Zelda opened the door and stepped into the hall. “Officer MacDonald is ready to begin.”
More than two hours passed before it was Honoree’s turn. Even Colethea and Hazel talked to the officer before her. Each girl had sworn to keep their promise, which Honoree had no choice but to believe as she entered Zelda’s office.
The sweet, floral smell struck her immediately. Zelda had to keep a jug of rosewater somewhere. Its scent filled the room.
MacDonald stopped scribbling on the sheet of paper in front of him but didn’t look up. “Have a seat.”
Honoree sat in the chair and folded her hands in her lap.
“You were one of the three girls from the audition who stayed late to sign contracts.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What time did you leave?”
“Before three o’clock.”
“Who was with you?”
“Colethea and Hazel.”
“Colethea Johnson and Hazel Reeves.”
“Um, I guess, yes. I—I don’t recall their surnames.”
“The three of you left together after you finished in Mrs. Hunter’s office?”
“Mrs. Hunter, sir?”
He jabbed the paper with his pencil but didn’t break the point. “This office. Zelda’s office.”
“Yes, sir,” she said through dry lips. “We changed into our street clothes and left right after.”
He looked up, and Honoree swallowed a gasp. His eyes were the color of dark honey. They were lovely eyes that didn’t fit with his weathered face. “Where did you change?”
“In the rehearsal room, a few doors from where the audition took place.”
He wrote something down. Short questions, short answers. If this continued, she might be able to get through it, except her mouth felt like it was full of Miss Hattie’s sawdust.
“How about Ezekiel Bailey? Can you tell me the last time you ran into him?”
Her body went rigid; every bone, muscle, and drop of blood froze in its place. Lord. Lord. Lord. What had Ezekiel gone and done?
“Miss Dalcour? Do you know Ezekiel Bailey?”
She sucked in a big gulp of air and exhaled slowly, hoping to loosen the suddenly cramped muscles in her throat. She didn’t care if the copper noticed. She had to keep from choking on her fear. “My family used to work for his family.” The smartest way to tell a lie was to include a piece of the truth. “That was a few years back.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“Friday night at Miss Hattie’s Garden Cafe.”
“Last night?”
“Yes, sir.”
“How long was he at Miss Hattie’s?”
“When I left, he was still there.”
