The Liar

“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 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.”