“Well, sure, that too,” Vivian agreed, yawning. “But mostly the coffee. I’m beat. And it’s the cheapest thing they’ve got.”
“Oh, don’t, now you’ve got me—” Florence broke off on a yawn of her own, covering her mouth. She glanced around, embarrassed, to make sure that no one on the street had seen.
“Looks like you could use a cup too,” Vivian teased, taking the basket out of her sister’s hands. When Florence scowled, Vivian rolled her eyes. “Lighten up, Flo, no one saw, and it’s not a big deal if they did. Everyone going home from work at the end of the day is tired.”
“Yes, but it’s not polite for ladies to—”
“Well, we’re not ladies,” Vivian broke in. “As we’re constantly reminded. Now, I’ve got twenty-five cents with me, how much do you have?”
“Twenty,” Florence said, then grimaced. “Guess we won’t be eating like queens tonight.”
“We’ll make do,” Vivian said quickly, glancing at the worried lines that had appeared around her sister’s mouth. If she stuck with baked beans and coffee, there would be plenty for Florence’s dinner—though she would have to be careful to keep her sister from noticing what she was doing. “I’m honestly not feeling very—Well, look who it is!”
A familiar figure was waiting for them, leaning against a lamppost with a large market bag at her feet. Vivian waved, and even Florence left off worrying long enough to smile.
“Figured I’d just wait here for you instead of risking the wrath of that dragon you work for. Good thing you two walk the same way every time,” Bea said, stretching out her arms briefly as she eyed her bag. “Lord, lugging that thing around is work.”
“You’re not exactly dressed for heavy lifting,” Vivian laughed. Bea was wearing a smart day dress and matching light coat, her hat perched just far enough back on her head to show off the careful wave of her bob.
“You look real nice, Beatrice,” Florence added, only a slight edge of wistfulness creeping into the words.
“You too, Kellys,” Bea said. She hoisted the bag. “Picked up a chicken for dinner. Mama told me to ask if you girls want to join us?”
“Sounds swell,” Vivian said before Florence could reply. “Right, Flo?”
She didn’t need to worry. Florence’s pride rarely let her accept help from anyone, but saying no to Mrs. Henry’s kindness was impossible even for her.
“Sure does,” Florence said. She smiled at Bea. “But let’s still swing by the automat. The least we can do to say thanks is bring the little ones a slice or two of pie.”
“Better buy the whole thing,” Bea advised as they set off. “Odds are Mama invited half the neighbors too.”
It wasn’t until after dinner that Vivian learned what was really on her friend’s mind.
As Bea predicted, Mrs. Henry’s generosity had extended to new neighbors, a young Black family recently arrived in the city and still finding their feet. The two adults eyed the Irish girls in their midst with understandable wariness, but their daughter was happy to help devour the apple pie that Florence had bought. After the neighbors left, Bea and Vivian took over in the kitchen. Bea washed the dishes, cheerfully singing “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue” in her rich, smoky voice, while Vivian hummed along and dried.
When Florence and Mrs. Henry went into the next room to put the children to bed, though, Bea broke off abruptly. “Gonna come out with me tonight?”
“To the Nightingale?”
“Of course to the Nightingale, where else would I go?”
“I didn’t know you were working tonight.”
“I’m not.” Bea dropped her voice. “I want to find out if there’s any gossip about the fella who was shot last night.”
“I thought you didn’t want to have anything to do with that,” Vivian said, pausing with a dish dripping into the sink. “Ms. Huxley warned me off getting involved, didn’t she say the same to you?”
“I don’t want to get involved,” said Bea, rolling her eyes. “I just want to find out what people are saying. I’m sure word’s got ’round by now. Seeing as we were the ones who found the body, it doesn’t seem fair that we miss out on all the gab about it. You in?”
There really wasn’t any question, and the expectant smile on Bea’s face said she knew it. Vivian found herself agreeing, though she added sternly, “Not a word to anyone that we found him though, right? Last thing we want is anyone thinking we’re mixed up in it somehow.”
“Of course not.” Bea dropped her voice as her mother and Florence returned to the room. “Meet you outside your building at nine?”
“I’ll have my dancing shoes on,” Vivian promised, a tingle of excitement chasing its way down her spine.
The excitement lasted until she and her sister were back in their own home. The moment the door shut behind them, Florence blocked her way, arms crossed and a worried expression on her face. “You can’t go out tonight, Vivian.”
Vivian bristled. “Who says?”
