The Vaudeville Star

Bessie rejoined Ruby as she sat in the hotel foyer, feeling dazed.

“I’m sorry I left you. Archie was going on about—” She suddenly stopped talking, taking in her friend’s vacant look. “Ruby?”

“Bessie, I . . .”

“Ruby?” Bessie sat next to her and took her hands in hers. “Your hands are like ice!”

Ruby looked at her friend and then looked up and down the hotel lobby. She tried to remember what words King had used when he had come to her room.

“ . . . there was an accident last night. A most unfortunate accident. The police have been notified. It’s all a big misunderstanding, but I need you to tell the police that we were together last night.”

He called the strangulation of his mistress an accident. A most unfortunate accident, she thought. His words chilled her to the core.

“I was talking to the inspector,” Ruby said numbly.

“Let’s take a walk. Even if we don’t go to the museum, you need some fresh air.” Bessie pulled her up, and Ruby let herself be led.

As they were leaving, she saw King Parker and Ford getting into a taxicab, but neither saw her. She felt haunted suddenly, and when Bessie secured them a taxicab as well to take them to Regent’s Park, she said nothing.

“Ruby, tell me. What is it? Has something happened? The inspector, what did he want?”

Ruby shook her head even as she thought of the sergeant’s words. Strangulation. Lourdes.

“It’s nothing. He was just asking me about Devonshire House,” Ruby lied. “There was a theft. But I didn’t see anything.”

Bessie dropped the subject, but Ruby felt increasingly ill. More lies. And why? To protect King? From what? she wondered.

When the taxicab dropped them off, they walked together in silence through the flowers, trees, and expansive lawns.

They had another week before they set off for Paris, but the thought offered Ruby no consolation. As long as King was breathing down her neck, forcing her to tell lies to the police, she felt trapped. She wondered about Lourdes and her death.

She could still see Lourdes in the blue dress she wore the night of the party at King’s house, her skin tone a lovely contrast against the splash of color. She wondered how long she had been King’s mistress and why she was even in London. King had not mentioned her, but then, why would he? If he was set on marrying Ruby, he would never tell her that he had brought his mistress along as well.

She closed her eyes. Strangulation. Her lovely little neck strangled. Such a large amount of hate and violence it must have taken to snuff the life out of a woman so full of life. Hate and that much violence didn’t happen overnight. It took time to nurture and grow. What kind of stranger would come out of the woodwork and kill Lourdes? It made no sense.

Ford looked over at King as they sat in the front parlor waiting for the inspector to arrive. King had not said much, only that there had been an accident and everything would be taken care of.

Ford knew that King was not a man to overly discuss his private life. He liked it to remain private and only confided in others when it was necessary. When the butler showed the two gentlemen into the parlor, they all shook hands after introductions and sat down.

Ford watched the older inspector take a small notebook from his jacket pocket while the young sergeant toyed with his pocket watch. He could tell from the way he handled it that it was precious to him. Maybe a father or grandfather had gifted it to him.

Tea was brought in and poured out for each of them. King added sugar and milk to his before he settled back into the couch.

“So, gentlemen. How can I help you? Have you spoken to the lady?”

The inspector nodded. “We did. It seems everything is as you said. She was with you all last night, here in the town house.”

King smiled. He looked to Ford and then back at the policemen. “Exactly. As I said, this tragedy is just that. A tragedy.”

The inspector nodded and looked over his notebook as the sergeant helped himself to a cup of tea.

“Let’s go over this one more time. I understand you are in town on business.”

“Several items are pressing for my attention. I financed the vaudeville troupe that played before the king at the Matinee Theatre,” he said smoothly.

“Yes. I have that noted,” Thompson said.

“I also have some real estate developments that I have been working on for some time.” King sipped his tea.