The Liar (28 page)

“Northern boys, they’re good enough for you, looks like. You jumped right in the sack with this one, but you never would give me so much as a long look. I seen him take your clothes off.”

“You were watching.” Too angry to be sickened, Shelby stepped closer. She knew, she knew just who’d paid him. “Did Melody Bunker tell you to spy on me, too?”

“She gave me a thousand dollars, said I’d get another. Didn’t tell me how to go about it, just to get it done. Miss High-and-Mighty’s real peeved at you, real peeved. She come right to my trailer in the holler, give me cash money. That’s how peeved she is you got her kicked out of the beauty salon.”

“I hope you got a good look, Arlo, and you take that with you to Bledsoe County and the cell you’ll be occupying there. And when you do, you think about this, Arlo. I never thought along the lines of being too good for you. I just didn’t like you.”

She turned, started out. Forrest signaled for Griff to go with her.

“Hold on, Red.”

“I can’t hold on. I can barely breathe. I swear, if you hadn’t rapped his head I’d have done it myself. He went after you because he couldn’t get to me quick enough. He could’ve killed you.”

“He didn’t.”

“If you hadn’t followed me home—”

“I did.” He took her by the shoulders. He didn’t want the what-ifs playing in her mind, or his, not then and there. “He’s locked up, Shelby. He’ll stay that way.”

“All this because Melody got her pride handed to her, and got it handed to her because she earned it. She knows full well what he might’ve done. She gave him money and an excuse to do it.”

“I’d lay odds before the morning’s up, she’s in a cell right along with him.”

“Those are good odds,” Forrest said as he came out. “Just hold on a minute. Nobby, you think you could sit with that moron Arlo for a bit? I got him writing it all out.”

“Sure can. He confess?”

“And then some. Sheriff, I need to run this by you, and then we’re going to need a warrant. That’s going to be pretty sticky as we’re going to need it for Melody Bunker, for soliciting a crime, conspiracy to do bodily harm.”

“Well, hell, Forrest.” On a long, windy sigh, Hardigan rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you damn sure on it?”

“I’ll tell you how Arlo says it went.”

“He wasn’t lying,” Griff put in. “He didn’t pull her name out of his ass. She gave him money for it, and he probably didn’t have a chance to spend it yet.”

“We’ll be going out to his trailer,” Forrest began, then glanced around. “Where’s Shelby?”

“She . . . she was right here. Oh hell. Oh hell no.”

“Melody. My sister’s got a hell of a temper if you flip the right switch. Sheriff?” Forrest said as Griff was already bolting out the door.

“Yeah, go on with him. Just what we need to tie a ribbon on this day. Your sister tossing Florence Piedmont’s granddaughter out some window.”

•   •   •

S
HE DIDN’T PLAN
on tossing Melody out a window, primarily because she hadn’t thought of it. She didn’t have a clear idea what she intended to do, but the one thing she was clear on, she didn’t intend to do nothing.

Ignoring the
bitch
hadn’t worked, sarcasm hadn’t worked, straight talk hadn’t worked.

So she’d find something that did, and finish this off once and for all.

The Piedmont house sat on a long, sloping rise of lush green with terraced walls of white brick showing off a bounty of graceful trees, perfectly trimmed shrubs.

From its vantage it could look down at the Ridge, out at the hills, down into folds of valleys. It stood elegantly, as it had since before the War Between the States, laced with verandas flowing out from the snow-white facade. Gardens swept along its feet in rivers of color.

It was a house she’d always admired. Now she shot toward it like an arrow from a bow.

She knew Melody lived in the carriage house, aimed for it once she’d crested the rise. Ears buzzing with temper, she slammed out of the van, strode past Melody’s car, and would have marched straight to the door if someone hadn’t hailed her.

“Why, it’s Shelby Anne Pomeroy!”

She recognized the housekeeper, a longtime member of the big house—and Maybeline’s sister—and struggled to rein in her fury enough to smile in return.

“It’s wonderful to see you, Miz Pattie. How is everything for you?”

“It’s just fine.” The woman, tall, thin, her salt-and-pepper hair in a tidy and tight cap of curls, walked over. She carried a basket half full of early roses. “Such a pretty spring we’re having this year, even if the heat’s already starting to rise. I’m so glad you’re back home to enjoy it. I am sorry about your husband.”

“Thank you. Miz Pattie, I really need to speak to Melody.”

“Why, she’s having breakfast on the back veranda with Mrs. Piedmont and Miz Jolene. I expect this has something to do with the trouble at Miz Vi’s. I got an earful on it from Maybeline, and Lorilee, too.”

“Yes, it’s something like that.”

“Then you go right around. I hope you girls can settle this.”

“Settling it’s why I’m here. Thank you.”

She let the fury come back, bubble up as she took the walkway, crossed the velvety green lawn, as she heard female voices and smelled those early roses.

And there was Melody, sitting at a table draped with white, decked with pretty china and juices sparkling in glass pitchers.

“I am
not
going to apologize, Grandmama, so there’s no point hounding me on it. I didn’t say a thing that wasn’t true, and I won’t lower myself to crawling to
those
people just so Jolene can have her trashy hairdresser back.”

“Crystal isn’t trashy, Melody, and we shouldn’t have—”

“You just stop it, Jolene, and stop that whining, too. I’m sick to death of it. If anything, that little slut and her interfering grandmother should—”

She spotted Shelby, pushed to her feet as Shelby came up the slope like a highballing train. Melody’s eyes widened as she saw Forrest and Griff running full out behind her.

“You get out of here. You’re not welcome here!”

“I say who’s welcome here,” Florence said in a snap.

“If she is, I’m not.”

Melody started to turn away, but Shelby grabbed her arm, spun her around. “You paid him. You paid Arlo Kattery to try to hurt me.”

“Get your hand off me. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re a liar on top of it.” Before she knew it was her clear intention, Shelby bunched a hand into a fist, and used it.

She heard shouting through the buzzing in her ears, saw through the red mist that blurred her vision Melody’s eyes go glassy.

The next thing she knew someone clamped her arms down from the back, lifted her off her feet. She kicked out, because she wasn’t done. She wasn’t nearly done, but the arms only tightened.

“Stop it. Come on, Red, pull it in now. You gave her a good shot.”

“It’s not enough. It’s not enough for what she did.”

Melody sat on her ass, where she’d gone down on the graceful veranda. “She hit me! Y’all saw how she attacked me.” Sobbing, she held a hand to her jaw. “I want to press charges.”

“Fine,” Forrest told her. “I think the ones against you are going to be a lot weightier.”

“I didn’t do anything. I don’t know what she’s talking about. Grandmama, it hurts.”

“Jolene, stop waving your hands around like you’re going to take flight and go get an ice pack.” Florence, who’d gotten to her feet, sat again, heavily. “I need an explanation. I need to know why this girl would come here, with these wild accusations, and strike my granddaughter.”

“I’ll say it,” Shelby said before Forrest could. “Let me go, Griffin. I won’t do anything. I apologize to you, Mrs. Piedmont. Not to her, but to you, I apologize. This is your home, and I should never have come here this way. I was too mad to think straight.”

“Grandmama, make her go away. She belongs in
jail
.”

“Be quiet now, Melody. It’ll only hurt to talk. Why did you come here like this?”

“Because she went a lot further than saying ugly things, or slashing tires or making up lies. This time, she paid Arlo Kattery a thousand dollars, and promised a thousand more, if he put a scare into me, if he taught me a lesson.”

“I never did any such thing. Why, I wouldn’t lower myself to speak to Arlo Kattery or any of his kin. He’s a liar and so are you.”

“I said be quiet, Melody Louisa! Why would you say Melody did this?”

“Because Arlo ran Griffin off the road last night, wrecked his truck. Look at him, Mrs. Piedmont. He’s hurt because he made sure I got home safe, and because he did, Arlo couldn’t get to me and do what she’d paid him to do. He got to Griff instead. She went down to the holler, down to Arlo’s trailer, and paid him to do it.”

“She’s crazy. A liar.”

“Oh my God.” Jolene stood just outside the French doors, a blue ice pack in her hand. “Oh my God, Melody, I didn’t think you meant it. I never thought you meant it.”

“You shut up, you hear! Don’t you dare say another word, Jolene, not one more word.”

“I won’t shut up. I won’t. My God, Melody, this isn’t just playing, just gossip or poking some fun. I didn’t think she meant it, I swear to God, I never thought she meant it.”

“You hold your tongue, Melody. Meant what, Jolene?” Florence demanded. “Stop blubbering now and say it straight-out.”

“She said, after Miz Vi banned us, she said she knew how to get back at Shelby. She knew how to teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget, and how Arlo would likely do it for free, but she’d sweeten that pot.”

“Liar!” Scrambling up, Melody launched herself at Jolene, fingers curled to scratch.

She might’ve done considerable damage if Jolene, in shocked defense, hadn’t thrown the ice bag at her.

The lucky shot knocked Melody back a step, and gave Forrest time to pull her back.

“You’d best listen to your grandmama, and hold your tongue. Jolene, let’s hear the rest.”

“What is
wrong
with you? What is the matter with you, Melody? I just don’t know.”

“You’d better shut your mouth, Jolene, or you’ll be sorry.”

“Jolene!” Florence’s voice cut through Jolene’s fresh weeping. “You tell Deputy Pomeroy the rest of what you know, and right now. If you don’t be quiet, Melody, I swear to God Almighty, I’ll slap you myself.”

“Oh, Miz Florence. I told what she said, and I promise, I
swear
, I didn’t believe she meant to do anything. I was so upset, and crying, and I just said to stop it, stop it, Melody, and went on about who was going to do my hair for the wedding because Crystal, she knows just how I want it done, and it’s my wedding day, Miz Florence. I just was so upset, and Melody didn’t say any more. But she’d said what I told you. I didn’t think she could—”

“You traitorous bitch. She was part of it.” Melody threw out a hand, pointed. “She was part of it.”

“I wasn’t, but maybe you can’t believe that, Shelby, since I’ve been part of things. But never to really hurt somebody. I’m tired of it. I’m so tired of all of it.”

She sat, began to weep into her hands.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Piedmont, but I’m going to have to take these ladies into the station house and sort this out.”

Her back straight as a poker, Florence nodded. “Yes, I can see that. Jolene, you stop that crying now and go on with Deputy Pomeroy. Melody, go with the deputy.”

“I don’t want to go with him. It’s all just some story that lowlife made up, and Jolene’s lying. She’s just lying.”

“I’m not lying!”

And that started the two of them shouting at each other until Forrest broke in. “I’d advise the two of you to be quiet. Melody, you can come along on your own, or I’m going to haul you.”

“You take your hands off me this minute!” The threat had her struggling against his hold. “I don’t go anywhere I don’t want to go.”

And her grandmother surged to her feet.

“Melody Louisa Bunker, if you don’t go along with Deputy Pomeroy and stop resisting, you have my oath I’ll do nothing to help you. I’ll make certain your mama doesn’t do a thing to help you.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“By God, I do. You go with Forrest, and you go now, or I wash my hands of it, and you.”

“I’ll go. But now I know you’re just as hateful as the rest.”

“I’ll take Melody,” Forrest said to Griff. “Best if you take Shelby and Jolene. You’re still deputized.”

“Hell. All right. Jolene?”

“I’m coming. I won’t give you any trouble. Shelby, I’m so sorry about all this. I’m just—”

“It’s probably best, too, if everybody stays quiet on the ride in,” Griff suggested, and got an easy smile from Forrest.

“Like I said, you ever want a career change. Melody, you walk to my cruiser under your own power, or I’ll cuff you.”

“Oh, I’m coming. You’ll be out of a job before this day’s over. I’m going to make sure of it.”

Before he led Melody away, Forrest glanced at Florence. “I’m sorry about this, Mrs. Piedmont. I’m sorry for this trouble for you and your family.”

“I know it.” When she looked at Griff there might have been a gleam of tears in her eyes, but her back remained poker straight. “I’m more sorry about this than I can say.”

J
olene wasn’t quiet on the ride in, but cried in wild, gulping sobs all the way. With ears ringing, Griff decided all he really wanted in the world at that moment was to get back to work and sanity.

The only route he saw there was herding Shelby and Jolene into the station house.

Sheriff Hardigan looked at Griff, at the two women—Shelby, eyes hot, Jolene, eyes spewing tears. Stepping forward, he dug a large white handkerchief out of his pocket, pushed it into Jolene’s hands.

He said, in a tone that miraculously blended cheer and sympathy, “Well now, what’s all this?”

“Forrest is right behind us,” Griff began.

“I’m probably under arrest.” After slapping her hands on her hips, Shelby looked directly, defiantly into Hardigan’s eyes. “I punched Melody Bunker in the face.”

“Hmm,” was Hardigan’s response before he focused on Jolene.

“I didn’t know she meant to do it!” Hysteria bubbled up through the hitching sobs. “I swear, I didn’t. I thought she was just being mad and saying things. I didn’t think she meant to really get Arlo to scare Shelby or hurt her. I swear I’m that upset about all of it.”

“I can see that. Why don’t you come on in and tell me about it. You got her?” he said to Griff, arched his eyebrows at Shelby.

“I guess.”

“Deputized?” Shelby gave him one hard look as Hardigan led Jolene into his office.

“That’s just Forrest being Forrest.” But he was relieved when Forrest himself walked in with a cold-eyed Melody.

“Jolene?”

“Sheriff’s talking to her.”

“Good enough. You got her?”

At the repeated question, Griff winced. “Yeah, yeah.”

Forrest escorted Melody into the back break room, walked out again. “Nobby, I need you to sit on her for a couple minutes while I sort some of this out.”

“No problem there.”

When Forrest turned to his sister, she held out her hands, wrists together.

“Stop that shit.”

“Maybe you want your deputy to do it.” When she turned with the same gesture to Griff, he just took her face in his hands.

“Cut it out. Now.”

She bristled a moment, but he didn’t let go, kept his eyes level on hers until she hissed out a breath. “I’m not mad at either of you—too much—and I’m sick about what happened to you, Griff. I’m just all-around mad. Am I under arrest?”

“It’s not going to come to that,” Forrest said. “Even if she pushes it, she’s in a hell of a lot more trouble. She earned the punch.”

“She surely did.”

“Hell of a right cross you got there, Red.”

“Thank you. Clay taught me, but it’s the first time I actually put it into practice. What do I do now?”

“You leave this to me and the sheriff—like you should have before you stormed the damn castle. Not that I’m ever going to blame you for the punch—and go on to work, or home, or whatever business you got going.”

“I can just go?”

“That’s right. And if she pushes the assault charge, we’ll deal with it. But I believe she’s going to be persuaded to let that alone.”

“All right.” She could hardly stay mad at her brother if he wasn’t going to arrest her. “I’m sorry for my part in this morning.”

“No, you’re not.”

“No, I’m not. Not yet. But I might work around to it.”

She walked out, paused when Griff walked out with her.

“None of this was my fault, and I’m pretty sick of taking responsibility for what I didn’t do. But—”

“There’s no but,” he interrupted.

She shook her head. “But, there’s no question I brought you trouble. I wouldn’t blame you for stepping back. I’ll be sorry and disappointed if you do, but I wouldn’t blame you.”

His answer was to take her face in his hands again, and this time to take her mouth as well. Long, serious and slow.

“That should settle that. I’m going to go see your dad now so I can get cleared and get the hell back to work.”

She smiled a little. “The black eye looks kind of rakish.”

“Just what I was going for. I’ll see you later. It’s been a hell of an interesting morning so far.”

She supposed he could put it that way, she thought as she walked to the salon. But she’d dearly love a couple of boring mornings.

She figured word of some of the interesting morning—and the incident the night before that had generated it—would have reached the salon by now.

The way conversation stopped, eyes turned to her when she walked in told her she’d gauged correctly.

“How is that boy? How bad’s he hurt?” Viola demanded.

“He’s going to see Daddy now, but I don’t think it’s too awful. He’s got cuts and bruises.”

“I heard they hauled Arlo Kattery in for hit-and-run,” Crystal put in. “And Lorilee here saw you driving hell-bent toward the big house a little while ago.”

“You might as well say what Melody’s got to do with all this,” Viola told her. “Everybody’s going to find out anyway.”

“She paid him, she paid Arlo to do it.”

After the collective gasp, Shelby dropped into a chair. She was early for work anyway, and God, interesting mornings were exhausting.

“Wait one minute.” Eyes narrowed, Viola swiveled the chair so Shelby faced her. “You’re saying Melody paid that Kattery boy to run Griffin Lott off the road? Why in hell would she do that?”

“She paid him to go after me, but Griff was in the way, so he went for him.”

“After . . . after
you
? But that . . . Why—” Realization struck, chilled her blood so some of it drained out of her face. “Because I kicked her out of here.”

“It’s not on you, Granny, and it’s not on me. It’s not on either of us. Any of us.”

“God knows she’s spoiled as rotten fruit, and always had a bright streak of mean in her, but I’d never have expected her to try something like this.”

“She gave Arlo a thousand down, with a thousand more when it was done.”

Viola nodded. The color that came back into her face was high and hot. “Is she arrested?”

“They’ve got her at the station house, talking about it.”

“They don’t lock her up, I’m going to know why.”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s going to be ugly, that’s certain. And everybody might as well know the rest. I went up to the big house and I punched her in the face. I just saw red and punched her, knocked her flat. I’d do it again if I could.”

More gasps even as Viola grinned. She leaned over, gave Shelby a hard hug. “That’s my girl.”

“I wish I’d seen you do it.” Maybeline folded her arms. “It’s not Christian to say so, but I wish I’d seen you do it, and taken a picture with my phone.”

“Aunt Pattie says she gets hoity-toity and orders her around something fierce when Miz Piedmont’s not around.” Lorilee nodded sagely. “So I wish I’d seen it, too, but I’d’ve taken a video.”

She walked over, gave Shelby a hug. “So don’t you fret about it, Shelby. I know more people than I can count who’d’ve paid good money to see you knock that girl on . . . on her second-runner-up’s ass. Right, Miz Vi?”

“Couldn’t be righter, Lorilee.”

“I won’t fret.” She patted Lorilee’s hand. “But I’m going to start work early, if that’s okay. Deal with towels and supplies and such. Clear my head some.”

“You go on.”

Crystal waited until Shelby went in the back. “What do you suppose Mrs. Piedmont’s going to do about all this?”

“I guess we’ll wait and see.”

They didn’t have to wait long.

In the mid-afternoon lull—when stay-at-home mothers picked up their kids from school, or greeted them at the door, before those who worked outside the home could run in for an after-work cut and color or massage—Florence Piedmont stepped into Vi’s.

Once again, the salon hushed like a church. Florence, all dignity in a navy blue dress and sensible shoes, nodded at Shelby, who manned the front counter, then Viola.

“Viola, do you have a few minutes to speak with me? Privately. You and Shelby.”

“Of course we do. Shelby, do we have anyone in the Relaxation Room?”

“Ah . . . we shouldn’t have. We have three coming in for treatments in about an hour, and two in treatments right now.”

“That’s fine, then. We’ll go on back here, Florence, where it’s nice and quiet. Crystal, when my three-thirty comes in, you set her up with a magazine.”

“I appreciate the time, Viola.”

“You’d make it for me.” Viola led the way back, through the locker area. “We’ve known each other a lot of years.”

“We have, a lot of years. How is your mama, Vi?”

“Feisty as ever. And how’s yours?”

“Slowing down some. But she dearly loves living in Florida. My brother Samuel looks in on her every day.”

“He always had a sweet heart. You have a seat now.”

“Thank you, Vi, I could use one. I’ll tell the truth and say I’m tired to the bone.”

“We have some nice peach tea, Mrs. Piedmont. Hot or cold,” Shelby added. “Could I get you some?”

“I would love some hot peach tea, thank you, if it’s no trouble.”

“Not a bit. Granny?”

“That’d be nice, darling, thank you.”

“This is a lovely room, Viola. So peaceful and calming. You always had a clever mind, and a way of turning what worked in it into something fine.”

“That’s a nice thing to hear. Everybody needs somewhere peaceful and calming now and again.”

“We could all use more of it, to my mind. What color paint have you got on these walls?”

“It’s called Twilight Gold. Pretty name.”

“It is. Peaceful,” she said again, like a sigh. “Viola, Shelby, I’m going to start by saying I’m going to speak to Griffin Lott when I leave here. But I wanted to speak to the two of you first. I should’ve asked if Ada Mae could take a minute.”

“She’s doing a facial. It’s all right, Flo. We’ll tell her what you want to say to her.”

“I want to apologize to all of you. To your daddy, too, Shelby, your daughter, your brothers. To Jackson, Viola.”

“Mrs. Piedmont, ma’am, you don’t have anything to apologize for.”

“I ask you to accept an apology from me.”

“Of course.” Shelby carried over the tea, in its pretty cups.

“Thank you. Would you sit, too? I’ve just come from the police station. Melody has admitted to going to Arlo Kattery, to giving him money to cause you trouble, Shelby. I’m not sure she’d have admitted it this soon, but they had three people already who saw her driving up to his trailer in the holler. And though it pains me to say it, I wouldn’t get her a lawyer until she told the truth.”

Saying nothing, Viola just reached out, took Florence’s hand.

“I don’t know what she thought would happen, or why she’d do something so mean, so reckless. I don’t know why she’s always been so jealous of you, Shelby. When you were voted head cheerleader back in high school, she had hysterics, begged me to make a big donation to the athletic department if they’d take you down, put her up. And when you were Homecoming queen over her, she came home and cut her dress to ribbons.”

Florence sighed. “She’s angry most of the time, it seems. I’d hoped by putting her in charge of The Artful Ridge, having her live in the carriage house, she’d be happier, start being more responsible. But I know, I see now, I indulged her too much all along. And her mama did even more.

“She’s my grandchild, my first granddaughter, and I love her.”

“Of course you do.”

“I overlooked too much over the years, but I won’t overlook this. She caused someone true harm, and it could have been much worse. She did it for spite. She’ll pay a price for that spite. I have no right to ask, and none to expect, but she’s my granddaughter, so I will ask. The sheriff indicated, if you and Griffin Lott are amenable, if you agree, instead of going to jail . . .”

For the first time Florence’s hand shook, so she set the teacup down carefully in its saucer.

“She could serve six months in a rehabilitation center, a private one, where she would have therapy for her various issues. She would be required to work there—chores, I suppose. Cleaning, gardening, laundry, that sort of thing. Then, if deemed ready, she would serve another six months’ community service in a halfway house, with a year’s probation to follow that.

“I won’t pretend it’s prison,” Florence continued. “But she would be restricted, get therapy I feel she desperately needs, and be required to follow set rules. She would lose her freedom, and that’s a kind of prison. And if she refuses to abide by the terms, the rules, then she would face prison. Her mother will try to fight me on this, but her father . . . I’ve already spoken to my son-in-law. We spoke at some length, and he will back me on this.”

Steadier, Florence picked up her tea again. “It’s your granddaughter and mine, Vi. Who would have thought we’d come here?”

Once again Viola took her hand. “Life’s full of hard bumps and slick twists. We do the best we can to drive it, start to finish.”

“Some days, best isn’t near to good enough. You’ll want time to think about this, Shelby.”

“It’s not that . . . it’s Griff she hurt, or hurt through what Arlo did.”

“It’s you she meant to.”

“All I want, I swear to you, Mrs. Piedmont, is for her to leave me and mine alone. I have a child to think of. I have a life to try to rebuild with my little girl, and I just want Melody to leave us be. If Griffin’s all right with what you said, I would be. He’s the one who ended up being hurt, whatever she meant.”