Old houses groaned and creaked, he thought—he knew it well. And still he eased open a door, picked up a pipe wrench. Flipping on lights as he went, he started downstairs.
And there, just that . . . a faint click. A door closing.
He moved quickly now, straight toward the back and the glass doors.
He hit the lights, hit the outside floods.
He’d be spotlighted, but if anyone was out there, so would they.
He saw nothing, no movement.
Had he locked the back doors? He didn’t think so, as he rarely thought to. And with taking the pup in and out, he likely hadn’t.
He stepped out on the back porch, filtering out the night sounds, the breeze, the mournful call of an owl, the faint echo of a dog barking somewhere across the ridge.
He heard an engine turn over, the crunch of tires on gravel.
He stood for a while, looking out into the dark.
Someone had been in his house, he was damn sure of it.
He went in, locked the door—though it occurred to him since it was all glass, it wouldn’t take much if someone wanted in.
He scanned the area, looking for anything out of place.
His gaze passed over the laptop he’d left on the kitchen island, tracked back.
He’d left the top up—almost always did. But it was down now.
And when he walked over, put a hand on it, it felt slightly warm.
He lifted the lid, began to poke around. He was no computer geek, but he knew enough to get by.
It didn’t take long to discover someone had hacked in, downloaded his files. Bank, bills, e-mails, the works.
“What the fuck?”
He spent the next twenty minutes cursing and changing all his passwords, all his codes and user names. Anything he could think of.
What he couldn’t think of was what someone would want with his data.
He spent more time sending out an e-mail blast—friends, family, business contacts, anyone on his list—telling them his data had been compromised and not to respond to anything from his old e-mail address.
After checking every door and window, he took the laptop with him upstairs.
Better security, he thought, on his data, on his house, had just bumped up to top priority.
An hour after he’d woken, he tried to settle down again, listening to every creak, every rattle of wind. Just as he started to drift off, the dog woke and began to whimper.
“Yeah, it figures.” He shoved up, pulled on pants again. “Might as well make the rounds, Snickers.”
When he did, the beam of his flashlight picked up a clear footprint in the soft ground beside the gravel of his drive.
• • •
“YOUR BLACK EYE’S just fading, and you had a break-in?”
Matt dealt with touching up the paint while Griff installed the last of the trim in Ada Mae’s new master bath.
“More of a walk-in. Pain in the ass having to change passwords, send out notifications, then spend damn near an hour in the police station this morning with the report. Doesn’t make sense, and I’d’ve put it down to house-settling noises if it hadn’t been for the laptop being closed.”
“You’re sure you left it open?”
“Sure enough. Plus it was warm, and I hadn’t used it in hours. Then the footprint. It wasn’t mine, Matt. Size twelve here, but this was bigger. And I heard a car.”
“What did the cops say?”
“That’s another reason I’m late getting here. I went back with Forrest, and he took a look around, took pictures of the footprint, for all the good that’ll do. It wasn’t straight vandalism. I’d already figured if it had been, to look for someone in Arlo Kattery’s family or one of his pals.”
“Well, it’s not like you’re rolling in it, but you’re pretty well set. Somebody figured, hey, this guy bought this big old place, and he’s driving a new truck.”
“Because that asshole wrecked my old one.”
“Still.” Matt shook Snickers from his boot laces, gave the tennis ball Griff had dug up a little kick to send the pup chasing it. “It sounds like somebody figured they could siphon off from your accounts, something like that.”
“They’re out of luck on that now. Pisses me off, somebody walking into my house like that. Looks like getting a dog was . . . fortuitous. Word of the day.”
“Fortuitous my ass.” Matt grinned, gave the ball another gentle kick. “How many times have you cleaned up after him so far?”
“A couple.” Maybe five or six. “But he’s getting it. He’s going to be a good job dog. He doesn’t freak at the nail gun. And he’s going to get big. A big dog puts off people who want to walk into your house at two in the fucking morning. You ought to get one, then he’d have a pal.”
“Living in an apartment, remember?” Matt climbed onto the stepladder with brush and bucket. “I’m thinking about maybe starting a house, though.”
“You’ve been thinking about maybe starting a house since we got here.”
“I’m thinking more since I’m going to ask Emma Kate to marry me.”
“If you’re going to do that, you should . . . What?” Griff nearly bobbled the nail gun as he came straight up on his knees. “When? Wow.”
“Yeah, I know.” With a slightly dazed look in his eyes, Matt grinned. “While you were dealing with the cops this morning, I was watching Emma Kate get ready for work. She’s making green smoothies, and—”
“Don’t mention your famous green smoothies.”
“If you’d drink one every morning, you’d reap the benefits.”
“I don’t understand people who eat kale, much less drink it. You decided you wanted to marry her because of green smoothies?”
Matt pushed up the brim of his ball cap, and now dazed became dreamy. “I looked at her. She’s barefoot, and a little grumpy, hadn’t done her makeup yet. She’s wearing khakis and a blue top, and the sun’s shining through the window. I thought, This is what I want, every morning.”
“Grumpy Emma Kate and green smoothies?”
“Every morning. I can’t see past a time I don’t want just that. So I thought you’d go with me after work to buy a ring. I’m going to ask her tonight.”
“Tonight?” That was enough to bring Griff fully to his feet. “You’re serious? Don’t you want a setup?”
“I’ll get some flowers. The ring’s the setup. I don’t know her size, but—”
“Make a template. Go back home, dig out one of her rings, make a template to take to the ring place.”
“I should’ve thought of that.”
“What are you going to say?”
“I don’t know.” Matt shifted on the ladder. “I love you, will you marry me?”
“You gotta do better than that, man.”
“You’re making me nervous.”
“We’ll think about it. Go make the template.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, now. I’ve got to take the dog out anyway before he pees on the new tile. We’re taking a break.” All in with the plan, Griff gave his partner a punch on the shoulder. “Jesus, Matt, you’re getting married.”
“If she says yes.”
“Why wouldn’t she?”
“Maybe she doesn’t want me and green smoothies every day.” Matt stepped down from the ladder. “I feel a little sick.”
“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 th
e 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, along 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.
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