“I was at home.” He sat back now, crossing his arms defiantly.
“Alone?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Jesus. Do you want to go around this again?” She pulled out her badge, held it six inches from his face. “This is my business. Keep dancing, Day, and you’re going to end up my prime suspect. You’ve already lied about Poole, and that could come back to bite you in the ass. Whereabouts, six to seven P.M. yesterday. Bullshit me again, and I’m hauling your ass in for obstruction and all-around dickishness.”
“I’ve never harmed anyone in my life! I was home, from five to eight-thirty. And I was on my way out to meet Larinda. We had a nine o’clock reservation at Divine.”
The words tumbled out of him now, and had more of the ring of truth. “The bulletin came across my ’link. I was in utter shock. Utter. My driver will attest to it. I had a complete breakdown, and came here, directly here to the station, hoping against hope it had been some sort of mistake, or a terrible prank.”
“That covers you after eight-thirty. I’ll ask again, were you home alone between six and seven P.M.?”
“I … I was in a meeting.”
“With?”
“A potential guest.”
“Name?”
“If you won’t take my word for—”
“I won’t. Answer the question, or you can contact your lawyer from Central.”
Not just a flush this time, but a harsh stain of red on his cheeks. “A fresh young actress I hoped to introduce to more of my viewership, to help advance her career.”
“Name.”
He spent some time picking invisible lint off his sleeve. “Scarlet Silk.”
“Contact information.”
“I’d have to look that up.”
“Then do that. You were with Ms. Silk,” Eve continued as he pulled out his memo book, “from six to seven?”
“Yes.” He rattled off the contact information. “Now, I need to prepare for my show. This has been very upsetting. I need to compose myself and prepare.”
“All right.” Eve rose as he did. “Ms. Mars made her living on secrets, rumors, innuendo. Did she share any concerns with you over anyone who wished her harm?”
“She was fearless.” He laid his hand on his heart, made a fist there like a salute.
“Did you share with her any secrets, rumors, or innuendo you learned through your own channels?”
She saw the flicker, the way his eyes cut away. “I host a friendly, comfortable show for my viewership. I maintain a friendly and respectful relationship with my guests.”
“How about yes or no on the question?”
“Absolutely no.”
“All right. Thank you for your time.”
Eve stepped out, over to Mars’s door, cut the seal. “Peabody, run the fresh young actress with the porn name.”
“Already on that.”
They stepped in. Like her apartment, Mars kept her work space in complete darkness. Eve called for lights.