost all control. She wept.
“Dee, I’m sorry. About all of this,” Queen said.
Delilah nodded. She couldn’t stop crying. “Me too. What’s wrong with me? Why did Charles do this to me? Why didn’t I see him for who he was Queen?”
“You try to protect us so much you don’t protect yourself. You didn’t see who Charles was because you trusted him. He’s your only love. Don’t punish yourself.” Queen got up and fixed them something to drink. She brought back glasses and napkins.
“Where is Noah?” Queen asked.
“With mama, in the guesthouse,” Delilah said.
“Your mother moved into the guesthouse?” Queen asked.
“Daddy is gone south to Carolina to visit his brother. She came to stay with me. She’s been a big help with Noah. I can’t stop crying every time I look at him.”
“You need to get some rest,” Queen said.
“They scheduled a court date. It’s in three weeks,” Delilah said.
“That fast?”
“The family courts move fast. They want to hear the lawyers discuss visitation rights while the courts sort out a custody agreement.” Delilah dropped her head and began to cry even harder. Queen went over to her best friend and hugged her. She comforted her the best she could by stroking her head and rubbing her back. Delilah cried against her friend’s pelvis, holding on to her. She wept until the last of her tears were spilled. And Queen cleaned her face with napkins.
“I’m so scared. The man is dangerous. He killed people. He’s a crooked cop. He’s angry at me. He thinks my son is some kind of reward for him for losing his wife. I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything, Queen. I offered money. I offered him everything. He won’t go away.”
“Listen to me. You’re smarter than this. Money isn’t going to work, Dee. Not when it comes to your son. You have to play this better. Right?”
“I don’t know what to do,” Delilah groaned.
“Yes, you do. You knew what to do with Mr. Collins. Didn’t you?” Queen asked. Delilah pulled back from her friend. Queen moved the chair closer and sat before her friend. “I’m not saying go that far. I’m saying fight back. Think it through and fight to win. Don’t throw money at your problems. Deal with this man, find out what he wants. Then use it to get whatever leverage you need to protect Noah. Okay?”
“I can’t believe you brought up Mr. Collins. What we did. What happened. It was never something I was proud of. You know that, right?”
“Me either,” Queen said. “I just want you to see that we’re not victims, ever. We protect each other. We fight to survive. This is about survival.”
“I miss her. Godiva. I miss her so much.”
Queen smiled. “We’ll find her. And we’re going to protect Noah. Together.”
She embraced Queen and tried her hardest to believe.
DELILAH OPENED HER eyes. She sat up in bed. It was a dream. A memory. A bad one. She looked around her dark room and realized she was alone. Noah was with her mother in the guest cottage. She had no one. She lay back on her pillow and started toward the window. Her golden harp glistened in the moonlight. She didn’t know what time it was, but the half-moon hung outside of her window. When she was ten, she had two best friends and parents who adored her. Then one of her friends was hurt by a favorite counselor of theirs. She wanted to protect her, to make the hurt go away. The adults didn’t focus on a child’s pain. They focused on their own. For years she’s wanted to protect the people she loved from the bad in the world. It never worked. No matter what, the bad kept coming.
Now she had to face another enemy even scarier than Mr. Collins. And she had to find a different way to fight back. She had to do whatever was necessary to save her son. And she intended to. She reached for her phone and pulled up Maverick Lennon’s number. Despite her professional judgment, she sent him a text.
MAVERICK SAT OUTSIDE of his trailer, drinking his beer and listening to music. He couldn’t sleep. Smith’s visit had put him in a mood. The only thing he could do was stare up at the sky and remember the last three years—the good and bad times. There were enough memories to keep him company.
To his surprise, he heard his cell phone beeped. He glanced at the turned over mop bucket where he’d sat it. He received a text. Maverick set the bottle down. He picked up the phone and stared at the message before he read it. How she got, his number didn’t concern him. Why she was up at two in the morning texting him felt odd.
I’m a good mother. I’m a good person.
I know you think I’m not, but I am.
I didn’t mean to insult you by offering you money.
I didn’t mean for your life to be stolen.
And I’m sorry for all of your losses.
I only want to protect my son.
Please. Let’s find a way to work this out.
How can we settle this?
Maverick stared at the message. He could see the desperation. It was typical of people who thought they could dismiss and crush others with their wealth. He sent her a text and then tossed his phone back to the top of the bucket. He picked up his beer and took another sip.
See you in court.
DELILAH HEARD HER PHONE beep. She turned over and reached for it immediately. The single message reply sent a cold wave of dread through her. “Okay, you bastard. I tried. I tried. Now you’ll see how far I’ll go to protect my son. You’ll see.”
Chapter Five
THE JUDGEMENT OF SOLOMON
February 2020 - New York, NY
“State your name and address for the courts, please,” Judge Mary Tillerson said.
“My name is Maverick Daniel Lennon. I live at 293 Mockingbird Lane, Cazenovia, New York, 13035.”
“Mr. Lennon, do you understand that the testimony you give today is under oath. That this is a preliminary hearing to discuss visitation rights only? Any information you provide today will be used to decide the welfare of the child Noah Charles Montgomery.”
“I do,” he replied.
Maverick glanced over to Delilah Montgomery. She sat very still and emotionless next to her attorney. He was unmoved by her beauty and her poise but couldn’t help but notice them both in the courtroom that day. Her hair was straight and dark, instead of the crinkly style she wore the last time they met. It reached past her shoulders and was tucked behind her ears, away from her face. Diamond studs glistened like tiny beams of light from her earlobes. However, her eyes reminded him that he must be at the top of his game. The rest of her was soft and pristine. It was her confidence that bore through her eyes and challenged him. She stared at him with the kind of judgment he’d faced before in a courtroom.