The Liar

“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.