The Liar

by Nora Roberts

  “Knock it off. Go, make the template.” Griff grabbed the dog, who’d begun to sniff in a way that warned Griff peeing was imminent. “I’ve got to take him out. Take action. It’s the only way to get what you want.”

  “I’m taking action.”

  • • •

  SHELBY SQUEEZED IN A REHEARSAL. She felt good about her mix of music—from the Beatles to Johnny Cash to Motown. Of course, if she had an actual accompanist, she’d have slowed down the pace of “Ring of Fire,” done it as a sexy, aching ballad.

  Maybe down the road, she thought as she finished up her morning stint at the salon. She took lunch orders from some of the spa patrons, then rounded up some from the staff.

  As she tucked away her list, grabbed her bag, Jolene stepped cautiously inside.

  “I’m sorry. Miz Vi? Miz Vi, can I come in for just a quick minute? Not for service or anything. I— I talked to Reverend Beardsly, and he said I should come, and speak to you, if you’d let me.”

  “All right, Jolene.” Giving Jolene a nod, Viola pulled the last of the foil from her customer’s hair. “Dottie, will you shampoo Sherrilyn for me?”

  “Sure will, Miss Vi.” Dottie and Sherrilyn exchanged wide-eyed looks. Neither of them wanted to miss the show.

  “Do you want to go in my office, Jolene?”

  “No, ma’am, Miz Vi. I’d like to say what I need to say right out here, in front of everybody.” Her face went pink as she spoke, her eyes damp, but to the relief of some, the disappointment of others, she didn’t blubber.

  “I want to say to you, Miz Vi, and to you, too, Shelby . . . I— I want to say first I’m so awfully sorry. I want to apologize, to say I’m so sorry for how I acted here the last time. And . . .”

  Her voice trembled, tears brimmed, but she held up a hand as she took a couple of deep breaths. “I’m sorry for the other times I was rude or mean to your face or behind your back. All of them, Shelby, right back to fifth grade. I want to say, I’m ashamed of it, all of it, looking at it now in the clear. I so wanted Melody to be my friend, and I did things I’ve got no excuse for.”

  A couple of tears spilled over, but Jolene twisted her fingers together and kept going. “I knew about what she did to your car, Shelby, back in high school? I didn’t know before she did it, and I didn’t do it. I swear I’d tell you now if I had.”

  “I believe you.”

  “But I knew after, and I didn’t say anything. I knew and I pretended I thought it was funny, and how you deserved it. I just wanted her to be my friend, but I know she never was, not really. I know that now, and it makes it worse. What she said that day in here, to you, Shelby, about you, about your baby girl, I should’ve stood up. It made me sick inside what she said, but I didn’t stand up and say that was wrong. I hope saying it now is a start to what Reverend Beardsly says is making amends. I was only thinking of me, and I’m sorry.”

  She sniffled, heeled away tears from her cheeks. “I didn’t know she went to Arlo that way. I should’ve known, and I can’t say, not for sure, if somewhere deep down I did. I didn’t look deep down because I didn’t want to. And I don’t know, not for sure, if I’d have stood up even then. That’s shameful, not to know if I would have stood up.”

  “You did stand up,” Shelby reminded her. “When you found out what happened to Griff.”

  “I was that shocked and upset. Seeing Griff’s face all cut and bruised, hearing what happened. I couldn’t . . . I couldn’t be quiet, not then.”

  “Jolene, I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to look me in the eye.” Viola waited for Jolene to blink her eyes clear. “Do you know anything about somebody going into Griffin’s house last night, middle of the night?”

  “Oh my gosh! Oh no, ma’am, Miz Vi.”

  “What happened?” Shelby demanded. “What—” And broke off when Viola held up a finger.

  “I promise, Miz Vi. I swear.” Jolene crossed her hands over her heart. “It couldn’t have been Melody. She’s already in that place, in Memphis. I went to see Miz Florence just this morning, to make my amends to her, and she told me. Did somebody hurt him again? Did somebody rob him?”

  “No.” Viola looked over at Shelby. “No. Looks to be not much of anything, and I expect all of us here know if it was one of the Kattery clan, they’d have busted the place up if they could.”

  Viola fisted a hand on her hip. “Is there anything else you have to say, Jolene?”

  “I guess not. Just I’m sorry. I’m going to try to be a better person.”

  “You never had much gumption,” Viola observed. “Here’s the first time I’ve seen you show any, and you did a good job of it. I’m going to say, I’m lifting my ban on you, and you’re free to come in here when you like.”

  “Oh, Miz Vi. Thank you, Miz Vi. I . . . I won’t come in if you’d rather I didn’t, Shelby.”

  “I hope I can accept an apology the same as my grandmother.”

  “I want to give one to your mama, too. She wasn’t here, but . . . I want to just the same.”

  “She’s busy right now, but you can tell her later on.”

  “Then I will.”

  “It’s up to Crystal if she wants to do your hair for your wedding,” Viola added.

  “Oh, Miz Vi. Oh, Crystal, would you? Losing you’s almost as bad as losing my fiancé. And I really do love him.”

  “Of course I will. You made me real proud today, Jolene.”

  On a sob, Jolene rushed over, flung herself at Crystal.

  “There you are now. I’m going to take you back, get you a nice cold drink.”

  “I was so scared to come in. I was so scared.”

  “That just makes me even prouder.” Crystal beamed a smile at Viola, and led Jolene into the back.

  “Dottie, get that shampoo done now. Show’s over.”

  Shelby turned straight to her grandmother. “Granny, what happened at Griff’s?”

  “What I said. Somebody went in there. He says, what I got he says,” she corrected, “is they went into his laptop computer. That’s all I know. You oughta ask him.”

  “I will. I’ve got to get these lunch orders in.” She glanced toward the back. “Some of us have to get knocked hard to come back. I know how that is. This might be the making of her.”

  “She’s a flighty one, and likely always will be. But I respect a well-given apology. You go on now, or those customers will be shouting us down for their lunch order. I ought to think about putting in a little café.”

  It wouldn’t have surprised Shelby in the least. But for now, she dashed out.

  She wanted to call Griff, but couldn’t spare the time as she rushed to Sid and Sadie, gathered up the orders, made a beeline for the Pizzateria, did the same. Loaded, she hurried back toward the salon.

  And nearly slammed into a man studying one of the area maps.

  “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

  He smiled down at her. “Neither was I. You’ve got a healthy appetite.”

  It took her a moment, then she laughed. “Delivery service.”

  “Then you must know the area.”

  “Born and bred here, so, yes, I do. Are you lost?”

  “Not exactly. I’m visiting the area for a few days. I wanted to try the Rendezvous Trail, hit Miller’s Waterfall, Bonnie Jean Overlook, Dob’s Creek. I came into town thinking I’d get a takeaway lunch, and I’ve gotten turned around.”

  “I can help you with that.” She angled around to look at the map. “If you take this road, the one we’re on, straight out of town, go on past the big hotel and take the left fork. See that?”

  “Yeah.” Peering down, he nodded slowly. “Okay.”

  She guided him through, suggested Sid and Sadie for his packed lunch.

  “I sure do appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome, and you enjoy your time here in the Ridge.”

  “I will.”

  When she hurried off again, he folded the map and slid it into his pocket, al
ong with the keys he’d lifted neatly out of her purse.

  21

  At the end of the day, Shelby dumped her purse out for the second time.

  “I swear they were in here. I always put them in this side pocket so I don’t have to hunt for them.”

  “Crystal’s checking the back again,” Viola told her as she herself hunted under mani tables and around pedi chairs. “You ought to go look in the van again. You may have dropped them this morning.”

  “All right, I will. But I can see myself tucking them in the pocket this morning. But I do it every time, so maybe I’m seeing another time.”

  “I’ll call Sid and the Pizzateria again. You had such a bunch of bags, honey, you might’ve tipped them out while you were gathering them all up.”

  “Thanks, Granny. I’ve got a spare key to the van at home, but it worries me to lose that set. It’s got keys to the van, to Mama’s, to the bar and grill, to here. If they don’t turn up, everybody’s going to have to change locks. I don’t know how I could’ve been so careless.”

  She shoved her hair back as the phone on the counter with the contents of her purse rang. “It’s the Pizzateria. Hi, it’s Shelby. Did you— Oh, thank you! Yes, I’ll run right up and get them. Thanks so much.”

  “Now you can stop worrying about people changing out their locks,” Vi said.

  “It’s such a relief.” With it, the tight band around her chest loosened. “I must’ve dropped them picking up lunch, just like you said. Johnny said one of the waiters found them under the front counter. I guess I dropped them, and they got kicked under without anyone noticing. I’m sorry for all this trouble.”

  “Don’t you worry. I’ll let the girls know.”

  “I’m going to be late picking up Callie.” Shelby dumped everything back into her bag. She’d sort it out later. “I’m taking Jackson tomorrow—did I tell you? It’ll give Clay a full free day to visit with Gilly and the new baby, get the house ready for them to come home. He mentioned Jackson could use a haircut, so I’ll bring him and Callie in, if that’s all right.”

  “I love seeing my babies. You come on in anytime. We’ll work them in—and maybe give Callie a princess mani if there’s time.”

  “I’ll see you then.” She kissed Viola on the cheek, and once again dashed out.

  She picked Callie up, then, knowing her parents were having a date night—and wasn’t that sweet?—decided on impulse to drive to Griff’s. Callie could play with the pup for a bit, and Griff could give her the details on the trouble he’d had.

  It didn’t occur to her until she’d made the turn into his drive that she should’ve texted or called ahead. Drop-bys were risky, and potentially rude.

  She couldn’t change her mind, not with Callie so excited, but she had an apology ready when she stopped beside Griff’s truck.

  He was out with the dog, turned, grinned, even as Snickers raced toward the van.

  “How’s that for timing? I just got home.”

  She lifted Callie out, had no more than set her down when her girl dropped to the ground to hug the wildly wiggling dog.

  “Hey. I’ve dropped to second place pretty quick.” Griff crouched down. “None of that for me?”

  “Griff.” With a flirty smile, Callie lifted her arms. She kissed his cheek, giggled, rubbed his stubble. “Tickly.”

  “I didn’t know pretty ladies were coming.”

  “I should’ve called. Just coming by, it’s presumptuous.”

  “Presume.” With Callie on his hip, he leaned in before Shelby could think if she wanted to avoid, and kissed her. “Anytime.”

  “Shrek kisses Fiona, and then she’s her real self.”

  “That’s right. Are you your real self, Red?”

  “Last I checked. How’s this going?” A little unnerved, she lowered to give Snickers her attention.

  “Not bad today. He handled the job. We finished it.”

  “Finished?” She looked up as the dog licked everywhere he could reach. “At Mama’s? Oh my goodness, she’s just going to go crazy. Daddy was getting her straight from the salon and taking her into Gatlinburg to visit Gilly and the baby, then for dinner and a movie. She doesn’t know you finished.”

  “She’ll know when she gets home.” He set Callie down. “Do me a favor, Little Red. Run around with Snickers some. He needs the exercise.”

  “Come on, Snickers! You need cersize.”

  “I’m thinking cold beer. You want in?”

  “I better not, but you go ahead. You’ve earned it working so late getting that bathroom done.”

  He thought about the trip to Gatlinburg, the ring. But he’d given his blood oath not to say a thing until the deed was done. “Ah, well . . .”

  “I only came by for a minute, to give Callie the treat, and to ask you what happened last night. I heard something about it at the salon.”

  “Word doesn’t travel around here, it just hangs in the air at all times. I don’t know exactly.” He glanced toward the house, found the anger still wanted to rise. “Somebody was in the house, downloaded my files from my laptop.”

  “Why in the world— Oh, I bet you do your banking and all that online.”

  “You win. It’s all good. Everything’s changed up, secured. But it’s weird. Easier, right, to break in during the day, strip the damn place. But to sneak in one night with a flash drive? It’s just weird. Talked myself into a real security system, though. In addition to the fierce and deadly guard dog.”

  Shelby looked over to where Snickers stumbled and rolled. “He is all that. It’s probably smart getting one out here, though we just don’t have much trouble. Except we have had recently, haven’t we? Sometimes I feel like I brought trouble with me.”

  “Don’t.”

  She tried to shake it off. “You go get your beer. I’m going to let her run off some energy with Snickers, if that’s all right, then I have to get her home, get her fed.”

  “We can throw together something here.”

  “I’d like to, so would Callie, but I have a dozen things to do yet. And I’m running late myself as I lost my keys and spent near to an hour hunting for them.”

  “You put them in that side pocket of the purse thing.”

  She lifted her eyebrows. “You’re observant.”

  “You do it every time.”

  “Well, I guess I missed, as they ended up under the counter at the Pizzateria. I don’t know how they did. I know I didn’t get them out when I was in there, but that’s where they were.”

  “Did you have your purse with you all day?”

  “Of course—well, not with me,” she amended. “I can’t cart it around while I’m working.”

  “Let’s go check your laptop.”

  “What? Why?” She nearly laughed but sudden nerves got in the way. “You can’t think somebody stole my keys right out of my bag, then put them under the pizza counter.”

  “Let’s just go check your laptop. It’s probably nothing. Callie can run around the backyard with Snickers. I’ll stop and pick up some dinner.”

  “I was going to do up some of Mama’s leftover ham from their Sunday dinner with some mashed potatoes and butter beans.”

  “Yeah? I’m all in for that if there’s enough.”

  “There’s always enough.” A smart cook knew how to make sure of it, and she’d enjoy spending time with him. But . . . “You don’t really think somebody got my keys. That’s just crazy.”

  “We’ll just check it out.”

  Because crazy or not, he did think it.

  He locked up first, for what good it did, and followed them around the winding back roads—gave the oak tree a narrow stare as