The Vaudeville Star

“We were supposed to have been together last night?” she reminded him.

“What?”

“Remember? You asked me to tell the police that. And I did.”

“Oh. Yes. Yes! Of course. Of course I did. And you did. Thank you.”

“Why did you ask me to lie? I wasn’t with you. You didn’t even see me, as you just said. If you dropped her off at her hotel, surely people saw you there. And then once you returned home, your staff—”

“It’s not that simple,” he explained. “When I dropped her off, it was late. And dark. No one was around at the hotel. And when I came home, my staff had retired for the night.”

“King.” She came toward him, unsure if she should reach out a hand and touch him or not. She touched his shoulder, and he jerked back. “King, I did as you asked. I told the detective that we were together. I lied for you. When you asked me to, I did. And you never told me why. Now I’m asking. Why? Why did you ask me to lie?”

King looked at her and then flung himself onto the sofa. “I was frightened.”

She joined him on the sofa. “Why were you frightened?”

“Because Lourdes had made a scene at Devonshire House, and then when I dropped her off, she threatened me. And you.”

“Me?” Ruby asked, eyes wide. “Why me?”

“She knew you were the one I wanted to marry. She was jealous. Insanely so.”

“You could have told the police.”

“I didn’t want her in jail. I cared for her. I thought maybe it was the alcohol talking. I thought she needed a good night’s rest and we could speak better in the morning. I told her that exactly.”

“And then?”

“And then I returned home. I didn’t think anything unusual would happen.”

Ruby waited.

“But the next morning, the police arrived and began asking questions. You must understand, Ruby. I knew I had done nothing wrong. But from their point of view, who else stood to gain from her death but me?”

“But what would you have gained?”

“Well, not necessarily gained, but she was a stranger here. A foreigner. No one else knew her. Why would anyone kill her? So they automatically looked to me. Apparently, she had registered in the hotel as Lourdes Parker and listed me as her husband. That’s how they knew to find me.”

“So you were worried that because you knew her they would think you had killed her?”

“Of course! They thought we were married, and then they show up on my door asking all sorts of questions. The inspector was cold and eyeing me up and down. I knew then. They wanted me to swing for this thing.”

Ruby watched as he drank another glass, and she remembered how he could get when he drank. He didn’t seem to have much control over it. The drink controlled him.

“King, you have money. You can hire the finest lawyer available.”

“It doesn’t matter, Ruby. I’m an American. I’m an outsider. They’ll want someone to hold responsible.”

“You should have told me all this. You shouldn’t have asked me to lie. You should tell the police the truth. That you are innocent.”

“That I’m innocent, and what? No one saw me come home. No one sat by my bedside until I woke. What are you asking of me?” he said, his voice getting louder.

“You shouldn’t have dragged me into this. I’m very grateful for your support of my career, and I remain your friend, but this is wrong. You’ve put me in a dreadful position,” Ruby said, her voice almost breaking.

“I’ve put you in a dreadful position? Even if what you said will clear me?” His voice was growing angrier.

“And Lourdes? What will happen to her?”