He laughed. “After Ezekiel leaves town, and he will leave, you’ll be on your knees begging for your old job back. Whatever promises Ezekiel has made or will make—will go poof, and I’ll be waiting. Because no rumors you spread about some child I might have fathered or might not have will matter. The next time Ezekiel leaves, he won’t be coming back. He won’t be here to save your ass.”
Honoree stepped toward him, only stopping when she couldn’t find anything within arm’s reach to hurl at him. “This is about what you did to Bessie, not Ezekiel. He’s not going anywhere. He wouldn’t have come back only to turn around and run off again.”
Archie laughed. “You’re foolin’ yourself if you believe that.”
“What makes you think he’s going to leave?”
“’Cause I know him better than you.”
* * *
Honoree took a cab to the Bailey Brothers Auto Body Shop. She didn’t telephone Ezekiel to warn him about her visit. It was late, and he hadn’t been at Miss Hattie’s. So where else would he be but at his shop?
When she opened the door, a bell rang overhead, and Jeremiah, who was behind the counter, turned to look at her (frankly, he stared). Ezekiel stood next to him. A sharply raised eyebrow was the sign of his disapproval. “Such a fancy dress to wear on a Sunday.” He didn’t mask his judgmental tone either. “Where’ve you been?”
Honoree had almost forgotten about the dress she’d worn to Miss Hattie’s. “With Archie,” she said, trusting brevity would lessen the weight of it all.
Ezekiel circled the counter and strode toward the back of the shop, his broad shoulders hardening against her. “What’s going on that you had to spend time with Archie? You two make up?”
“That’s an unkind thing to say. I hate Archie.”
“Then why go see him?”
“Archie hurt Bessie and got her pregnant. I wanted him to do something to help her. Make him give her some money. Give her something besides grief.”
He stopped in the middle of the hall, his back still to her. “Archie isn’t the kind of man to step up and take on responsibility.”
“Why aren’t you looking at me? Turn around,” she ordered.
He spun toward her. The anger in his eyes chilled her blood. “I didn’t realize you cared so much about Bessie or how much you wanted Archie to admit what he did to her.”
“It matters. But Bessie wasn’t all we talked about.” She fastened her fists on either hip. “He claimed you wouldn’t be around to help Bessie or me if we needed it.”
Ezekiel moved toward her, his large frame imposing in the narrow hallway. “I don’t have any idea why Archie would make such a claim. Haven’t I done enough to prove how much—” His jaw tightened, and he pressed his lips together. “Look. I made a deal with the cops and answered some questions about my dealings with a man named Tony Gallo. The next thing I knew, the cops reopened the Dreamland Cafe.”
“Who’s Tony Gallo? Does he have anything to do with Houdini’s murder?”
Ezekiel rubbed his chin. “Gallo is nobody you need to worry about. He works for Capone. And anything that has to do with Capone is of interest to coppers.”
She sank against the wall. “Is that why you weren’t arrested? Because you have something on Capone, or maybe this man Gallo, in your pocket?”
“No. I just helped some people who needed help.”
“Would this help hold water if you were dead?” She paused. “Or if you left town and never returned?”
“What’s got you going, Honoree? Why did you meet with Archie dressed like that?”
She wet her lips. “Archie told me you’d be leaving town soon. Why would he say that? Does he know something I don’t?”
“I have no plans to leave town.”
“Strange. Then why would Archie say he knows you better than me?” She stepped into him, close enough to put a hand on his chest, but she didn’t touch him. “Maybe he does know you better. You came back to town for him, not for me.”
“The easy answer is you’re right, but you’re wrong.” He placed his hands on her upper arms, lightly, gently. “Trust me. I will explain, but I need more time. I need to finish what I started.”
She backed away from him.
“Honoree, don’t run away from me. Please. I beg you. Can’t you put the past three years behind us for a little while?” He reached for her. “I care about you and never meant to hurt you. It was the last thing I wanted, but I can’t say anything more. Not yet.”
