The Liar

“He shot him, shot the big one—Jimmy—and thought he was dead, but he wasn’t. I threw bleach in his eyes, but it wasn’t enough. I slipped on it, I think, when I went to kick him in the balls, and he got me by the hair. He was going to shoot me, but the other one came out like a demon from hell. I got the gun. I got the gun, and the big one, he couldn’t fight anymore he was bleeding so bad. Richard was choking him. I said his name. I said, ‘Richard,’ so he looked at me. I don’t know why I thought that would make him stop. He thought less than nothing of me. He thought I was weak and stupid and spineless. He said that. He said I didn’t have the spine, and he came at me. I had the spine to shoot him three times. I think it was three times. He didn’t go down until the third time.”

Forrest shifted, crouched eye-to-eye with her. “You did what you had to do.”

Her eyes lost the fierceness, went glassy with tears. “You have to take it back.”

“Take what back, baby?”

“That I can’t shoot worth shit.”

Weak-kneed, Forrest rested his brow to hers a moment. “I take it back. Get her out of here, Griff. I got this.”

“I’m all right.”

Rather than argue, Griff just picked her up.

“You came.” She touched his cheek. “I knew you would, somehow. I didn’t know if the texts were going through, or who I was texting for sure. I’ve got them alphabetical, so it was going to be you or Forrest or Granny, maybe Grandpa. I knew if they got through, you’d come. You’d fix it.”

“You fixed it yourself before I got the chance.”

“I had to— Someone’s coming.” Her fingers dug into his shoulder. “The lights. Someone—”

“Backup. You’re safe now.” He turned his face into her hair. “You’ve got the whole damn Rendezvous Ridge Sheriff’s Department and God knows who else coming.”

“Oh, that’s all right, then. Will you take me to see Callie? I don’t want to wake her up. I don’t want her to see me until I’ve cleaned up, but I need to see her. Well, my God, that’s Grandpa’s date-night car. Set me down. Set me down so they’re not scared.”

He put her on her feet, but kept an arm around her. When he felt her shivering, he stripped off his jacket, draped it over her shoulders as her grandparents got out of the car.

“I’m all right. I’m not hurt. I’m—” The rest was muffled against her grandfather’s shoulder. She felt him shaking, knew he wept. Wept with him a little as others drove up.

“Where is the bastard?” Jack demanded.

“Inside. I shot him, Grandpa. He’s not dead—again—but I shot him.”

Jack took her face in his hands, kissed her wet cheeks.

“Let me see the girl.” Viola pulled her away, studied her face. “You were born to take care of yourself and yours. You did what you were born to do. Now we’re going to take you home and . . .”

She paused, steadied herself. “Griff’s going to take you home,” Viola corrected. “Your mama and daddy are at Suzannah’s with Callie. Just staying there while she sleeps. They need to hear your voice.”

“I’ll call right away. I had my phone in my pocket. He never knew I had it. He never knew much about me, I guess. Sheriff.”

Her head felt too light, and the dark circled for a few seconds as Hardigan strode up to her.

“I shot him. He was going to kill me so I shot him.”

“I want you to tell me everything that happened.”

“She gave Forrest the outline,” Griff interrupted. “She needs to get away from here. She needs to see her daughter.”

Sheriff Hardigan tapped his cheek where Shelby’s was bruised. “He do that?”

“Yes, sir. It was the first time he ever hit me. I guess it’s going to be the last time.”

“You go on home now, darling. I’ll be around to talk to you tomorrow.”

It took some time. Clay rushed up, picked her up off her feet, held her suspended as if he’d never let her go. There was Matt, who thrust his phone out to her after he’d hugged her so she could speak to Emma Kate.

“Tell Forrest I’m taking his truck.”

Griff drove away from the cabin, from the blood, from the lights, then just stopped at the turn onto the road.

He drew her over against him, held on.

“I need a minute.”

“You can take all the minutes you want.” She started to relax against him. “Oh hell, Griffin, I forgot to tell them. Richard has a key in his pocket—or I guess that’s where it is. It was in that picture frame, the one holding the picture of me and Callie I gave him. He said he was going Monday morning to the bank, and I think he means one of the banks right in the Ridge. It’s where he put the jewelry, the stamps, too, I guess. He put it right in the bank in Rendezvous Ridge.”

Keeping his eyes closed, Griff just breathed in the scent of her hair. “Who’d have figured to look for it there?”

“I guess he was canny in that way. I have to tell them.”

“You will. Tomorrow’s soon enough. They’ve waited five years. They can wait one more night.”

“One more night. I want a hot shower and a gallon of water, and I want to burn this dress. But I want to see Callie more than anything.”

“That’s first on the list.”

“Do you know the way to get back to the Ridge from here?”

“I haven’t got a clue.”