“No . . . no, Starlet, you didn’t get over here until 6:15. I remember looking at my watch when you pulled up,” Eric stated right in front of the detective.

At that moment, everything inside me became paralyzed. My soul felt like ice cubes had been applied until I lost all sensation. I stood outside of myself and watched my life tumbling into a repeat of what happened all those years ago.

This time around, I wasn’t a scared, little girl. I was a grown woman, with responsibilities. If this went any farther, it could ruin so much for me. For starters: My job—what would I tell my employer? My new house—how was I going to pay for a house from prison? My baby—who would take care of Princess?

Just when my life seemed on course, that stupid bitch had come along to destroy everything I’d worked hard to build. If the smirk on the detective’s face when he returned to Eric’s house was any indication, my life was over.

And if Yanni didn’t back me up on my whereabouts, I’d have to find a way to coordinate prison blues with my shoe collection. Oh, God, not my shoe collection! I can’t leave my shoe collection!

When the real questions are thrown my way, I can’t very well tell Detective Barnes and his cronies I was actually with Sabrina LaFountaine trying to put together a scheme to keep Yanni out of my private affairs. Shit. What a mess!

My inner thrashings were broken by Detective Barnes’ gruff voice, “Gentlemen, please escort Ms. Lovesome to the house. No handcuffs necessary. She’s not under arrest. I need to go back over to Ms. E’Baire’s and conduct some follow-up.”

Not under arrest? Not under arrest? But they damn sure have a strong feeling of suspicion. I know how this unfolds. Been there, and unless Ms. Dorothy comes forward with what really happened that night, it’s officially over.

In the backseat of the police cruiser, I pressed my face against the window’s cool glass. Pain reverberated through my skull, bouncing off the fragile bone. I felt like I had a serious hangover and was being forced to listen to a marching band play just for me in a soundproof room. Horrible.

By the time I got to the police station, my stomach had had enough. It took all the energy I had just to ask for the location of the nearest restroom. I rushed into the little room, thanking God for allowing me to make it. I leaned over the sink, my insides threatening to bubble to the surface.

At that moment, I knew I couldn’t go through what I had gone through before. I’d vowed the last time I was in a grimy, filthy cell it wouldn’t happen again. Ever.

I splashed water on my face and patted it dry. It was time to face the firing squad. Eric was the first person I spotted as I walked out of the restroom. He ran to my side.

“Are you okay?” he asked, taking me by the arm.

I jerked away from him and walked up to the officer who’d escorted me into the building. “Let’s get this over with,” I said.

I glanced back at Eric and rolled my eyes. If he didn’t really believe me, I didn’t want him around.

“Would you like Mr. Lindsey to come along?” the officer asked.

“No, I would prefer to answer your questions as quickly as possible, so I can find a place to stay for the evening.”

I had been here before—by myself. If I faced it the first time, I could do so again. I didn’t need non-believers like Eric around.

I’d placed my hand on the doorknob of what would be my interrogation room, when a loud commotion stopped me. Whoever it was seemed to be having a heated exchange.

“How dare you tell me I can’t be in the room with her? She’s my best friend, dammit!”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but Detective Barnes didn’t tell us you were accompanying Ms. Lovesome. You’ll have to wait until he gets in the building.”

“Well, where the hell is he? When he left my house he said he was coming here to question Starlet. This whole thing smells foul, I’m getting her a lawyer.”

Yanni!

“It’s okay, let her go, Mel,” I heard Detective Barnes say.

Yanni walked around the corner. The moment she saw me, she ran in my direction and held on to me, squeezing as if her life depended on it. “Don’t you worry,” she whispered, “everything is going to be okay. We’re going to get through this again, I promise.”

Detective Barnes chuckled loudly as he took us in. “Keep that faith, Ms. E’Baire. Keep that faith.”