They had reached the loading platform and Ezekiel and Jeremiah swooped up the women’s shopping bags and battered suitcases and showed the conductor their tickets. Ezekiel said something to the Pullman porter about helping the ladies with their belongings and keeping an eye on them during the long trip. He might’ve given the man a fistful of cabbage to ensure his attentiveness.
“It’ll take some doing and a bit of time, but I’ll make it to New York City, I promise,” Ezekiel said, leading Honoree and Bessie to their seats. “Wrapping these things up should only take a few days.”
“I want to believe you, but that would be a mighty dangerous thing for me to do.” Honoree ushered Bessie to the window seat. She sat in the aisle seat and stared at her hands, folded primly in her lap. “I am sorry if I have caused you more trouble than you caused yourself.”
Ezekiel kissed her forehead. “I’m not sorry. It gave me a chance to fall in love with you again.”
Honoree rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “I love you, too.” She looked at him. “Do me a favor and don’t stand on the platform, waiting for the train to pull off. Just go.”
They were settled in their seats, with Honoree swapping seats with Bessie to sit next to the window. She wanted to watch him until he disappeared. A moment later, Ezekiel and Jeremiah had vanished into the crowd.
Next to her, Bessie stared straight ahead, dry-eyed and silent. They remained that way until a Pullman porter walked into the car and bellowed, “Something wrong with the engine. We’ll be sitting here for a few minutes.”
“At least Ezekiel and Jeremiah didn’t stay and wait for us to depart.” Honoree’s sob interrupted the rhythm of her words. “Couldn’t stand it if they were still on the platform. I’m not used to long goodbyes.” She held Bessie’s hand. “How about you?”
“Y’all wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for me.”
“Not true, Bessie. Archie would find something else to be mad about if Dewey weren’t dead.”
“You saved my life. If you hadn’t done what you did, I’d be dead or worse.” Bessie’s breathing came in short pants. “Did I have to kill him? You been thinking the same thing. I saw it in your eyes.”
“Don’t get yourself all excited. It won’t do the baby any good.”
“I told you I don’t give a damn about this baby.”
Honoree hugged Bessie’s shoulders. “Don’t say that.” She grabbed one of the bags of food and removed a ham sandwich. “Here, calm down and eat something. You’ll feel better. This train will soon be on its way, and we’ll put all this trouble behind us.”
The train didn’t move for two hours, and at some point, Honoree dozed off, and when she woke up, Bessie was gone.
* * *
Everything she owned was on the train. The Singer sewing machine, the heart-shaped basket, a couple of dresses Bessie had managed to save. Honoree left all of it and ran. Bessie had gone to tell Archie, the coppers, whoever might listen about the broken broom handle she’d shoved into Dewey’s back. Foolish girl. Her confession wouldn’t save Honoree or Ezekiel or Jeremiah; only muck things up even more. Bessie had to be stopped.
Outside Union Station, a snowstorm raged, and the headwind took Honoree’s breath. Somehow, she caught the attention of a kind cabdriver and arrived at Miss Hattie’s thirty minutes later. It was eleven o’clock in the morning, and the chorus girls, Miss Dolly, the cook, and anyone else who had worked the night before were likely still at home in their beds. The cafe’s back door was unlocked, and she walked right in and immediately smelled Archie’s cigar. They must be in his office.
Honoree paused outside his closed door and listened to his smoke-charred baritone shouting about his dead brother and the soon-to-be-dead woman who had bumped him off.
“Hello, Honoree.”
She turned. “Trudy, what are you doing here?”
“I dropped by to pick up my things. I have a new job at the Plantation Cafe.”
“Good for you. I guess.” She glanced anxiously back at the office door. “I can’t talk to you now. I need to get into his office.” Archie’s voice had grown louder and angrier.
“I understand. I just wanted to say I delivered the envelope to my friend on the North Side.”
“You did it?” Honoree placed a hand over her heart. “Thank you.” She wanted to say more to Trudy, but angry voices drew her attention back to the happenings in the office. “Who else is in there with Archie?”
“Other than Bessie? Ezekiel and Jeremiah.”
Honoree felt sick. “Damn it.” She raised a fist to knock on Archie’s door.
Trudy backed away. “I can’t be here for this.”
“I wish I weren’t here for this.” She paused with her hand on the door. “Thank you, Trudy.”
“You already thanked me once. That was enough.” She tipped her head to the side, smiling. “I’ll see you when I see you.”
