The Vaudeville Star

As they were set to leave the hotel, a porter stopped them in the hallway to tell them two gentlemen were downstairs waiting to see Miss Ruby Sutton.

“Did they say what they wanted?” Ruby asked.

“No, Miss.”

“Should I wait for you here?” Bessie asked.

“No. It shouldn’t take long. Let’s see them together.”

When they came down the stairs, two gentlemen in dark suits were standing by the front desk. They nodded as the ladies descended the stairs and greeted Ruby.

“Miss Sutton, I’m Detective Chief Inspector Thompson. This is Sergeant Barton.”

“Gentlemen. My friend, Bessie Moore. Should we go into the back parlor? I think it’s deserted at this time of the morning.”

Bessie looked at her friend uncertainly, but Ruby shook her head. Inside the parlor, Ruby and Bessie sat on a small sofa while Thompson took a seat facing them. Barton stood at the door. A waiter came in to ask if any of them wished for coffee or tea. They declined, and he closed the door behind him.

“Miss Sutton, do you know why we are here?” Thompson asked her directly.

Ruby tried to feign a look of innocence. “No. I’m afraid I don’t know.”

/> “You are currently performing in the vaudeville show at the Matinee Theatre?” Thompson asked, looking through a small notebook he had taken from his jacket.

“I am a singer. Bessie is in the show as well. She’s a dancer.”

“I saw your performance opening night! You were wonderful,” said the younger sergeant in a sudden burst of excitement, earning him a stern look from the older Thompson.

“Sorry, sir,” Sergeant Barton muttered while Ruby bit back a smile.

Thompson held his notebook and flipped through the pages. “Do you know a man by the name of William Parker? He goes by the nickname King.”

“Yes, I do, Inspector. He has financed our tour here to London and Paris. Our next city.”

“Hmmm.” The inspector nodded, scanning the contents of his notebook. “How well do you know Mr. Parker?”

Ruby met his brown eyes and looked at Bessie and then Sergeant Barton. “I’m not sure I understand your meaning.”

“Come now, Miss Sutton. We are all adults. And as much as I enjoy the theater too, you ladies have a reputation.”

“I beg your pardon!” Ruby could feel her face getting red.

“That is most uncalled for! You know nothing about us!” Bessie said, coming to her friend’s defense.

“All right. All right,” he said, raising his hands. “I’m not here to judge your actions. Tell me where you were last night, Miss Sutton. I understand you were invited to the ball at Devonshire House.”

“Yes, I was.”

“By whom?” he asked, noting their conversation in his little book.

“The king.”

“King Parker?”

“The king of England.”

He raised his eyes to meet hers, and she nodded.

“And at the party?”